| This dissertation, a contemporary, social and cultural analysis with historical elements of twentieth century immigrant New York City life, examines seven culturally inspired Jewish foods and food categories.; I argue that while we know much about this group of Eastern European American Jews---their history and acculturation into mainstream American society, using food as a lens, we garner additional levels to their story. In fact food plays a role beyond that of lens-serving as the catalyst for the acculturation of Jews, assimilating into American society. Throughout this dissertation, I will show how these seemingly innocuous foods play that dual role; both mirroring Eastern European Jewish immigrants' acculturation experience and also serving as their chosen, and manipulated tool to propel this process.; Consuming these foods parallels Eastern European American Jews' acculturation pattern and most specifically their socio-economic status. In the early twentieth century, beginning with the mass migration, they consumed these foods as part of their daily fare. The next generation moved to more upscale neighborhoods, but kept close to the mores of their parents. Some of these initial moves, spanning the 1950s to the 1970s, from the Lower East Side or Brownsville, Brooklyn were to more affluent communities in Brooklyn and Long Island. During this period, some Eastern European American Jews left New York City during the mass suburban exodus. They abandoned these lowly ethnic foods, favoring more mainstream fare. Finally, in the nostalgia craze, which began in the 1960s, but culminated in the move-back-to New York City era of the 1990s, they embraced these foods again.; My argument focuses on socio-economic status---how Jews embrace, discard and reinvent themselves socially, economically and status-wise through food as cultural emblems. I present a new model for looking at Eastern European American Jews, by categorizing their New York City immigrant experiences into three defined chronological periods---Phase I: Genesis on The Lower East Side, Phase II: Suburban Exodus and Phase III: Aliyah---The Upper West Side Return. |
