The Origins of Monsey NY

In 1943, a handful of families moved to this small rural town in upstate New York, not knowing that it would become one of the largest Jewish communities in America. >> The foundation of the Jewish community of [music] Monsey, New York was actually built inside a single farmhouse. That farmhouse served as Monsey's [music] very first Jewish school, the Yeshiva of Spring Valley. Fast forward to today, and that same community is bursting at the seams. Now home to well over 100 synagogues, [music] countless minyanim, and endless kosher restaurants. >> What people don't know about Monsey is that in the '40s, this place became a safe haven for orphans who lost families in the horrors of the Holocaust. >> With organizations like Vaad Hatzalah, families here [music] adopted children, were surrogate parents, and took care of the children of the Holocaust. And what was the payoff of this little rural community's generosity? The [music] powerhouse of Monsey, exporting Torah, business, restaurants, you name it, from this town. [music] What started off as one street and a stoplight has turned into pretty much a city at this point.