Timeline: Jewish Politics in Boston

Navigate a timeline of Jewish politics in Boston, from the city’s first elected Jewish official in 1805 to the Jewish community’s support for John F. Kennedy and for the State of Israel. Constructed by David Sharick.

Sources Used

• “3 DPs Arrive, 1948.” American Jewish Historical Society, 1948-1949.
• Adler, Cyrus, and Joseph Lebovich. “Rosnosky, Isaac.” Jewish Encyclopedia.
• Braverman, William Alan. “The Ascent of Boston’s Jews, 1630-1918.” Order No. 9021785 Harvard University, 1990.
• “Boston Gives Ben Gurion Tumultuous Welcome; Premier Addresses Massachusetts Legislature.” Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 16 May 1951.
• Brandeis, Louis Dembitz. Brandeis on Zionism. 1976.
• Caro, Robert A. The Years of Lyndon Johnson: Master of the Senate. Alfred A. Knopf, 2002.Dwyer-Ryan, Meaghan. “The Making of an Irish and a Jewish Boston, 1820-1900.” Historical Journal of Massachusetts 44.2 (2016).
• “Father Charles Coughlin.” Smithsonian Magazine, circa 1930s.
• Gamm, Gerald H. “The Jews.” The Making of New Deal Democrats: Voting Behavior and Realignment in Boston, 1920-1940. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, 1989, pp. 45–75.
• Harris & Ewing. “Louis Brandeis.” Library of Congress, circa 1905-1941.
• Massachusetts. General Court. House of Representatives. “1938 House Bill 2100. Report of the Special Commission to Investigate the Activities within This Commonwealth of Communistic, Fascist, Nazi and Other Subversive Organizations, so Called.” State Library of Massachusetts , Commonwealth of Massachusetts, House of Representatives, 1 Jan. 1970.
• Massachusetts State Representatives Isaac Rosnosky, George Thomas Sampson, William Sanders,
  William Henry Sargent.” State Library of Massachusetts, 1880.
• “MORSE, Leopold.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Rowe, Abbie. “Meeting with members of the American Jewish Committee, 12:20 PM.” John F.
  Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, 30 Apr. 1962.
• Sarna, Jonathan D., et al. The Jews of Boston. Yale Univ. Press, 2005.
• Stuart, Gilbert. “Moses Michael Hays.” Wikimedia Commons, circa 1790.
• “Hon. Leopold Morse Dead.” Boston Globe, 16 Dec. 1892, p. 9.
• “Washington School, circa 1920-1950.” City of Boston, circa 1920-1950.
• Weisberg, H.F. Reconsidering Jewish Presidential Voting Statistics. Cont Jewry 32, 215–236 (2012).
• Wolfson, Adam. “The Boston Jewish Community and the Rise of Nazism, 1933-1939.” Jewish Social Studies, vol. 48, no. 3/4, 1986, pp. 305–14.