Field Trip Reflection

Part I: From Haven to Home

From Haven to Home was a museum, which we visited to learn about Jewish Immigrants and the way they coped while living in America. This museum explored a total of 350 years that Jews have been living in America. The first thing that I learned about was the first Jews that came to America. It was a group of 23 Jews, including adults and children, who came to America in 1654 to seek a better life in America after being kicked-out by the Portuguese who were taking over their homeland in Brazil. When the Jews first came to America, they ran into some complications. They came to New Amsterdam and were discriminated against as Jews, therefore the governor refused to allow them own real estate.

The Jews were also involved with the growth of America, to make sure their religious beliefs were protected. For example, the 1st Amendment was created to protect the Jews right against religious discrimination, as well as other religions. The Jews also were ones to fight in the Civil War, siding with the North and the South, depending on where they lived. In the 1880’s there were millions of Jews that started to come over from different parts of Europe. Emma Lazarus was a Jewish poet who wrote a famous poem about the Statue of Liberty.

In 1923, America refused to let anymore Jews into America, until the controversies of Adolf Hitler came up, in which then America allowed Jews to come in again to escape the hostile concentration camps that millions of Jews went to and died from. Over time, Jews started to prosper in America and settle more into homes and be a part of everyday American life, while still holding onto their religion by building synagogue communities. Jewish holidays also became more familiar with other non-Jewish Americans.

Many Jews were very involved with politics. Some Jews have run for things like Congress and the U.S. state cabinet. Just like politics, Jews have been involved in America’s pop culture by participating in Broadway shows and radio and TV broad casting. Jewish woman have also had a big role in history. For example Rebecca Gratz started the first Sunday school for young Jews.
One of the biggest issues that occurred from the Jews was the concept of Zionism. Zionism was the movement in Europe to have Israel a country again. Luis D. Brandis was a famous lawyer and was also the spokesperson for the Zionism movement. Jews now, have Israel as their homeland again. Over time, Jews have made different lifestyles. The strict rules stated in Leviticus Chapter 11 are what Orthodox Jews follow, whereas different groups like Reformed and Conservative Jews follow a simpler set. In Conclusion, Jews have influenced and made a huge impacted on who America is today.

Part II: Children of Immigrants

The photograph that I chose to talk about is called Walt Disney Magnet School. Taken in 1998, it shows a close-up of a group of kids about five to seven years old who are all smiling. I really like this picture because it shows that all you need is a little effort to be able to coexist and have fun together without having to worry about someone’s background or ethnicity.

“The greatest thing I hope for in my life is to be a successful person and to have a family and friends to support me, not to be looked at by just the color of my skin, but who I am inside,” Samira Durakovic, Yugoslavia. This quote really stood out to me because I think that everyone can relate to what she wants in her future and be able to say that everyone is human, and the color of someone’s skin is not who you should judge them by.