History of the Jews in Pennsylvania facts for kids

The history of Jewish people in Pennsylvania goes way back to the early days of Colonial America. Jewish settlers played an important part in shaping the state.

Pennsylvania was named after William Penn's father. King Charles II gave the land to William Penn in 1681.

First Jewish Settlers in Pennsylvania

When Peter Stuyvesant took over the Swedish colonies on the Delaware River in 1655, three Jewish traders asked for permission to trade there. Their names were Abraham de Lucena, Salvator Dandrade, and Jacob Coen. They had permission from the Dutch West India Company to trade and live freely.

Their request was first denied. But they were allowed to finish a trading trip they had already started. These were the first Jewish people recorded in Pennsylvania.

Later, in 1656, the West India Company told Stuyvesant to let Jewish people trade along the South River (now the Delaware). This shows that Jewish people traded with Native Americans and Swedes in the area. In 1657, Isaiah Mesa, a Jewish person, was mentioned in lawsuits.

In 1664, when the English took control of the Delaware, the government said that "all people should enjoy the liberty of their conscience." This meant everyone could practice their religion freely.

Jewish Life in Philadelphia

When William Penn got his land in 1681, some Jewish settlers were likely already there. The first Jewish resident recorded in Philadelphia was Jonas Aaron, who lived there in 1703.

One of the most important Jewish community members early on was Isaac Miranda. He arrived in the early 1700s. He was one of the first Jewish settlers in Philadelphia and the very first in Lancaster.

In 1727, Miranda became "deputy judge of the Court of Vice-Admiralty." This was the first time a Jewish person held a judicial office in the colonies. He owned a lot of land. In 1730, some Native Americans in Lancaster complained about him, but no action was taken.

Jewish Communities Across Pennsylvania

Lancaster's Early Jewish Community

Jewish people came to Pennsylvania from other colonies like New York and Georgia. After Philadelphia, Lancaster was the next city where they settled. Isaac Miranda was the first Jewish resident there. He owned property before the town was officially formed in 1730.

By 1740, several Jewish families lived in Lancaster. In 1747, land was set aside for a Jewish burial ground. This land was held in trust for the "society of Jews settled in and about Lancaster." Joseph Simon was a well-known Jewish merchant. Dr. Isaac Cohen was the first Jewish doctor in Pennsylvania.

Scranton's Growing Jewish Population

Scranton is a large city in Lackawanna County. Jewish people settled there when it was still a small town. The city got its current name around 1850.

Joseph Rosenthal was the first Jewish person to hold public office in Scranton. He was the city's first policeman in 1860. At that time, Scranton had only about 8,500 people.

The first Jewish congregation, "Anshe Ḥesed," was formed in 1858 and restarted in 1860. In 1866, they built their first synagogue on Linden Street. It was the first building made just for Jewish worship in Lackawanna County. This building was later sold, and a new temple was dedicated on Madison Avenue in 1902.

By 1906, about 5,000 Jewish people lived in Scranton. They had five congregations and two Hebrew schools. One school, the Montefiore Hebrew School, had about 200 students. The other school was supported by the large Hungarian Jewish community.

Many charitable groups helped the community. These included the Hebrew Ladies' Relief Society and the Industrial Aid Society.

Reading's Jewish History

Reading is a city in Berks County. A few Jewish immigrants settled here before Reading became a city in 1847. In 1864, a cemetery plot was bought. In the same year, Congregation Oheb Sholom was founded with about fifteen members. Most of them were from South Germany.

In 1884, they bought a church building and rebuilt it into a synagogue. It was dedicated in 1885. They hired a rabbi and started a Reform service. In 1897, Rabbi Julius Frank introduced the Union Prayer Book.

Reading also has a Conservative Jewish synagogue called Kesher Zion. It was formed in 1929 by combining two other synagogues. It has been located across from City Park since 1950.

Orthodox Jewish people, mostly from Russia and Poland, formed Congregation Shomrei Habrith in 1887. They have a Hebrew School connected to their congregation. Today, Shomrei Habrith has moved to a new location.

Reading has about 800 Jewish residents out of a total population of 90,000. Most work in business.

Easton's Early Jewish Settlers

Easton, in Northampton County, also had Jewish residents before the American Revolution.

Myer Hart de Shira was one of the first merchants in Easton in 1750. He became one of Easton's wealthiest citizens. Michael Hart, another early resident, was born in 1738 and became very rich. In 1800, Michael Hart gave land to his son Jacob for a Jewish burial place.

Even though several Jewish families lived in Easton, a synagogue was not founded until 1839. This was the Congregation Brit Sholom. It was officially recognized in 1842, and Rev. Morris Kohn was its first rabbi.

Aaronsburg: A Town Founded by a Jew

Aaronsburg is a village in Centre County. It was founded by Aaron Levy in 1786 and named after him. In 1779, Levy bought land and planned the town of Aaronsburg.

