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Congregation Beth Israel ((ヘブライ語:בית ישראל)) 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 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.〔〔〔 , the congregation was led by Valerie Cohen,〔 Beth Israel's first female rabbi.〔 With a growing membership of 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.〔According to "History of Beth Israel, Jackson, Mississippi", Institute of Southern Jewish Life and History, Beth Israel Congregation website. According to Landman (1942), p. 587, it was organized in 1861, and Kimbrough (1998), p. 58, states that the "congregation had begun to hold services by 1861."〕 Its primary purpose was to create a Jewish cemetery, which it immediately did, on State Street.〔"History of Beth Israel, Jackson, Mississippi", Institute of Southern Jewish Life.〕 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,〔E.g. Landman (1942), p. 587, Rosen (2000), p. 23.〕 but the veracity of this claim is disputed.〔"History of Beth Israel, Jackson, Mississippi", Institute of Southern Jewish Life states: "Later accounts mentioned an earlier synagogue that had been burned during the Northern occupation of Jackson during the Civil War, though there is no contemporary evidence of this."〕 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. However, Winter left soon afterward.〔 Beth Israel's building burned down in 1874, and was replaced by a stone and brick building at the same location.〔〔Landman (1942), p. 587.〕 In 1875 Beth Israel formalized its move to Reform by joining the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now Union for Reform Judaism).〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Congregation Beth Israel (Jackson, Mississippi)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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