Lessons From America’s First Jews

As we celebrate our nation’s 249th year, I can’t help but wonder what America’s early Jews could teach us about resilience and healing. Like many American children growing up in the late 20th century, I was taught to appreciate the heroism of a relatively select number of American revolutionaries, like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and a few more colorful characters, including Paul Revere and “Light-Horse Harry” (Henry Lee III), who both served in the Continental Army against the British.