THE JEWISH IMMIGRANTS OF THE EARLY 1900's

Phyllis Carter shared Michael Litvack's post.

The Old Neighbourhood

You had to have lived there to recognize these types of food stores, dealing with the newly arrived immigrants in Montreal. Every city had these stores, providing a bit of the old country comfort foods, newspapers, and...

BY MICHAEL LITVACK

Phyllis Carter  - GREAT PAINTING. THE JEWISH IMMIGRANTS FROM RUSSIA AND POLAND IN THE EARLY 1900's WERE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE REFUGEES WE ARE SEEING TODAY. THEY FLED COSSAKS AND BOLSHEVIKS AND MADE IT TO SAFETY BEFORE THE NAZIS - OR WE WOULD NOT EXIST. WHEN THEY FINALLY ARRIVED HERE THEY KISSED THE GROUND. THEY WERE GRATEFUL. THEY DID NOT TRY TO CONVERT ANYONE TO THEIR RELIGION OR TRADITIONS OR ASK FOR FAVORS. THEY WORKED HARD IN SWEAT SHOPS, STANDING ON THEIR FEET ALL DAY LONG. THEY BUILT CLINICS AND SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS. THEY FED THEIR CHILDREN EVEN WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FOOD FOR THEMSELVES. THEY PROVIDED FOR THE POOR. THEY SENT THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL DRESSED IN WASHED AND PRESSED CLOTHING, THEIR HAIR WASHED AND COMBED. THEY MADE SURE THE CHILDREN STUDIED HARD AND THEY RESPECTED THEIR TEACHERS. THE CHILDREN BECAME DOCTORS AMD LAWYERS AND TEACHERS AND POLITICIANS. SOME BECAME ENTREPRENEURS AND BECAME VERY RICH AND FORGOT TO CARE FOR OTHERS. BUT MANY SERVED THEIR NEW COUNTRY IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND SAVED THE LIVES OF STRANGERS. NEVER FORGET THE JEWISH REFUGEES OF THE EARLY 1900's.