Chapter 10: Jewtown
And so it begins...
New York stood, for many years, as a glittering beacon of freedom. It brought an eclectic and varied bunch into its arms – however, as the years slipped by, the freedom of America became swamped by poverty and prejudice. Groups bound together by ethnicity, and in Chapter 10 of How the Other Half Lives, Riis outlines the lives of one such mix – the Jews. Riis navigates the through Jewtown through rose-colored glasses, describing not only the differences between men and women of the Jewish race and the frugality of their living circumstances but the specific instances he encountered in an order to paint the picture of the 19th century Jew.
As Riis Reported:
The 10th Ward of Old New York was home to those of Jewish decent. Riis starts his chapter by discussing their physical differences -- saying that, here, in the heart of Jew Town, one will either find the most beautiful women or the most horrendous hags. He discusses that everything about the countenance of the 10th Ward inhabitants betray their race. As such, his recollections seem rather skewed, and often borderline racist. He mentions later in the pages of the 10th that the people of Jewtown are often unintelligent, but he does, as well, spend much of his words describing their thriftiness.
Riis mentions that the people of Jew Town are overly interested in wealth, and always looking to keep their money. He points specficially to the fact that he's known many a Jew that would be at the brink of starvation and still unwilling to spend their coin. He recollects the Jew's attraction to the power of the law, and says that they settle any possible dispute at the hands of the police. The ward, like the rest of New York, is overly crowded and not particularly well kept, with most businesses coupling as homes.
The other significant point that Riis demonstrates in regards to the Jews comes in the form of disease. Jew Town is synonmous with 'The Typhus Ward' and was well known for being rife with not only that disease, but small pox as well. Riis illustrates a story of an ill child crawling through half finished garments, garments that would later be sold on Broadway, and as such, would spread the disease. In the latter pages of the chapter, Riis shifts his focus back to the market, and shows minute by minute examples of peddling in the cobbled streets. Bargains were the langauge of the ward; it was crowded, and dark, and full of disease, but even Riis admits that 10th Ward trade was impressive.
Riis mentions that the people of Jew Town are overly interested in wealth, and always looking to keep their money. He points specficially to the fact that he's known many a Jew that would be at the brink of starvation and still unwilling to spend their coin. He recollects the Jew's attraction to the power of the law, and says that they settle any possible dispute at the hands of the police. The ward, like the rest of New York, is overly crowded and not particularly well kept, with most businesses coupling as homes.
The other significant point that Riis demonstrates in regards to the Jews comes in the form of disease. Jew Town is synonmous with 'The Typhus Ward' and was well known for being rife with not only that disease, but small pox as well. Riis illustrates a story of an ill child crawling through half finished garments, garments that would later be sold on Broadway, and as such, would spread the disease. In the latter pages of the chapter, Riis shifts his focus back to the market, and shows minute by minute examples of peddling in the cobbled streets. Bargains were the langauge of the ward; it was crowded, and dark, and full of disease, but even Riis admits that 10th Ward trade was impressive.
Bibliography
Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penquin Books Ltd., 1890.
Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. New York: Penquin Books Ltd., 1890.