The first Jews arrived in America with Columbus in 1492, and the first Jew to set foot on mainland American soil was Solomon Franco, a merchant who arrived in Boston in 1649. By 1776,
there was an estimated 2,000 (mostly Sephardic) Jews living
in America. They were very patriotic, and in Charleston, South Carolina almost every adult Jew fought against Great Britain.

Jewish patriot, Chaim Salomon, used all his financial resources to keep the
fledgling government afloat but was never paid back. When General Washington needed additional supplies for the US Army, he went to Salomon. Also, European Jews were experienced peddlers and would travel throughout the young country bringing needed goods to the pioneers who were populating it. Pictured above is
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of three Jews currently serving on the Supreme Court.

This lecture focuses on the contributions of Jews to the colonization, defense and expansion of the United States. It has great filmclips, photos, and memorabilia.