History of the Jews in Brenham, Texas
Encyclopedia
The history of the Jews in Brenham, Texas, covers a period of over 140 years. As one of the first areas in Texas, outside of major population centers, to develop a sizable Jewish population, the community boasts many things of historical note. The Brenham community was formally organized in 1885.
, during the 1860s. With the arrival of Jewish merchants, Brenham's retail and wholesale trade expanded further. B. Levinson, an original founder, arrived in 1861. The builders of the Simon Theatre
, the Simon family, arrived in 1866. These individuals became active in the business community of Brenham, Texas, and as other Jewish settlers arrived, the need for a synagogue
grew. Early leaders were: Rabbi
Israel L. Fink as first president, F. Susnitsky as vice president, L.Z. Harrison, J. Lewis, Abe Fink. These men were part of the 20 original charter members of B'nai Abraham Synagogue.
was constructed in 1893, after the first structure caught fire in 1892. Viewing the orthodox Shul from the outside, the building appears humble. According to James L. Hailey, "[i]n the 1990s the synagogue was believed to be the oldest Orthodox Jewish synagogue to have been in continuous use in Texas
."
The B'nai Abraham Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery located in Brenham and associated with B'nai Abraham Synagogue. It is located near Blinn College
, west of Brenham's town square. This cemetery is the resting place for many notable Jewish Texans, such the Simon family and Rosa Levin Toubin.
, arrived in Brenham. His arrival marked the beginning of the influential Simon family's involvement in the Brenham Jewish community. Alex Simon was one of the founders and builders of the B'nai Abraham Synagogue. According to architect Robert P. Davis, "[h]e was also one of the principal investors in the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad...which brought Jewish immigrants up from Galveston through the Brazos River
valley to Bryan and out to San Angelo." Alex Simon's son, James Simon (born March 8, 1858 - died August 1, 1925) is known for having financed the construction of the Simon Theatre
. Historically, Simon family members have been buried at the B'nai Abraham Cemetery.
- died March 20, 1954) who was a founder of the B'nai Abraham Syagogue. Rosa Levin Toubin attended Blinn College
and Rice University
and on June 26, 1925 she married Sam H. Toubin (born August 25, 1892 – died September 17, 1982) who "owned and operated the New York stores in nine towns in Texas". Concerning the Brenham community, in 1980 Rosa Levin "Mrs. Sam" Toubin wrote the texts, Colorful Brenham Community has history of over 120 years. and History of B'nai Abraham Synagogue.
Leon Toubin
, a Jewish Texan community and business leader, is the present caretaker of B'nai Abraham Synagogue and the spokesperson for the community. In the text Lone Stars of David: The Jews of Texas, Leon Toubin discusses the history of the Brenham community. He states that the synagogue has "holy scriptures and everything ... [the] only thing we need is Jewish people." In the text, Growing Up Jewish in America: An Oral History,
Toubin discusses the descendents of the Brenham community and states that at one time they, "were probably all Jewish once, but we're Lutheran now".
Toubin tells a similar story for the PBS special one hour documentary, At Home on the Range: Jewish Life in Texas. This story concerns former Washington County Sheriff Goldberg. Toubin states that, "The sheriff we had here was named Goldberg. I got a call from a Goldberg in Houston. He said: 'Leon, I want to ask you a question. There’s a sheriff in Brenham named Goldberg, is he Jewish?' So I stopped him on the street one day and said: 'Sheriff I want to ask you a question. Are you Jewish?' The sheriff said: 'Leon, I was probably Jewish. But the family came here and there weren’t any Jewish girls to marry. Everyone intermarried and I'm Lutheran today. But I was probably Jewish at one time."
with the Richmond State School in 2002.
On September 18, 2006, Congregation Beth El of Missouri City, Texas
, participated in celebrating the High Holy Days
with Jewish residents from both State Schools. These services were led by Rabbi
Dovid Goldstein from the Chabad outreach
in Houston.
is an establishment clause lawsuit concerning the separation of church and state
in Brenham, Texas
. The case is the first constitutional challenge to a charitable choice
contract. In the community of Brenham, the American Jewish Congress
and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit against a social services program that they believed used a tax-funded jobs program to support religious practices that violated the separation of church and state. Other accusations include use of funds to proselytize, purchase bibles, and coerce participants to "accept Jesus
".
On May 21, 2002, the Houston Chronicle
reported that the case would be sent to federal district court. The lawsuit went back and forth between state and federal courts and was twice appealed. In January 2003, the lawsuit that is believed to be the first constitutional challenge to a "charitable choice" contract, came to a conclusion. The case was finally dismissed "on the ground that there was no live controversy".
listed the Brenham community as one of "10 great places to share history of the Jewish faith".
