Lady America Opens the Gates

Lady America Opens the Gates

On the cover of this issue of The Jewish Immigrant is depicting Lady Liberty standing in front of the Gates to the United States. She is wearing a cap that has the word “America” written on it in Yiddish. This picture is representative of the mass amounts of Jewish immigrants that came to the United States during the 1890’s through the 1920’s to escape persecution. Lady Liberty is representative of freedom for these Jewish Immigrants. She is also holding a key in her hand which represents that the United States is the key for most of the immigrants seeking freedom and a new life. Below each side of the gate there are two passages in Hebrew. One reads Open the gates of righteousness for me" and the other reads "Open the gates and let a righteous nation enter.” This symbolizes that The United States was the new land for European Jews during this time and that mass amounts of Jewish immigrants thought the same.

The Jewish Immigrant. Vol. 2, no. 1. (January 1909). New York: Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, 1909 Hebraic Section, Library of Congress (54)

Edward Regler