While New York City became home for most of the Jewish immigrants
who crossed the Atlantic, others journeyed farther, seeking freedom
and fortune. The city of Syracuse, easily reached by the Erie Canal,
became the next port of call for some. It offered opportunities, open roads,
and a small but ever-growing Jewish community. This history traces the
development of the Jewish community of the Salt City from its beginnings
in the early 18th century, when a handful of peddlers gathered weekly
to share a Shabbat meal, to a much larger community that numbered
11,000-12,000 at its peak a century later. The Syracuse Jewish community
is a microcosm of the history of Jews in America and is both distinctive and
iconic in nature.