Contact information
Name:
Monika Rice
Email:
ricemb@lafayette.edu
Categories:
When:
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 - 8:00pm - 10:00pm
Where:
Virtual Zoom Presentation
Presenter:
Prof. Jonathan Sarna, Joseph H. and Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History in the department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and director of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University
Price:
Free
To Bigotry No Sanction: Washington, the Jews of Newport, and the American Revolution
The American Jewish community played a significant, if little-known, role in the American Revolution. Perhaps as a consequence, President George Washington in 1790 sent a memorable letter to the “Hebrew Congregation” in Newport, promising Jews liberty and equality. Many are familiar with the key words in Washington’s letter – “to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance” – but there is much more to the correspondence than that. This lecture will provide the context and unlock the deeper secrets of this correspondence, highlighting its meaning for Jews and Americans of every faith.
Sponsored by:
Bicentennial Academic Fund, Jewish Studies Program, Lafayette Association of Jewish Alumni and Friends (LAJAF)