America is born; Jews Expect Equality

This picture and text from a Joseph Jacobs publication sponsored by Maxwell House Coffee

Highest ranking Jewish officer in the Continental Army was Colonel Solomon Bush of the Pennsylvania State Militia. Wounded nearly fatally, then captured then freed in a prisoner exchange, he was cited for a distinguished and brilliant career especially during the winter of 1776.

A GREAT SEAL

One of the tasks that the Continental Congress assigns to a committee consisting of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams is to create a great seal. Among the suggested logos is one found in Jefferson's papers depicting the Israelites and Moses standing on the shore while Pharaoh and his army drown in the Red Sea. The encircling phrase reads "Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God." This metaphor of treating the patriots as latter day Israelites fighting the tyranny of the contemporary Egyptians, the British, was not adopted.

REQUIEM

Among the many who gave their lives so that America might live are eighteen Jewish soldiers of the Revolution who were buried in the old Jewish cemetery in New York City. The lithograph on the left, taken in 1861 at the junction of Pearl and Chatham Street shows the cemetery at the upper right.

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