David Levinsky

709 Words3 Pages
saadsaexplains, “but also, and perhaps chiefly, as one of mystery, of fantastic experiences, of marvelous transformations.” While David Levinsky and millions of other Eastern European Jews were motivated to emigrate because of dangerous pogroms and mandatory military enlistment, we assume that many of them also shared some of David’s fascination with America. What do you know, from your own family or others, about immigrants’ motivations and feelings about coming to America? 2. One of the themes running through this book is the chasm between the world of the scholar and the world of the businessman. As Cahan describes it, in the scholar’s world one is learned, devoted to Judaism, modest, and humble whereas in the business world one is aggressive,…show more content…
At least two generations of Jews immigrated to America at the turn of the century: parents and their children. Not surprisingly, the ease of their entry into American society varied greatly. Dora, while immensely proud when her daughter Lucy started school, was determined to not be left behind. “People will beggar themselves to send their children to college, only to be treated as fools and greenhorns by them. I call that terrible. Don’t you? Well, I am not going to let my child treat me like that. Not I. I should commit suicide first. I want my child to respect me, not to look down on me.” Even today, we talk about each generation wanting something better for their children, but we talk less about the fear and anxiety that accompany these aspirations. In what ways do you still see evidence of parents’ anxiety regarding their children’s intellectual development and material…show more content…
In sociology, the terms “assimilation” and “acculturation” refer to two different processes through which individuals or groups may adapt to a new culture. In assimilation, one person or group becomes absorbed into another. In acculturation, a person or group’s culture undergoes modification by adapting or borrowing traits of another culture. Since our arrival in America, Jews have struggled with these two processes. In presenting David Levinsky’s attempts to “make it” in America, Cahan chooses to focus on what David gave up in order to make the transition from greenhorn to Yankee, e.g. his intellectual pursuits, his spiritual self, his connection to home. As you look back over your own family’s journey or the

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