They Came for Good 1654 - 1820

Product Details

Director : Amram Nowak
Actor : Mason Adams
Format : NTSC
Aspect Ratio : 1.33:1
Binding : DVD
EAN : 0016351098498
Number of Discs : 1
Product Group : DVD
Release Date : 2001-04-10
Studio : Shanachie
UPC : 016351098498

ASIN : B00005A1TG

Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.com

The story of Jews in America is told in "Present at the Creation 1654-1820," the first installment of a series that was shown on PBS, They Came for Good. Beginning with the arrival of 23 Brazilian Jews who fled persecution and arrived unwelcome at the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam in 1654, the story involves a number of heroic figures who fought for the rights of Jews to own property and practice their religion in the New World. One such colonist, Asher Levy, whose name is memorialized on several landmarks in New York City today, was a successful merchant who fought against being treated as a second-class citizen. During the American Revolution, Jewish financiers helped the Colonial cause, and in what would have been startling in a European country of that era, President George Washington wrote a letter expressing his wishes that America not practice bigotry directed at Jews. Actors in period costume appear as Jews of the time, telling stories derived from diaries and letters of how they managed to mesh in the new country while at the same time keeping to the strict Jewish customs. This is a very intelligently produced look at an aspect of early American history that is often overlooked. --Robert J. McNamara

Customer Reviews

Lots of good info, but a glaring error (2002-11-25)

This documentary is filled with lots of good information and many interesting stories. I learned much from it. However, at one point, the narrator refers to North America at the time of European colonization as an "Empty Continent". Such a gaff calls into question the perspective of the entire program. In describing the oppression of the Jewish people and their struggle to overcome it, the program does an immense disservice to that struggle by implicitly denying the oppression of another people - an oppression that all Europeans contributed to.

A historical documentary worth seeing. (2001-04-28)

A documentary of the Jewish history during and after the creation of the United states of America.

It speaks about the role of the Jews in the American life and history.

Whether during the constitution or civil war they were always there as American Jews. Soldiers ,philosphers ,lawyers and economists .

A worth watching tape.

really good i learned alot (2001-04-25)

intresting over view educational and should be viewed by peoiple inrtrested in hostory as well as the jewish peopl really fasanating

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