Beth Israel Congregation (Jackson, Mississippi)

For similarly named synagogues, see Beth Israel.
Beth Israel
Hebrew: בית ישראל
Religion
AffiliationReform Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
LeadershipRabbi Joseph Rosen
StatusActive
Location
Location5315 Old Canton Road, Jackson, Mississippi 39211
CountryUnited States
Beth Israel Congregation (Jackson, Mississippi) is located in Mississippi
Beth Israel Congregation (Jackson, Mississippi)
Location in Mississippi
Geographic coordinates32°22′11″N 90°07′57″W / 32.369722°N 90.132619°W / 32.369722; -90.132619
Architecture
Architect(s)Joseph Willis (1875)
TypeSynagogue
StyleGothic Revival (1875)
Date established1861 (as a congregation)
Completed
  • 1867 (South State and South #1)
  • 1875 (South State and South #2)
  • 1941 (East Woodrow Wilson Ave.)
  • 1967 (Old Canton Road)
Website
bethisraelms.org
[1][2][3][4][5]

Beth Israel Congregation (Hebrew: בית ישראל) is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 5315 Old Canton Road in Jackson, Mississippi, in the United States. Organized in 1860[6] by Jews of German background,[2] it is the only Jewish synagogue in Jackson.[5] 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.[2]

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.[7] The congregation moved to a new building in 1941.[2]

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, and both the new building and Nussbaum's house were bombed by the Ku Klux Klan that year.[2][8][9] In 2003, Valerie Cohen became the congregation's first female rabbi.[5][10] Rabbi Rosen began at Beth Israel Congregation in July 2019.[1] With a growing membership of over 200 families, Beth Israel was the largest Jewish congregation in the state.[2][11][12]

  1. ^ a b Staff and Board, Beth Israel Congregation website.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference ISJLBIJackson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference history was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Founded was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Evans2005p95 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Chalmers2003p82 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rabbi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Beth Israel Congregation website.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Luter2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).