The pioneer Jews of San Francisco arrived from Germany during the Gold Rush and were instrumental in building the city. The roles they were relegated to in the Old World -- peddler and petty merchant -- were highly valued in the Gold Rush. The openness of Gold Rush California allowed these Jews to assimilate far more and have a greater impact on the building and defining of a major city than any other Jewish community in America. But this acceptance came at a price -- assimilation put this community in danger of losing its Jewish identity.

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