The Jewish History of Lower Manhattan

Service Description

From the time Peter Stuyvesant was “persuaded” by the Dutch West India Company in 1654 to allow 23 Sephardic Jews from Recife, Brazil to settle in New Amsterdam, there has been a Jewish presence in NYC. Their ancient cemetery, which was consecrated in 1683, still exists today and contains the oldest Jewish gravestone in North America. It sits unobtrusively in Lower Manhattan; almost no one suspecting the enormous history this little plot contains. But the Jewish history of Lower Manhattan does not end there! Come join urban historian and educator Bradley Shaw as he captures the Jewish history of downtown Manhattan - from the Jewish neighborhood surrounding the notorious Five Points to the location of the first Synagogue in North America. The tour Begins in front of the Spanish and Portuguese Cemetery on St. James Place and ends at Fraunces Tavern. Some of the sites along the way: -The oldest Jewish Cemetery in the US -A very important bridge -Site of the first Synagogue in the US -Site of the first kosher butcher shop in NYC -A downtown landmark with a surprising Jewish connection -Other spots with noted Jewish history