westward imigration timeline

westward imigration

Period: Jan 1, 1894 to Jan 1, 1914

My name is Shmuel Stvee Lazzier im a Russian Jew from Kiev im immigrating to america from my home city Kiev because of the ongoing pogroms and segregation against those who practise Judaism

Religious persecution (kiev pogrom)

Oct 31, 1905

I survived the Kiev pogrom of 1905; In Russia Jews like me had experienced and continue to experience systematic extermination because of our practicing of Judaism. This systematic extermination often occurs in pogroms like the one in my home Kiev that propelled me to come to America.

Arriving in Copenhagen.

Apr 4, 1906

I was severely malnourished upon my arrival in Copenhagen. Russian Jews like me were often malnourished when we arrived at a willing port of exit usually hundreds of miles away from our homes because most if not all Russian ports have strict laws prohibiting the transportation of Jews out of Russian territory.

steerage

May 16, 1906

I was very poor in my home and had to travel in Steerage on the boat to America. Steerage was very hard for me because I keep a kosher diet, and food on the ship was already in short supply so there was very little choice of what I ate. Also the living conditions were some of the worst I’ve ever seen.

the immigration process

Jun 1, 1906

When other Russian Jews and I arrived in America, we stayed together whenever possible throughout the immigration process

the american dream

Jul 4, 1906

In America i'm are free to live where i want to, and have political representation along with a much higher life expectancy, quality of life, and economic opportunity. All of these rights, qualities and opportunities are at their strongest in the west.

Immigration restriction league (founded 1894)

Sep 3, 1906

The league convinced congress into gradually restricting the amount of eastern and southern European immigrants; most of these would-be-immigrants are Jewish. I feel guilty about going west towards a better life whenn my people have to continue a life thats Segregated, and violated.

living space

Nov 24, 1906

The northeastern Philadelphia area that I settled in was very cramped and thus living conditions were less than ideal but still much better than my home Kiev.

economic opurtunity

Dec 6, 1906

I’m an entrepreneur who owns my very own shoe shop, it does not yield large profits but I’m much better off financially than I was in Kiev.

Linguistic/cultural divide

Dec 11, 1906

I speak a language called Yiddish. Spoken by most Jews in Europe, Yiddish has many dialects and is considerably difficult to translate to English this makes interaction between me and other Americans very difficult because of my limited fluency in English.

freedom at last

Jan 1, 1907

America was everything I had yearned, hoped, and prayed for. At last in America I am free of religious persecution and possess the very thing I had strived for since I was a boy, Freedom.