Miriam Entin

ABSTRACT SUBMITTED: This project investigates mikva’ot (Jewish ritual baths) that operated in New York City at the turn of the 20th century, when large numbers of Jewish migrants from Eastern Europe settled on the Lower East Side. Although mikva’ot played an important role in Jewish religious life, they have received relatively little attention in studies of American Jewish history and archaeology. The research draws on archaeological site reports, fire insurance maps, and Yiddish-language newspaper advertisements to identify and document approximately 40 mikva’ot that operated in Lower Manhattan between 1850 and 1950. These sources make it possible to reconstruct exactly where the baths were located and to identify patterns in their spatial distribution and relationship to surrounding urban infrastructure. The advertisements in particular provide additional information about how these spaces functioned, including the types of buildings they occupied—such as Russian-Turkish bathhouses—the clientele they sought to attract, and the ways they were marketed, sometimes emphasizing religious observance and other times the broader appeal of the bathhouse experience. Together, these materials illustrate how Jewish ritual practice was maintained within the constraints of crowded urban spaces, offering insights into broader themes of diaspora, adaptation, and resilience in immigrant communities.