Author Archives: David Rand

In Henry Goldmschmidt’s chapter “Kosher Homes, Racial Boundaries,” he discusses how culinary and dietary restrictions that arise within Jewish law create boundaries, which serve as yet another force of division between the Jewish and Black communities in Crown Heights. On … Continue reading →

Personally, I was able to relate to the introduction and first chapter to “Race and Religious Among the Chosen People of Crown Heights” more than any other reading we’ve done up until this point. This is because the Lubavitch culture … Continue reading →

In the chapter titled “The Sting of Prejudice,” Nancy Foner reveals that the issues of racism and prejudice that immigrants face in this country have many complex layers. She shows that being considered white or black is a very complicated … Continue reading →

Because of the fact that Michelle and I are presenting tomorrow, I have so many ideas that I would like to share about the two chapters of reading do for today. However, I will try to remain focused on one … Continue reading →

Obviously, most of the readings we are doing this semester focus on one of two topics: either the experience and circumstances of New York immigrants as a whole or the experience of a specific group of immigrants. And while some … Continue reading →

When we first learned about the extent of the Italian immigrants’ dedication to the Madonna in Harlem during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, many people in the class were shocked at how devoted they were. They sacrificed time … Continue reading →

When reading about the devotion that the residents of Italian Harlem had for the Madonna, I was struck by how their devotion transcended every aspect of their lives. Regardless of their occupations, economic well-being, level of religiosity, or regional allegiances, … Continue reading →