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The farm has been doing well. Some financial surplus allows you to bring over a much loved Aunt and cousin from Russia to the United States. This family reunion rekindles a sense of culture and faith in your family and you feel grateful to be able to keep the aunt safe from the violence in Europe.

Your family finally feels somewhat comfortable and accepted in their new home.

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Your Children continue their education in a larger town miles away from the farm. After they graduate they decide they want to return to life in the big city. Only your oldest son Bill decides to stay and help with the farm. The rest of the children move back to Chicago. You are sad to see them go.

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A popular book by American lawyer Madison Grant in 1916 describes Catholics and Jews as “unskilled, ignorant, and unwilling to assimilate.”

There is a movement by some native-born Americans in your small town to drive your family and other Jewish families out of town. Flyers are posted with stereotypes to increase anti-Semitic sentiment amongst the community residents.

You must prove that you love America to your new community.

What will you sacrifice to keep your family safe?

A. Spiritual Traditions

B. Food Traditions

C. Language Traditions

Moment of Reflection:
Do you think giving so much up will allow you to be accepted as true Americans?

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Your children are allowed to attend school in the U.S. In Russia, Jews were barred from the education system. This is the first time in generations that your family has access to institutional education. The education of your family becomes extremely important.

The harassment of your children slowly starts to fade away as they begin to learn better English and the customs of their new homeland.

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From an early age, your children are ridiculed by their peers for their accents, their use of Yiddish, and for their darker physical features and noses. The older boys often get into fights to defend themselves and are fiercely protective of their younger sister, Anna. Nobody ever intervenes to stop the violence against your children.

It is painful for you to see your children suffer like this.

What will you give up to keep your children safe?

A. Spiritual Traditions

B. Food Traditions

C. Language Traditions

A moment for reflection:
How are you feeling about the choices you have made so far?

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You see an article in the press calling for Jewish community members to move to the Great Plains to begin life as farmers.

It reads: “The State of Wyoming offers to do all in its power to aid the colonists if they settle on Wyoming land. Agricultural experts will be at their service, free of cost...”

The movement was inaugurated by a few people of the Jewish quarter of Chicago who had been farmers in the old country and who have decided that life is worth too much to be wasted in the squalid alleys of great cities.

You sell your stake in the furniture business and begin moving West.

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Your family moves to Chicago and, with the help of a new friend, is able to establish a small furniture making business.

However,  your family celebrates Sabbath on Saturday and your community furniture store is closed on these days. Each Saturday for months, the store is vandalized and your family ridiculed for this difference in religious tradition.

The cost of repairs every week is adding up.

This cannot continue if you want to make a living.

What will you sacrifice for the sake of your business?

A. Spiritual Traditions

B. Food Traditions

C. Language Traditions

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Welcome to Ellis Island, gateway to the United States for everyone without a first or second class ticket. This is how over 12 million people will enter the U.S.—In fact, over 40% of all Americans can trace their roots to someone who passed through here.

Welcome to the Melting Pot!

You will need to fit in, so hard decisions must be made.

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MEMBERS:

Samuel Shapiro, age 46

Sarah Shapiro, age 40

Ida Rosen (Sister to Sarah), age 38

Bill Shapiro, age 21

Ben Shapiro, age 19

Nathan Shapiro, age 18

Hyme Shapiro, age 16

Anna Shapiro, age 9

OCCUPATION:

Furniture, Needlework

FROM:

Ekaterinoslav, RussiaGorod Voronezh, Voronezh Oblast, Russia

MIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES:

1892, to escape persecution and discrimination.

Click Here for your family's cultural identity