Greater Harrisburg's Jewish Community

Established by German immigrants in the early 19th century, the Jewish community of Greater Harrisburg flourished, growing to 600 residents by the century's end. Its civic engagement surpassed that of similar settlements, while early 20th-century immigration from Eastern Europe significantly expanded the population and transformed its ethnic landscape. The community developed a wide array of institutions and became a central hub for Jewish life in Pennsylvania, producing notable figures in Jewish affairs, business, and the arts.