History of the Jews in Colonial America

The history of the Jews in Colonial America begins upon their arrival as early as the 1650s. The first Jews who came to the New World were Sephardi Jews who arrived in New Amsterdam (New York City). Later major settlements of Jews would occur in the port cities: Newport, Philadelphia, Charleston, and Savannah.

The Jewish settlers immediately faced discrimination, similar to and often more intense than that suffered by other religions, Catholics, Lutherans, and Quakers. The Jewish settlers played a role in the trading business of the colonies, but were often faced with anti-Jewish discrimination from both governmental entities and individuals.