Gershom Mendes Seixas

Who was Gershom Mendes Seixas?

Gershom Mendes Seixas was the first native-born Jewish minister in the United States. He was the minister of Congregation Shearith Israel, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of New York from 1768 to 1776 and again from 1784 to 1816. Although not an ordained Rabbi, he served as Hazzan and Minister to the Congregation and was among the first Jewish communal leaders who was born and educated in the United States. He was also the first American Jewish clergyman to give a sermon in English.