2006-08-21 04:42:42 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Some changed their names years ago when Needle-Headed anti-Semites pretty much were the majority. Business reasons, familial reasons and the sort.
Similarly Italians, Russians and Slavic immigrants did the same before the turn of the century 1900. Very similarly to the Asian invasion of the 70-80-90s. Hell, they did us Americans a favor since most of us can't get past three syllables.
2006-08-21 05:03:27 · answer #1 · answered by John Q 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When many of the German and Russian and Polish Jews came into this country through Ellis Island and the other immigration ports, they pronounced their names for the people doing the paperwork, and the workers just wrote down whatever sounded right and was easy to spell.
I know that the way my ancestors' names were spelled in Russia were nowhere close to how they got spelled when they came through Ellis Island, but since so many of the immigrants were just happy to be here, they did not argue with changes in the spelling. That is what happened in my family.
2006-08-21 05:11:12 · answer #2 · answered by ItsJustMe 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I don't think that has been common for a good 50 years. When Jews were being murdered in Europe just for being Jews and discriminated against almost everywhere else, it was an unfortunate necessity for many. Now most people (you may be an exception) are more enlightened, and hiding ones ethnic/religious heritage isn't usually necessary - now we can all be proud of who we are.
2006-08-21 04:55:06 · answer #3 · answered by Maple 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think they really do that anymore. They used to b/c it was a throwback to the days of WWII when many people were racist towards Jews.
2006-08-21 04:49:46 · answer #4 · answered by kittyluver 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why did many immigrants when coming to America change their last name?
2006-08-21 04:48:57 · answer #5 · answered by Mags 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I thought they changed name b/c it was hard to pronounce. I think all people are proud of their heritage...
2006-08-21 04:51:53 · answer #6 · answered by Joy 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
just a guess..
but I would think it has to do with their being rounded up and slaughtered on a mass scale, in recent history in a Western "Civilization"..
!
2006-08-21 05:15:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Shmoyl isn't hard to pronounce.
2006-08-21 04:52:48 · answer #8 · answered by Black Sabbath 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Some people are disgusted by their "you-know-what" cutting.
2006-08-21 04:49:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
they do?
2006-08-21 04:49:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