06/11/2025
Haym Salomon was a key but often overlooked financier of the American Revolution, whose personal sacrifices helped sustain the Continental Army and Congress during their most desperate moments.
Born in 1740 in Leszno, Poland, Salomon fled European persecution and arrived in New York in 1775, the same year the Revolutionary War began. Fluent in several languages and trained in finance, he quickly became involved with the Sons of Liberty and was arrested by the British for espionage.
While imprisoned, he cleverly gained favor by serving as a translator for Hessian mercenaries, secretly persuading some to desert and eventually escaped to Philadelphia.
In Philadelphia, Salomon became indispensable to the war effort. Working closely with Robert Morris, the Superintendent of Finance, he brokered loans from French and Dutch sources and personally advanced funds to members of Congress.
His contributions totaled over $650,000, equivalent to about $20 million today, but he was never repaid. Guided by Jewish values like 'tzedakah' (charity) and 'tikkun olam' (repairing the world), Salomon died penniless in 1785, his legacy largely forgotten despite being one of the Revolution’s financial pillars.
