A History of Jewish Plymouth (American Heritage)

Synopsis

Many visitors flock to Plymouth, Massachusetts, eachyear to view the historic landing spot of the Pilgrims. Three blocks fromPlymouth Rock is Congregation Beth Jacob’s synagogue. For more than a century,the Jewish community of this coastal New England town has flourished. Evenbefore the establishment of the synagogue, built in 1912–13, Plymouth’s historywas shaped by the Jewish culture. Many colonial New England laws were derivedfrom the Old Testament. The grave marker of famed Governor William Bradfordbears an inscription in Hebrew that reads, 'The Lord is the help of my life.'Historian Karin J. Goldstein reveals the lasting impact of the Jewish communityon Plymouth’s history and the ways in which it still informs the town’s uniqueidentity today.