250 Years in the Goldene Medina
The first time I visited Philadelphia, I was elated to walk the same cobblestone streets that Benjamin Franklin had walked. The city’s historical landmarks I toured—the Betsy Ross House, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell—all thrilled me. As I explored, I kept reminding myself, This is the heart of American history. Our country’s founders walked here.
Most Americans, like me, are proud of our citizenship and grateful for our independence because we share a common trait: Our ancestors left faraway lands to pursue freedom and economic opportunity in the Goldene Medina (Yiddish, “Golden Land”) called America. I considered this fact as I watched a parade of ships from distant countries, military-jet flyovers, and vibrant fireworks in celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary this past summer.
My parents would have loved to watch and celebrate, as would their parents, who fled the antisemitism of Eastern Europe. My father returned to Europe, courtesy of Uncle Sam, to fight the Nazis in World War II and keep America safe. He loved our country and taught me to love it as well.
The same is true of most Jewish Americans. We feel a connection to our founders’ philosophy as expressed in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We take pride in our Pledge of Allegiance, which ends, “One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
I believe God uniquely raised up America as a republic governed for the people by the people. Though certainly not perfect, it was and is a haven for the oppressed, a place to worship freely, unfettered by the government; and it has the reputation of being a nation where success is achievable through hard work, sacrifice, and commitment.
Using that simple but demanding formula, many American Jews prospered and became amazingly successful. One of Judaism’s prime principles is tzedakah (giving), and giving back to America has long been part of the Jewish American experience. As a result, Jewish contributions to this country are legion, far exceeding the percentage of the overall population. As we close the year 2026, our 250th year of independence, let us honor the Jewish Bible and highlight a few of the many Jewish individuals who helped to make the American experience a reality.
The Jewish Scriptures and the Great American Experiment
The Jewish Scriptures played a key role in America’s establishment, starting with the Puritans’ journey to the New World:
The United States was the first country to be created, from its inception, as a democracy. . . . Puritan refugees escaping religious persecutions in Europe . . . viewed their emigration from England as a virtual 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 Indians were the ancient Canaanites. They were the new Israelites, entering into a new covenant with God in a new Promised Land.
Thanksgiving—first celebrated in 1621, a year after the Mayflower landed—was initially conceived as a day parallel to the Jewish Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur; it was to be a day of fasting, introspection and prayer.1
I disagree with Puritan Covenant Theology, as God’s promises to the Jewish people cannot be canceled or transferred to others. But these parallels help us understand why the Pilgrims placed themselves in the redemptive story. Looking at America today, 400 years after the Mayflower landed, our nation’s historically strong relationship with Israel leaves me little doubt that God’s hand was present in the Great American Experiment—the establishment of the democratic republic of the United States of America—to accomplish His purposes.
The Jewish prophet Isaiah contributed to what would become a foundational structure of America’s government when he wrote, “The LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, the LORD is our King” (Isa. 33:22). The judicial, legislative, and executive branches of American government were extrapolated from this verse.
In 1790, President George Washington, heavily influenced by the Jewish Scriptures, wrote a historic letter to the congregation of the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, explicitly stating that the U.S. government “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” This commitment to religious freedom was later codified into law, cementing pluralism as a core American value.
Early Jewish Contributors to America
Haym Salomon (1740–1785) played a major role in helping the young republic survive at its birth. The Polish-born, idealistic financier, who combined wealth with an unselfish loyalty to his principles, was largely responsible for the economic survival of the new nation. A member of the Sons of Liberty and a patron of the Continental Army, Salomon gave his entire fortune to help fund the Revolutionary War, donating $650,000 (worth as much as $25 million today) over the course of three years. No gain came to Salomon or his descendants, and he died penniless. He is buried at the historic Mikveh Israel Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Rebecca Gratz (1781–1869), at the age of 20, helped establish the Female Association for the Relief of Women and Children in Reduced Circumstances. The organization helped women whose families were suffering after the American Revolutionary War by organizing fundraising events to provide support for veterans and their families. Gratz became a leading figure in charitable organizations and educational initiatives, particularly women’s education.
Uriah P. Levi (1792–1862) became the first Jewish commodore in the United States Navy and served as a strong example of Jewish patriotism in national service. His life connected Jewish American identity to military service, civic responsibility, and the preservation of American memory by rescuing Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello, from ruin.
Emma Lazarus (1849–1887) was an author of Sephardi Jewish descent; and her ancestors, who hailed from Portugal, numbered among the first 23 Portuguese Jews who arrived in New Amsterdam (New York) in 1654 after fleeing from their settlement in Recife, Brazil, to escape the Portuguese Inquisition. She is most famous for her poem “The New Colossus,” which is engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty. The words of her composition are almost as well known as Lady Liberty herself:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
Louis Brandeis (1856–1941) became the first Jewish person appointed to the Supreme Court. During his tenure, he was instrumental in shaping modern American jurisprudence. His principles and ideas on the law, democracy, and society are as relevant and useful today as they were in the first half of the 20th century, a time when individual liberties for average citizens often collided with growing governmental and corporate power.
Irving Berlin (1888–1989) composed “God Bless America,” along with other patriotic American songs. Upon receiving the Congressional Gold Medal from President Dwight D. Eisenhower for composing what many consider an unofficial national anthem of the United States, Berlin said, “‘God Bless America’ was not just a song but an expression of my feeling toward the country to which I owe what I have and what I am.”
I’m not alone in feeling the thrill of walking where our country’s founders walked. Since the Jewish people were scattered in AD 70, no Gentile country has embraced the spirit of blessing the Jewish people (Gen. 12:1–3) like America has. Indeed, America has been blessed by and acted as a blessing to the Jewish people.
Yet, today that reciprocal blessing is under threat due to the rise of antisemitism. As a whole, members of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012), including Christians, are less supportive of Israel and the Jewish people. Gazing through God’s prophetic telescope, we see a day coming when all the nations of the world—even America—will gather against Israel (Zech. 12:3). But we don’t know when.
In the meantime, we must pray for our country, for wisdom and guidance for our leaders, and for many to turn and submit to God, all the while saying, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).
Endnote
- Ken Spiro, “The Jewish Impact on the Founding of America,” Aish (tinyurl.com/USJewish).
