Today is the 10th day of the Omer.
In ancient times, the Israelites counted 50 days of harvesting barley between Pesach and Shavuot. Each sheaf, called an Omer, was offered at the ancient Temple. More recently, the tradition of Mussar—Jewish character development—began to encourage Jews to enumerate, throughout each of the 50 days of the Omer, the character traits that guide our lives. In a similar vein, this week, we will highlight figures from modern Jewish history who may inspire us toward our greatest religious and civic values.
On this day in 1740, Haym Solomon was born to Sephardic Jewish parents residing in Poland. In his youth, Solomon travelled throughout Western Europe, mastering several languages, in addition to the field of finance. In 1775, he emigrated to New York City, where he created a brokerage house for merchants engaged in overseas trade.
A close friend of Alexander McDougall, a leading member of the New York Sons of Liberty, Haym Solomon lent his linguistic skills to the revolution as a spy, but he was arrested and forced to serve 18 months imprisoned as an interpreter for Hessian soldiers working for the British. Solomon used the position to help prisoners from the Continental Army escape and to encourage Hessian soldiers to desert, but he was caught and sentenced to death. Luckily, he escaped and made his way to Philadelphia.
Once there, Solomon lent his talents in brokerage to the war effort, serving as paymaster for French forces in North America and raising more than $650,000 to help fund the Continental Congress and the Continental Army, both through successful fundraising and through personal loans that were never repaid.
His most meaningful fundraising effort, however, preceded the Yorktown campaign. With the army of General Charles Cornwallis trapped, Washington hoped to end the war, but he lacked the resources needed for food, uniforms, and supplies, leaving his forces close to mutiny. Solomon quickly raised the $20,000 required to finance the campaign and end the war.
Unfortunately, Solomon’s generosity ultimately led him to a life of poverty. He died penniless, as many of the debts he incurred financing the American Revolution were never repaid. Nevertheless, his spirit of altruism—ne’divut lev—expressed both through the money and skills he lent to the revolution, undoubtedly helped found this nation and secured his memory as a blessing for centuries to come, inspiring all American Jews to consider: How can we devote our talents and resources toward securing the future of our communities and of this nation?
— Rabbi Josh Knobel