Between the late 18th and early 20th centuries, millions of young, Jewish men left their homelands in search of more promising futures. They grabbed their sacks and journeyed door to door, peddling their way across the New World.
In her latest book, Roads Taken, author and scholar Hasia Diner tells the stories of these Jewish peddlers, many of whom ended up in the United States.
This hour, Diner joins us to talk about what she learned about their lives. We find out how the their interactions on the road fueled cross-culturalism, and came to play a major role in shaping the modern Jewish experience.
A little later, we also talk to civil rights activist Bernard Lafayette, Jr., who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and continues to teach nonviolence today.
What do you think? Comment below, email WhereWeLive@wnpr.org, or tweet @wherewelive.
GUESTS:
- Hasia Diner - Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University and author of Roads Taken
- Bernard Lafayette, Jr. - Civil rights activist and organizer
Chion Wolf and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.