America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is to this place that between 1880-1914 millions of Jews fled religious persecution. Russia was a in a state of unrest, the Jews were easy targets for frustrations. The violence against the Jews was rising, homes were being ransacked and personals items destroyed, they were beaten, tormented and in more than a few cases-put to death. America was a beacon of light to the Russian Jews, a place where they could worship safely and rebuild their lives.
Traveling by steamboat was the main way of travel from country to country in those days, for the many immigrants, it was a long, hard journey. The quarters below the decks were dark, tight and cramped. Many times they shared what little space they had with cattle, the spread of infection and disease killed many. This did not deter the family of Abraham Bisno; They were among some of the first Russian immigrants determined to get to America, they sold everything they had, even the clothes off their backs to pay for a passage to America.
For the Russian Jews, settling into America was not always easy, many lived in slums and worked in factories and sweatshops. Many saved up their money and built businesses, for them, having their freedom was worth the price.
Why was is so hard for the immigrants once they arrived in America?
The assassination of which Czar caused the anti-semantic pogroms to be at an all time high? And why?
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