This 1909 photograph shows Jewish women praying on the Lower East Side’s then-new marvel: the Williamsburg Bridge! Opened in 1903, the bridge was the longest suspension bridge at the time, and was designed for both trolley and horse and carriage traffic. It also included a … Read more
This picture was taken in 1908, probably just before the Jewish holiday of Passover. What’s the clue? Did you notice how many people in the picture are carrying rectangular, white-wrapped parcels? Inside are matzot – which are typically eaten during Passover when Jewish people refrain … Read more
This photograph shows a group of well-dressed men and women standing in front of several kneeling children. The woman in the center of the photo wearing a dark dress is pulling up the hem of her skirt. And that’s because she and the others are … Read more
This photo shows crowds of Jewish people spilling out of a synagogue on Rivington Street after religious services. The sign on the front of the building shows Hebrew letters, which reflects the fact that most Jewish people spoke Yiddish in the early 1900s when the … Read more