The 1849 California Gold Rush was the initial draw for Jews to come to California. They came from countries such as England, France, Poland, Posen, Russia, the German states, and various parts of the United States, joining people from all over the world in pursuit of success in the former Mexican Territory. Some were American Sephardic Jews, whose families had been in the country for several generations, while many others were immigrants who had previously settled in other parts of the United States before the major gold discovery. Jewish and civic communities quickly emerged, with Jews playing key leadership roles as founders of California’s diverse new state. [1]
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