Island of Hope, Island of Tears: The Story of Those Who Entered the New World Through Ellis Island by David Brownstone, Irene M. Franck, Douglass Brownstone, (MetroBooks, 2004).
By Sheila Orysiek
SAN DIEGO–The word “immigrant” brings to mind a picture of a woman with a lined face, head covered by a babushka (scarf), holding a wide eyed child, with several more hanging onto her long skirts. Pictures of men and boys in tattered bulky coats with name tags pinned on the front, staring back at the camera with both hope and apprehension in their eyes. There are very few of us who are not descended from at least one or two of the millions of immigrants – over three million were Jews – who entered the United States through the portal of Ellis Island.
By the time they reached the United States, many had already lived through wars, revolutions, pogroms, economic slavery, and forced military conscription. They had sold all they owned, cut family ties, survived violent border crossings, conquered reams of paperwork, illness, corruption and criminals who robbed them. But, they were the lucky ones.
The book follows several immigrants through interviews and records, as it traces their experiences, impressions and, for most of them, success in their new country. What comes through is their pluck and in some cases – luck. They came to work – even those as young as ten years old; no one expected government help, or in many cases, help from those who sponsored their arrival.
At the height of the wave of immigration, over 5000 people were processed in a day. Yet, all were fed, those who were ill but expected to recover were hospitalized, and those allowed entry were not simply dumped on a dock in New York City. It did take some time for systems to be set up to meet the many needs of the newcomers such as pre-screening at port of origin, ensuring that everyone was met by a sponsor, access to tickets and transportation for those going to other parts of the country, etc. Children, especially girls and young women, were not allowed to leave the island except in the company of a family member.
Yes, there were seemingly endless lines, a language barrier, fear of rejection and all the other problems of entering what for many was not only an entirely different culture, but also a time warp. Leaving a rural farm or village with no plumbing or electricity to start life anew in the cauldron of New York City would daunt anyone.
But Ellis Island was not the entirely heartless place we might think it was. The people who worked there were often recent immigrants themselves. Through this book a fuller picture of the Island and those who passed through it emerges. As their experience changed them, they changed America.
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Orysiek is a freelance writer who specializes in arts and literature. Comments may be made in the space provided below this article or sent to the author at sheila.orysiek@sdjewishworld.com