A wave of immigrants from Eastern Europe poured into New York in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. via Ellis Island, was not accepted by the Jews who arrived there decades earlier. Refugees from Tsarist Russia and Polish shtetls, often called simply "Russians", came to America to escape pogroms and persecution and were considered barbarians, uneducated and too steeped in the traditions of the "old country" to be accepted by the more refined and already established German culture. -Jewish community. But the new arrivals were tough, passionate and driven, and in no time at all they emerged from the ghetto of New York's Lower East Side to make their fortunes across the country in fields ranging from media and popular music to fashion, film and even organized crime. Among the unforgettable figures profiled by author Stephen Birmingham are radio pioneer David Sarnoff, cosmetics mogul Helena Rubinstein, Hollywood moguls Samuel Goldwyn and Harry Cohn, Broadway composer Irving Berlin and mobster Meyer Lansky. Written by the author of Our Crowd, this book is a treasure trove of compelling stories and unforgettable rags-to-riches success stories that celebrate the indomitable spirit of a unique community.