History of Jewish Texans History of the Jews in Texas

1870 congregation b nai israel temple & henry cohen community house in galveston, texas



hebrew benevolent cemetery (established 1852)

spanish texas did not welcome identifiable jews, came in case. jao de la porta jean laffite @ galveston, texas in 1816, , maurice henry in velasco in late 1820s. jews fought in armies of texas revolution of 1836, james fannin @ goliad, others @ battle of san jacinto. dr. albert levy became surgeon revolutionary texan forces in 1835, participated in capture of bexar, , joined texas navy next year. first families conversos , sephardic jews. later settlers such simon family, led alex simon, came in 1860s , contributed construction of synagogues , monuments such simon theatre. b. levinson, jewish texan civic leader, arrived in 1861. today vast majority of jewish texans descendants of ashkenazi jews, central , eastern europe families arrived in texas after civil war or later.

organized judaism in texas began in galveston establishment of texas first jewish cemetery in 1852. 1856 first organized jewish services being held in home of galveston resident isadore dyer. these services lead founding of texas first , oldest reform jewish congregation, temple b nai israel, in 1868.

the first synagogue in texas, congregation beth israel of houston, founded in houston in 1859 orthodox congregation. however, 1874 congregation voted change affiliation fledgling reform movement. ensuing years accompanied spread of judaism throughout texas. temple beth-el (san antonio, texas) founded in san antonio in 1874, followed temple emanu-el of dallas in 1875 , brenham s b nai abraham in 1885. temple beth-el known 1 of state s more contemporary reform jewish congregations due open support of jewish lgbt community while b nai abraham, led rabbi leon toubin, state s oldest existing orthodox synagogue.

between 1907 , 1914 resettlement program, known galveston movement, in operation divert jews fleeing russia , eastern europe away crowded east coast cities. ten thousand jewish immigrants passed through port city of galveston during era, approximately one-third number migrated area of ottoman empire become state of israel during same period. henry cohen, rabbi of b nai israel @ time, credited helping found movement.

texas suffered antisemitism in 20th century. during 1920s ku klux klan became influential in houston , texas. billie mayfield edited weekly klan newspaper in houston regularly used anti-semitic stereotypes attack jews parasites interested in extracting wealth community. wrote in article “there lots of jews in houston , on texas; find them tombstones on heads.” of times violence against african-americans , not jews. kkk threat helped unify houston jewish community. 1924, klan had lost of local support , influence , mayfield’s newspaper went out of business. @ time of kkk many houston jews powerful in economy. 1920s, big department stores in houston, such foley’s , battlestein’s, owned jews. brothers simon , tobias sakowitz left russia young children. in 1915, opened clothing store in houston became sakowitz’s, 1 of finest department stores in city. in 1959, built new flagship store on westheimer road; ten years later large galleria mall built across street it. sakowitz’s expanded in 1970s , declared bankruptcy during economic downtown of 80s, selling of business australian company. sakowitz stores closed in 1990

the handbook of texas states formal preservation of history of texas jewry goes rabbi henry cohen of galveston , rabbi david lefkowitz of dallas, set out interview many settlers , families possible. produced historical account texas centennial in 1936.

among leading philanthropists in texas several jews such ben taub. taub born , raised in houston, became leading real estate developer. donated land university of houston when founded in 1936. helped baylor college of medicine move houston dallas in 1943. taub founded new public charity hospital known ben taub hospital today. jewish community in 1958, decided build $450,000 jewish institute medical research, donated baylor college of medicine when completed in 1964. leopold meyer major donor , fundraiser texas children s hospital. longtime director of 2 of houston’s iconic annual events: livestock show , rodeo, , pin oak horse show.

many jewish immigrants thrived in houston such joe weingarten. weingarten born in poland became successful grocery store owner. pioneered innovations of cash , carry , self-service grocery stores in houston, building local chain reached 70 locations time of death in 1967. active in jewish social causes well.

joe straus, (born september 1, 1959), current speaker of texas house of representatives. straus elected speaker on january 13, 2009 , first jewish speaker in texas history.

more recently, prominent jewish texans include late retailer stanley marcus, longtime ceo of neiman-marcus based in dallas, , michael dell, founder , ceo of dell computer. dell active in charity , civic affairs, including helping fund dell children s hospital in austin , dell diamond supporting round rock express aaa professional baseball team owned nolan ryan , run ryan family.