TGI –
The majority of the Jews who came to the US before WWII came because they were poor and/or their lives were at risk. They left their homes in many cases because they couldn’t feed their families, or because the pogromchiks were destroying their communities. They weren’t involved with the arts – they didn’t have the time or money. Many of them tried to stay shomer Shabbos, but in the days of the 6-day work-week many couldn’t face the challenge of being told, “If you don’t come in on Saturday, don’t come in on Monday.” Nowadays we have all sorts of legal protections that didn’t exist then. Can any of us claim with confidence that we would stand up to the nisyonos any better than they did?
We are a spoiled generation, and I don’t mean materially. We can argue in the CR about wearing your peyos out in the office, when fifty years ago it was difficult to find a professional job where you could keep Shabbos. We have no idea of the dedication our grandparents had to have to stay Shomer Shabbos as new immigrants to the US.