Omar Bennett
The United States of America was founded as a modern republic, rooted in the Bible, with one of its earliest tenets being religious tolerance. This was due to the influence of the earliest Puritan refugees escaping religious persecution in Europe, who identified their journey with the Jewish exodus from Egypt. The founding fathers of the United States, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington, fought for the separation of religion and state, and the freedom of worship for all. While there is evidence of anti-semitic sentiment among some of the founding fathers, they also admired the Jewish people and their history of struggle and perseverance. The Jewish population in America at the time was small, but they embraced the new Constitution and the promises of the nascent nation. So, while it is unlikely that any Jews signed the Constitution, they were still a significant part of the country's founding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of signing of the U.S. Constitution | 17 September 1787 |
| Location of signing of the U.S. Constitution | Philadelphia |
| Number of Jews in the U.S. at the time | 1,000-2,000 |
| Jewish contribution to the War of Independence | Significant |
| Jewish attitudes towards the new Constitution | Embraced it |
| Jewish attitudes towards the U.S. Founding Fathers | Admiration |
| U.S. Founding Fathers' attitudes towards Judaism | Little respect |
| U.S. Founding Fathers' attitudes towards Jews | Acceptance |
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What You'll Learn
George Washington's letters to Jews
In 1790, George Washington wrote a letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, also known as the Touro Synagogue. In this letter, Washington reassured the Jewish congregation that the new United States would uphold religious tolerance and liberty. He wrote that the government would not interfere with individuals' conscience and beliefs, and that everyone would be able to sit "in safety under his own vine and fig-tree and there shall be none to make him afraid." Washington's letter acknowledged the contributions of Jews in building the new nation and opposed the mere "toleration" of religious differences, instead emphasizing the right to religious liberty.
The Touro Synagogue letter is considered one of George Washington's most prominent pronouncements on religious tolerance. It reflects the country's founding ideals of religious freedom and liberty, which were important to America's earliest Jewish citizens. Washington's correspondence with Jewish communities, including the Touro Synagogue, the United Baptist churches in Virginia, and various other religious denominations, highlights his commitment to ensuring freedom of religion in the new nation.
In addition to George Washington, other Founding Fathers such as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams also contributed to shaping the religious landscape of the United States. While Jefferson and Madison corresponded with leading Jews like Mordecai Manuel Noah and Dr. Jacob De La Motta, Adams praised Jews in his personal correspondence, calling them "the most glorious nation that ever inhabited the earth." Despite some instances of anti-Semitic sentiments among the Founding Fathers, they recognized the importance of freedom of worship for all religious minorities, including Jews.
The letters exchanged between the Founding Fathers and America's early Jewish citizens provide valuable insights into the country's founding principles and the ideals of religious liberty and equality. They demonstrate the active participation of Jews in the shaping of the new nation and their embrace of the Constitution's promises of freedom and religious tolerance. These letters continue to be important reminders of the United States' commitment to religious freedom and the contributions of diverse communities to the country's foundation.
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Jews in the Revolutionary War
Jews played a significant role in the Revolutionary War, both on and off the battlefield, despite comprising a small part of the population of colonial America. In Charleston, South Carolina, almost every adult Jewish male fought for freedom. The first patriot to be killed in Georgia was a Jew named Francis Salvador. Jews also provided significant financing to the patriots, with Haym Salomon lending large sums of money to the Continental Congress, including $200,000 in the war's final days. Salomon was never repaid and died bankrupt.
The American Revolution and the creation of the United States of America represented a unique event in world history. The new nation was founded as a modern republic, rooted in the Bible, with one of its earliest tenets being religious tolerance. This was due in part to the influence of the Puritans, who saw their emigration from England as a re-enactment of the Jewish exodus from Egypt. To them, England was Egypt, the king was Pharaoh, the Atlantic Ocean was the Red Sea, America was the Land of Israel, and the indigenous people were the Canaanites. They saw themselves as the new Israelites, entering into a new covenant with God in a new Promised Land.
The Founding Fathers, including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, fought for a separation of religion and state, which allowed Jews to worship freely. In 1790, President George Washington sent a letter to the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, affirming the American commitment to reject bigotry and embrace religious freedom. Washington's correspondence with America's Jews reveals that the Founders identified deeply with the story of the Jewish people and viewed ancient Israel as a parallel to America.
While the Founding Fathers are admired for their genius and vision, some historians note that they had little respect for Judaism as a faith. Thomas Jefferson, for example, defended freedom of religion while also ridiculing Judaism in private. John Adams, on the other hand, praised Jews on many occasions, calling them "'the most glorious nation that ever inhabited the earth." He challenged the anti-Semitism of French Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire, arguing that Jews had positively influenced mankind more than any other nation.
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Jewish influence on the Founding Fathers
The Jewish influence on the Founding Fathers of the United States of America is a fascinating aspect of the country's history. While it is known that no Jews signed the US Constitution, the Jewish community, though small, did have an impact on the Founding Fathers and their vision for the new nation.
The Founding Fathers' idea of a republic was built on the pillar of religious liberty, which was influenced by the Jewish story of ancient Israel. The founders identified with the Jewish people's struggle for freedom, viewing it as parallel to America's fight for independence from Britain. This is reflected in the basic framework of America, with its roots in the Bible and the power of Jewish ideas shaping the country's political development. The Hebrew Bible, for example, had a significant influence on the Founding Fathers' thinking, with the first design for the official seal of the US recommended by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson in 1776 depicting the Jews crossing the Red Sea. The motto around the seal read: "Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God."
