Congregation Shearith Israel was a

Jewish Texan Jewish Texans have been a part of the history of Texas since the first European explorers arrived in the region in the 16th century. In 1990, there were around 108,000 adherents to Judaism in Texas. More recent estimates place the number at around ...

community in

Wharton, Texas Wharton is a city in and the county seat of Wharton County, Texas, United States. This city is southwest of Houston. The population was 8,832 at the 2010 census and 8,627 at the 2020 census. Wharton is located on the Colorado River of Texas. U.S ...

. This

rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are descri ...

Texan community held

Jewish services Jewish prayer ( he, תְּפִלָּה, ; plural ; yi, תּפֿלה, tfile , plural ; Yinglish: davening from Yiddish 'pray') is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism. These prayers, often wit ...

for over 100 years (1899-2002).

Community history

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

immigrants Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, ...

, arriving as early as the 1850s, established additional businesses and began the Congregation Shearith Israel, the only synagogue in a three-county area. A first synagogue building was erected on S. Rusk Street in 1921.Historical Marker
/ref> Although centered in the town of

Wharton Wharton may refer to: Academic institutions * Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania * Wharton County Junior College * Paul R. Wharton High School * Wharton Center for Performing Arts, at Michigan State University Places * Wharton, Che ...

, the community has members in two counties adjacent to

Wharton County Wharton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 41,570. Its county seat is Wharton. The county was named for brothers William Harris Wharton and John Austin Wharton. Wharton County c ...

and the towns of Bay City, El Campo, Edna, East Bernard, Palacios and Boling. The community has over a century of

Jewish history Jewish history is the history of the Jews, and their nation, religion, and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions, and cultures. Although Judaism as a religion first appears in Greek records during the Hellenisti ...

and held for many years, the Shearith Israel annual barbecue. This event would be attended by many from the three county area. The present synagogue, holder of an

historic landmark A historic site or heritage site is an official location where pieces of political, military, cultural, or social history have been preserved due to their cultural heritage value. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have been re ...

, was built in 1956 on Old Lane City Road. A

Jewish cemetery A Jewish cemetery ( he, בית עלמין ''beit almin'' or ''beit kvarot'') is a cemetery where Jews are buried in keeping with Halakha, Jewish tradition. Cemeteries are referred to in several different ways in Hebrew, including ''beit k ...

was established on N. Alabama Rd. in 1937. The synagogue received a

historical marker A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...

in 1988. The synagogue held its last service, led by

Rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...

Jerome Cohen, in 2002.New York Times Article on Wharton Jewish Community
/ref> Worship services began in about 1899. The Shearith Israel synagogue building (built in 1956) was destroyed by a fire intentionally set by two local teenagers, on Sunday, September 26, 2010 (the third day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Booths).

References

External links

Synagogue closes after 100 years / Wharton congregation sees end to small-town Jewry'

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shearith Israel Historic Jewish communities in the United States Former synagogues in Texas Buildings and structures in Wharton County, Texas Synagogues completed in 1956 Destroyed synagogues Religious buildings and structures in the United States destroyed by arson 21st-century attacks on synagogues and Jewish communal organizations in the United States Arson in Texas