The Denver Jewish news., 1921-09-28

| lies in the StrlkinS tact mat the cN-
rulsion of the Jews from Spain. the
most disastrous event in Jewish ex-
pcrience since Ihe destruction of .Jc-
rusalem, and the discovery of the land
which was destined to prove their ref
uge from the prosecutions of the old
world. both took place in the same
year: aye. still stranger, on August
second, the expelled Jews sailed from
barcelona, exiles from home. going
they knew not to what fate, and on
the very next day, August third. the
ships of Columbus set sail for that
same port. to discover n new home for
the homeless eXiles; the departing
Jews saw without doubt the crews
of Columbus ships preparing for their
departure.
The coincidence of these events i'm
pressed Columbus himself, for he
wrote in his Diary ft will he noted
that by slip he wrote January for
AugusD: after the Spanish mon
archs had expelled all the Jews from
all their kingdoms and lands in Jan
uary. in chat same month they com
| missioncd me to undertake the voyage
to India with a properly equipped
fleet
The first Jewish arrivals in the New
World settled in South America, and
the islands of the southern sea. But
we are concerned here with the story
of the Jews in the United States and
therefore must dismiss with this mere
mention all reference 10 the settling
ar Jews in other portions of the west
crn hemisphere
In 1864 thirtyfour years after the
Mayfiowcr landed the Pilgrim fathers
at Plymouth. Mass. The ST. Catcrina
arrived ut New Amsterdam t.hc pres
cnt New York; with twcnfy-ihrcr
Jews on hoard. who in all likelihood
| came from Brazil. which country The
Jews left when il passed from the
| possession of tn" Dutch to the Poriu.
guese Shortly before the arrival ot
| Jews known to lave arrived at New
| Amsterdam. camc Un the ship Pear
| free. These We're Jacob Barsimson
and Jacob Aboab. Il is quite likcl!
| that even before this. stray individ
ual Jews may have found their way
| to some portions or other of the coun
rry.
These first Jewish arrivals did moi
secure the permission TO settle in New
New Amsterdam without difficulty,
| Governor Peter Stiyvesant was much
| opposed to them and desired to cxpcl
them. and it was only after the direc-
tors of the Dutch East India Com
pany in Holland espoused the cause
of the newcomers that he rcccdcd
! from his position.
/ Demands Rights Of Citizen.
The most masterful of these first
| settlers was Asser Levy. He made
the first fight for the rights of citizen
| ship. In 1863 an ordinance was pass
| ed thar no Jews he permitted to serve
| in the militia, but that in lieu of this
| they he taxed sixty-five stivers each
per month. Asser Levy refused to pay
this tax and petitiOned the Council
for permission to perform military
duty like all the other citizens of the
colony, or else to be relieved from
paying the tax. His petition was re-
jected. He seems then to have ap-
realed to the authorities in Holland
and they appear to have granted his
petition, for we find that he did per-
form guard duty like other citizens.
He continued to fight che cause OF
equal rights for the Jews. for eventn-
ally Stuyvesant and the Council grant
ed them burgher rights.
In 1862 the Jews of New Amsterdam
rented house for religious service,
altho undoubtedly they met for wor-
ship before that. In 1929 the first
synagog building was dedicated in Mill
Street. This congregation. the pres
cnt Spanish and Portuguese Synagog
is the oldest Jewish congregation in
the United States.
New Amsterdam having passed from
the possession of the Dutch to the
British. its citizens were required to
take the oath of abjuration. The Gen
eral Assembly of New York passed
AN act on November Is. 1927, to che
effect that when this oath was taken
by Il Jew the words upon the true
faith of a Christian might be omit
ted
In 1858 fifteen Jewish families ar
rived aC Newport. Rhode Island,
from Holland This community grew
apace until in time it became very
prosperous. In 1868 it built the hand.
some synagog which is still standing.
The congregation was disorganized at
the time of the Revolution, when