Ararat - a Jewish state near New York: the story of an unfulfilled dream

One of the high-profile stories of attempts to create a Jewish state is the project of Mordechai Noach. At the end of the XNUMXth century, he made an attempt to create a refuge for all Jews in the United States - near New York. But, as he writes jewish.ru, the history of this Jewish state ended before it could begin.

Noach was born in 1785 in Philadelphia and was a descendant of Portuguese and German Jews. His father fought in the American War of Independence and, being a major industrialist, allocated large sums for it.

It is said that George Washington himself was at the wedding of Mordechai's parents. In addition, the boy's father allegedly participated in the preparation of the US Declaration of Independence in 1776. So a political career was prepared for Mordechai from childhood, and he willingly accepted this vocation.

While studying law at the University of Charleston in South Carolina, he began writing for a local newspaper in parallel. In his articles, he expressed the idea of ​​the inevitability of a war between the United States and Great Britain. Noach so selflessly defended his point of view that sometimes fists and even weapons were used in a dispute. One such dispute ended in the death of an opponent.

In 1812, the war with Great Britain really began, and in 1813, almost immediately after graduating from the university, Mordechai was appointed consul of the United States in Tunisia.

In addition to his other duties at the consulate, he had to negotiate with pirates who often hijacked American merchant ships off the coast of North Africa. In 1816, during such negotiations, the pirates demanded a ransom for the captured American sailors, naming a fabulous sum. The US Foreign Secretary allowed Noah to pay only a third of that amount. The pirates did not like this and began to threaten to kill the hostages. Then Noach paid the rest of the amount from his own funds. He explained his act by "religious convictions": "You cannot be able to save people and not do it." But the officials were not impressed. His actions were assessed as insubordination to a superior official and demoted. The decision on dismissal stated: "The religion of Mr. Noach has become an obstacle in the performance of consular functions."

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But Mordechai did not intend to retreat. Back in America, he sent a letter to Congress explaining the situation. And then he organized a number of publications on this topic in the leading publications of the country. The resonance was enormous, especially among members of the Jewish community. Against the backdrop of this public reaction, a special Congressional committee was appointed. After an investigation, she ruled that there were no irregularities in Noah's actions and that he was faithful to American principles. He was even offered to return to consular work, but, having restored his reputation and raised his rating among the members of the community, he was already completely absorbed in another idea - the project of creating a Jewish state.

How Mordechai saw the Jewish state near New York

He was convinced that it was impossible to build a Jewish state in Palestine, and wanted to settle all Jews near New York - in a state called Ararat. De jure, Noah planned to simply create a separate Jewish state in the United States, which was de facto supposed to become a state within a state, with its own constitution and a president in his person.

He chose Grand Island for such a state, on the banks of the Niagara River near the city of Buffalo. His plans were to buy out the entire 70 sq. km. But expressing a desire to acquire land in 1820, Noach received official permission only five years later. And even then the local authorities allowed him to buy out only a third of the island. Then Mordechai decided to start small - with the creation of the city of Ararat, which in the future was to become "the capital of the Jewish state and the eternal abode of the sons of Israel."

All American newspapers told about the grandiose project. Mordechai, on the other hand, began inviting Jews from all over the world to move to America. The invitations were very sonorous and pompous Here is what he wrote to the Jewish communities of Europe, Asia and Africa: “I, Mordechai Manuel Noach, a US citizen, former Consul of the States in the city and kingdom of Tunisia, by God's grace, ruler and judge of Israel, I offer refuge to Jews all over the world where they can enjoy the peace and happiness that they are deprived of in their current places of residence because of intolerance and oppression. " Noah also called on all synagogues in the world to conduct a census of the Jewish population and introduce a tax of one Spanish dollar in favor of the establishment and development of the city of Ararat. Noah declared himself “judge and ruler” for four years, stipulating that this post was elective. Jews from any part of the world had the right to enter the city.

Soon a solemn ceremony of laying the foundation for the new city took place. This event aroused great interest, many Jews from all over the world wanted to see this event. However, Mordecai did not have enough boats to deliver them to Grand Island. Then he decided to hold the ceremony in a synagogue in Buffalo.

In front of the entrance, the procession participants set up a stone board with different inscriptions in Hebrew and English. The first read: "Hear, Israel, our God is one." Second: "Ararat, a city of refuge for Jews, founded by Mordechai Manuel Noach in the month of Tishrei 5586, in September 1825, on the 50th anniversary of American independence."

The solemn speech of Noach Mordechai, in fact, repeated the proclamation he had sent out. Noah once again stressed that Ararat is a temporary refuge for Jews, where conditions will be created by joint efforts for the revival of the Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael. The ceremony ended with an artillery salute. Actually, that was the end of it, the project of creating a Jewish state in America ended immediately after the opening.

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The financial capabilities of Mordechai were not enough to pull the whole idea on his own. The Jews of America were frankly indifferent to this project, and the synagogues did not want to collect 1 Spanish dollar for an unknown (and nonexistent) state. Moreover, the rabbis of European countries called him a madman, a joker, or even a charlatan.

Although he was hardly a charlatan, because until the end of his days he defended Jewish culture and fought for the rights of Jews. Fearing assimilation, he will propose the creation of a Jewish education system in the United States.

Mordechai Noach died in 1851. Only the stone that was to form the basis of Ararat is reminiscent of his attempt to create a Jewish state in the United States. It is housed in the Museum of the Buffalo Historical Society.