My father was a socialist, actively so, almost until he died—believed in it, acted upon it, and was instrumental in organizing the shoe workers union in New York. I'd go on many demonstrations with him... Because he took me, that's how I became more involved and more interested in things socially than my brothers. They grew up more traditionally. I was more involved in what was going on in the world. In fact, when I was about eleven years old I was already speaking on a street corner. In Brownsville everybody had a street corner meeting, particularly during the Depression. I'd speak about conditions, about the welfare system, about people being on relief, not getting enough to eat. When I grew up there were food lines on almost every corner. People would get on line to get food, to get bread, to get stuff that you could take home. I'd no sooner see a line that I would get on it. I didn't even know what they were giving at the other end, but it didn't matter. I’d get on a line even when I was a kid. If there was a line, I'd get on it.

How to Cite This Page
For a bibliography: Jewish Women's Archive. "Jewish Women's Archive - Women Who Dared - Ruth Rothstein on PATH TO ACTIVISM." <http://jwa.org/exhibits/wwd/jsp/fullAnswer.jsp>.

For a footnote: Jewish Women's Archive, "Jewish Women's Archive - Women Who Dared - Ruth Rothstein on PATH TO ACTIVISM," <http://jwa.org/exhibits/wwd/jsp/fullAnswer.jsp>.