Beth Israel Congregation

Mission Statement: Our mission is to create and nurture an inclusive Jewish community, where Torah guides us to engage in lifelong learning, repair our community and the world, embrace our heritage, cherish our relationship with God, and affirm our love for the land and people of Israel. The Beth Israel Congregation was founded in 1860, and soon af... ter purchased land for a cemetery on North State Street. By the end of 1862, fifteen Jewish families lived in town. After the Civil War, the congregation acquired land and built a modest wood frame schoolhouse, which they also used as a worship space, on the corner of South State and South streets; this was the first synagogue in the state of Mississippi. In 1870, the congregation hired its first rabbi, L. Winter, who began to move the congregation toward Reform Judaism with English sermons, services on Friday nights, and the confirmation ceremony. Rabbi Winter soon left, but in 1875, Beth Israel formalized its adherence to Reform Judaism by joining the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. After the congregations wood frame building burned down in 1874, they built a new brick building on the old site, which served the congregation until 1940. When the congregation moved to Woodrow Wilson Avenue in 1941, their synagogue was the oldest religious structure in the city. While their new synagogue was being built, Beth Israel held services at Galloway Methodist Church. During its first 70 years, the congregation often went through long stretches without a full-time rabbi, relying on lay leaders and rabbinical students. In 1929, Beth Israel finally began to enjoy more stability in its rabbis with the arrival of Rabbi Meyer Lovitt, who served the congregation for 25 years. Lovitt was replaced in 1954 by Toronto-native Rabbi Perry Nussbaum, who became an outspoken voice against racism and segregation. On September 18, 1967, Beth Israels new temple on Old Canton Road was bombed by local Ku Klux Klan members, though no one was hurt in the attack. Two months later, the same ...Read More