'' Amerike – The Golden Land '' tells the journey of America 's Jewish ancestors who emigrated from their towns and cities in Europe and Russia ( especially the Pale of Settlement ) to start a new life in America . The characters in this story start off with a tremendous amount of hope in leaving their homes and starting new lives in NYC . However , their notions of America as a free land are shattered at Ellis Island when they witness families being torn apart to Ellis Island 's selection process . Life turns out to be quite difficult in America , the characters in the show soon discover . Poor wages , long hours , and sweatshop conditions are horrors that tug at the seams of the characters . Events such as the Triangle Factory fire , Workers Unionization , the Wall Street Crash of 1929 , the Great Depression , World War I , and The Holocaust – World War II are telling points of the story in showing these immigrants growth , participation , and contribution to American economy and culture . The story ends on a hopeful and spirited note where survivors of the Holocaust are welcomed into the United States by the immigrants who fought to create a life for themselves there . Told in popular songs of the day , '' Amerike – The Golden Land '' is performed in Yiddish with Russian and English supertitles
The Holocaust
The Holocaust
Amerike the Golden Land