to America continued to practice Jewish religion, many cities erected synagogues and other houses of worship. On New York’s East Side alone, 500 Jewish houses of worship were built between 1880 and 1915. (American Identity Explorer, CD-ROM) The Educational Alliance was formed to aid in the transition by offering citizenship classes to adults, cooking and sewing classes, and facilities for young Jewish children. Its aim was to “Americanize and modernize the newcomers and aid in their adjustment. (American Identity Explorer, CD-ROM) Other groups similar to the Alliance included the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (H.I.A.S), The Hebrew Sheltering Guardian Society, and the Hebrew Free Loan Society. (American Identity Explorer, CD-ROM)One of the most helpful factors in adjusting to American way of life was the development of the Jewish Daily Forward. This newspaper began publication in 1897 and quickly became the largest Yiddish newspaper in New York and offered “Yiddish culture and also educated immigrants about American culture and practices.” (American Identity Explorer, CD-ROM) Together with the above-mentioned groups, East European Jews were provided with a little bit of comfort and security in arriving to the United States.Many Jewish immigrants chose to continue living according to Jewish doctrine, with women wearing traditional wigs and staying in the home, as opposed to joining the workforce. However, for a number of different reasons, many Jewish families discovered that the traditional ways of living were difficult to execute in America. Often times in order to economically survive, women were forced to work so that they could supplement the household’s income. Although the concept of a working Jewish woman was frowned upon by more traditional Jews, women joining the work force became commonplace among Jewish immigrants. Children, on the other hand, were not expected to contribute economica...
