Field Trip Reflection

From Haven to Home:

The purpose of this exhibit was to learn about the importance of Jews, some of their culture and some famous and important Jews. In this exhibit I learned numerous facts about Jews. Some of the facts I learned were that about 9,000 Jews fought in the Civil War for the Union and that 3,000 fought for the confederacy. I also learned that in 1654 a group of 23 children and adults arrived in a Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, which we call New York. The group of the 23 Jews wanted to seek a safe home. They were looking for a safe place to live in because the have been expelled by the Portuguese conquerers of Brazil. Pieter Stuyvesant wanted to expel the 23 Jews because he thought they would make a financial burden to the colony. I also learned that our first president, George Washington made sure that that Jews would have the liberty of their religion. Another interesting fact that I learned what the in 1924 the set immigration limits, Congress effectively closed “The Golden Door” to Eastern European Jewish immigrants. In 1841 the first Jew sat in Congress. Also in 1906, Oscar Stravs became the first Jew in the United States cabinet. Another interesting fact that I learned was in May of 1902 twenty thousand women from New York, Lower East Side broker into a kosher butcher shop and threw the meat into the streets, doused it with kerosene and set it to blaze. They did this because Jews ate different foods then what other people eat. Another interesting fact that I learned that the first Jews settled in Las Vegas around the year of the 1800’s and some of the famous Jews arrived in the early 1940’s. I also learned that in the year of 1869 the first loan was 500 dollars. I also learned that a Jew named Judah P. Benjamin was the first elected Jew to the United States senate. There were some many interesting facts that I learned about Jewish people that I have never really learned before.

Children of Immigrants:

The photo I chose was called, "Boy from Albania is fingerprinted upon arrival." This picture was a young Albania boy that was getting ready to get his thumb finger printed. The boy looked scared in a way and looked like he didn't know what was going on. The Albania boy was in the middle of the picture. Next him was a guy holding his thumb to get it stamped which covered most of the little boys body. Behind him was a guys arm looking like he was trying to reach over him. The reason why I chose this picture because the little Albania boy had a lot of emotions in his eyes. His eyes showed me 3 different emotions, sad, confused and scared. I think he was mostly sad and scared because he lad to leave his home and doesn't know what they are doing to him. I would be sad and scared to if I had to leave my foreign home. A quote that I chose was by Tamara Farnik. Her quote was, "America had anything we need: technology, goods. At least one person from every nation lives here. People immigrate to America because they know it's the land of freedom and a better life. I see Americas as a land of opportunities." I chose this quote because I thought it said a lot from one person. I also chose this quote because I thought that this quote could relate to everyone who is living in America. In America I think it is a land of opportunity's. We have everything that any person would ever wanted in technology and in goods and if we don't have it then someone has the freedom to make it. In other countries there are many rules and you don't have the amount of freedom you would have in America. I think this quote is saying that we have more freedom that other countries don't have. The personal essay that I chose was called "The Home of the Brave" by Mark Sena. In this essay it was a about a boy that lived in the Philippines that had to leave because the struggles they were dealing with over in the Philippines. So they immigrated to America. In the story he mentioned that it was hard dealing with immigration, but is needed. In America he learned our language, English and the traditions we do and eat. He stayed in America for 2-3 years. Here in America his little brother was born. After the struggles were over in the Philippines he moved back and forgot most of his language in the Philippines and forgot almost all the traditions he had in the Philippines. This was again a hard struggle for him to immigrate back but he wanted to.