Volume 025-3 - July 1971 (4 pages)

Jews participated in the msuccessful revolutions of 1848, and they, as well as those who witnessed these revolutions from the sidelines, feared a reaction in the form of religious and economic persecution if they stayed in Europe. Thus, pushed from Europe because of adverse conditions and attracted to America because of the great news of the discovery of gold in California, Jews crossed the Atlantic to share in the profits of the gold economy, While some individual Jews made a living directly from gold, such as “A Jew named Heyman,’? who prospected in Grass Valley in 1852, or at least indirectly from gold, such as Henry Rothschild of Nevada City, who served as secretary of three gold mining companies in the county in 1852, the majority of the Jews in the gold rush became merchants, following the same occupations that their ancestors had pursued behind ghetto walls: the buying and: selling of food, clothing (for both miners and residents of the town), general merchandise, tobacco, hardware and equipment for the dominant economy of mining. : Some of these merchants attracted a large following by advertising their wares regularly in the local newspapers. A persual of the old directories of Nevada County reveal just how numerous and important _ the Jewish merchants were. InGrass Valley, in 1861, only two of the nineteen clothing and drygoods merchants were not Jewish; all five of the cigar and tobacco merchants were Jewish. Four years later, in 1865, proportions were similar, with twenty Jewish and four’ Gentile clothing merchants, The Jews of this area did notkeep te themselves but rather were among its leading citizens. In nearby Neyada City, Jacob Kohlman was elected a town trustee in 1857. Abraham Goldsmith was treasurer of Nevada County in 1871-72, And the Jews in 2. general became naturalized citizens as soon-as the law allowed, registered to vote, served on juries, served on committees for the beautification of the towns in which they lived, helped to sponsor dances and visiting entertainers, and served as the leading officers of the Masons, Odd Fellows, Red Men and Fire Department, Moses Greenebaum of Missouri No. 36 and Solomon Heyman of Illinois No. 9 were among the charter members of the Masonic Lodge in Grass Valley that was organized in 1851. . Henry Silvester was the first treasurer of Protection Hose Co. No. 1 in 1861 and in 1867, the same office was held in Tiger Hook and Ladder Co, No. 1 by L, Zacharjas. : x = HARRY LEVITT: Harry Levitt came to Grass Valley in 1894 and opened the Wonder Store with a ‘complete stock of clothing, hats,’ boots, ‘shoes and~ furnishing goods. He soon built up a large business and opened a branch store in Nevada City. One of the most pleasant facts of history in this area was the complete absence of: ill will directed against Jews. . Jews remained in Grass Valley and Nevada City for years and prospered. They were held in esteem bythe people of: the town, because of the important positions they held, and they, in turn, gave of themselves toward the support of. the town.. Jewish names were frequently found on. petitions ‘to the state legislature in favor of a Sunday closing law. And P.-Zacharias, the charter tyler of Manzanita Lodge No. 129.F.-& A.M.,° North .San. Juan, organized May 8, 1856, Nevada County, donated $1,500. in=real~ and personal property to the lodge in 1858 for specific charitable purposes. As a religious community, the Jews of Grass Valley were ‘quite active. A Hebrew Benevolent Socilety, consisting of A.:Andrews, Abraham Watters, A. Ahronson andothers. was in existence in. September 1855 and raised money for the maintenance of their fellow Jews who had suffered heavy losses in: the fire earlier that month, jee fiefs! ciinsiqnd as, 2 Jacob. C;:' Marks .of:Grass: Valley wrote'a letter to the Weekly Gleaner, : a Jewish: newspaper published tn San JEWISH CEMETERY GRASS VALLEY 1970 Before Restoration . Francisco, that stated the society had purchased its own Sepher Torah anda Shophar. This cemetery, which was rededicated on September 13, 1970, was recorded in the county records on October 14, 1856 as containing five acres and was established by the ‘‘Hebrew. Societys ‘Shaar Zedek’ or Cemetery in Grass Valley.’? . The first known burial was that of Hyman Abraham, who. died July, 16, 1857. At one time, this cemetery was described'as having a fence’ around it together with -a ‘mortuary ‘building where the: bodies ‘were’ prepared for burial." Other activities of the’society included taking’ care of the sick and» the ‘needy, aswell as maintaining this cemetery and’ burying The Shaar Zedek Hebrew Benevolent Society functioned together with another Jewish organization, Garizim Lodge . No.) 43.:of the’: Independent Order -of: B’nai: B’rith, ‘one; of the four constituent‘lodges that established the District .No>:4 Grand Lodge of B’nai. B’rith-in: San Francisco:in 1863, »GarizimLodge was chartered October <6, /'1861.;-sItg; membership ranged from. 27 in 1865 to 43 in 1867; Names long associated with:the merchant community of Grass Valley were ~ JEWISH CEMETERY GRASS VALLEY 1970 After Restoration

