In her article, McAllister deals with the similarities and differences between the Italians that populated east Harlem and the more recent Haitian inhabitants. On one hand, she notes that both Italians and Haitians were emigrating in order to escape the dire economic conditions that existed in their homeland. In addition, both are independent, family oriented, involved in agriculture, and devoted to the local religious rituals. One major difference that McAllister observes, however, is the contrast in attitude between the two groups. Whereas Italians felt as though they had found a new Italian-American identity in the U.S. and created a new hometown in east Harlem, the Haitians viewed America as a “diaspora”, maintaining Haiti as their essential home.
When I read this, I was struck by the comparison that I drew between Haitians and Jews, based upon my own experience. Many Jewish people consider Israel to be their homeland, much like Haitians view Haiti, and while they live in any other country, they consider themselves to be living in the diaspora, even making use of the same terminology. Even though many of these Haitians do not reside permanently in Haiti, and usually their permanent residence is in some other country, they perceive Haiti as “an essential location of its own.” Admittedly, most Haitians probably have more contact with Haiti than most Jews do with Israel, as McAllister writes that many Haitians leave their children in Haiti, work in America, send fund to support their families in Haiti, and sometimes even return to Haiti in their old age; however, the mentality is similar.
Such a mentality has influenced the behavior of Haitians and even their religious activities. McAllister notes that while Italians turned their attentions to the church in Harlem, the Haitians maintained a “bifocal” concentration on their church in Harlem, as well as in Haiti. Many even plan their trips to Haiti to coincide with the more central religious rituals, so they can observe them in their homeland. Certainly, many religious Jews plan to spend their holidays in Israel in order to observe their core practices in the place they consider has significant religious value. Clearly this mentality has shaped the lives of those who subscribe to it, particularly those of Haitians and Jews.
