Included in this week’s JEWISH Light
A N O N P R O FIT, IN D EP EN D EN T N E W S S O U R CE TO I N F O R M , I N S P I R E , E D U C AT E A N D CO N N E C T T H E S T. LO U I S J E W I S H CO M M U N IT Y.
S T L J E W I S H L I G H T.O R G
5 T I S H R E I , 5 78 4
S E P T E M B E R 20, 202 3
VO L . 76 N O. 18
From left to right: Undated photos of Jewish families of Louisiana, Mo., including the Michael family; Sara Hart; Marcus Morris and Hannah Levy Morris; and the Zuzak family. Below, a view of downtown Louisiana, Mo. today.
PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN
Retailing on the River 19th century Jews flourished, made history in small Missouri town, 90 miles from St. Louis BY BILL MOTCHAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH LIGHT
T
he High Holidays are a time of reflection and renewal. That’s why many Jews visit the graves of loved ones just before Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. A secluded Jewish cemetery in Louisiana, Mo., is a special place for descendants of dozens of Jewish residents who made the town their home over a century ago. Louisiana, located 90 miles north of St. Louis, has a population of just over 3,000. The 200-year-old river town is known for its Victorian streetscape and 10 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Another monument to the town’s history is Gates of Peace Jewish Cemetery on U.S. 54 and state road NN. The iron gate entrance reads: 5631 (Rodef Shalom) GATES OF PEACE 1871
practical to build a synagogue for such a small population, but they saw a real need to create a burial ground. The first burial at Gates of Peace was in 1871: Kate Fishell died nine days after her first birthday. Gates of Peace sits on a one-acre tract of land, adjacent to a fire station today. On June 11, 1871, 26 Jewish men including Kate Fishell’s father, Ferdinand, gathered in the town library to officially organize the Hebrew Cemetery Association of Louisiana.
Jewish migration to the Midwest A steady influx of Jewish immigrants from Europe migrated to America in the 19th century. The Jewish pop-
Gates of Peace, also known as Hebrew Cemetery, is the resting place of 105 Jewish Louisianans. Most were members of families who ran successful dry goods stores. In the late 1800s, more than a dozen large Jewish families made Louisiana their home. They were part of the town’s fabric. They were deputies, city councilmen, a county collector and a constable. The town had no synagogue, but residents routinely celebrated Jewish holidays and maintained Jewish life. It wasn’t unusual for Jewish immigrants to move from town to town seeking opportunities to earn a living. As their businesses prospered, Jewish Louisianans decided to make the town their permanent home. It wasn’t The Gates of Peace Cemetery in Louisiana, Mo. PHOTO: BILL MOTCHAN
ulation grew rapidly in the United States, to 300,000 in 1880 from 3,000 in 1820. Frequently, they came from central Europe. The main attraction was the ability to build a better life for their families. America represented the land of opportunity. Many of the new arrivals were Germanspeaking Jews who settled in small Midwestern towns. READ MORE “River traffic was the main A scenic drive ends in a mode of transportation before the stroll through historic railroads were established, so the Louisiana, Mo. cities along the Mississippi River — See page 7 were developed as river towns,” Jewish author and historian Cynthia Gensheimer said. “They settled in every small town along the Mississippi.” Their career paths often took shape in the clothing and dry goods business. That choice paid off because they worked hard and were motivated to succeed, she said. “Many of them began by being peddlers,” Gensheimer said. “There are Horatio Alger stories that begin with a Jewish settler starting with a pack on his back. Then he gets a cart, then he’d become a clerk, or set up a little store of his own. “In the case of the Younker family, one brother would be at a store, and another would be peddling. They had one prosperous store, then they’d set up a satellite store in a neighboring city. They were dealing in different commodities. Hides and furs were a big part of the business.” Benjamin Younker, who settled in Louisiana, was the eldest of eight brothers. Some of them were in Louisiana as early as 1856. They started with nothing, and initially one brother would be tending the store while See LOUISIANA, MO. on pages 6-7