Presented by the Museum at Eldridge Street as part of the monthlong Archtober festival.

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Join the Museum at Eldridge Street for a tour centered around the history of activism on the Lower East Side…VIRTUALLY! Click here to register.

If you cannot make it down to the Lower East Side in person for an Activism on the Lower East Side Walking Tour, you're in luck! We are pleased to offer a Zoom version that you can attend from the comfort of your home.

At the turn of the twentieth century, roughly 1.5 million Ashkenazi Jews descended on the Lower East Side in search of economic opportunity and religious tolerance. Like many immigrant communities, their adjustment to life in America was complicated by prejudice, poverty, and acculturation. However, at around the same time, Jews began to challenge the status quo. Activism flourished in all aspects of public life in the Lower East Side as politicians, journalists, the working class, and philanthropists fought for the rights of a growing generation of Americans. Although manifested in a new country with historically unique values, much of the organizing done by Jews at the turn of the century drew upon traditions and beliefs of old.

Join Museum at Eldridge Street Docent Jason Bohner on Monday, October 2nd at 6pm EST for a Zoom exploration of Jewish activism at the beginning of the twentieth century. We will trace its origins in Eastern Europe, explore its landmarks in the Lower East Side and meet its leaders that stood on the frontlines. Discover the remarkable Jewish American struggle for women's rights, educational opportunity, labor rights, and economic equality that left a permanent mark on our city and country.

Image Credit: Hundreds of women stormed City Hall in New York in 1917 to demand cheaper food prices. Bettmann Archives, via Getty Images.