"They came for the American Dream. They came for freedom, safety, and opportunities they could only imagine in their mother country. They eschewed large cities where they would have found religious support – a synagogue or temple, a Jewish burial society, a Jewish cemetery, and a kosher butcher. They braved the religious wilderness and settled in Mount Vernon, Ohio where they made personal and economic decisions about how to practice their religion publicly and privately."

That's an excerpt from a recently published book that was 10 years in the making – a book written by Lois Hanson, manager of Paragraphs Bookstore in downtown Mount Vernon. The book is titled Our Worthy Townsmen: The Forgotten Lives of Mount Vernon, Ohio's Jewish Families 1847-1920. It's a deeply researched account of the first Jewish families to settle in Mount Vernon – who they were and what became of them.

In this episode of Stories from the heart of Ohio, you'll hear from the author, Lois Hanson, who is a longtime member of Mount Vernon's tight-knit Jewish community. You'll hear about why she wrote the book, how she did it, and what she found. You'll understand that, for Hanson, this was far more than just a passion project.

Stories from the heart of Ohio is edited and produced by Grant Pepper. Want to hear more podcasts like this? Join our team. Become a Knox Pages Member today: https://www.sourcemembers.com/knox