Early Jewish settlement
Early Jewish settlers arrived in Brenham, TexasBrenham, Texas
Brenham is a city in east-central Texas in Washington County, Texas, United States, with a population of 16,147 according to the 2009 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...
, during the 1860s. With the arrival of Jewish merchants, Brenham's retail and wholesale trade expanded further. B. Levinson, an original founder, arrived in 1861. The builders of the Simon Theatre
Simon Theatre
The Simon Theatre is a theater in Brenham, Texas. It was built by James Simon, designed by Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, and constructed in 1925...
, the Simon family, arrived in 1866. These individuals became active in the business community of Brenham, Texas, and as other Jewish settlers arrived, the need for a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
grew. Early leaders were: Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Israel L. Fink as first president, F. Susnitsky as vice president, L.Z. Harrison, J. Lewis, Abe Fink. These men were part of the 20 original charter members of B'nai Abraham Synagogue.
B'nai Abraham Synagogue
B'nai Abraham Synagogue, BrenhamB'nai Abraham Synagogue, Brenham
-History:Early Jewish settlers in the Washington County, Texas arrived during the 1860s. B. Levinson, an original founder, arrived in 1861. Alex Simon arrived in 1866. These individuals became active in the business community of Brenham, and as other Jewish settlers arrived, the need for a...
was constructed in 1893, after the first structure caught fire in 1892. Viewing the orthodox Shul from the outside, the building appears humble. According to James L. Hailey, "[i]n the 1990s the synagogue was believed to be the oldest Orthodox Jewish synagogue to have been in continuous use in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
."
The B'nai Abraham Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery located in Brenham and associated with B'nai Abraham Synagogue. It is located near Blinn College
Blinn College
Blinn College is a two-year academic institution based in Brenham, Texas with campuses in Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, and Sealy. While the Brenham campus is Blinn's main campus, more than 70% of students attend the Bryan campus....
, west of Brenham's town square. This cemetery is the resting place for many notable Jewish Texans, such the Simon family and Rosa Levin Toubin.
Simon Family and Theatre
In 1866, Alex Simon (born December 11, 1825 - died October 4, 1906), a citizen of The Republic of Texas who was born in Konin, PolandKonin, Poland
Konin is a town in central Poland on the Warta river. It is the capital of Konin County. Since 1999, it has been in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. Previously, it was the capital of Konin Voivodeship . In 2006, the population was 81,233....
, arrived in Brenham. His arrival marked the beginning of the influential Simon family's involvement in the Brenham Jewish community. Alex Simon was one of the founders and builders of the B'nai Abraham Synagogue. According to architect Robert P. Davis, "[h]e was also one of the principal investors in the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad...which brought Jewish immigrants up from Galveston through the Brazos River
Brazos River
The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
valley to Bryan and out to San Angelo." Alex Simon's son, James Simon (born March 8, 1858 - died August 1, 1925) is known for having financed the construction of the Simon Theatre
Simon Theatre
The Simon Theatre is a theater in Brenham, Texas. It was built by James Simon, designed by Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, and constructed in 1925...
. Historically, Simon family members have been buried at the B'nai Abraham Cemetery.
Community historians
The history of the Brenham community has been written by the Jewish Texan historian, Rosa Levin Toubin (born June 21, 1897 - died August 14, 1989). A Brenham native, Rosa Levin Toubin, daughter of Joe Levin (born September 21, 1874- died March 20, 1954) who was a founder of the B'nai Abraham Syagogue. Rosa Levin Toubin attended Blinn College
Blinn College
Blinn College is a two-year academic institution based in Brenham, Texas with campuses in Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg, and Sealy. While the Brenham campus is Blinn's main campus, more than 70% of students attend the Bryan campus....
and Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
and on June 26, 1925 she married Sam H. Toubin (born August 25, 1892 – died September 17, 1982) who "owned and operated the New York stores in nine towns in Texas". Concerning the Brenham community, in 1980 Rosa Levin "Mrs. Sam" Toubin wrote the texts, Colorful Brenham Community has history of over 120 years. and History of B'nai Abraham Synagogue.
Leon Toubin
Leon Toubin
Leon Toubin, a Jewish Texan civic leader, philanthropist, and historian is the caretaker of B'Nai Abraham Synagogue, Brenham, which he began attending in the late 1930s as part of the daily minyan.-Family:...
