Public Office
Education
Waves of Immigration
years and intensity
mother countries
Employment
Waves of Immigration
Most Jewish immigration to the United States occurred
from 1890-1924. The primary reason for Jews
immigrating to the US was for religious freedom.
They settled in cities such as New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia, and Boston.
Waves of Immigration
Most Jews immigrated from Eastern Europe. Some of the
countries with a large portion of their immigrants coming
to the United States that were Jewish include:
Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Austria
Population of Jews in America
6,000,000
5,500,000
5,000,000
4,500,000
4,000,000
3,500,000
Number of
Jews in the
United Sates
3,000,000
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
0
1860 1890 1910 1940 1970 2000
Facts About Population of Jews in America
•The majority of Jewish immigrants remained in the states that they
arrived in
•The three cities with the largest Jewish population in the Diaspora
are in the united states.
They are:
Cities with the Largest
Jewish Population in the Diaspora
New York, USA
1,750,000
London, UK
200,000
Miami, USA
535,000
Moscow, Russia
200,000
Los Angeles, USA
490,000
Buenos Aires, Argentina
180,000
Paris, France
350,000
Toronto, Canada
175,000
Philadelphia, USA
254,000
Washington DC, USA
165,000
Chicago, USA
248,000
Kiev, Ukraine
110,000
San Francisco, USA
210,000
Montreal, Canada
100,000
Boston, USA
208,000
St. Petersburg, Russia
100,000
Education
Jewish immigrants took great pride in education. They
wanted their children to learn as much as they could so
they could reach higher and have better jobs than their
parents had when they came to the US.
Education
However, as is so often the case it was difficult for Jews
to obtain a good education because they were
prejudiced against because of their ethnicities, social
status, accents, and religion.
Education
“The grammar schools of the Jewish quarter are
overcrowded with children of immigrants, who, for
progress and deportment, are rated with the very best
in the city. At least 500 of 1677 students at the New York
City College…are Jewish boys from the East Side.”
-”The Russian Jew in America” by Abraham Cahan
Parents would rather sacrifice additional income by
having their children go to school rather than working.
Education
Education was not only limited to children. Many Jews
who immigrated to the US did not speak English. There
were several public night schools and many Jews opted
to use them as a means of broadening their education
and learning English.
Young Jews would also earn money by teaching English
to adults in their homes to help pay their way through
higher education.
Employment of Jews in 1900
Males. Females.
The figures for the chief
occupations of 88,827 Russian and
Polish male Jews and 24,221 female
Jews in New York, 1900, are:
Engaged in manufacture of clothing
25,674
8,545
Laborers (not specified)
4,088
......
Agents
1,663
......
Clerks and copyists
2,754
......
Hucksters and peddlers
4,215
......
Retail merchants
9,016
......
Salespeople
3,256
1,306
Boot-and shoe-makers
1,554
......
Carpenters and joiners
1,574
......
Lawyers
217
......
Hat- and cap-makers
1,543
......
Manufacturers and officials
2,513
......
Tobacco and cigar operatives
1,778
......
Teachers and professors in colleges
526
132
Physicians and surgeons
305
......
Clergymen
298
......
Dentists
75
......
Musicians
403
114
Electricians
135
......
Servants and waitresses
......
2,878
Dressmakers
......
2,168
Actresses
......
37
Facts about Jews in American Politics
• The first Jew elected into a political office was in 1845.
• The first Jew in the Senate was David Levy Yulee from
Florida, however he denounced his religion and was still
attacked by anti-Semitism.
• Out of the 109 United States Supreme Court Justices only 7
have been Jewish.
• In the past few years more Jews have become increasingly
involved because of Senator Joe Lieberman’s candidacy for
Vice President in the 2000 election.
Political Opinions of Jews
The Political Identity of Jews
Democrat
• The viewpoints of democracy are associated
to internationalism and liberalism.
• This directly correlates to the Jewish belief
system, Three reasons are:
Jewish Beliefs
•Large emphasis on education and
intellectual freedom
•Charity and helping the weak and
oppressed
•Human pleasure is separate from
G-d, the need to make the world a
better place
Democracy/Liberalism
•Affirmative action- allowing everyone the
right of education
•Women’s rights and pro-choice
•Social justice organizations and the
focus on the people
Number of Jews elected into the United States
Congress
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Senate
House of
Representatives
18301840185018601870188018901900191019201930194019501960197019801990
The Assimilation Process and Affect on Jews in
Politics
• Jews have created a support system set up as a
government. It began at a time when there was an extreme
amount of anti-Semitism.
• In the past, Jews have kept their political life separate from
their religious life. This is nearly impossible to maintain if
a Jew were to become president or vice president.
• However, as time has progressed Jews have increasingly
been able to separate their religion and political life.