The Immigrant Experience: 11th Graders Travel Back in Time

By Kayla K., '13
As our Jewish history class walked into the Beit Midrash on Tuesday morning, we were no longer Beth Tfiloh students; we were immigrants who just arrived in the United States.

In this interactive class, Dr. Klein assumed the character of settlement house resident Victoria Confino. As she welcomed us to the country, she explained the differences between Jewish life in Europe and America. Through utilizing props and referring to us as actual European immigrants, Victoria emphasized not only the opportunities, but also the difficulties the Jews faced in their new lives. In the ‘settlement house,’ we learned of the difficult journey we encountered, and the assimilated lives we would soon lead. Our ‘journey to America’ brought the Jewish immigrants’ struggles to life.