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Jewish American Peddler
There is a quote that I cannot forget from a book about second-generation Korean immigrant: “Koreans are oriental Jews.” This was from one of the characters from a book, an old Caucasian lady, who visited a Korean grocery store and I was trying to understand the intent of a writer, not just a writer but also a second-generation Korean immigrant writer. It was rather sardonic comment towards both Jewish and Korean when she associates those two races with prejudice against them and defines an individual for what his or her race is. This demonstrates how immigrants feel like being in the States as a foreigner and an alien.
In convention, the cultural integration of United States is described as an ethnic salad bowl. We used to call it ethnic melting pot but researches has shown that people with diverse ethnic group withstand their believes of their ethnic origin but are united under the principal of nationalism. The United States is therefore so-called the land of the free; you believe what you believe as long as it does not ruin the taste of the salad. Speaking of the taste of Americans, it has been shifted for many times and I am not talking about burgers and barbeque. One cannot simply put today’s society in parallel to those in 1950’s and 1960’s. United State has been a testing ground for diverse ethnic conflict and its role as a testing ground still hold its position since at this time people with diverse backgrounds are migrating into the states.
Therefore, understanding immigration process and how individual from diverse group interacts with established American culture is important. In this post, I will discuss more of early Jewish settlers and their role as a peddler in the society. Most Jewish immigrants from either east Europe or Germany established their lives in the states as a peddler. Its history went back to 1800s when German decent Jews immigrated and their occupational choice of being peddler shaped their subsequent social role in its society. It is interesting how Jewish community and its unique identity dictated their behavioral consequences. Jewish has been taking urban occupations in comparison to other ethnic groups who prefer not to leave their land and farm. Some argues that Jews has to take non-farming and non-traditional occupation because Jews were prohibited to own a land but there were no restriction in the Muslim world. It was rather a Religious practice that requires one’s to be literate that led more Jewish people to take urban and non-traditional occupations. Jews being peddler in its early settlement in the states is, therefore, understandable in the context of its unique identity.
There is a quote that I cannot forget from a book about second-generation Korean immigrant: “Koreans are oriental Jews.” This was from one of the characters from a book, an old Caucasian lady, who visited a Korean grocery store and I was trying to understand the intent of a writer, not just a writer but also a second-generation Korean immigrant writer. It was rather sardonic comment towards both Jewish and Korean when she associates those two races with prejudice against them and defines an individual for what his or her race is. This demonstrates how immigrants feel like being in the States as a foreigner and an alien.
In convention, the cultural integration of United States is described as an ethnic salad bowl. We used to call it ethnic melting pot but researches has shown that people with diverse ethnic group withstand their believes of their ethnic origin but are united under the principal of nationalism. The United States is therefore so-called the land of the free; you believe what you believe as long as it does not ruin the taste of the salad. Speaking of the taste of Americans, it has been shifted for many times and I am not talking about burgers and barbeque. One cannot simply put today’s society in parallel to those in 1950’s and 1960’s. United State has been a testing ground for diverse ethnic conflict and its role as a testing ground still hold its position since at this time people with diverse backgrounds are migrating into the states.
Therefore, understanding immigration process and how individual from diverse group interacts with established American culture is important. In this post, I will discuss more of early Jewish settlers and their role as a peddler in the society. Most Jewish immigrants from either east Europe or Germany established their lives in the states as a peddler. Its history went back to 1800s when German decent Jews immigrated and their occupational choice of being peddler shaped their subsequent social role in its society. It is interesting how Jewish community and its unique identity dictated their behavioral consequences. Jewish has been taking urban occupations in comparison to other ethnic groups who prefer not to leave their land and farm. Some argues that Jews has to take non-farming and non-traditional occupation because Jews were prohibited to own a land but there were no restriction in the Muslim world. It was rather a Religious practice that requires one’s to be literate that led more Jewish people to take urban and non-traditional occupations. Jews being peddler in its early settlement in the states is, therefore, understandable in the context of its unique identity.