From Europe to the New World: The Jewish Travels Towards America

May 1, 2020 | Blog

Many of our previous kosher cruises sought to explore the ramifications of the 1492 Expulsion of the Jews in Spain, a religious and political act by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to consolidate their power in the region. This merciless decree had scattered the Jews of the Iberian Peninsula to various parts of Europe and beyond.

Some went to Amsterdam and the Ottoman Empire, where they were relatively well-received. Others went to France and Italy, where they faced different hardships. Some even went as far as Jamaica, and participated in privateering. However, as new hardships and opportunities arose as the centuries went by, some Jews in Europe began to look towards the New World, towards a new horizon where they might thrive and prosper.

The Various Waves of Jewish Immigration

New York City Skyline

 

When the concept of America as a nation was still in its infancy, it saw many waves of settlers coming to find new life in the New World. Among the many settlers and immigrants were various Jews, from Sephardim to Ashkenazi. The various groups of Jewish migrants came to America for different reasons. Some wanted a fresh start, while others decided that Europe was no longer a safe place to live. Plenty of Sephardim came to New Amsterdam (now New York City) from Brazil, while various Ashkenazi groups followed suit, in New Amsterdam and other ports around the country. Later waves would include German Jews in the 1840s and Eastern European Jews in the 18th Century.

The Potential of the New World

While persecution remained an ever-present threat, the Jews living in early America established a culture for themselves, distinct from the lifestyles of their ascendants in Europe. While antisemitic figures like Stuyvesant tried to harry the Jews seeking a new life in America, the perseverance of the communities prevailed, and have since left their mark in American history. The Jewish poet Emma Lazarus, in particular, championed the cause of Jewish migrants in the 18th century, but she could not have done so if the Jewish community in New York (which was once New Amsterdam) had not fought for their right to remain there. There are many places around America that are fit for historical Jewish travel tours, places that would be worth visiting once it is safe to go out once more.

 

Related Articles

Rice Pudding

Rice Pudding

Once I am onboard one of our riverboats or expedition ships, my most important tool is a teaspoon. With that teaspoon (which is constantly washed a sterilized), I taste every stage of every item of food that leaves the galley.  One of the items on our recent...

read more
Chicken Marengo

Chicken Marengo

According to a popular myth, the dish was first made after Napoleon defeated the Austrian army at the Battle of Marengo at Marengo south of Alessandria, Italy, when his chef Dunard foraged in the town for ingredients (because the supply wagons were too distant) and...

read more
Chicken Katsu in Sweet and Sour Sauce

Chicken Katsu in Sweet and Sour Sauce

Once again, we are looking at various recipes we will be featuring on our Japan & Korea cruise next year. Apart from Japanese and Korean dishes we will be serving our usual great variety of our modern Jewish cuisine, plus some old favorites. A very simple, but...

read more

BEYOND our expectations

We could not believe what we were served. Chef Malcom is a GENIUS!!! Please tell the directors that we do not have words to express how pleased we were. I suppose that we will be recommending you to every friend we know.

Jose T, Miami FL

Rhone River Cruise 2019

Fabulous & flawless service

I have been totally spoiled for future vacations. Riverboat is the way to go. I’ve met such nice people, staff was great, food fantastic. A really well run and well thought out trip

Harriet S

Another successful experience

Our experience was unique in that we were able to tour a lot of territory and a variety of places with minimal inconvenience. The fact that our boat was always with us and there were no long bus rides or waits made this mode of travel extremely enjoyable.

Micheol R