Sir Humphrey Gilbert's half brother, Sir Walter Raleigh, attained his brother's charter to colonize North America from Queen Elizabeth I on March 25, 1584, and proceeded to fulfill the charter through Ralph Lane and Richard Grenville, Raleigh's distant cousin.

On August 17, 1585, Ralph Lane, along with 107 men, built a fort on Roanoke Island as Grenville sailed back to England for supplies.

[4] According to Leon Huhner, Elias was from Languedoc, France, and was hired to go to the Colony to teach people how to grow grapes for wine.

John Levy patented 200 acres of land on the main branch of Powell's Creek around 1648, Albino Lupo who traded with his brother, Amaso de Tores, in London.

[10][11] In 1791, George Washington wrote a letter to the Hebrew congregations of Philadelphia, New York, Charleston and Richmond, congratulating them on the charter, peaceful construction and dedication of their communities.

The President of Kahal Kadosh beth Shalome, Jacob I. Cohen, was Master of Richmond's Masonic Lodge #53.

Solomon Jacobs was not alone since nearly all male members of Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome belonged to Masonic lodge #53.

[14] The ladies of Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome met daily to make clothing for Confederate soldiers.

After the War, Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome lost many members who fled the area when the Confederate forces burned Richmond, never to return.

Bernstein partnered with friends from Virginia Beach to purchase and retrofit the former Chesapeake Bay ferry boat that became known to the world as the SS Exodus ship.