129:. By 1850 almost 100,000 miners had descended upon the area, which had been an insignificant remote outpost until then. The people traveled by horse-drawn covered wagons and steam and wind powered ships. Fleeing unstable governments, seeking religious freedom and fortune, some Jews journeyed all the way from
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Starting out with much questionability from various parts of the world and ending up in the middle of
California's Gold Rush, the state's distinctive population of Jews up north has unceasingly thrived. The heritage of the pioneering gold rushers is an integral component of the enriching structure
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As the cities and towns of
California developed even further, area Jews lived with the reality of the ominous presence of intolerance. Various minority ethnic and racial groups living in the state were barred from bearing witness in court, which served as an impediment to their legal rights. This
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The untamed West's way of life into which these Jews settled is accurately portrayed by historical photographs and diary excerpts from the time period. These documents of the past give viewers a glance into the unruly bars and casinos of yesteryear, in a time when lawlessness was rampant in a
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so that Jews could occupy themselves in an appropriate manner during the evening hours. Before the creation of the society the only option for these Jews was to spend time in the rears of their places of business, as they did not frequent betting halls or theatrical plays.
114:. This feature traces the arrival of Jews in the "rough and tumble" West and follows how they settled and grew with the towns and establishing communities, which have grown to become more valuable than gold in a sense.
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Soon, signs of the Jewish religion were showing up all over the city of San
Francisco. The first Jewish congregation established in the city of San Francisco celebrated
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Despite being surrounded by mass disorder, Jews in the community took the opportunity to prosper. Instead of discovering gold in mines, businessmen such as
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182:'s unique Jewish community has continued to flourish. The legacy of these early Jewish '49ers is now part of the cultural fabric of the American West.
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Groups of various national and ethnic origins arrived seeking their fortune; this documentary focuses on the Jewish presence in
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228:"Review of The Great Depression [Film], Blackside, Inc.; The Great Depression: America in the 1930s [Book]"
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and other injustices caused the Golden State to tackle matters of discrimination much sooner than other regions in the
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were extremely successful through the sale of canvas trousers to prospectors headed to the gold fields.
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in 1849. Shortly afterwards a kosher butcher, local mohel service and a cemetery were established.
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climate of
California's growing cities was frustrating. August Helbing founded the
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is a 1994 documentary film directed by Bill Chayes. The film traces the history of
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Jewish Voices of the
California Gold Rush: A Documentary History, 1849-1880
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Coast by the prospect of being financially established by mining gold.
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However, for Jews determined to follow an observant way of life, the
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The city which most '49ers arrived at on their way to seek gold was
334:. University of California: Berkeley. August 2008. Archived from
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and the experiences that tempted this group and others to the
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Documentary films about Jews and
Judaism in the United States
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From these widespread and uncertain Gold Rush beginnings,
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418:Documentary films about United States history
306:. Wayne State University Press. p. 511.
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208:, the first Gold Rush-region Jewish cemetery
87:Birth of a Community: Jews and the Gold Rush
22:Birth of a Community: Jews and the Gold Rush
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202:, the first Jewish cemetery in California
273:Kahn, Ava Fran; Dollinger, Marc (2003).
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423:Jewish-American history in California
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200:Chevra Kaddisha Cemetery, Sacramento
121:, due to an earlier find of gold at
279:. University Press of New England.
448:English-language documentary films
433:Documentary films about California
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356:. DVD Movie Reviews. August 2008
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438:1990s English-language films
141:culture of few limitations.
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403:American documentary films
226:Jones, Jacqueline (1994).
157:Eureka Benevolent Society
300:Kahn, Ava Fran (2002).
413:1994 documentary films
206:Sonora Hebrew Cemetery
190:of the United States.
443:1990s American films
428:California Gold Rush
232:The Public Historian
180:Northern California
127:Northern California
381:2008-07-24 at the
376:The Jewish Channel
16:1994 American film
313:978-0-8143-2859-0
286:978-1-58465-060-7
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358:. Retrieved
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59:Running time
36:Release date
110:during the
30:Bill Chayes
27:Directed by
398:1994 films
392:Categories
325:References
188:West Coast
108:California
63:40 minutes
360:August 4,
342:August 4,
252:0272-3433
112:Gold Rush
379:Archived
194:See also
102:Synopsis
76:Language
260:3378025
186:of the
153:liberal
133:to the
79:English
68:Country
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131:Europe
256:JSTOR
213:Notes
125:, in
362:2008
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308:ISBN
281:ISBN
248:ISSN
92:Jews
47:1994
43:1994
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