Wisconsin Jewish history began in 1793, when a fur trader came to the tiny settlement of Green Bay. Jacob Franks built a fur trading outpost and established business and personal relationships with Native Americans. In 1797, he brought in ... 
Who are we?
The Wisconsin Small Jewish Communities History Project was established in 2001 by the Wisconsin Society for Jewish Learning to research, preserve, and educate the Jewish and general public about the history of Wisconsin Jewish communities.
On this site, you can
- search for information on communities in our database
- read a detailed history on Wisconsin Jewry
- contact us with any personal history you think might be pertinant to this project
Community Snapshot
Alfred Sumberg, Ph.D., recalls a 1955 visit to Hurley, a town known for alcohol and prostitutes, as part of his studies of Wisconsin Jewish history. He called a Jewish merchant, who said he could meet Sumberg in the afternoon. Sumberg visited the courthouse in the morning, where he nearly collided with a man in the hallway. That afternoon, Sumberg visited the store and realized that the man in the courthouse was the merchant, who had been in court on charges of operating a bordello.
Sumberg remembers that "Sort of in a period of confession, [the merchant] said, 'I'm in business here a long time, and you probably don't know the kind of business I'm in. The Jewish community thinks I'm terrible, yet I'm active in the synagogue, so they can't care too much."
The Wisconsin Small Jewish Communities History Project