My mother Lena at the age of 16 emigrated to The United States in 1910 from what was then considered a part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. She was accompanied by her sister Ida who was 18 years old. Their first cousin Sam Klein had emigrated two years before. A brother Irving had emigrated to this country in 1925. They all married people who also had been immigrants.These aunts and uncles all lived within blocks of each other in Middle Village, Queens New York. In view of the foregoing, I grew up surrounded by immigrants who spoke English, Yiddish as well as the language spoken in the Eastern European country they came from. They were all good parents, citizens and hard workers. I considered it a good fortune to have grown up surrounded by them. I believed it was immigration that enabled them to lead a wholesome and significant life. I also believed immigration was not simply a one-way street that benefited the immigrants, it was a two-way street that caused significant benefit to the United States. I recall the saying, “it was the Jewish immigrants who created the wearing apparel industry; the Italians who created the construction industry; the Chinese who built the country wide railroad tracks; and the Irish who handled the municipal police facilities and safety for its residents.” In short, immigration does not only benefit the immigrants, but also the country into which they immigrate.I am much disturbed by what is evident world-wide. Currently, immigrants including young children are mistreated. It is my dream the United States and other non-autocracies will combine with each other and make a serious effort to assist the countries people are fleeing from. We need to correct the deficiencies that cause people to leave. Failing to correct changes, we need to accept immigrants. Should that occur, it will be my dream come true!!
Ben HaberJanuary 2022
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