First stop in the new world

Revisiting the past on the Lower East Side

By Yaffi Spodek

Issue of Feb. 6, 2009 / 12 Shevat 5769

The Lower East Side of Manhattan was home to a vibrant community of Jewish immigrants between 1880 and 1924; for many Jews, it was their first stop in America. As the years passed and its inhabitants moved away, the Jewish population has diminished, but many landmark institutions remain, waiting to be explored by a new generation, including descendants of the Jews who once lived there.

Children in Jewish schools will soon have that opportunity, thanks to an initiative being implemented by the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy. The “Day in the Life of an Immigrant” project plans to take Jewish children on a tour of the Lower East Side and show them the rich history of their ancestors who thrived there at the turn of the 20th century.

“Immigration is something which schools are required to teach on, and we see this as a valuable example of a multi-cultural setting which schools can visit as a way to expose children to various cultures and the immigrant experience,” said Laurie Tobias-Cohen, the executive director of the Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy. “They will have at their disposal a carefully crafted educational and entertaining walking tour which will educate them about the history of the community, focusing in specifically on the years when the largest group was the Jews coming over from Eastern Europe.”

The tours are to be geared specifically for children in grades three through six, though they can be adapted for other ages.

“The centerpiece of the program is a tour of the Lower East Side, to visit sites central to the daily life of immigrant children...stopping at homes, schools, shuls, parks and libraries,” explained Rena Sichel-Rosen, the Conservancy’s director of Youth Education. “It will be an interactive and interdisciplinary opportunity to experience the neighborhood using all five senses.”

Children walking around the Lower East Side will hear and see what the neighborhood is like today, as compared to a century ago, as seen in photographs.

Two shuls will be visited: the large Bialystoker synagogue and a one-room shteibel, one of close to a dozen that remain functional today. Students will also get a literal taste of history when they stop to sample pickles from a local shop.

“We think it will be entertaining, educational and inspirational,” said Tobias-Cohen.

Slated to begin in March and continuing through 2009, the tours will be provided free of charge to participating schools, made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education arranged by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. In its first year, the program will target Jewish day schools throughout the tri-state area; in subsequent years, it hopes to expand to include public schools and Jewish schools visiting from outside New York.

“In addition to the tour, we are also offering comprehensive pre and post-tour materials to be used in the classroom, including a series of documents and historic photographs which teachers can use as part of their immigration unit,” Sichel-Rosen added. “Since the state mandates immigration studies for private schools, this is a complementary trip to that unit, to bring this whole idea to life and help them experience what life was like for children growing up on the Lower East Side.”

Tobias-Cohen emphasized that the program is flexible and will try to accommodate the varied schedules of different schools to the greatest extent possible.

“It is such a beautiful opportunity and we want to make it as convenient as possible,” she said. “We may also have scholarship money available to help schools with transportation costs as well.”

The Lower East Side Jewish Conservancy offers tours throughout the year to various groups of students and adults coming from synagogues, JCCs, Hillels and schools. For more information or to arrange for your school to participate, contact Rena Sichel-Rosen at renasichelrosen at nycjewishtours.org or at (917) 734-8700.