A Place Called Galveston

A Place Called Galveston Synopsis

Highlighting an underrepresented part of Jewish-American history, this poetic non-fiction picture book tells the collective stories of the immigrants who came through the port of Galveston, Texas.

In the early 20th century, thousands of Jews escaped antisemitic Russia to immigrate to the U.S. They faced long journeys across oceans, sometimes leaving family behind. But they didn't arrive at Ellis Island, as many others had. They were welcomed instead through the port of Galveston, Texas, on the Gulf Coast.

Galveston had sweet air and wide-open space. The newcomers built temporary communities, havens of people offering help, food, and shelter, to ease the loneliness and fear of a new country with a new language. And when they could, they ventured into the vast Midwest searching for jobs and safer futures.

In an end note, the author shares her family's story of coming to America from Russia and further details the history of Jewish immigration, the organizations that helped facilitate the journeys, and how Galveston became a popular port.