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| Background...
In October, 2001, Dr. Rohrbach made a phone call to Dr. Wolfson, explaining that he had seen the OJCC Web site on the Internet and the names he saw on the gravestones seemed to correspond with many of those he knew to have left Jebenhausen in the period following 1839. He had no knowledge of where these people had emigrated when he wrote an account of their emigration to America for the American Jewish Archives in 1989. Now, he had an idea, so he went to work establishing the "Chambersburg Connection." You'll be able to link to the details after the following introduction. The Chambersburg Connection... Our Jewish community is also celebrating the receipt of some new information about Chambersburg’s first Jewish settlers, many of whom emigrated from a single southern German village, Jebenhausen, in the province of Wuerttemburg. They came to Chambersburg between 1839 and 1860. At least 25 of them emigrated from Jebenhausen in the early years. Interestingly, the Chambersburg group was comprised of just one large family, as verified by a legal notice to the heirs of Anshel Arnold, published in the Press, of Philadelphia, on November 9, 1864. The document lists, in the order of their legal status as heirs, over 70 relatives alive at that time. The date of death on Arnold’s gravestone cannot be discerned at this time. The community of Jebenhausen was extremely poor in the mid-nineteenth century. Economic prospects were poor for most young people, and it was the children of the poor who emigrated in the early years, followed by many poor families and even some of the well-to-do. Trades included peddler, butcher, artisan, merchant, manufacturer and cattle dealer. Competition in every trade was intense, leading to low prices and meager earnings. To make things worse, Jews, even though they represented over 40% of the population, were restricted to trading only in the village. Contrary to popular belief, when they came to America and to Chambersburg, they didn’t become predominantly peddlers; many more took up the professions of butcher, artisan and merchant. There are some interesting personal stories, as well. Lawrence Blumenthal gave a speech at a church in Chambersburg in 1843 defending the practice of his religion. This is the same Lawrence Blumenthal who, back in Altenstadt (a village near Jebenhausen) had a love affair a married woman, who just happened to be the local Rabbi’s sister. They later married, invoking the wrath of the local Jewish community. Twenty years later, and after Lawrence had spent some time in jail, the family emigrated to America in 1839. |
Matzoh Factory - Jebenhausen, circa 1840 |
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In their migration to Chambersburg, the Jews of Jebenhausen were able to throw off the yoke of oppression and its resulting poverty, not unlike the small, but determined group of Jews who saved their Temple and their way of life. The Jewish people of Chambersburg celebrate the contributions of both.
Currently, Prof. Rohrbacher and his students are working to translate the Hebrew inscriptions on the headstones and are studying the ancient diary of the burial society that established the cemetery. You can follow the Web site www.worldzone.net/family/jebenhausen.html for information on the Jews of Jebenhausen and their journey to Chambersburg, (use the search engine to go to Part Eight). Also, this site and the aformentoined one are linked to benefit users on both sides of the Atlantic. Other related sites include: www.jewish-history.com/Occident/volume1/june1843/blumenthal.html
www.geocities.com/Heartland/1499/9Nov64.html
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