The roots of the Jewish community of St. Paul, MN, were established in 1849, with the arrival of two American-born brothers from Pennsylvania. From these early pioneers the community grew and spread. Through the medium of historic photographs and stories, this book captures the remarkable evolution of the Jewish people of St. Paul. It is a story of the cultural, religious, economic, and everyday life of St. Paul Jews.
These pages bring to life the people, events, neighborhoods, and institutions that helped shape and transform today's Jewish community. These photographs, derived from the collections of the Minnesota Historical Society and the Ramsey County Historical Society, paint a poignant and vivid picture of Jewish life in St. Paul. In addition to recalling the establishment of Mt. Zion and Sons of Jacob, the first two major synagogues in St. Paul, this book displays the distinct impact that prominent Jews of the community, such as Abram Elfelt, Judge Isaac N. Cardozo, and Isador Rose, had on the shaping of St. Paul.