Jews participated in the msuccessful revolutions of 1848, and they, as well as those who witnessed these revolutions from the sidelines, feared a reaction in the form of religious and economic persecution if they stayed in Europe. Thus, pushed from Europe because of adverse conditions and attracted to America because of the great news of the discovery of gold in California, Jews crossed the Atlantic to share in the profits of the gold economy, While some individual Jews made a living directly from gold, such as “A Jew named Heyman,’? who prospected in Grass Valley in 1852, or at least indirectly from gold, such as Henry Rothschild of Nevada City, who served as secretary of three gold mining companies in the county in 1852, the majority of the Jews in the gold rush became merchants, following the same occupations that their ancestors had pursued behind ghetto walls: the buying and: selling of food, clothing (for both miners and residents of the town), general merchandise, tobacco, hardware and equipment for the dominant economy of mining. : Some of these merchants attracted a large following by advertising their wares regularly in the local newspapers. A persual of the old directories of Nevada County reveal just how numerous and important _ the Jewish merchants were. InGrass Valley, in 1861, only two of the nineteen clothing and drygoods merchants were not Jewish; all five of the cigar and tobacco merchants were Jewish. Four years later, in 1865, proportions were similar, with twenty Jewish and four’ Gentile clothing merchants, The Jews of this area did notkeep te themselves but rather were among its leading citizens. In nearby Neyada City, Jacob Kohlman was elected a town trustee in 1857. Abraham Goldsmith was treasurer of Nevada County in 1871-72, And the Jews in 2. general became naturalized citizens as soon-as the law allowed, registered to vote, served on juries, served on committees for the beautification of the towns in which they lived, helped to sponsor dances and visiting entertainers, and served as the leading officers of the Masons, Odd Fellows, Red Men and Fire Department, Moses Greenebaum of Missouri No. 36 and Solomon Heyman of Illinois No. 9 were among the charter members of the Masonic Lodge in Grass Valley that was organized in 1851. . Henry Silvester was the first treasurer of Protection Hose Co. No. 1 in 1861 and in 1867, the same office was held in Tiger Hook and Ladder Co, No. 1 by L, Zacharjas. : x = HARRY LEVITT: Harry Levitt came to Grass Valley in 1894 and opened the Wonder Store with a ‘complete stock of clothing, hats,’ boots, ‘shoes and~ furnishing goods. He soon built up a large

business and opened a branch store in Nevada City. One of the most pleasant facts of history in this area was the complete absence of: ill will directed against Jews. . Jews remained in Grass Valley and Nevada City for years and prospered. They were held in esteem bythe people of: the town, because of the important positions they held, and they, in turn, gave of themselves toward the support of. the town... Jewish names were frequently found on. petitions ‘to the state legislature in favor of a Sunday closing law. And P.-Zacharias, the charter tyler of Manzanita Lodge No. 129.F.-& A..M.,° North .San. Juan, organized May 8, 1856, Nevada County, donated $1,500. in=real~ and personal property to the lodge in 1858 for specific charitable purposes. As a religious community, the Jews of Grass Valley were ‘quite active. A Hebrew Benevolent Socilety, consisting of A.:Andrews, Abraham Watters, A. Ahronson andothers. was in existence in. September 1855 and raised money for the maintenance of their fellow Jews who had suffered heavy losses in: the fire earlier that month, jee fiefs! ciinsiqnd as, 2 Jacob. C;:' Marks .of:Grass: Valley wrote'a letter to the Weekly Gleaner, : a Jewish: newspaper published tn San JEWISH CEMETERY GRASS VALLEY 1970 Before Restoration . Francisco, that stated the society had purchased its own Sepher Torah anda Shophar. This cemetery, which was rededicated on September 13, 1970, was recorded in the county records on October 14, 1856 as containing five acres and was established by the ‘‘Hebrew. Societys ‘Shaar Zedek’ or Cemetery in Grass Valley.’? .. The first known burial was that of Hyman Abraham, who. died July, 16, 1857. At one time, this cemetery was described'as having a fence’ around it together with -a ‘mortuary ‘building where the: bodies ‘were’ prepared for burial." Other activities of the’society included taking’ care of the sick and» the ‘needy, aswell as maintaining this cemetery and’ burying The Shaar Zedek Hebrew Benevolent Society functioned together with another Jewish organization, Garizim Lodge . No.) 43.:of the’: Independent Order -of: B’nai: B’rith, ‘one; of the four constituent‘lodges that established the District .No>:4 Grand Lodge of B’nai. B’rith-in: San Francisco:in 1863, »GarizimLodge was chartered October <6, /'1861.;-sItg; membership ranged from. 27 in 1865 to 43 in 1867; Names long associated with:the merchant community of Grass Valley were ~ JEWISH CEMETERY GRASS VALLEY 1970 After Restoration