American Jewish Tercentenary Celebration
300 Years of Jewish Settlement in North America
September 12, 1954 – June 1, 1955

Planning for the American Jewish Tercentary Celebration began in 1952, when members of the American Jewish Historical Society and the American Jewish Committee organized the National Committee of 300, an independent body responsible for planning, funding and carrying out the observation of the Tercentenary. The National Committee of 300 devoted its efforts to researching the history of Jews in North America, publicizing the Tercentenary, and facilitating its celebration on a local and national level.

Beginning in 1953, the National Committee of 300 sent news releases, editorials, and other materials to newspapers and magazines to raise public awareness of the Tercentenary and of Jews’ contributions to American history. Prominent newspapers and magazines, like the New York Times, Time, and Life, published stories and supplemented the material from the Committee with their own interviews with Jewish leaders, such as Ralph E. Samuel and Dr. David de Sola Pool.

The National Committee of 300 produced similar material to be broadcast via radio and television.. These included programs on American Jewish history, dramatic reenactments of key scenes from that history, and the broadcast of speeches given at Tercentenary celebrations.

The National Committee encouraged Jewish communities across the country to celebrate and learn about their own local histories. To facilitate this materials were created and distributed explaining how to organize a local Tercentenary celebration and how to compile a community history. In addition, the National Committee of 300 organized several major events in New York City.

The Tercentenary began on September 12, 1954 with the Reconsecration of Congregation Shearith Israel, the first synagogue founded in North America. On October 20, 1954, the National Tercentenary Dinner at the Sheraton Astor Hotel included a keynote speech by President Dwight D. Eisenhower as well as remarks by New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey and New York City Mayor Robert F. Wagner. Irving Berlin sang “God Bless America,” and David Bernstein read messages from Sir Winston Churchill, Dr. Willem Drees, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and Moshe Sharett, Prime Minister of Israel.

A widely attended Public Assembly at Carnegie Hall on June 1, 1955 officially ended the nine-month Tercentenary celebration. Senator Herbert H. Lehman and former Governor Adlai E. Stevenson spoke alongside leaders of the Jewish community.

LINKS:
Read President Eisenhower’s keynote address at the National Tercentenary Dinner.

Read 1954 Washington Post article about the Tercentenary celebrations

View the Tercentenary medallion.