Beit Midrash Hebrew High School

DATE OF THIS LESSON ____ 3/12/08_____ *

Substitute needed? [ ] yes [ ] no
Forms should be handed in one week prior to lesson. Please write clearly in ink, or type.
* We need two (2) more teachers and at least three (3) parent volunteers.
TEACHER: D. Kuhr, K. Morse, M. Cohen CLASS: 8th grade History: Coming to Ellis Island

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES (By the end of the lesson, the student will… Must be concrete and observable):

 Students will have some sense of the difficulties facing Jewish immigrants to the United States in the late
19th century.

 Through role play, students will experience a mock landing at Ellis Island.

SET INDUCTION (Attention Grabber): Students are herded onto a “boat” for a lengthy and uncomfortable voyage
across the ocean.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES: See attached lesson plan.

EVALUATION (How you will know your objectives have been met):

 Student participation.

MATERALS NEEDED: Specify item, quantity, color/size/style, and any other special notes. DO NOT INCLUDE
SUPPLIES YOU ALREADY HAVE IN YOUR ROOM!

 Pencils for 30 students.

 30 copies each of application materials

 5 different colors of dot stickers, separated by color.

 (8) badges: (2) Customs Officer, (4)Ellis Island Official; (2) doctors name tags

 doctor’s kits (stethoscope, tongue depressors, syringes); 2 lab coats or white shirts for doctors

 signs (should be at Temple already)

A/V NEEDED: Specify equipment, location and time needed.

 Microphone (please check that amplification is in Block Social Hall, only); extension cord for projector

 Computer lab access

DO YOU REQUIRE ANY SPECIAL SET-UP? Describe in detail.

 See attached floor plan.

FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

Date Rec’d ________ LJG Reviewed _______

 Materials Acquired __________ Denise Contacted _________

BEIT MIDRASH
GRADE 8
OUR HISTORY
LESSON 15
“COMING TO AMERICA: ELLIS ISLAND”

Objectives: Students will have some sense of the difficulties facing Jewish immigrants to
the United States in the late 19th century.
Through role play, students will experience a mock landing at Ellis Island.

Materials: Costumes: Custom officials – dark pants, white shirt, dark tie, badge
Doctors – dark pants, white shirt, lab coat, name tag
Props: Medical kits for 2 doctors
Cardboard “boat”
Stanchions and rope
Statue of Liberty

Procedure:

 In subdued lighting, students are led to the “boat”- a confined, crowded area (stage),
where they are instructed to sit close together. Lead teacher explains where they are
going, how long the voyage will take, and what kind of conditions they may encounter as 3rd
class passengers. While on-board, students complete their U.S. Immigration Applications
for entry to the United States of America.

 Upon docking, students are led off the boat to a Customs center. While waiting for a
customs officer to review their applications, students are to stand silently in lines as they
are ‘welcomed’ by an Ellis Island official.
“Silence! Welcome to America. Today is Wednesday, March 12, 1895. The time
is 7:40 p.m. I know most of you do not speak English. I know that you are tired
and hungry after your long journey in steerage. I am acutely aware that all of you
need to wash yourselves and your clothes. Before you can receive any comfort
you must pass through customs, so follow these simple instructions:
1. Keep quiet; be prepared to show the customs officer your application.
2. I know many of you have suffered terribly in your own countries, but if you
are denied entrance to America, you will return to the boat quietly and
quickly. There are no appeals. Anyone refusing to go back, will be
escorted by the Ellis Island police and jailed below deck.
3. If you pass the customs process, you will be directed to another station. Go
only where and when you are told to go.
4. You will not be granted entrance to America unless you pass a physical, a
language test, and a citizenship test; and if you can prove that you will be of
 some value to our country. Do not question the decisions of any of the
doctors or officials you will see today. Cooperation will make the process
much easier for you.”
Now, keep quiet, and keep moving.”

 Customs
A customs officer(s) reviews each application as it is presented.
1. Ask the applicant his/her name. Pretend not to understand the response,
and assign the applicant another name. Write on application form.
2. Criticize the applicant’s appearance, handwriting, speech, and inability to
follow directions.
3. Be intimidating when questioning an applicant’s education and skills.
Remind him/her that any degrees (medical, scientific, academic) that were
earned in his/her native country are invalid in the United States.
4. If you are not convinced that the applicant has a sponsor already living in
America, then deny his/her application. Using a red marker, write an X on
the back of the application and send the applicant back to the boat.
5. If the applicant answers your questions satisfactorily, then put a dot on
his/her application and send him/her to one of four stations:
a. Medical exam
b. Testing center
c. HIAS
d. Computer center

 Medical exams
Students are separated by gender. One female or one male doctor administers
the brief exam:
1. takes pulse, looks at throat, checks blood pressure, listens to heart & chest
2. ask questions on medical form
3. if the questions are answered to the doctor’s satisfaction (e.g., no signs of
illness or pregnancy, and no homosexuality is suspected), then administer a
shot, place a dot on the immigration application, and send to the testing
center
4. if the doctor discovers illness, pulmonary disease, lice, etc., then DO NOT
add a dot to the immigration application, and send the refugee to quarantine

 Testing center
Students are separated into two groups.
1. Group 1 takes a citizenship test
2. Group 2 takes a language test
3. When finished, the groups switch.
 4. The exam proctor scans the completed tests. The proctor should hassle
the majority about what a bad job they did on the test. Those who didn’t pass the
first time, have to keep trying until they do. They are expected to correct their tests
without the mistakes being identified. Eventually, all tests are approved. The
proctor affixes a dot to the application forms, and sends the group to HIAS.

