Congregation Beth Jacob (Galveston, Texas)

Congregation Beth Jacob (Galveston, Texas)
Beth Jacob Synagogue

Congregation Beth Jacob (בית יעקב in Hebrew) is a conservative Jewish synagogue located in Galveston, Texas, USA. The present synagogue was built by Austrian, Russian and Hungarian immigrants in 1931.[1]

The congregation is small, but still very active in the Galveston Community. It is currently led Rabbi Todd Doctor.[2] [3][4] Rabbi Jimmy Kessler, of Galveston's reform synagogue Congregation B'nai Israel, previously assisted the congregation with religious functions such as marriages and funerals.

Contents

History

Beth Jacob Cemetery

Beth Jacob's roots date back to 1888 when a group of orthodox Russian Jews came together to form the Hebrew Orthodox Benevolent Association. Around the same time a group of Orthodox Jews from the Austro-Hungarian Empire immigrated to Galveston and began looking for a synagogue to join. Since the only Orthodox synagogue in Galveston at the time followed Russian tradition, they chose to form their own synagogue organization, the Young Men’s Hebrew Association.[3]

During the early part of the 20th century there was a great influx of Jews from Russia and eastern Europe under the Galveston Movement program.[5] Therefore in an effort to unite the growing Orthodox community, on February 15, 1931, the two Orthodox congregations voted to merge and form Congregation Beth Jacob. Despite being in the middle of the Great Depression, Rabbi Louis Feigon and members raised funds to build a new synagogue on the site of the old Hebrew Orthodox Benevolent Association.

The congregation continued to grow and by the early 1960s it became evident new buildings were needed for religious, educational and social facilities. In 1965 a new wing was built that included a 242-seat sanctuary, a large social hall, a library and more school rooms for the expanded Sunday, Hebrew and Hebrew high schools.[3][6]

In the 1970s the congregation joined the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

See also

References

  1. ^ Galveston County Daily News Article
  2. ^ Duke, Michael C.. "Beth Jacob charts a recovery". Houston Jewish Herald-Voice. http://www.jhvonline.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=96&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=6992&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1291&hn=jhvonline&he=.com. Retrieved 2009-12-25. 
  3. ^ a b c Houston Jewish Voice Newspaper
  4. ^ Cousins, Rick. "Hanukkah begins at sundown today". Galveston County Daily News. http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=346cc1961a7c2fda. Retrieved 2009-12-25. 
  5. ^ Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas
  6. ^ The New York Jewish Week

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • History of the Jews in Galveston, Texas — The History of the Galveston Jewish Community details over a century of Jewish Texan history in Galveston, Texas, USA.The first known Jewish immigrant to the Galveston area was Jao de la Porta, who, along with his brother Morin, financed the… …   Wikipedia

  • Jewish history in Texas — Jewish Texans have been a part of the history of Texas since the first European explorers arrived in the region in the 1500s. [ [http://www.texasalmanac.com/culture/groups/jewish.html Texas Almanac: Jewish Texans] ] [… …   Wikipedia

  • TEXAS — TEXAS, state in the southwest U.S., the second largest in area and population, with a total estimated population (2000) of 20,851,820. The state s Jewish population was approximately 131,000 (0.6% of the state total), with 22 communities having… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • HOUSTON — HOUSTON, port and industrial center in southeastern Texas. Population (est. 2003), 2,009,690; Jewish population, 45,000. Early History Houston was founded in 1836; it is not known when the first Jew arrived, but there are records of several who… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA — UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, country in N. America. This article is arranged according to the following outline: introduction Colonial Era, 1654–1776 Early National Period, 1776–1820 German Jewish Period, 1820–1880 East European Jewish Period,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • AUSTIN — AUSTIN, geographic and political center of Texas and the state s capital, with a Jewish population of around 13,500 in 2001. Jewish settlers arrived as early as the 1840s. The first well known Jewish settler was Phineas de Cordova, born in… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • literature — /lit euhr euh cheuhr, choor , li treuh /, n. 1. writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays. 2.… …   Universalium

  • History of the Jews in the United States — The history of the Jews in the United States has been influenced by waves of immigration primarily from Europe, inspired by the social and economic opportunities of the United States of America and fueled by periods of anti Semitism and… …   Wikipedia

  • German American — German Americans Deutschamerikaner …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”