Immigration to America

While on the topic of the Holocaust and the mistreatment of the Jewish people as well as countless minority groups, I can contribute a personal perspective:

My mother's grandmother, Ida, and her mother and sister immigrated to America from Russia in 1908. They were amongst the millions of people trying to escape the religious, racial, and political persecution in Europe. Ida's family was extremely poor and could not provide education or the basic necessities. This was the case for many Jewish people living in the Russian Empire during the 19th century. After the assassination of Tsar Alexander II, the Jewish population in Russian were subject to "pogroms". Pogroms were "large-scale, targeted, and repeated anti-Jewish riots". Ida, her mother, and her sister traveled to America in the steerage class of a steamship in an attempt to escape the violence. However, America's immigration regulations were becoming stricter due to the massive increase in immigration. Therefore, Ida's sister was not allowed off the boat due to her hunchback. Deciding to accompany Ida's sister, Ida's mother traveled back to Russia, accepting their unfortunate fate. This left Ida alone in an unfamiliar country at the age 16. There was a family that had been arranged to house Ida. However, this family treated her like a slave and eventually kicked her out of the house. Luckily, she met a woman named Sarah who took her in and let her live with her. Eventually, Ida met and married Sarah's son Morris.