Jacob Barsimson
Encyclopedia
Jacob Barsimson was one of the earliest Jewish settlers at New Amsterdam
(New York City
), and the earliest identified Jewish settler within the present limits of the state of New York
.
Barsimson had been sent out by the Jewish leaders of Amsterdam, Holland, to determine the possibilities of an extensive Jewish immigration to New Amsterdam. With the fall of Dutch Brazil
it was imperative for Jews planning to leave Europe to find other new homes. He arrived at that port on the ship Pear Tree on August 22, 1654, having left Holland on July 8. Barsimson was succeeded by a party of twenty-three Jews, who arrived at New Amsterdam in October, from Recife, Brazil, and established the first Jewish Settlement in the United States
.
." Three years earlier Barsimson and another early Jewish settler, Asser Levy
, joined in a petition to the governor and council of New Netherland
to be permitted to stand guard like the other burghers
, or to be relieved from the special tax imposed upon their nation in lieu thereof by resolution of governor and council; but their request was curtly refused, with the remark that they might go elsewhere if they liked. Instead of following this latter advice, Barsimson and other early American Jews succeeded before long in obtaining instructions to Governor Stuyvesant
from his superiors—the Dutch West India Company
of Holland—condemning such unjustified and illiberal discriminations.
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
(New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
), and the earliest identified Jewish settler within the present limits of the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Barsimson had been sent out by the Jewish leaders of Amsterdam, Holland, to determine the possibilities of an extensive Jewish immigration to New Amsterdam. With the fall of Dutch Brazil
Dutch Brazil
Dutch Brazil, also known as New Holland, was the northern portion of Brazil, ruled by the Dutch during the Dutch colonization of the Americas between 1630 and 1654...
it was imperative for Jews planning to leave Europe to find other new homes. He arrived at that port on the ship Pear Tree on August 22, 1654, having left Holland on July 8. Barsimson was succeeded by a party of twenty-three Jews, who arrived at New Amsterdam in October, from Recife, Brazil, and established the first Jewish Settlement in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Jewish rights
In 1658, he succeeded in securing from the Dutch municipal court in New Amsterdam a ruling which is surprising even in the light of latter-day principles of religious liberty. He was summoned to court as defendant on a Saturday; but the court decided, in the terse language of the record, that, "though defendant is absent, yet no default is entered against him, as he was summoned on his SabbathShabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
." Three years earlier Barsimson and another early Jewish settler, Asser Levy
Asser Levy
Asser Levy , also known as Asher Levy, was one of the first Jewish settlers of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island.-Life and career:Although it is not certain, Levy was probably born in Amsterdam...
, joined in a petition to the governor and council of New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
to be permitted to stand guard like the other burghers
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
, or to be relieved from the special tax imposed upon their nation in lieu thereof by resolution of governor and council; but their request was curtly refused, with the remark that they might go elsewhere if they liked. Instead of following this latter advice, Barsimson and other early American Jews succeeded before long in obtaining instructions to Governor Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
from his superiors—the Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company was a chartered company of Dutch merchants. Among its founding fathers was Willem Usselincx...
of Holland—condemning such unjustified and illiberal discriminations.