Book Description: The Jewish community of Greater Harrisburg
became established after 1825, mostly by German immigrants who
took up peddling and clothing trades. They were attracted inland
from East Coast cities to Harrisburg, the growing upriver hub of
trade that became Pennsylvania's state capital in 1812. The
community grew to 600 residents by the end of the 19th century
and drew attention for a level of civic engagement well beyond
that of comparably sized settlements. Immigration from eastern
Europe in the early 20th century contributed to a tenfold
increase of the Jewish population and a changing ethnic and
commercial profile. In the years that followed, the community
added an impressive range of institutions and continued to have
a reputation for activism. Emerging as the hub of Jewish life in
central Pennsylvania, the community produced internationally
renowned figures in Jewish affairs, business, and arts.