Temple Beth El (Helena, Arkansas) Records undated, 1875-2006

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Temple Beth El (Helena, Arkansas) Records undated, 1875-2006

http://findingaids.cjh.org/?pID=109201

The records of Temple Beth El offer a valuable insight into a small town Southern Jewish community. The community members, composed mainly of German Jews devoted to the Reform movement, participated actively in charity work and mutual benefit societies, and maintained a close relationship with Jewish communities throughout the South. Temple Beth El was one of the first members of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. Its history reflects the struggles a small town Jewish community experienced in maintaining their Jewish identity as well as the cooperation and acceptance of their non-Jewish neighbors. A significant part of the collection concerns the activities of women in the Helena Jewish community, who were a tight knit group that conducted extensive charity work. The Sisterhood took an active role as member of the Mississippi-Arkansas Federation of Temple Sisterhoods. The records also include minute books for the B'nai B'rith Esther Lodge. The collection contains correspondence, real estate deeds, financial ledgers, minute meetings, news clippings, a scrapbook, and photographs.

3.2 linear feet (3 manuscript boxes; 1 [16 x 20"] oversized box)

eng,

American Jewish Historical Society

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6345257

Related Entities

There are 4 Entities related to this resource.

B'nai B'rith Esther Lodge

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6h56sm2 (corporateBody)

Mississippi-Arkansas Federation of Temple Sisterhoods

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6nf12cb (corporateBody)

Temple Beth El (Helena, Arkansas)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sk6vmh (person)

Helena, Arkansas Jewish Community Temple Beth El (1867-2006) The first Jew to settle in Helena, Arkansas remains a mystery, although Jews were known to have lived in Helena by the 1840s. In 1846, a small number of Jews in Helena borrowed a sefer Torah for High Holiday services from Congregation B'nai Israel in Cincinnati, Ohio. The community, made up of young families and single men, were primarily German peddlers, who having saved enough funds, put down roots in Helena ...

Union of American Hebrew congregations

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62c2t4q (corporateBody)

Founded in 1873 when delegates representing twenty-nine congregations basically from the Midwest and the South assembled in Cincinnati, Ohio. From the description of Records, 1873-1985. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70960755 Organization which supports Reform Judaism in North America (including the United States). From the description of Union of American Hebrew Congregations records, 1996-2000. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 756915881 ...