President John Adams Embraces A Jewish Homeland
(1819)
The correspondence of John Adams, second president of the United States,
reflects the complexity with which Jews and Judaism were viewed in early
national America. Most "enlightened" American Christians such as Adams
saw Jews as an ancient people who, by enunciating monotheism, laid the
groundwork for Christianity. He also saw them as individuals who deserved rights
and protection under the law. Like many of his peers, Adams venerated ancient
Jews and thought contemporary Jews worthy of respect, but found Judaism, the
religion of the Jewish people, an anachronism and the Jewish people candidates
for conversion to Christianity.
In an 1808 letter criticizing the depiction of Jews by the French
Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire, Adams expressed his respect for ancient
Jewry. Adams wrote of Voltaire, "How is it possible [that he] should
represent the Hebrews in such a contemptible light? They are the most glorious
nation that ever inhabited this Earth. The Romans and their Empire were but a
Bauble in comparison of the Jews. They have given religion to three quarters of
the Globe and have influenced the affairs of Mankind more, and more happily,
than any other Nation ancient or modern."
Aware of Adams’ benign view of Jews, American Jewish newspaper editor,
politician, diplomat and playwright Mordecai
Manuel Noah (1785-1851) maintained
a correspondence with the former president. In 1818, Noah delivered a speech
consecrating the new building erected by his own Congregation Shearith Israel,
the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in New York. Noah’s
"Discourse," a copy of which resides in the archives of the American
Jewish Historical Society, focused on the universal history of Jewish
persecution at the hands of non-democratic governments and their peoples. An
early Zionist, Noah believed that only when the Jewish people were reestablished
in their own home, with self-governance, could they live free of oppression.
Noah sent a copy of his "Discourse" to Adams.
Adams responded encouragingly to Noah, although the former president was
evasive regarding Jewish self-governance. Adams expressed to Noah his personal
wish that "your Nation may be admitted to all Privileges of Citizens in
every Country of the World." Adams continued,
This Country has done much. I wish it may do more, and annul every narrow
idea in Religion, Government and Commerce. . . . It has please the
Providence of the ‘first Cause,’ the Universal Cause [phrases by which
Adams’ defined God], that Abraham should give Religion, not only to the
Hebrews but to Christians and Mahomitans, the greatest Part of the Modern
civilized World."
For Adams, Jews had earned their rights by virtue of their historic
contributions and by virtue of their citizenship, but he did not respond to the
idea of a Jewish homeland.
Remarkably, a year later, Adams made the first pro-Zionist declaration by an
American head of state, active or retired. In 1819, Noah sent Adams a copy of
his recently published travel book, Travels in England, France Spain and the
Barbary States. In his letter acknowledging the gift, Adams praised Noah’s
tome as "a magazine of ancient and modern learning of judicious
observations & ingenious reflections." Adams expressed regret that Noah
had not extended his travels to "Syria, Judea and Jerusalem" as Adams
would have attended "more to [his] remarks than to those of any traveller I
have yet read." Adams continued, "Farther I could find it in my heart
to wish that you had been at the head of a hundred thousand Israelites . . .
& marching with them into Judea & making a conquest of that country
& restoring your nation to the dominion of it. For I really wish the Jews
again in Judea an independent nation."
What was the source of Adams’s Zionist sympathies? What moved him to make
his extraordinary statement? A clue can be found in the next sentence of his
letter:
I believe [that] . . . once restored to an independent government &
no longer persecuted they [the Jews] would soon wear away some of the
asperities and peculiarities of their character & possibly in time
become liberal Unitarian christians for your Jehovah is our Jehovah &
your God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is our God.
Alexis de Tocqueville observed, "The Americans combine notions of
Christianity and of liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible
to conceive the one without the other." Adams’ was clearly confident that
freedom would lead the Jewish people to enlightenment, and that enlightenment
would lead them to Christianity. For Adams, Jewish self-governance in the Holy
Land was a step toward their elevation. Today, our understanding of democracy
includes respect for diversity and support for the retention of one’s
religious faith.
Sources: American Jewish Historical Society |