Here’s another gem from the era of my historical novel On the Shore. By 1900, the Lower East Side had over 130 kosher butcher shops catering to Eastern European Jewish immigrants. In 1902, the National Beef Trust of America (a monopoly) was created and raised the price of beef from 12 cents to 18 cents per pound, a 50% increase. Thousands of angry Jewish women stormed neighborhood butcher shops, smashing windows and destroying meat (tossing it in the street, soaking it in kerosene and setting it on fire). The women disrupted Sabbath services in synagogues to encourage a boycott of butchers. After a month of protests, the Beef Trust lowered its price to 14 cents per pound. The Lower East Side remained a hotbed of social activism for decades, with women playing a significant role. Read more in BEHIND THE STORY.
