This Jewish Community in the Caribbean Smuggled Gunpowder to the Patriots During the Revolution. A British Admiral Condemned the Island as a 'Nest of Vipers'
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A new exhibition at the Weitzman National Museum highlights the contributions of the Jewish community in St. Eustatius during the American Revolution. This community played a crucial role by supplying munitions to George Washington's army, which was noted by British Admiral George Rodney. The exhibition features artifacts, including a Hanukkah lamp, that connect visitors to this little-known chapter of history.
- ▪The exhibition is titled 'The First Salute' and runs through April 2027.
- ▪A Hanukkah lamp from 1761 is a highlight of the exhibition, symbolizing the Jewish community's history.
- ▪Jews in St. Eustatius were instrumental in supporting the American Revolution by providing supplies to the Continental Army.
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This Jewish Community in the Caribbean Smuggled Gunpowder to the Patriots During the Revolution. A British Admiral Condemned the Island as a ‘Nest of Vipers’ A new exhibition at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, in Philadelphia, spotlights the little-known wartime contributions of the Jews of St. Eustatius John Hanc | History Correspondent May 22, 2026 7:30 a.m. ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source The entrance gate to the Jewish cemetery on St. Eustatius Wyatt Gallery When museum curator Josh Perelman boarded an American Airlines flight from the Caribbean island of St.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Smithsonian Magazine.
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