2nd Annual Interfaith Heroes Month No. 13: Haym Salomon

Welcome!
    This is a celebration of 31 stories about men and women who risked crossing
religious boundaries to help heal the world. 

HERE IS THE 13^th OF OUR 31 STORIES THIS YEAR:

HAYM SALOMON 
(1740-1785)

The U.S. Postal Service called Haym Salomon “Financial Hero of the American Revolution” when a commemorative stamp was issued hailing his contribution. He was born in Poland, and after extensive travels arrived in New York in 1772. He quickly became a successful merchant and dealer in foreign securities. He got involved in the Sons of Liberty in New York. When war broke out he used his wealth to supply the American troops.
    When the British occupied New York City, Salomon was arrested and imprisoned. Because he was multilingual, thanks to his early life in Europe, the British employed him to aid in communication with their Hessian mercenaries. Taking advantage of access he gained as translator, Salomon covertly helped prisoners of the British escape. When he was caught urging the German Hessians to desert the British cause, he was promptly re-arrested. His property was confiscated, and he was sentenced to hang.
    Assisted by the Sons of Liberty, Salomon escaped from the British and fled to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, though he began penniless, he resumed his brokerage business. The French, who had allied with the American colonial army, employed him as their paymaster. He helped secure loans from the Dutch and Spanish governments for the struggling Continental Congress, eventually helping the fledgling nation get onto a sound financial footing. He also provided personal interest-free loans to many of the leaders in the Continental Congress, so that they were free to pursue leadership in the revolutionary struggle.

    Throughout his career in the patriotic cause he fought against the prejudices and stereotypes of Jewish financiers as profiteers. His personal honesty and integrity was so well known that his mere signature could act as a sufficient guarantee. He would back up all commitments even at personal cost to himself if need be. Salomon died with more debts than assets because he gave so much for the birth of his country, many of his debts coming from the purchase of government debt. He passionately and directly countered those negative stereotypes of Jews, sometimes bringing criticism upon himself, but he never surrendered his ideals. Though his descendents in the 19th Century tried to obtain compensation from the
U.S. Government, none was ever forthcoming because all documentation had disappeared or was in depreciated continental currency.
    Haym Salomon provided leadership in the Jewish community both in Philadelphia, where he was on the governing council of Congregation Mikveh Israel, and for the national Jewish community. He personally contributed a quarter of the cost for building the Mikveh Israel synagogue. He used his wealth as a philanthropist, becoming treasurer for the Philadelphia society to assist indigent travelers passing through the region. He based his assistance on a person’s need and his own ideals of liberty and freedom for all people.

    As the new government was taking shape, Salomon fought against laws that prohibited non-Christians from serving in public office, successfully leading the fight to repeal the test oath in Pennsylvania. He was a pioneer in establishing religious liberty for all people as one of the foundations for the United States.
    Salomon often preferred to remain in the background, so the exact role he played seldom came into the public light. As a result many legends developed around him, and historical verification of some of the stories has sometimes been difficult. Poor documentation of the financial records of that time also makes accurate accounts impossible. However, there can be no denying that at key points in the Revolution and then in the development of the young United States, Haym Salomon played a pivotal role in enabling the movement to go forward.
    In 1975 the United States Postal Service issued a stamp commemorating Haym Salomon’s contribution to the U.S. Revolution.

CARE TO READ MORE?

    READ HIS BIOGRAPHY: Check your local library, because several books have been written about Salomon, including one by Howard Fast. There also are choices for young readers. The biography we have displayed in the Amazon link above is one that we recommend.
    NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: In an official biography of this hero, the Park Service also shows the painting used in the making of the postage stamp.
    WIKIPEDIA: Salomon’s Wiki page is full of additional links and several more interesting photos, including one of his gravesite.

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    (Originally published at http://www.ReadTheSpirit.com/)