One Jew’s Financial Support for the Revolutionary War

Haym Salomon (1740-1785), a Polish immigrant and New York City financial broker, was one of the largest Patriot financiers of the Revolutionary War. During the war, he was arrested by the British as a spy and forced to work as a German translator. Salomon used his position to convince German mercenary soldiers to disband and release prisoners. Upon being discovered, he was sentenced to death, but escaped to Philadelphia. He was appointed as broker to the French consul and paymaster for the French troops in America. American was not financially stable, however, and Salomon used his personal wealth to help fund the Patriot army. Salomon was also a religious activist and prominent member of Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia. He appealed to the state government for increased religious rights and has been quoted as saying: “I am a Jew; it is my own nation; I do not despair that we shall obtain every other privilege that we aspire to enjoy along with our fellow-citizens.”