The Promised LandAntin emigrated from Polotzk (Polotsk), Belarus [Russia], to Boston, Massachusetts, at age 13. She tells of Jewish life in Russia and in the United States. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
adventures America asked baby began better Boston Chelsea child club corner cousin Cousin Rachel Crescent Beach crowd door Dover Street dress Dvina everything eyes father felt Fetchke Frieda friends gave Gentiles Goldie grandmother groschen hand happy Hazzan hear heard heart Hebr Hebrew heder Hutch Jewish Jews Kimanyer knew kopecks laugh learned Lebe lessons little girl lived looked marriage Mary Antin Mashke ment Mezuzah Miss Dillingham Miss Hale morning mother neighbors never night Pale paper Passover pious play pogrom Polota Polotzk poor prayer Prop pupils rebbe remember rubles Russ Russian Sabbath shadchan sister slums smile stood story teacher tell things thought tion told took trouble turned uncle versts Vitebsk wanted Wheeler Street window women wonder word Yeshibah Yiddish zizit
Popular passages
Page 226 - O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?" — delicious tremors ran up and down my spine, and I was faint with suppressed enthusiasm. * Where had been my country until now? What flag had I loved? What heroes had I worshipped?
Page 185 - The first meal was an object lesson of much variety. My father produced several kinds of food, ready to eat, without any cooking, from little tin cans that had printing all over them. He attempted to introduce us to a queer, slippery kind of fruit which he called banana, but had to give it up for the time being.
Page 224 - But the twin of my new-born humility, paradoxical as it may seem, was a sense of dignity I had never known before. For if I found that I was a person of small consequence, I discovered at the same time that I was more nobly related than I had ever supposed. I had relatives and friends who were notable people by the old standards, — I had never been ashamed of my family, — but this George Washington, who died long before I was born, was like a king in greatness, and he and I were Fellow Citizens....
Page 341 - It was my habit to go very slowly up the low, broad steps to the palace entrance, pleasing my eyes with the majestic lines of the building, and lingering to read again the carved inscriptions: Public Library — Built by the People — Free to All.
Page 186 - Education was free. That subject my father had written about repeatedly, as comprising his chief hope for us children, the essence of American opportunity, the treasure that no thief could touch, not even misfortune or poverty. It was the one thing that he was able to promise us when he sent for us; surer, safer than bread or shelter.
Page 342 - Here is where I liked to remind myself of Polotzk, the better to bring out the wonder of my life. That I who was born in the prison of the Pale should roam at will in the land of freedom, was a marvel that it did me good to realize. That I who was brought up to my teens almost without a book should be set down in the midst of all the books that ever were written, was a miracle as great as any on record.
Page xiv - I can never forget, for I bear the scars. But I want to forget — sometimes I long to forget. I think I have thoroughly assimilated my past — I have done its bidding — I want now to be of to-day. It is painful to be consciously of two worlds. The Wandering Jew in me seeks forgetfulness.
Page 223 - And whereas formerly my selfconsciousness had bordered on conceit, and I thought myself an uncommon person, parading my schoolbooks through the streets, and swelling with pride when a teacher detained me in conversation, now I grew humble all at once, seeing how insignificant I was beside the Great. As I read about the noble boy who would not tell a lie to save himself from punishment, I was for the first time truly repentant of my sins.
Page 201 - ... support his family unaided, it would have been the culmination of his best hopes to see all his children at school, with equal advantages at home. But when he had done his best, and was still unable to provide even bread and shelter for us all, he was compelled to make us children selfsupporting as fast as it was practicable. There was no choosing possible; Frieda was the oldest, the strongest, the best prepared, and the only one who was of legal age to be put to work.
Page 184 - Brick was even on the ground for me to tread on, instead of common earth or boards. Many friendly windows stood open, filled with uncovered heads of women and children. I thought the people were interested in us, which was very neighborly. I looked up to the topmost row of windows, and my eyes were filled with the May blue of an American sky! In our days of affluence in Russia we had been accustomed to upholstered parlors, embroidered linen, silver spoons and candlesticks, goblets of gold, kitchen...