 HIAS
A loop of images is projected on the wall while a HIAS representative (teacher)
informs immigrants what HIAS is and what HIAS does.
1. History
Historians have estimated that one out of every two Americans can trace his or her roots back to
an immigrant who landed at Ellis Island. Growing from organizations founded in 1881 to assist
Jewish migrants arriving there, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society has touched the life of nearly
every Jewish family in America.

From humble beginnings in a storefront on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the agency
provided much-needed comfort and aid to thousands of new arrivals to these shores. It soon
became famous worldwide - and in many languages - as HIAS.

In the 1880s, waves of pogroms (anti-Jewish riots) engulfed the Jewish Pale of Settlement in
Russia and Eastern Europe. In 1881, a calculated policy of anti-Semitism became the law of the
land in the Pale. Suddenly those living in the heartland of the Jewish population were struck with
a passion to emigrate.

In New York City, the tiny Russian Jewish population took note as
their numbers swelled by the thousands. As an emergency
measure, they formed the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society to
provide meals, transportation and jobs for the new arrivals to
Manhattan. To temporarily house those without relatives, a shelter
was established on the Lower East Side. Dormitory space, a soup
kitchen and clothing were made available to any needy Jew.
1912-HIAS clients, refugees
from Russia, celebrating In 1891, Jewish residents of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev
their first Passover in were expelled and many came to America. Ellis Island was the
America place of entry for these new arrivals. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid
Society was there to facilitate legal entry, reception and immediate
care for them. In the half-century following its establishment in 1904, the Society's bureau on
Ellis Island helped more than 100,000 Jews who might otherwise have been turned away. The
bureau provided translation services, guided immigrants through medical screening and other
procedures, argued before the Boards of Special Enquiry to prevent deportations, lent some
needy Jews the $25 landing fee and obtained bonds for others guaranteeing their employable
status.

Many of the Jews traveling in steerage on the steamship lines

Ellis Island, NY circa 1900
across the Atlantic refused the non-kosher food served on their
journeys and arrived at Ellis Island malnourished and vulnerable to
deportation on medical grounds. In 1911, the Society had a kosher
kitchen installed at the Island. Between 1925 and 1952, HIAS'
kosher kitchen provided more than half a million meals to
immigrants. The Society also provided religious services and
musical concerts at Ellis Island. It ran an employment bureau and sold railroad tickets at
reduced rates to immigrants headed for other cities.

The outbreak of World War I in 1914 brought the largest influx of Jews
from Eastern Europe yet; 138,051 in that year alone. But soon after,
restrictions on immigration hampered HIAS' efforts. A literacy test was
legislated in 1917; quota legislation was passed in 1921 and 1924.
The National Origins Quota restricted the number of immigrants
allowed into America to no more than two percent of the number of
each nationality residing in the U.S. in 1890. This severely restricted
the entry of Jews from Eastern Europe. In 1921, HIAS bought the
former Astor Library on Lafayette Street in Manhattan to serve as a
A citizenship class at shelter and provide all the same care and maintenance for those
the HIAS shelte settling in New York that had formerly been provided at Ellis Island.
Housing, kosher kitchens, a small synagogue, classrooms for job training and civics education,
a playground for immigrant children, and a weekly bazaar all provided for the needs of the
thousands of immigrants who passed through the shelter's doors each year.

In 1956, HIAS rescued Jews fleeing the Soviet invasion of Hungary and
evacuated the Jewish community of Egypt after their expulsion during the
Sinai Campaign. During the Cuban revolution in 1959, HIAS set up
operations in Miami to rescue the Jews of Cuba. During the early 1960s,
HIAS rescued Jews from Algeria and Libya and arranged with Morocco's
King Hassan for the evacuation of his country's huge Jewish community
to France and, eventually, Israel.

In 1975, following the fall of Saigon, HIAS began to work with refugees
from Southeast Asia. In 1977, HIAS began working to help evacuate the
Jews of Ethiopia, which culminated in several dramatic airlifts to Israel.
Displaced persons
from Europe after
In the 2000s, HIAS has continued its work, helping Jewish and non-
WWII
Jewish refugees and immigrants from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Bulgaria,
Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Hungary, Iran, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Tunisia, Vietnam,
and the successor states to the former Soviet Union.

