Rhode Island was the first colony to declare independence from England, and so Newport was occupied by the British early on. The Rabbi of Touro Synagogue invited the Brits in to use the space as a hospital. (He removed all the brass and scrolls, of course.) Other Americans accused him of being a British sympathizer. But the synagogue was unmolested, and survives today.
Rhode Island was the last of the 13 states to sign the U.S. constitution, and didn’t do so until the 2nd version of the Bill of Rights and the 1st Amendment were complete. They valued religious freedom that much. And in answer to a letter from the synagogue’s president, George Washington wrote...
The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy... All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent national gifts. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.
...thus saying two essential things: There would be no persecution of minority religious groups, AND Jews could be citizens like anyone else.
It’s no surprise that Unitarians also found Rhode Island to be a hospitable place. Here is Channing Memorial Church in Newport...
...and facing it, in a park across the street, is a statue of William Ellery Channing himself!
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