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A Brief History of Jews In NYC
Jews have long been an important demographic in New York. A huge influx of Jews immigrated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The tenements of the Lower East Side was where most Jews called homes, establishing what today are nationally recognized landmarks – Katz’s Deli, for example.
Most of these Jews were Eastern European, from Russia, Poland, and Germany. Because Jews were forbidden in Russia to till the fields, they became entrepreneurs and specialized in the clothing industry. One third of the Russian Jewish population worked in clothing manufacturing, and the L.E.S. was where most of the American industry centered.
But by 1900, the Lower East Side had been outsourced by Brooklyn and the Garment District uptown. With an influx of Italian immigrants, many Jews left this area of Manhattan and immigration laws left the influx of immigrants stagnant – the L.E.S. emptied.
With 2 million Jews in the 1950’s, they made up over a quarter of the city’s entire population. While many lived in Brooklyn, Manhattan was still an important area. After many relocated to California and Florida, today there are about still about 2 million Jews, with almost twice as many living in Brooklyn than in Manhattan.
It is important to know our history as we close in on another Jewish New Year. The high holy days have long been celebrated in New York, and will continue to be. Happy Jewish New Year and l’shanah haba’ah birushalayim.
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Posted on: Monday, July 19th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Posted in: Uncategorized
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