From The Peopling of New York City

Family dynamics changed drastically with the move to the United States. Whereas in Europe the father had been the uncontested leader and final authority, that position was often lost with the move to the New World. Due in part to long working hours, and possibly death, the absence of a fatherly figure allowed and required the rest of the family to become more independent and self-sufficient. Children often became risk-takers and became involved in petty crime. Young boys in particular became more aggressive, as they rose to fill the void left by the father. They were more comfortable with the leadership role than they had been in Europe, and although this was problematic when they were young, it also sometimes made them successful businessmen as they matured.

Women, too, gained greater independence than they had in Europe, often raising the children effectively alone. Children of all ages acquired a new edge over their parents because of their ability to learn English quickly, and soon a saying developed that in America "the children bring up the parents."

Contentions between generations emerged because of children's willingness to assimilate into American culture, and their parents' disapproval and mistrust. Along with Americanization came abandonment of religious practices. Many of the families who in Europe were religious out of habit or tradition, faltered at the hardship of immigration. To adapt was necessary for survival, and if it meant giving up religion, so be it.^[1]

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References

1. ↑ Epstein, L., (2007). At the Edge of a Dream: the Story of Jewish Immigrants on New York's Lower East Side, 1880-1920. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.