History of Early Jews in Midwest and Minneapolis

The movement of Jews to the midwest, and specifically the Twin Cities, began in the mid 19th century. The first wave of Jews were German immigrants, who were often wealthier, more assimilated, and more likely to be associated with the new Reform movement than their Eastern European counterparts who would follow in the years to come. When they came to Minnesota, many of these Jews went first to St. Paul, where a small group of German Jewish Reform families founded the first synagogue in the state, Mount Zion Hebrew Association (now known as Mount Zion Temple) in 1856, two years before Minnesota achieved statehood. In 1866, only two Jews were reported to be living in Minneapolis. The second wave of Jews came from Eastern Europe to escape from economic unrest, pogroms (the massacre of Jews), and the Tsar’s draft. ¹ Though most Jews to come to the United States originally immigrated to the East Coast through Ellis Island, some came to the Twin Cities because it was rumored to be a rich lumber town. In the late 1800’s, Minnesota actively sought out new settlers by advertising in different cities and creating temporary housing near the railroad. Others came following family members already living in the Cities. ² By 1881, there were 2,500 Jews in Minneapolis, and in 1918, there were 15,000. ³

"Everybody knew you and you knew everybody. You were part of the community, and the community was part of the family."

In addition, Jews came to Minneapolis through the Jewish Agricultural and Industrial Aid Society’s Industrial Removal Office (IRO), which aimed to resettle immigrants in the crowded East Coast cities to Midwestern ones. They worked to find jobs and housing for these Jews, who were given railroad tickets to their new homes. From 1901 to 1913, the IRO transported 2,250 Eastern European Jews to the Twin Cities. ⁴ The IRO aimed to reduce overcrowding, provide economic opportunities, facilitate assimilation and prevent the poorer Eastern European immigrants from tarnishing the success of New York’s German Jews. ⁵

As Eastern-European Jews moved into Minneapolis, they self-segregated and formed their own distinctive communities, or “ghettos.” Though most faced poverty, many lived in their own two-story houses, a big improvement from the crowded tenements of New York. According to one woman who lived in a Jewish neighborhood in Minneapolis, “everybody knew you and you knew everybody. You were part of the community, and the community was part of the family.”⁶  Between 1884 and 1905, the Jewish community in North Minneapolis created 11 Orthodox synagogues, including Kenesseth Israel, which eventually moved to St. Louis Park. The area also established a Talmud Torah for children and the Emanuel Cohen Center, which provided the community health and wellness services and classes for seniors and youth. Through World War II, North Minneapolis had the highest number of Jews in the Upper Midwest. ⁷