Students were given a private tour of the 1684 colonial Shearith Israel burial ground, which is closed to the public, to learn how early New York Jews honored their dead and created new traditions based on their American surroundings. Groups then split off and went to either the Tenement Museum with Ms. Stolper Muenz, or a walking tour of the 20th Century Lower East Side with Dr. Kohn, including synagogue, landmenschaft, and food stops to help construct institutions important to building and sustaining religious communities navigating the American landscape.