From The Peopling of New York City
Contents |
Introduction
They all packed up and left. The reasons were many. If they couldn’t bring something it was simply left behind. Anti-Semitism forced the Jews of Syria to abandon their profitable commodities and sometimes even family members. In Lebanon, the Civil War of 1975 made life for Jews impossible. Jews escaped the Soviet Union for various political, economic and social reasons. For Jews in Israel, there were minimal economic opportunities, therefore they searched elsewhere. For whatever the reasons, these Jews found their way to Flatbush Brooklyn where they had to establish a new residence and in effect a new life.
Upon arriving in Flatbush, these Jews had to start from scratch. The jobs they had held in their home countries would not necessarily be the ones they would now find. They had left their friends behind and starting over would be difficult. These people had immigrated as children, and the ridicule they had faced in schools they will remember till this day. Although New York offered religious tolerance, the mere fact that these people were immigrants set them at a lower social status then the natives. The people we interviewed have their own stories and memories that they shared with us. It didn’t matter where they came from, they all can recount similar differences between their home countries and their new home, Flatbush.
We interviewed friends, family, and other members of the community. Ten hours of interviews were conducted however, as goes any work, not everything can fit. Although much won’t be seen, we believe the truth will be witnessed. Through a glimpse, the scope of entire human lives can be analyzed. This project displays exactly what went wrong, and why it needed to be fixed. Why millions of people packed up, if they even could, and left. And of course it addresses possibly the most important issue of all. Was it worth it?
Fact Pages
Israeli Jewry
Lebanese Jewry
Mexican Jewry
Soviet Jewry
Syrian Jewry
The Jews In Flatbush Documentary
Jews Of Flatbush from Lilli Zami on Vimeo.
Bios
Olga Mizrahi
Leon Rosenbaum
Jimmy Malach
Edmond Sardar
Mary Tawil
Freda Mograby
Matty Katz
Mark Nourieli
Marina Leshchinsky
Related Pages
About Us
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Lillian Zami
Sammy Nourieli
Samuel Landau
Amy Mograby
Jaclyn Assis