On Wednesday, October 9, Mr. Robert Sandler took his students on a memorable trip to New York’s historic Lower East Side. They toured three iconic synagogues—Bialystoker, Eldridge Street, and the Greek Synagogue—where the students marveled at the beautiful architecture and learned about Jewish immigration and community life during the post Civil War period. They also had a great time “noshing” on traditional foods like rugelach, babka, bialys, pastrami, and pickles, soaking in the cultural experience.
In addition to exploring the neighborhood, the students studied primary documents, including newspaper articles from the era, to better understand the divide between anarchists and traditional Jews over observing holidays like Yom Kippur. They also delved into the history of Jewish gangsters like Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel, who famously stood up to Nazis in 1938, during a time of rising antisemitism and right-wing movements in New York. It was an enriching experience that brought the history of the Jewish community to life for everyone.
