Pillars of Ancient & Modern Farming

This section of the exhibit describes the ideological, communal and practical structures that allowed modern Jewish agriculture to rise and grow in the modern period, including in New Jersey.

 

First, we take a quick look at Jewish farming in the ancient world as we know it from the Old Testament and historical research. Legacies of Israelite farmers from the biblical period had important effects on the development of modern Jewish agriculturalism.

View BIBLICAL FARMERS here.

 

Next, we explore the ideas and philanthropists that motivated, funded and trained Jews to be farmers.

View HISTORY OF JEWISH PHILANTHROPY here. 

 

Finally, we examine how cooperative associations made it possible for new farmers to transform into able agriculturalists by virtue of economies of scale and mutual aid.

View COOPERATIVES: A KEY TO SUCCESS here.

 

As they did on four continents between the 1880s and the 1950s, these three pillars made possible the success of Jewish farming in the Garden State.