I grew up during a time when a communist threat was looming in the East, prompting the government to adopt dire measures. Winning the Second World War shaped the collective American psyche and contributed not only to the economic prowess of my country but also to its social fabric. The period after the World War II is also referred to as the age of innocence, and I couldn’t agree more. It was a simpler time when children could roam the streets free of fears, mothers weren’t bogged down by the added pressure of working outside the home, and there was empathy in the hearts of people toward each other and trust for the federal government.

My father tried to get a job in the navy construction fleet after the Second World War started because he had an affinity for machines. But he was refused because of a heart irregularity. Years later, I came to know that Father had also volunteered as an air raid warden during the early year of the war to help America win the air battle of the world war. His job was to instruct citizens to close the drapes so that their light wouldn’t inadvertently assist the enemies in bombing the city or assist the ships to make their way into the New York Harbor. He was quite proud of his job.

My mother took me to the movies to watch Tomorrow the World, which related the horrific underpinning of the Nazi ideology and its eventual outcomes if left unchecked. That was my first brush with evil thoughts and stays imprinted in my mind ’till today, though I never watched the movie again. In America during the Second World War, we would recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day at school without fail before the classes began. It would be followed by the chorus of “Remember Pearl Harbor.” Apart from this, all children were encouraged to help the country in that time of acute shortage of metals, rubber, and consumer items by collecting rubber bands or scrap metals and bringing them to a collection center. I distinctly remember collecting rubber band from school and rolling them into a ball, tin foil from my father’s cigarettes, and whatever else I could nitpick in the streets and bringing it all to the collection center. I also tried to make a victory garden as it was highly encouraged at the time.

After the Second World War ended, Father did not get the chance to work with machines again. We moved to New York shortly after. During the war, and even after, all the essential commodities like milk, meat, and eggs were rationed and had to be obtained with coupons. The Office of Price Administration (OPA) would fix the price of consumer goods, and this was the case until President Truman got rid of the OPA.

Summer days were spent playing games in the streets. Often, immigrants from eastern Europe would meet on the streets to sing their Yiddish songs. I would go to the grocery store to buy pickles, and I spent a lot of time listening to my favorite programs on the radio. All in all, life was a lot more carefree than it is now.

Do you identify with my account of living during the World War? Did you have any interesting experiences during that time? We’d love to hear what you have to share in the comments section below. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. Looking for stories about life of a first-generation Jewish immigrant in America? Grab a copy of From Brooklyn New York To Brookline Massachusetts now!

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