Beth Israel Congregation () is a Reform Jewish congregation located at 5315 Old Canton Road in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. Organized in 1860 by Jews of German background, it has always been, and remains, the only Jewish synagogue in Jackson. Beth Israel built the first synagogue in Mississippi in 1867, and, after it burned down, its 1874 replacement was at one time the oldest religious building in Jackson.
Originally Orthodox, the congregation joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1874. After going through a series of rabbis, and periods without one, the congregation hired Meyer Lovitt as rabbi in 1929; he would remain until 1954. The congregation moved to a new building in 1941.
Dr. Perry Nussbaum, Beth Israel's rabbi from 1954 to 1973, was active in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1967 the congregation moved to a new synagogue building, (its current one), and both the new building and Nussbaum's house were bombed by the Ku Klux Klan that year. In 2003, Valerie Cohen became the congregation's first female rabbi.
Rabbi Rosen began at Beth Israel Congregation in July 2019. With a growing membership of over 200 families, Beth Israel was the largest Jewish congregation in the state.
Early years
The congregation was originally established in 1860 by Jews of German background. Its primary purpose was to create a Jewish cemetery, which it immediately did, on State Street. In November 1862 the congregation hired a Mr. Oberndorfer as cantor; its next goal was provide a Jewish education for the congregation's children. At the time Jackson had 15 Jewish families.
A number of accounts state that the congregation's first synagogue was built at South State and South streets in 1861 and burned by the Union Army in 1863, but the veracity of the latter claim is disputed. That year the congregation had 31 members, and adopted its first constitution. In 1867 the congregation constructed a wood frame building at the corner of South State and South streets. The building, which was used both as a schoolhouse and for prayer services, was the first synagogue in Mississippi.
From the start the congregation was not unified. However, as there were only about 50 Jews in Jackson in 1868, the community was too small for two synagogues. Conflicts arose between the older German Jewish members and post-American Civil War Jewish immigrants from Poland, particularly over synagogue ritual. The synagogue followed the Orthodox nusach Ashkenaz, but some members wanted to adopt Isaac Mayer Wise's reformist Minhag America Prayer-Book.
Tensions eased when Beth Israel hired its first Rabbi, the Reverend L. Winter, in 1870. He moved the congregation towards Reform Judaism, replacing Saturday services with Friday night ones, giving sermons in English, and adding confirmation ceremonies. Winter, however, left soon afterward.
Beth Israel's building burned down in July 1874, and was replaced by a stone and brick building at the same location. Dedicated in 1875, the two-story brick Gothic Revival structure had "pointed-arch windows", and an auditorium on the second floor that was accessed via two curved staircases. The architect, Joseph Willis, had previously designed or remodeled several significant buildings in Mississippi, including the Old Mississippi State Capitol. In later years one straight staircase replaced the two curved ones, and the exposed brick walls were covered by stucco.
In 1875, Beth Israel also formalized its move to Reform by joining the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now Union for Reform Judaism).
First half of the 20th century
Following its founding the congregation grew very slowly; by 1908 there were still only 37 members, and 16 children in the religious school. By 1918, membership had fallen to 24, and children in the religious school to 10. That year the synagogue's total income was $800 (today $).