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In 1654, twenty-three
Jewish refugees left Recife, Brazil, fleeing the Catholic Inquisition.
Although headed for Holland, they were blown off course and
landed instead at New Amsterdam, now known as Manhattan Island.
The Dutch governor of New Amsterdam, Peter Stuyvesant, tried
to expel them. Fortunately, the Jews were able to appeal to
Stuyvesant’s superiors at the Dutch West Indies Trading
Company and the Jews were granted permission to remain in the
colony. Ever since that time there has been an organized Jewish
community on the North American continent.
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
