Isaac Pinto

Isaac Pinto (1720–1791) was a Jew, who emigrated to the United States when he was 20. When he arrived in the States he became a member of Congregation Shearith Israel, the oldest Jewish congregation in America. At the time, Shearith Israel was the only synagogue in New York. Pinto became a crucial figure in Colonial America because he sculpted the Jew Identity. Pinto prepared the first Jewish prayer-book published in America, which was also the first English translation of the Siddur. He saw the inability of colonial jews to read hebrew and the need for a readable Siddur. The publication of an English translation of the Siddur helped shape Jewish-American Identity. Pinto was deeply involved in the relevant political problems of colonial America. He wrote main articles that promoted independence from Britain that gave him influence in the debate about Independence. This influence resulted in Pinto signing the Non-Importation Act in 1770. His ability to speak many languages allowed Pinto to serve as one of the first official translators hired by the United States government in 1781 under authorization of the Continental Congress working in the Department of Foreign Affairs, the predecessor to the modern Department of State. He was also friends with Ezra Stiles the seventh President of Yale College. Pinto also published many articles in the New York Journal pertaining to the notion of American sovereignty and self-reliance.