Eden in the Garden State
The first residents of the current state of New Jersey were Dutchmen from New Amsterdam (New York) who settled Jersey City in 1614. Some historians claim that in 1655, some Jews from New…
The Rise of Phoenix
The settlement of the Arizona territory, followed the California Gold Rush of 1848-1850. When gold was found in Arizona, many people moved there from 1862 to 1864, including many Jewish…
Montana’s Jewish History
Montana is not a state known for its large Jewish community, and yet the early Jewish settlers made a distinct mark on the cities in which they lived. The first Jewish community developed…
From Deadwood to Rapid City
Images of the Wild West are filled with swinging saloon doors, dusty main streets, and small, fenced-in cemeteries. One would not then expect to find a place called Hebrew Hill in…
Coming to California
When we think of California today, we think of perfect weather, beautiful beaches and Hollywood stars. Before these modern dreams, however, California was a land of wild settlers who had…
Jews in Idaho
Idaho is not a state known for its burgeoning Jewish population. It is currently estimated, according to JewishVirtualLibrary.org, that there are about 1,500 Jews in the state, most of…
North American Shtetl
The word shtetl, invokes images of the pre-Holocaust Eastern European Jewish community. It might come as a surprise, therefore, that there actually are shtetlach in North America! Here…
The First Jewish Senator
David Croll was the First Jewish Senator -- of Canada. Having served as the Mayor of Windsor (Ontario), as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and as Ontario’s Minister of…