Little Jerusalem (Burlington, Vermont)
History
The neighborhood was once home to a vibrant Jewish community including kosher bakeries, synagogues, and a mikveh. The community was developed by Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Lithuania, Russia, Poland, Germany, Ottoman Palestine, and elsewhere. Litvaks (Lithuanian Jews) were the largest group of Jewish immigrants living in Burlington. The earliest Jewish immigrants to burlington were a group of Livtak families from Kovno. These Lithuanian immigrants preserved the Yiddish language for decades and largely practiced Orthodox Judaism.
In 2012, Vermont Public Television produced a documentary about the community titled "Little Jerusalem". The documentary features an archivist from Burlington's Ohavi Zedek Synagogue. The documentary won the Vermont Historical Society’s Richard O. Hathaway Award.
Over time, many Orthodox Jews left Burlington. There was no yeshiva or Jewish day school in Burlington, with the nearest yeshivas and day schools being in New York State.
References
- ^ "North Street Historic District Burlington, Vermont". University of Vermont. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
- ^ "After 100 Years, Vermont's 'Little Jerusalem' Comes Full-Circle". Chabad.org. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
- ^ "The Colorful, Historic 'Lost Shul Mural' of Burlington, Vermont". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
- ^ ""Little Jerusalem" - Burlington's Jewish History". Vermont Public Radio. 3 December 2012. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
- ^ From The Archives | Little Jerusalem | Season 2014 | PBS, retrieved 2023-01-16
- ^ "Vermont Public Television wins award for 'Little Jerusalem' documentary". VTDigger. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
- ^ "The Wondering Jew". Seven Days. Retrieved 2019-10-05.