From The Peopling of New York City
Williamsburg Project.
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in Brooklyn that received a large influx of Jews in the 20th Century, particularly after the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge in 1903 and after World War II ended in 1945.
It was formerly an industrial neighborhood that now includes a large variety of people, notably a thriving Satmar Hasidic Jewish Community, as well as a Hispanic, Black and a vibrant art community.
This project is a conglomerate of personal narratives, told by young Jews who lived in Williamsburg in the 1950's and '60's.
Brief History:
IN 1898, Brooklyn became one of the five boroughs of New York City, and Williamsburg became open to close connections with the rest of New York City.
With the opening of the bridge in 1903, many Lower East Side residents, particularly Jewish Immigrants and their children, relocated to Williamsburg.
The second large wave of Jewish immigration to Williamsburg began after WWII, and comprised of Eastern European Jews fleeing Europe after the Holocaust.