Tag
Immigration
20 articles
Jewish Genealogy: How to Trace Your Family's Roots
Tracing a Jewish family tree means navigating name changes at Ellis Island, lost shtetl records, Holocaust gaps, and — if you're lucky — the thrill of connecting to ancestors you never knew.
Making Aliyah: The Journey of Moving to Israel
Every year, thousands of Jews from around the world 'make aliyah' — move to Israel. The process involves paperwork, culture shock, Hebrew lessons, and a profound act of identity.
Jews in America: Four Centuries of History
From 23 refugees arriving in New Amsterdam in 1654 to a thriving community of nearly seven million, the story of Jews in America is a story of reinvention, contribution, and enduring identity.
The Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency has facilitated the immigration of over three million Jews to Israel, serving as the bridge between the diaspora and the Jewish state for nearly a century.
Jews of Australia and New Zealand: From Convicts to Community
Jews arrived in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 — some as convicts. From those unlikely beginnings, they built a thriving community that today numbers around 120,000, with deep contributions to military, cultural, and civic life.
Jewish Immigration to America: Four Waves That Built a Community
Jewish immigration to America came in four distinct waves — Sephardic (1654), German (1840s), Eastern European (1880-1924), and Soviet/Israeli (1970s+). Each wave transformed the community, and each left marks on American life that endure today.
Emma Lazarus: The Poet Who Gave America Its Voice of Welcome
She wrote the most famous words in American immigration history — 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.' Emma Lazarus was a Sephardic Jewish poet who fought for refugees, envisioned a Jewish homeland, and died at thirty-eight.
Welcoming the Stranger: Judaism's Most Repeated Command
The Torah commands love for the stranger 36 times — more than any other commandment. From ancient Israelite law to modern refugee advocacy, Judaism's insistence on welcoming the outsider is central to its ethical vision.
Sergey Brin: From Moscow to Google
Sergey Brin escaped Soviet antisemitism as a child and co-founded Google — transforming how humanity accesses information and becoming one of the wealthiest people in history.
Ralph Lauren: From the Bronx to the American Dream
Ralph Lifshitz from the Bronx became Ralph Lauren, architect of the American Dream — building a fashion empire by selling an idealized vision of America to the world.
Ethiopian Jews in Israel Today: Challenges and Achievements
Ethiopian Jews have built vibrant lives in Israel while navigating integration challenges, fighting racism, preserving unique traditions like the Sigd holiday, and achieving remarkable success.
Israeli Food: How Immigrant Cuisines Created a National Kitchen
Israeli cuisine is a fusion story — how foods from Morocco, Yemen, Iraq, Poland, Ethiopia, and beyond merged in a new country to create one of the world's most exciting culinary scenes.
Let My People Go: The Soviet Jewry Movement
The Soviet Jewry movement was a decades-long struggle to free millions of Jews trapped behind the Iron Curtain, combining grassroots activism with international diplomacy.
HIAS: From Helping Jewish Immigrants to Welcoming All Refugees
Founded in 1881 to help Jewish immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, HIAS has evolved into a leading refugee resettlement organization — driven by the Jewish imperative to welcome the stranger.
Irving Berlin: The Immigrant Who Wrote America's Soundtrack
Irving Berlin, born Israel Beilin in imperial Russia, became the most prolific songwriter in American history, crafting beloved standards from 'White Christmas' to 'God Bless America.'
Levi Strauss: The Jewish Immigrant Who Invented Blue Jeans
Levi Strauss, a Bavarian-Jewish immigrant, arrived in Gold Rush San Francisco and built a dry goods empire — then, with tailor Jacob Davis, patented riveted denim pants that became the most iconic garment in fashion history.
Emma Goldman: The Most Dangerous Woman in America
Emma Goldman — anarchist, feminist, free-speech advocate — was called the most dangerous woman in America. She was also a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania who never stopped fighting.
Russian Pogroms: Waves of Anti-Jewish Violence
A history of the pogroms against Jews in the Russian Empire from 1881 to 1921, covering their causes, major waves of violence, consequences for Jewish life, and the mass emigration they triggered.
Eldridge Street Synagogue: Cathedral of the Lower East Side
The Eldridge Street Synagogue, completed in 1887, was the first great synagogue built by Eastern European Jews in America. After decades of neglect, its stunning restoration made it a National Historic Landmark.
Judaism and Immigration: The Ethics of Welcoming the Stranger
The Torah commands Jews to love the stranger 36 times — more than any other commandment. This repeated insistence, rooted in the Jewish experience of exile and migration, shapes a distinctive ethical approach to immigration.