American Tewish Archives - American Jewish Archives

article appeared noting that while optimistic reports about the
North Dakota colony were being circulated, the author had received
private letters from colonists telling of great hardship. At this time
it was reported that only one colony of all that had been founded was
still hnctioning well, the rest having failed.sz
Although Jewish agriculture received wide coverage in the press,
it was noted that most of the immigrants turned either to peddling
or to factory labor for earning their living.53 The hard and degrading
life of the peddler was described in detail and summed up in these
words :
This is the lot of the Hebrew peddlers, wanderers from Russia: toil of
flesh and weariness of soul. They are sated with shame and disgrace, and
hunger for bread.54
Life was made more difficult for the peddler due to the conflict
between Sunday and the Sabbath as days of rest as well as to his
ignorance of the language of the land.55 The hard work and long
hours left little time for leisure. The children of the poor especially
suffered because they had to work with their fathers, or else would
associate "with wayward youngsters and . . . learn . . . to know evil
while yet in the spring of their days."s6
A frustrated chazan (cantor) sent this bitter warning to his
colleagues who thought of coming to America and making a living
with their liturgical skills:
Consider well three things, and you will not come to America: know
from whence you came, and whither you go, and before whom you will
have to give account in the future. From whence you came? From the land
of Lithuania and Poland. And whither you go? To [congregations of]
Poland and Lithuania. And before whom you will have to give account in
the future? Before the men of Lithuania and Poland.57
51 Zbid., pp. 1442-45.
53 Hatzfirah, XI, 308.
54 Hamelitz, XIX, 361.
55 Zbid.
56 Zbid., pp. 49 1-93.
57 Zbid., p. 912.