New York’s Hidden History: The Jewish State That Didn’t Last But Left a Mark

In September 1825, Buffalo, New York, had a cannonade when Mordecai Manuel Noah-playwright, erstwhile diplomat, and self-styled "governor"-opened Ararat, an envisioned Jewish city-state on Grand Island in the Niagara River. It was to be a refuge for persecuted Jews, and the venture involved a 400-pound cornerstone with Deuteronomy inscribed upon it and a ceremony which combined Christian, Jewish, and Native traditions. Noah, wearing stage-fitting attire, declared Ararat the first independent Jewish state in 1,800 years, protected by America. Great schemes dissolved with a lack of interest and funds. Nowadays, the cornerstone remains at Buffalo's St. Paul's Episcopal Church-a memory of an ambitious vision. Sources: UPI, YouTube/Unpacked