Jewish reflections on Mt. Rushmore

On Aug. 18, 1790, President George Washington wrote to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island. He assured them:

“Everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.”

He continued with words that the Jewish people, among many others, have carried close to heart for over two centuries:

“The Government of the United States... gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”

It was a promise. It took time for it to become a reality, though it remains unfinished today.

As Washington’s letter was read aloud from the pulpit o...