Piscataway in Middlesex County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Jewish Agricultural Society

Photographed by David Weintraub, January 25, 2021

1. The Jewish Agricultural Society Marker

Inscription.
The Jewish Agricultural Society founded an agri-industrial community here in the 1930s on land purchased by Gabriel Davidson. Backed by the Baron deHirsch, the program enabled Jewish families to poultry farm while maintaining jobs in New York and became a model for similar New Deal Programs.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 40° 31.504′ N, 74° 27.268′ W. Marker is in Piscataway, New Jersey, in Middlesex County. It is at the intersection of Davidson Road and Avenue E, on the right when traveling north on Davidson Road. There were historical remains of Jewish farms founded by the Jewish Agricultural Society and taken by eminent domain when Highway 18 was built. This marker commemorated the farms in this area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 50 Davidson Rd, Piscataway NJ 08854, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in New Jersey’s Central Jersey,

in Greater Princeton,

and in the New York City Metropolitan Area.

It is also

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in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: First College Football Game (approx. 0.9 miles away); The Historic Community of Raritan Landing (approx. 1.1 miles away); Raritan Landing (approx. 1.1 miles away); Landing Lane Bridge - 1895 (approx. 1.2 miles away); Buccleuch (approx. 1.3 miles away); George Street Tunnel Stones (approx. 1.3 miles away); Buccleuch Mansion (approx. 1.3 miles away); Hardenbergh Hall (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Piscataway.

Regarding The Jewish Agricultural Society. The Jewish Agricultural Society (JAS) was chartered in New York in 1900. Its original purpose was to provide agricultural training “as free farmers on their own soil” to Jewish immigrants coming to America from

Photographed by David Weintraub, January 25, 2021

2. The Jewish Agricultural Society Marker

Europe. In the late 1800s (and even today) Jews in Europe were being persecuted and were often killed for one reason – that reason being they were Jews. To escape the persecution, the Jews who could, emigrated from Europe to other countries including America.

The Jewish Agricultural Society was created by the Baron de Hirsch Fund. In 1891 this fund was established in the United States by a wealthy financier and philanthropist in Germany who dedicated his fortune to the welfare of East European Jews who were being oppressed (persecuted and killed) in Russia. He gave $2,400,000 (which was a great fortune in 1891) to establish the fund. The fund was responsible for many good works including the creation and operation of the Jewish Agricultural Society and the Baron de Hirsch Agricultural High School.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 27, 2021, by David Weintraub of Edison, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 537 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 27, 2021, by David Weintraub of Edison, New Jersey. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.