The Founding Fathers' support for the separation of religion and state, as well as their fight for freedom of worship, was influenced by their understanding of the importance of religious freedom for minority groups like the Jews. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, for instance, corresponded with two of America's leading Jews, Mordecai Manuel Noah and Dr. Jacob De La Motta, and their letters are important contributions to defining freedom and equality in the US, especially for Jews. George Washington's 1790 letter to the Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island affirmed the commitment to combat bigotry and ensure that Jews were not merely tolerated but embraced as equal citizens.
However, it is important to note that some of the Founding Fathers, including Thomas Jefferson, held ambivalent views towards Judaism. While they defended freedom of religion, they also ridiculed and belittled the Jewish faith in private. John Adams, America's second president, praised Jews on many occasions, calling them "the most glorious nation that ever inhabited the earth." He challenged the anti-Semitism of Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire and expressed admiration for the Jewish contribution to civilization. Nevertheless, Adams, like other Founding Fathers, had limited knowledge of Jewish history, belief, and culture, and his support for religious freedom was not necessarily driven by a deep understanding of Judaism.
In conclusion, while the Jewish community in colonial America was small, it had a significant influence on the Founding Fathers' vision for the new nation. The Founding Fathers drew inspiration from the Jewish story of ancient Israel and the struggle for freedom, shaping their commitment to religious liberty and equality for all citizens, including Jews. However, it is important to acknowledge the complex attitudes towards Judaism among the Founding Fathers, ranging from admiration to ambivalence and, in some cases, open criticism.
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Jewish population in colonial America
The history of Jews in Colonial America dates back to the 1650s when the first Jewish settlers, Sephardi Jews, arrived in New Amsterdam (present-day New York City). They were followed by major settlements in port cities like Newport, Philadelphia, Charleston, and Savannah. By the time of the Revolutionary War in 1776, the Jewish population in the British North American colonies had grown to around 2,000, most of whom were Sephardi Jews with origins in the Dutch Republic, Great Britain, and the Iberian Peninsula.
Jewish settlers in Colonial America played a significant role in the trading business of the colonies, but they often faced anti-Jewish discrimination from both governmental entities and individuals. Despite this, they actively contributed to the American Revolution, with many enlisting in the Continental Army. Notable figures like Haym Salomon and Francis Salvador played key roles in financing the war, and Salvador became the first American Jew to be killed in action.
The Founding Fathers of the United States, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams, advocated for the separation of religion and state. Their correspondence with prominent American Jews like Mordecai Manuel Noah and Dr. Jacob De La Motta reflected their support for freedom and equality for Jews in the new nation. However, some of the Founding Fathers, including Jefferson, held contradictory views about Judaism, belittling it in private despite defending religious freedom.
In summary, the Jewish population in Colonial America, while small, faced discrimination but also found opportunities for contribution and the pursuit of freedom. The Founding Fathers' commitment to religious liberty and their interactions with early American Jews set a precedent for the ideals of freedom and equality that continue to shape the nation's identity.
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Jewish organisations' views on constitutionality
Jewish organisations have differing views on constitutionality, particularly in relation to the separation of church and state. For instance, in the 1978 case of Village of Skokie v. National Socialist Party of America, Jewish organisations were divided on whether to support the ACLU's position of permitting Nazis to march in Skokie, Illinois, a city with a large Jewish population. While the American Jewish Congress supported the march, the ADL and American Jewish Committee opposed it, citing the potential for "menticide".
In terms of government-funded religious schools, there is also a divide among Jewish organisations. The American Jewish Committee opposes aid to religious schools, while more Orthodox organisations support state aid. In the 1940s, two Supreme Court cases (Cantwell v. Connecticut and Everson v. Board of Education) changed the landscape for Jewish groups, with the latter case establishing the principle of separation between church and state and leading to limitations on public aid to parochial schools.
Jewish Americans have also played a role in shaping the constitutional debate in the United States. For example, Mordecai Manuel Noah and Dr. Jacob De La Motta, two of America's leading Jews in the early 19th century, corresponded with Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison on the subjects of freedom and equality, particularly for Jews. While Jefferson and Madison fought for the separation of religion and state, Jefferson also held negative views of Judaism, writing that Moses had bound the Jews to "idle ceremonies, mummeries and observances".
Despite this, American Jews have traditionally admired the nation's Founding Fathers for their genius and vision. John Adams, the second President of the United States, praised Jews on many occasions, calling them "the most glorious nation that ever inhabited the earth". He argued that Jews had "influenced the affairs of mankind more and happily than any other nation, ancient or modern".
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Frequently asked questions
No Jews signed the US Constitution. The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, and at the time, Jews comprised a small part of the population of colonial America.
While no Jews directly participated in the drafting or signing of the US Constitution, they did embrace the new Constitution and the promises of the nascent nation. Jews were among the earliest citizens of the US and fought as patriots in the Revolution.
The US Constitution included a "no religious test" clause, which affirmed the country's commitment to religious liberty and freedom of worship for all citizens, including Jews. This was a significant development, as Jews had faced discrimination and expulsion in the American colonies, such as in New Amsterdam under Governor Peter Stuyvesant.
The Founding Fathers had varying views on Judaism. While some, like Thomas Jefferson, belittled the Jewish faith in private, others, like John Adams, praised Jews and Judaism in their personal correspondence. Adams referred to Jews as "the most glorious nation that ever inhabited the earth."
Jewish organizations have been actively involved in shaping the interpretation of the US Constitution, particularly regarding the separation of church and state. For example, in the 1971 case of Lemon v. Kurtzman, the Supreme Court set a test to determine whether a state program or action violates the establishment clause. Jewish groups have also used the courts to secure equal treatment for themselves and other minority religions under the law.
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