A Process Of Acculturation Among Immigrants

The Process of Acculturation In the late 19th century, people across the globe left their homelands in hopes to find freedom in the United States. Overwhelming populations of immigrants flooded urban areas like New York City. These immigrants felt the need to assimilate to the new society because most “native” Americans were skeptical and felt threatened by them. Immigrants in large cities were out-casted by Americans; so immigrants of the same backgrounds formed neighborhoods to have a sense of community. The outdated apartment buildings in the neighborhoods were close knit because multiple families would live on one floor. Immigrants believed that they would flourish in the new land of opportunity, not realizing that everything would cost
Rose’s family lived on Cherry Street, in the lower east side of New York City, like many other Jewish families. Rose’s parents did what they could to keep their faith, but when push came to shove they would assimilate in order for the family’s survival. In Yiddish culture, the father of the family always kept a beard. Soon after coming to America, Rose’s father shaves his beard which upsets Rose. Her father explains to her that “They do not like Jews on Cherry Street. And one with a long beard has to take his life into his own hands” (106). Although the Yiddish culture was very traditional, Rose’s father chooses to shave his beard in order to be able to find work to provide for his family. Rose Cohen’s name in her native home was Rahel, when she is put to work in the sweatshops she is given an “America name” (82). Rose’s American name symbolizes the new identity she takes on to assimilate to her new environment. Unlike her parents, Rose becomes open to experiencing and discovering new ideas of the American culture. Rose tries to balance the push from her parents to stay within her traditional culture and her curiosity of
The Cohen family resisted these institutions in the beginning because of their association with Christianity. As a depression fell on America, many people turned to these institutions including the Cohen Family, who eventually overlooked the institutions’ Christian basis. The younger children were allowed to repeat the missionary’s prayer in order to receive free honey and bread at their school. When Rose fell ill her family would not let her stay at the hospital because they did not have these facilities in their home country and this hospital was a different religion then their own, Presbyterian. When her illness does not improve, the family puts aside their accusations and allows for Rose to go stay at the hospital. Rose refuses to eat the food in the hospital because it was “trafe (meaning that the cattle had not been killed in accordance with the Jewish law)” (236) but her mother insists that she does in order for her health to improve. Also while Rose is in the hospital she is visited by multiple religious personal. Her contrasting beliefs push her away from them but when one of the ministers is intrigued by her Jewish background she opens up to the possibility of learning about other religions. Rose, in particular, had an interest in the Bible for the purpose of reading because she loved any book that was available to her. In the settlement house,