In 2006, the 125th anniversary of HIAS was noted throughout the

year.

Moroccan Jews arriving in www.hias.org/who-we-are/history

freedom

2. After the HIAS presentation, students go to the computer lab.

 Computer Lab
Students can trace any of their ancestors who came through Ellis Island.
1. Log onto http://www.ellisisland.org
2. Answer the questions about your relative to the best of your knowledge
3. Search: if there are no results, try a different year or spelling or name;
many names were changed at Ellis Island, and many were incorrectly recorded
(first name in last name column, etc.). You may search by ship manifest or
passenger record.
4. Once the student has tried a search, affix a dot to his/her application and
send to the Medical exam area.

 Eventually, all students should experience all stations. Should there be any time
remaining, students can write letters ‘home’, describing their Ellis Island experiences.
 Citizenship Test
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) administers a test of 100
questions to all immigrants applying for citizenship.

For you to become a naturalized citizen of the United States, you must be able to
answer the following questions correctly.

Name ________________________________________
1. How many stripes are there on the U.S. flag?
 10
 13
 50
 51

2. Who is the chief justice of the Supreme Court today?

 Janet Reno
 Alberto Gonzales
 Alexander Hamilton
 John G. Roberts, Jr.
3. In what year was the Constitution written?
 1787
 1812
 1776
 1876

4. Which of these is guaranteed by the First Amendment?

 Freedom of the press
 Right to bear arms
 Right to happiness
 Right to trial by jury

5. How many Supreme Court justices are there?

 3
 9
 10
 13
6. What are the first 10 amendments to the Constitution called?
 The Preamble
 The Bill of Rights
 The First Ten Amendments
 The Addendum
7. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
 July 4, 1776
 July 4, 1787
 July 4, 1812
 July 4, 1876

8. Who was the first President of the United States?

 Thomas Jefferson
 George Washington
 Abraham Lincoln
 John Adams

9. What is the legislative branch of our government?

 The Supreme Court
 The President
 The Cabinet
 Congress

10. On July 4, 1776, America declared independence from what country?

 England
 France
 Canada
 Germany

11. What is the national anthem of the United States?

 "God Bless America"
 "The Star-Spangled Banner"
 "My Country 'Tis of Thee"
 "America the Beautiful"

12. What is the introduction to the Constitution called?

 The Bill of Rights
 The Declaration of Independence
 The Articles of Confederation
 The Preamble

13. Who selects the Supreme Court justices?

 The Electoral College
 The People
 The President
 The Senate

14. Which of the following is NOT one of the constitutional requirements to be

 eligible to become the President of the United States?
 Must be at least 35 years old by the time he/she will serve
 Must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years
 Must be a natural-born citizen of the United States
 Must have served in the Congress of the United States

15. For how long do we elect each senator?

 2 years
 4 years
 6 years
 8 years

16. Which countries were our allies during World War II?
 Germany and France
 France and Japan
 England and Russia
 Japan and England

17. How many representatives are there in Congress?

 50
 102
 200
 435

18. Who said, “Give me liberty or give me death”?

 George Washington
 Benjamin Franklin
 Patrick Henry
 John Hancock

19. What color are the stars on our flag?

 Red
 White
 Blue
 Gold

20. Whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
 All people living in the United States
 Citizens
 The government
 The military

21. Who has the power to declare war?

 The President
 Congress
 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

22. In what month is the new President inaugurated?

  January
 July
 November
 March

23. What special group advises the President?

 The Supreme Court
 The House of Representatives
 The Cabinet
 Federal judges

24. How many branches are there in our government?

 3
 9
 13
 2

25. Who signs bills into law?

 The Speaker of the House
 The President
 The President of the Senate
 The Chief Justice

26. Who is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?

 The Chief Justice
 The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
 The President
 The Vice President

27. What are the duties of the Supreme Court?

 To make laws
 To enforce laws
 To protect the President
 To interpret laws

28. What is the minimum voting age in the United States?

 16
 21
 25
 18

29. How many times may a Congressman be re-elected?

 1
 2
 4
 No limit
 30. Who becomes President of the United States if the President and the Vice-
President should die?
 The President of the Senate
 The Chief Justice
 The Speaker of the House
 The Secretary of State

Medical Questionaire

1. Do you have any diseases of the scalp?

2. Have you ever had or do you have any trouble breathing?

3. Do you ever get pains in your chest?

4. Have you ever experienced dizziness?

5. Have you ever had or do you now have double vision?

6. Have you ever been diagnosed with Hepititis?

7. Do you suffer from malnutrition?

8. Have you ever had the mumps? measles? chicken pox?

Girls Only
9. Have you ever been or are you now pregnant?
10. Do your menstrual cycles come on time each month?
Do you suffer from menstrual cramps?

Boys Only
9. Have you ever been diagnosed with syphilis or any other sexually transmitted disease?

10. Do you have sex with multiple partners?

Have you ever had a sexual relationship with another man?