, a Jewish Texan community and business leader, is the present caretaker of B'nai Abraham Synagogue and the spokesperson for the community. In the text Lone Stars of David: The Jews of Texas, Leon Toubin discusses the history of the Brenham community. He states that the synagogue has "holy scriptures and everything ... [the] only thing we need is Jewish people." In the text, Growing Up Jewish in America: An Oral History,
Toubin discusses the descendents of the Brenham community and states that at one time they, "were probably all Jewish once, but we're Lutheran now".
Toubin tells a similar story for the PBS special one hour documentary, At Home on the Range: Jewish Life in Texas. This story concerns former Washington County Sheriff Goldberg. Toubin states that, "The sheriff we had here was named Goldberg. I got a call from a Goldberg in Houston. He said: 'Leon, I want to ask you a question. There’s a sheriff in Brenham named Goldberg, is he Jewish?' So I stopped him on the street one day and said: 'Sheriff I want to ask you a question. Are you Jewish?' The sheriff said: 'Leon, I was probably Jewish. But the family came here and there weren’t any Jewish girls to marry. Everyone intermarried and I'm Lutheran today. But I was probably Jewish at one time."
Brenham State School
The Jewish residents of the Brenham State School have a history of celebrating Jewish holidays. The Houston Chronicle reported that five Jewish residents from Brenham State School participated in Rosh Hashana with the Richmond State School in 2000. The Jewish residents of the Brenham State School also celebrated PassoverPassover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
with the Richmond State School in 2002.
On September 18, 2006, Congregation Beth El of Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
, participated in celebrating the High Holy Days
High Holy Days
The High Holidays or High Holy Days, in Judaism, more properly known as the Yamim Noraim , may mean:#strictly, the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ;...
with Jewish residents from both State Schools. These services were led by Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Dovid Goldstein from the Chabad outreach
Chabad outreach
Chabad Hasidic outreach is today the biggest organised phenomena in the Kiruv world. They actively bring Jews to adopt Orthodox Jewish observance all over the world, even in the most unlikely places....
in Houston.
American Jewish Congress v. Bost
American Jewish Congress v. BostAmerican Jewish Congress v. Bost
American Jewish Congress v. Bost is an establishment clause lawsuit concerning the separation of church and state in Brenham, Texas. The case is the first constitutional challenge to a charitable choice contract...
is an establishment clause lawsuit concerning the separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
in Brenham, Texas
Brenham, Texas
Brenham is a city in east-central Texas in Washington County, Texas, United States, with a population of 16,147 according to the 2009 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...
. The case is the first constitutional challenge to a charitable choice
Charitable choice
Charitable choice refers to direct United States government funding of religious organizations to provide social services.Created in 1996, charitable choice allows government officials to purchase services from religious providers using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families , Welfare-to-Work, and...
contract. In the community of Brenham, the American Jewish Congress
American Jewish Congress
The American Jewish Congress describes itself as an association of Jewish Americans organized to defend Jewish interests at home and abroad through public policy advocacy, using diplomacy, legislation, and the courts....
and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit against a social services program that they believed used a tax-funded jobs program to support religious practices that violated the separation of church and state. Other accusations include use of funds to proselytize, purchase bibles, and coerce participants to "accept Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
".
On May 21, 2002, the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
reported that the case would be sent to federal district court. The lawsuit went back and forth between state and federal courts and was twice appealed. In January 2003, the lawsuit that is believed to be the first constitutional challenge to a "charitable choice" contract, came to a conclusion. The case was finally dismissed "on the ground that there was no live controversy".
Recognitions
The September 30, 2005, edition of USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
listed the Brenham community as one of "10 great places to share history of the Jewish faith".
See also
- History of the Jews in the United StatesHistory of the Jews in the United StatesThe history of the Jews in the United States , has been part of the American national fabric since colonial times.Until the 1830s the Jewish community of Charleston, South Carolina was the most numerous in North America. With the large scale immigration of Jews from Germany in the 19th century,...
- Jewish history in TexasJewish history in TexasJewish 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 120,000....
- Texas Jewish Historical Society
Additional reading
- Kamin, Hortense Yarno. "Growing up in Brenham: Sharing, caring in a small close community", Jewish Herald-Voice 78th anniversary - Passover Edition, 1986, pp. 74–79.
- Sell, Shawn. "10 great places to share history of the Jewish faith" USA Today, September 30, 2005
- "Colorful Brenham Community has history of over 120 years", Rosa L. Toubin, Texas Jewish Post, 11 September 1980
- "Why Save the Historic Brenham Synagogue?", Chronicles: A Publication of the Texas Jewish Historical Society, Vol. I, No. 1 (1994), pp. 33–39.
External links
- http://www.statesman.com/ap/mediahub/media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=52791Slideshow of Leon Toubin by the AustinAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
American Statesman]