He set aside a public square called Aaron's Square. One street was named Rachel's Way, after his wife. In 1789, Levy gave land for a church and schoolhouse. Aaronsburg was the first town in Pennsylvania (and probably the United States) planned by and named after a Jewish person.

Wilkes-Barre's Jewish Community

Wilkes-Barre is the main city in Luzerne County. The first Jewish settlers arrived around 1838. Martin Long from Bavaria was a prominent early settler.

Two years later, a group was formed for worship. They held services in different rooms until 1849, when they dedicated their first synagogue. In 1857, the community became the Congregation B'nai B'rith.

Over time, the younger generation wanted more modern services. They adopted the Union Prayer Book. B'nai B'rith is the largest congregation in the city and is a Reform organization.

Until 1871, B'nai B'rith was the only congregation. But that year, Orthodox Jewish people started to unite. This led to the formation of congregations B'nai Jacob and Holche Yosher in 1881. A fourth synagogue, Oheb Zedek, was dedicated in 1902.

The Jewish community in Wilkes-Barre had many educational, charitable, and social groups. These included religious schools, aid societies, and a Young Men's Hebrew Association. By 1905, about 1,800 Jewish people lived in Wilkes-Barre. This was about three percent of the total population.

Jewish People and Land in Pennsylvania

Many Jewish people were involved in buying and selling land in Pennsylvania. In 1763, some traders lost a lot of money due to attacks by Native American tribes. Among them were David Franks, Levy Andrew Levy, and Joseph Simon.

In 1773, land in southern Illinois was sold. Twenty-two Pennsylvanians bought property from Native American nations. This group included Moses Franks, Jacob Franks, Barnard Gratz, Michael Gratz, David Franks, Joseph Simon, and Levy Andrew Levy.

Aaron Levy was a major land investor. In 1779, he bought land in Centre County and planned the town of Aaronsburg. This was the first town in the United States laid out and named after a Jewish person.

By the end of the American Revolutionary War, there were probably no more than 800 Jewish people in Pennsylvania. Most had moved there after 1765. Many arrived after the British took over New York. Jewish people had almost all the same rights as other residents. The only exception was that they could not be members of the General Assembly.

In 1783, Rabbi Gershom Mendes Seixas and other leaders of Congregation Mickvé Israel in Philadelphia asked for a change to the state's Constitution. They wanted to remove a rule that required Assembly members to believe in the New Testament. The law was later changed, and all civil restrictions on Jewish people were removed.

New Waves of Jewish Settlers

After 1825, the history of Jewish people in Pennsylvania is about their activities in different cities. Jewish people had been interested in developing western Pennsylvania even before the Revolution. But they mostly invested in land. It wasn't until the early 1800s that Jewish people settled in Pittsburgh and other western cities.

The first Jewish settlers in Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Easton came from Germany and Holland. Later, after 1825, many more Jewish people from Germany arrived. Some settled in Philadelphia and became important members of the community. Others traveled west and helped develop many towns.

Pittsburgh's Jewish Community

Jewish people lived in Pittsburgh since it became a city in 1804. But a real Jewish community, mostly of German origin, formed around 1830. In 1846, the first congregation, "Etz-Chayim," was organized. The Congregation Rodef Sholem, a very important congregation, was started in 1858. Today, Pittsburgh has the second-largest Jewish community in Pennsylvania.

Harrisburg's Jewish Population

The first Jewish settlers in Harrisburg arrived from Germany in the early 1840s. The oldest congregation is Ohev Sholom, founded in 1853. Other congregations like Chisuk Emmunah and Beth-El were established later.

In 1904, Harrisburg had about 1,200 Jewish residents out of 70,000 people.

Other Jewish Settlements

Many other towns in Pennsylvania have Jewish residents and at least one synagogue. These include Allentown, Altoona, Erie, Hazleton, Johnstown, and York. Jewish people have organized communities in at least fifty towns across the state.

Starting in 1882, many Jewish people came to Pennsylvania after being forced to leave Russia. Today, they make up most of the Jewish population in the state.

Jewish Life in Pennsylvania: 1906 Overview

In 1906, Pennsylvania had 34 cities and towns with Jewish institutions. There were 92 organized congregations in 31 of these places. About 59 congregations had around 7,000 members.

Many congregations had schools for religious education. There were also other educational groups like manual-training schools and evening classes.

The state had 41 charitable societies. These included orphan asylums, a hospital, and a home for the aged. There were also social clubs, young men's associations, and mutual-benefit societies.

Many Jewish organizations had branches in Pennsylvania. These included the Alliance Israélite Universelle and the Council of Jewish Women. There were also many Jewish lodges, like the Independent Order B'nai B'rith.

In 1906, Pennsylvania's total population was over 6.3 million. More than 100,000 of these residents were Jewish.