Stitching a Life + Jewish Immigration

They left Europe because of overpopulation, religious oppression, and poverty.  They came to America seeking a better life, and transformed the face of American Jewry.  These immigrant Jews of the late 19th and early 20th century poured into cities, bringing a new workforce...

Immigrants tended to settle in poor neighborhoods, such as New York's Lower East Side.  They lived in cramped conditions and often worked long, laborious days in factories.  They brought with them Yiddish culture, which flourished in these new ghettos.  At the same time so many Jews were arriving, the garment industry was undergoing rapid expansion in America.  Many jobs were available, and the manufacturers needed immigrant labor.  By 1910, nearly 70% of America's clothing was being produced in the garment district of New York City.

Employers enticed immigrants with promises of the opportunity to continue observing the Sabbath, which was a plus as it allowed a newfound religious freedom.  However, factory workers were often exploited, working extremely long and labor-intensive days in cramped quarters.  These sweatshops offered very little pay, but they did allow workers to continue using their native language (due to the high number of immigrants employed there) and observe the Sabbath and other Jewish festivals.  Over the next forty to fifty years, the garment district would undergo even more changes, phasing out much of its human labor, but it provided a foothold for these Jewish immigrants to start a new life...

Our spine read for this unit is:

• Stitching a Life
• It’s 1900, and sixteen-year-old Helen comes alone in steerage across the Atlantic from a small village in Lithuania, fleeing terrible anti-Semitism and persecution. She arrives at Ellis Island, and finds a place to live in the colorful Lower East Side of New York. She quickly finds a job in the thriving garment industry and, like millions of others who are coming to America during this time, devotes herself to bringing the rest of her family to join her in the New World, refusing to rest until her family is safe in New York. A few at a time, Helen’s family members arrive. Each goes to work with the same fervor she has and contributes everything to bringing over their remaining beloved family members in a chain of migration. Helen meanwhile, makes friends and―once the whole family is safe in New York―falls in love with a man who introduces her to a different New York―a New York of wonder, beauty, and possibility.

Pick up the ENTIRE UNIT in Twenty-Three Reads Bundle - for someone who wants a little bit of everything! 

It includes twenty-three unit studies covering a wide range of topics. Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand. These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

Includes:

• Language Arts
• Finding Langston & the Poetry of Langston Hughes
• Geography
• Anne of Green Gables & Canadian Provinces
• Stowaway & Antarctica
• Julie of the Wolves & Alaska
• Blades of Freedom & the Louisiana Purchase
• The Avion My Uncle Flew & France
• History
• Zlata’s Diary & the Slavic Wars
• Freedom Summer & the Summer of 1964
• Treasure Island & Pirates of the Caribbean Sea
• Farenheit 451 & Types of Government
• Red Stars & Russia in World War 2
• The Great Gatsby & the Roaring Twenties
• The Long List of Impossible Things & Post-War Germany
• A Tale of Two Cities & French Revolution
• Witch of Blackbird Pond & Salem Witch Trials
• The World Made New & Early Explorers
• Stitching a Life & Jewish Immigration
• Life Skills
• Teetoncey & Lifesaving Skills
• Freak of the Week & Disabilities Awareness
• Island of the Blue Dolphins & Sailing
• Science
• The Science of Breakable Things & the Scientific Method
• Frankenstein & Human Anatomy
• Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation & Albert Einstein

Product samples:

• Teetoncey & Lifesaving Skills
• Finding Langston & the Poetry of Langston Hughes
• Farenheit 451 & Types of Government