From Inquisition to Religious Freedom: The Story of Jews in Early America

In December 1791, the Bill of Rights became part of the U.S. Constitution. The First Amendment enshrined liberty of conscience. As we will learn, this moment was the culmination of centuries of struggle. Leading Jewish figures who knew the Founders of the American Republic had suffered the Inquisition or were children of those who had. In correspondence and debates, the Founders invoked the specter of that Tribunal. Founding-era repugnance, alongside a Jewish presence in early America, helped to enshrine religious freedom in the new Republic. As we face rising antisemitism today, join us on this remarkable journey to the very beginnings of our country.

Dr. Isaac Amon is the proud grandson of 20th century Ashkenazi, Sefardi, and Mizrahi immigrants to the United States. He earned a J.D., LL.M. in dispute resolution and J.S.D. (Ph.D. in Law) from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and is the current Director of Academic Research at Jewish Heritage Alliance, a cultural and historical platform dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of Iberian Jewry. He was a Legal Fellow at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague, a Legislative Director at the Missouri Department of Corrections, and an ISIS war crimes investigator. He often speaks on legal history, international criminal justice, and Jewish memory, including the Inquisition and Holocaust.

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Please note: This is a Havdalah service, which marks the end of Shabbat. It will take place on Saturday, September 28th.

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