History of the Jews in Brenham, Texas facts for kids

The history of Jewish people in Brenham, Texas, spans over 140 years. Brenham was one of the first places in Texas, outside of big cities, to have a large Jewish community. This community has many interesting historical facts. The Jewish community in Brenham officially started in 1885.

Early Jewish Settlers in Brenham

Jewish settlers first came to Brenham, Texas, in the 1860s. When Jewish merchants arrived, Brenham's stores and trade grew a lot. B. Levinson, one of the first founders, came in 1861. The Simon family, who built the Simon Theatre, arrived in 1866.

These people became very active in Brenham's businesses. As more Jewish settlers came, they needed a place to worship. This led to the idea of building a synagogue. Some early leaders were Rabbi Israel L. Fink, F. Susnitsky, L.Z. Harrison, J. Lewis, and Abe Fink. These men were among the 20 original members who helped start the B'nai Abraham Synagogue.

B'nai Abraham Synagogue History

The B'nai Abraham Synagogue was built in 1893. This happened after the first building burned down in 1892. From the outside, the Orthodox synagogue looks quite simple.

In the 1990s, people thought it was the oldest Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Texas that was still being used. In 2015, the building was moved to Austin. It is now in the Northwest Hills area.

B'nai Abraham Cemetery

The B'nai Abraham Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery in Brenham. It is connected to the B'nai Abraham Synagogue. You can find it near Blinn College, west of Brenham's town square. Many important Jewish Texans are buried here, including members of the Simon family and Rosa Levin Toubin.

The Simon Family and Theatre

Around 1850, Alex Simon (1823–1906) arrived in Brenham. He was born in Poland and grew up there. His arrival marked the start of the important Simon family's role in the Brenham Jewish community. Alex Simon helped found and build the B'nai Abraham Synagogue.

He also invested in the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. This railroad brought Jewish immigrants from Galveston through the Brazos River valley. Alex Simon's son, James Simon (1858–1925), paid for the building of the Simon Theatre. Historically, members of the Simon family have been buried at the B'nai Abraham Cemetery.

Community Historians and Stories

The history of the Brenham Jewish community has been written by Rosa Levin Toubin (1897–1989). She was a Jewish Texan historian from Brenham. Her father, Joe Levin, was one of the founders of the B'nai Abraham Synagogue.

Rosa Levin Toubin went to Blinn College and Rice University. In 1925, she married Sam H. Toubin. He owned stores in nine towns in Texas. Rosa Levin Toubin wrote two books about the Brenham community in 1980. These were Colorful Brenham Community has history of over 120 years and History of B'nai Abraham Synagogue.

Leon Toubin's Role

Leon Toubin is a Jewish Texan community and business leader. He currently looks after the B'nai Abraham Synagogue. He also speaks for the community. In the book Lone Stars of David: The Jews of Texas, Leon Toubin talks about Brenham's history. He says the synagogue has "holy scriptures and everything ... [the] only thing we need is Jewish people."

In another book, Growing Up Jewish in America: An Oral History, Toubin discusses the descendants of the Brenham community. He mentions that at one time, they "were probably all Jewish once, but we're Lutheran now".

Toubin shared a similar story for a PBS documentary called At Home on the Range: Jewish Life in Texas. This story is about a former Washington County Sheriff named Goldberg. Toubin recalls asking the sheriff if he was Jewish. The sheriff replied that his family came to Brenham and there were no Jewish girls to marry. So, everyone married people from other backgrounds, and he became Lutheran.

Jewish Life at Brenham State School

Jewish residents at the Brenham State School have a history of celebrating Jewish holidays. In 2000, the Houston Chronicle reported that five Jewish residents from Brenham State School celebrated Rosh Hashana with the Richmond State School. In 2002, Jewish residents from Brenham State School also celebrated Passover with the Richmond State School.

On September 18, 2006, Congregation Beth El from Missouri City, Texas, helped celebrate 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.

Legal Case: American Jewish Congress v. Bost

American Jewish Congress v. Bost was a lawsuit about the separation of church and state in Brenham, Texas. This case was the first legal challenge to a "charitable choice" contract. In Brenham, the American Jewish Congress and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit. They believed a tax-funded jobs program was supporting religious practices. They said this went against the separation of church and state.

Other accusations included using funds to encourage religious conversion and buying Bibles. The lawsuit claimed participants were pressured to "accept Jesus".

On May 21, 2002, the Houston Chronicle reported that the case would go to a federal district court. The lawsuit moved between state and federal courts and was appealed twice. In January 2003, the case ended. It was dismissed because there was "no live controversy" left to decide.

Brenham Community Recognition

On September 30, 2005, USA Today newspaper listed the Brenham community. It was named one of "10 great places to share history of the Jewish faith."