History

Jewish immigrants were some of the latest comers to New York, well after the large Irish and German influx in the mid-19th century. The majority of Jews started coming in 1890, when their presence was relatively new in New York City. They came mostly from eastern Europe, with the majority coming from the Russian Empire, meaning that many immigrants who claimed they were from Russia would today be from Poland, Ukraine or Lithuania, among others.

The main reason that Jews immigrated to New York was for freedom of religion. They weren’t welcome in their home countries, so many sought refuge from religious oppression in the United States. Most Jewish immigrants were poor, so they saw New York as a place to prosper economically as well.

Life in New York

Most Jewish immigrants settled on the Lower East Side. Jewish neighborhoods had a very high population density, and many families lived in tenement apartments. In a family could afford to move from the Lower East Side, they would often go to Brooklyn or the Bronx. Up until the last 10 or 15 years, the Lower East Side was still considered by some to be the Jewish neighborhood, with concentrations of Jewish synagogues and businesses.

Jews did not assimilate into American life as easily as other European immigrants. They were seen by native New Yorkers as very foreign because of the way they dressed, the unfamiliar languages they spoke (often Yiddish), and the religion they practiced. However, Jewish parents valued education and pushed their children to learn English, which helped the next generation assimilate better.

Jobs

Many Jewish immigrants were tailors. While they might not have been tailors in the old country, immigrants felt that if they claimed they were a skilled worker, they would likely be accepted by immigration authorities.

Impact and Legacy

Subsequently, Jewish immigrants had quite an impact on the American clothing industry. Jewish tailors were the first to introduce mass-produced, ready-made clothes in New York. Up until then, most Americans made their own clothes. Jewish immigrants set up clothing stores so people could buy clothes off the rack.

Genealogy Tidbits

It is very important for researchers to find the city of origin for Jewish ancestors. You can’t get very far without it. Search passage manifests, naturalization papers, and census records for this information.

Unfortunately, synagogues did not keep records of their members. But synagogues often printed newsletters that might provide information on members, if you can find those newsletters

Researchers can search through the record collections at the Center for Jewish History for background history (the online catalog covers even separate repositories). The Eldridge Street Synagogue, now a museum, on the Lower East Side features a list of known congregants. Sites including Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and JewishGen can also help point you to records associated with eastern European Jews.

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