Published by n 1776 there were only about 2,000 Jews in all of America. Most were Spanish and Portuguese
(Sephardic Jews).
To clarify how few Jews there were, at the same time, in Jamaica, there were five different synagogues in the city of Kingston, a city so small it could fit in New York’s Central Park.
Despite the small numbers, Jews played a significant role in the struggle for American independence.
The Spanish Inquisition had forced many Jews to convert to Christianity as well as leave Spain. These Conversos went to the Netherlands where there was some freedom of religion and to the New World; primarily Brasil, Jamaica, and the other islands.
As there were restrictions of various kinds against Jews owning property becoming land holders not possible. Going into business, import/export of dry goods was the main source of income.
With everyone trying to earn their fortune in the slave trade or planations, Jews earned their fortunes by importing tools and goods and seeds, just about everything. They virtually ran the trade in the new world.
Considering their hatred for Spain and the fact that many only converted to Catholicism publically but were privately still Jews, they were the ideal spies.
Able to send coded messages, it is no ponder how in a vast ocean, the Pirates always seemed to know where the treasure ships would be; what course they were taking, how many men were aboard.
This enabled England to grow rich, as from Jamaica alone four million dollars worth of silver was gained by the British Empire, more than from any other source.
In the period leading up to the American Revolution there were Jews on both sides sharing information.
Some Jews did join in fighting against the British, the first Jew to die was Francis Salvador. Another Jew,
David Salisbury Franksan, happened to be aide-de-camp of Benedict Arnold so suffered from his association.
Jews played a key role in financing the Revolution, with the most important of the financiers being Haym Salomon.
President George Washington remembered the Jewish contribution when he wrote to the Sephardic congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, in a letter dated August 17, 1790:
“May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in the land continue to merit and enjoy the goodwill of the other inhabitants. While everyone shall sit safely under his own vine and fig-tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.”
