“In the seeking we create her”: America in Two Jewish Migrant Writers, Anzia Yezierska and Anya Ulinich

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the experience of Jewish immigrant women to the United States during two distinct migration waves: the one of late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the post-Soviet one of the1990s. This work examines the practical, emotional and psychological struggles of Jews immigrant women focusing on gender, ethnicity and migration. While much of the literature on Jewish immigration has been shaped by male perspectives, this study addresses the unique challenges faced by women, analyzing the works of Anzia Yezierska (Hungry Hearts and Children of Loneliness) and Anya Ulinich (Petropolis). Both Authors depict the complexity of assimilation, gender, identity and the building of women’s personal autonomy and empowerment. By comparing and analyzing the themes and characters of this works, this thesis highlights how immigrant women navigate their changing roles and identities in America, contributing to a deeper and better understanding of the Jewish women immigrant experience.