Howard Rubin

It is important to note that the Jewish community may have had an atypical experience in Quincy.

Connection with the Curriculum
This material could be used to teach U.S. history, Illinois history, geography, or lessons in multiculturalism.

Teaching Level
Grades 9-12

Materials for Each Student

• A copy of the narrative portion of the article

• Copies of the activities

• Pens or pencils

Objectives for Each Student

• Identify and explain the unique role of the immigrant Jewish population of Quincy that created the conditions for their integration into the community at large.

• Analyze the impact of the Jewish population of Quincy on the social, political, and economic institutions of the community.

• Interpret primary sources.

• Recognize and describe social, political, and economic institutions.

Opening the Lesson

• Have students read the narrative portion of the article in advance.

• The teacher should introduce to the class and define through a guided discussion the concepts of social, political, and economic institutions.

• The activity may be done individually or as a "jigsaw" group activity by dividing students into groups of threes.

Developing the Lesson
• Activity 1 calls on students to recognize and place concepts into various categories. This is a skill that demands their ability to analyze and utilize knowledge. Have students look for the connection for each item. First, encourage students to place an item into the category it best fits. Most can

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be used more than once, but encourage students to explain why or how it may connect to another item or category. Brief discussions between group members as to the placement of an item leads to a deeper development of understanding of the concept and allows students to demonstrate their understanding verbally and visually. Second, each group (or individual) needs to look at its list and assign a rank to the items it believes may have had the greatest impact. Teacher prompting from group to group is important throughout the lesson.

• Activity 2 is a primary source activity that may also be done as a jigsaw group activity. Assign groups of three students. Allow each group member to select one section, A, B, or C, to complete. Students will use the information from each part to answer the concluding section as a group. Students will read and interpret brief citations from two newspapers, the Quincy Daily Herald and the Israelite, as well as a few advertisements from Jewish-owned businesses. Encourage students to critically read, examine, and discuss each passage. The Israelite passage speaks to the economic and religious involvement of the immigrant Jews. The Rabbi is cautious about the strained relations between Jewish businessmen. The Daily Herald article demonstrates the depth of social involvement within the Quincy community. Jews and gentiles socialized, perhaps to a larger degree in Quincy than in urban areas. The "Bal Masque" was the Jewish festival of Purim, and because the Jews were small in number, the entire community was invited to participate. The various advertisements represent the diversity and great involvement of Jewish-owned businesses in Quincy's economic life.

• Activity 3 is a primary source activity that requires students to take a retrospective approach to the rise and decline of Quincy. Students will read the introduction to a 1895 article from the Quincy Daily Herald. They are then asked to consider the history and the role of the Jewish community in Quincy and what the future may bring.

Concluding the Lesson
• Have each group orally report their conclusions to the class. This may be used as class discussion to share and compare results. This also allows the teacher to bring the lesson to closure. Some teachers may find it appropriate at this point to discuss the historical impact of other immigrant groups and the impact of immigrant groups today.

Extending the Lesson
• Have students select and research immigrant groups that have had an impact on a particular community and its institutions, or ask them to research the history of a community institution. (Again, be aware that not all places responded to immigrants as did Quincy in the nineteenth century.)

• Ask students to debate the pros and cons of immigration to small towns and large urban areas.

• Visit a local or regional historical society to discover the contributions and impact of immigrants on the town.

• Invite a guest speaker and conduct a class interview. Have students write questions and submit them to the guest speaker in advance.

Assessing the Lesson
• The very nature of these activities have student performances built in if the teacher wishes to use some type of evaluation. Each activity can require students to answer questions in writing, present oral responses, and work in a group. Teachers may wish to use the rubric for alternative assessment developed by the Illinois Council for the Social Studies.

Directions: After reading the narrative about the experiences of the Jewish community in Quincy, look over the list of terms below.

1. It is the task of your group to place each term under one of the following categories with which it best connects: social, political, or economic.

2. After each category list is complete, in the opinion of your group, rank the top two items in each category by placing a 1 or 2 to its left. Be able to explain why.

3. As a group, answer the following questions with as much detail as you can.

What conclusions can one make concerning the impact of the Jewish community on the various institutions in Quincy? Why was this important for the immigrant Jewish population? Why was this important for Quincy?

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Courtesy of American Jewish Historical Society, Waltham, Mass. & New York, NY

Part A—Account from a newspaper, the Israelite, August 1, 1856. According to Rabbi Wise's observations from his visit to Quincy, Describe the success level of the immigrant Jewish population. List any indications that the immigrant Jews were able to practice religion. Would you describe this arrangement as formal or informal? Explain in your own words Rabbi Wise's concern for the way in which the Jewish community was getting along.

Part B—Account from a newspaper, The Daily Quincy Herald. Explain in your own words the type of activities that the Odd Fellows, Concordia Club, and Temple B'nai Shalom were sponsoring. To what degree do those events demonstrate the involvement between Quincy's Jewish community and non-Jewish community? Judging by this newspaper account, what attitude did the community hold toward those events?

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Upper left: Gould's City Directory, 1884-1885; lower left: Everhart's Quincy City Directory for 1855-56, p. 106; right: Quincy Daily Journal, December 17,1895.

Part C—Advertisements
of Jewish-owned businesses.

1. List the types of businesses and products shown in the advertisements.

2. How valuable to Quincy's economic life do you think those businesses were?

3. In what ways might those businesses have touched the lives of the entire community?

Give an example.

Part D—Group Conclusions for Class Discussions.

After answering the questions from the sections above, what generalizations can your group make concerning the impact of the Jewish community on the town of Quincy?

1. Describe how immigrants could achieve a successful life in Quincy, Illinois, in the nineteenth century.

2. Assess the degree of acceptance of the immigrant Jewish community in Quincy.

3. In what ways did the Jewish community have a lasting impact on the social, political, and economic institutions of the Quincy community.

4. If no Jews had come to Quincy, how do you think the town would have evolved differently?

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After reading the narrative, read the introduction to the Quincy Daily Herald's report of the silver anniversary of Temple B'nai Sholom. Isaac Lesem was an important businessman and member of Quincy's Jewish community. By 1896 the community had declined. Consider what he may have said to his fellow Quincians. Predict how he may have viewed the town of Quincy. How would he have described the history of the Jewish population in Quincy? What fears might he have about the decline of Quincy? What words of inspiration or encouragement might he offer to the audience of Jews or gentiles.

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