American society has had to witness the immigration of people who were given asylum as political refugees, as in the case of Jewish women. American society has also had to grapple with the ramifications stemming from illegal immigration, such as was observed on the immigration of Latinas. The groups are comparatively different in terms of their backgrounds and aspirations, but the divergence in their respective patterns of settlement/adjustment in American society cannot be explained in terms of their differences alone. It is also a result of the way American society has treated each group. Therefore, the process of assimilation is a two way process and both ends of the bargain influence the outcome, even more so for the receiving end. The level of responsiveness and acceptance shown on behalf of the Americans guided and molded the pattern of settlement, and the existing differences between the two groups was an added reason for the divergence.
In general terms, all immigrants share many reasons and characteristic qualities that lead them to migrate. Whether it should be an escape from a violent political environment or just a desire to make a better living, it is safe to say that once these groups settle in the US their main goal is to succeed and fulfill the “American dream.” Both groups were heavily exploited for their labor and the societal expectations of these women stifled their individual development and success. Jewish women begin immigrating to the US in the 1880s and generally came as political refugees from Eastern Europe. (Takaki pg. 277) As an ethnic minority escaping persecution, the Jewish immigrants were forced to leave as settlers rather than sojourners. The majority arrived penniless and inadequately trained in a profession or craft. (Takaki pg. 282) However, they were able to find a niche in the garment industry and met the increasing labor demands that was the result of the modernization of garment manufacturing, which allowed for mass production in factories. Competition between contractors led to the cutting of wages and the slave-like treatment of these women. They were forced to work in dangerous and cramped conditions, working 11 to 15-hour days. In addition, many single women possessing sewing skills arrived before their families. In 1910, over 70% of daughters 16 years and older were working while the sons were encouraged to study and academically succeed. (Takaki pg.293)
The Term Paper on Love And Philosophy Women Society Marriage
Throughout history, philosophers have written about love. In the days of the ancient Greeks, Erotic Love, which included education, wisdom, and sensuality, was praised. As the centuries moved forward, however, Christian Love, which heralded charity, devotion, and chastity, became the love of choice for most philosophers. Finally, fusing together the sensuality of the Greeks and the ideals of the ...
Similarly, Latinas were also exploited for their cheap labor and at their expense, white women were able to join the work force and succeed as individuals. Many employers took advantage of the illegal status of Latinas and withheld pay, refused to pay owed salary, held their visas and passports, and even sexually harassed them. (Chang pg 85) Latinas also found jobs in the garment factories, making as little as $250-$500 a month for long hours of work. Like Jewish women, they were treated like indentured servants and were forced to work 18- hour days at the expense of the Latinas’s individual aspirations and families. While the Jewish women eventually unionized themselves and fought back to improve labor conditions, Latinas were unable to even complain due to the constant threat of deportation from the INS. If white women socio-politically have gained greater voice, it has been achieved at the expense of the Latinas; they were able to enjoy a career and have a family. Like Jewish women, many Latinas came to the US single and penniless, looking to save some money to bring over the rest of the family. But unlike the Jewish community, the emphasis on the importance of education was lacking thus pointing to the background differences between the Jews and Latinas. The greater majority of Jewish women were educated (63% literacy for women) and many after the 1900s were middle class immigrants with values that differed with those of the Latina immigrants who were not comparatively as literate nor from middle-class origins.
The Term Paper on Muslimand Jewish Women
The position of women in Islam and Judaism has always been a controversial issue. Jewish and Muslim women feel inferior to the men within their respective religions. Women believing in these two religions remain subjected to unequal rights and privileges than those of men. Profound similarities and differences occur in both of these Abrahamic traditions in regard to their philosophies and ...
However, these differences were not the only factors influencing the way these two groups settled and became assimilated into American society. The reaction on behalf of American society has shaped their settlement in one way or another, and it has certainly created a role into which each could fit, with the prejudices of the existing society’s benefit in mind. In the early years of their immigration Jewish women were heavily exploited. But in contrast to Latinas, the fact remains that Jews were light skinned and strove to assimilate by adopting American values. Jews continued to be discriminated against, more specifically for their success rather than their ethnicity. For instance, in the late 1920s, Harvard discriminated against Jewish applicants by requiring submission of pictures so they could identify Jews and reject their applications. (Takaki pg. 306) In terms of women and their assimilation, they were striving so hard to fit the American ideal of a wife and mother that they chose to remain housewives rather than explore a career life.
Likewise, Latinas were exploited by employers and faced numerous legal barriers to establishing themselves in the US. In contrast to the Jewish immigrants, Latinas fall short of being treated in the same discriminatory ways Blacks have been treated. The government and the legislature have supported their exploitation, even though the government recognizes that large numbers of illegal immigrants arrive in the US and are used by wealthy housewives as a completely undocumented labor force. This can be inferred from the laws that have been drafted to keep Latinas from becoming legal residents. For instance, in 1986 the INS, through the use of the IRCA, could deny legalization to undocumented women whose children had received welfare assistance. (Chang pg.86) Considering the hours they were forced to work and the little money they were able to make, the INS efforts to cut assistance only worsened their living standards and turned a blind eye to the exploitative conditions to which they were subjected. Furthermore, the law would keep a constant supply of a cheap labor force available for the jobs no one else would do; and not just for the present but for generations to come. They would be affected by the poverty into which they would be born and the lack of parental attention due to the long hours of work required of them. In addition, even if they tried, their skin was not light enough to receive the same level of acceptance from American society. If it cannot be said acceptance, then certainly the Jewish fight was not an impossible one, as was in the Latina case. The Latinas had no legal recourse and the means of incorporating themselves into the political system in which they could be represented and be appreciated as voters.
The Essay on Analyzing the American Dream in Society
The American Dream is a passion that burns strongly inside those with desire to learn and prosper. Because of the plethora of opportunities we have in America, the American Dream is a reality to many people today. The validity of the American Dream differs from person to person, depending on their dedication and worth ethic. Nevertheless, the American Dream is a reachable goal for everyone, ...
The stories of Jewish and Latinas immigration are different and yet share many similarities. They are different in that the timing of their immigration is a century apart; they are different in terms of their backgrounds, one being fairly educated with middle-class origins, whereas the other was neither; thus, they are also different in their values and aspirations. But both groups were heavily exploited for their labor early on in their immigration and were confronted with obstacles that weighed down their rate of success. Their success has also been tied to the amount of acceptance shown. In the case of Jewish women, they were able to break down the barriers through education and hard work, but also as a result of the fact that their skin color is white. No one could dispute the fact that Latinas are hard woking and dedicated to their families, just as Jewish women wore. However, they were viewed as cheap labor that could be exploited without holding oneself accountable to any labor laws and it made it much harder to fight the resistance to their integration into American society. At the least, the Jews had access to a formal system of demonstrating their grievances. But the Latinas were helpless due to their illegal status and the constant threat of deportation has kept them unable to voice their grievances.
The Term Paper on United State Immigration Jewish Jews
Jewish Involvement In Shaping American Immigration Policy, 1881- 1965: A Historical Review This paper discusses Jewish involvement in shaping United States immigration policy. In addition to a periodic interest in fostering the immigration of co- religionists as a result of anti- Semitic movements, Jews have an interest in opposing the establishment of ethnically and culturally homogeneous ...
