Flesh and Blood So Cheap

“Several thousand Jewish merchants and skilled artisans had special permission to live in Russian cities. The rest dared not leave the Pale, or step ‘beyond the Pale.’”

Marrin reveals the historical origin of the common phrase “beyond the pale,” which generally means to step outside of the limits of what is acceptable in terms of good behavior, judgment, or morals. This demonstrates how significant the confinement of Jewish people to the Pale of Settlement was, as the sentiment stretched across Europe and to the United States.

“Women played a key role in these activities. Wives not only ran the home, they and their daughters helped the menfolk earn a living.”

This description of Russian Jewish families reveals the balance in roles between the men and women. It shows that women were primary contributors to the household, setting the stage for both their position as human anchors (see Index of Terms) and the widespread entry of young Jewish women into the garment industry.

“People unleashed their anger in pogroms, from a Russian word meaning ‘riot’ or ‘devastation.’ A pogrom, in effect, was a license to commit murder.”

Pogroms, or violent government-sanctioned campaigns against Jewish people in Russia, contributed to the dire circumstances that forced millions of Russian Jews to flee to the United States in search of freedom from religious persecution and violence. Marrin’s inclusion of this violence draws a parallel between the wealthy factory owners and the oppressive governments and societies that immigrants were escaping.