From 1880 to 1924, almost 3 million Jews left the Pale of Settlement in Eastern Europe for a better life where the streets were paved with gold, the land of opportunity; the United States.

Most settled on the Lower East Side of Manhattan where the opportunity WAS abundant, but their salaries and living conditions were subpar at best.  The great majority were not happy, but too overwhelmed by their new homeland to complain.  But some, like Lower East Side residents Emma Goldman, Alexander Berkman, Morris Hillquit, Abraham Cahan and Meyer London, knew there should be a better life and were willing to do just about ANYTHING to get there.

This walking tour will focus on these “radicals” - anarchists, communists and socialists all - who tried to change the structure of the American Way to improve the lives of these immigrants and improve their standard of living - whether through our democratic process or through lawless acts of violence.

Some of the places we will visit:

The Daily Forward Building

The first home of Emma Goldman in NYC

Locations of radical cafes

The location of the Yom Kippur riots of 1898

The still active DSA - Democratic Socialists of America

The Educational Alliance - whose benefactors were anything but radical

The Henry Street Settlement

Your guide, Urban Historian and educator Bradley Shaw, was born on the Lower East Side, has a BA in History and Education from Brooklyn College and is a licensed NYC tour guide. He shares with us his love of the neighborhood and passion for its history. He has been a docent, walking tour guide and manager at the Museum at Eldridge Street for more than six years, in addition to doing walking tours for the LESJC, Context Travel and his own company NY History Tours.