The story of Jewish life in Natchez, Mississippi, is a tale of matzoh balls and magnolias, the Civil War and synagogues, King Cotton and merchant life Under-The-Hill. Jewish life began in the early 1840s when the first immigrants were drawn by economic opportunity to the Mississippi frontier. The beautiful historic synagogue in downtown Natchez has been a site beloved by all community members for more than a century.
But without your help, this building and the legacy of the Jewish community of Natchez is in jeopardy.
Once a thriving Jewish population, there are now only few Jewish residents left in this river city. Despite its declining numbers, the Jewish citizens of Natchez have always been and remain committed to being a positive force within their town. Jewish merchants played such an important role in the economic prominence of the city in the 19th and early 20th-centuries. While Jews never exceeded 5% of the population, they became elected officials, developed the Clifton Heights neighborhood, founded the Natchez Garden Club, and financially supported a variety of social and civic organizations. The importance of their roles in the economic, social, cultural, and political life of postbellum Natchez belies the small size of their community.
Natchez is supported by a vibrant tourism economy, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Few cities offer an in-depth look at the past and present Southern lifestyle like Natchez where visitors can visit antebellum homes, historical landmarks, and modern museums. The City of Natchez no longer has a historic venue for conferences and meetings. Temple B’nai Israel’s size and location make it an ideal facility to market to groups who want a special historic setting for their meeting.
The campaign is intended to pay for some immediate maintenance needs to preserve the building, and also to plan for long-term care and use of the building. The building will be function as a cultural and meeting facility, accessible to all, with an elevator, 350-seat sanctuary, museum exhibits, and special programming to preserve and interpret the important legacy of the Natchez Jewish community.
In total, approximately $3,000,000 must be raised in order to preserve this building and keep it as a monument to the legacy of Jewish life in Natchez, and maintain it as a perpetual gathering place for people of all faiths. The exhibition will be inclusive of many voices, highlighting the value of cultural and ethnic diversity in Natchez. The future plans for Temple B’nai Israel will both honor and preserve the history of the building while finding strategic new uses for the architecturally significant and important space.
The campaign is coordinated in part by the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL), which operates the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience and will operate the museum elements of the space. Click through our campaign brochure to learn more about plans and naming opportunities.
You can make gifts online or send checks (made payable to ISJL c/o Temple Bnai Israel) by mail: P.O Box 16528, Jackson MS 39236
But without your help, this building and the legacy of the Jewish community of Natchez is in jeopardy.
Once a thriving Jewish population, there are now only few Jewish residents left in this river city. Despite its declining numbers, the Jewish citizens of Natchez have always been and remain committed to being a positive force within their town. Jewish merchants played such an important role in the economic prominence of the city in the 19th and early 20th-centuries. While Jews never exceeded 5% of the population, they became elected officials, developed the Clifton Heights neighborhood, founded the Natchez Garden Club, and financially supported a variety of social and civic organizations. The importance of their roles in the economic, social, cultural, and political life of postbellum Natchez belies the small size of their community.
Natchez is supported by a vibrant tourism economy, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Few cities offer an in-depth look at the past and present Southern lifestyle like Natchez where visitors can visit antebellum homes, historical landmarks, and modern museums. The City of Natchez no longer has a historic venue for conferences and meetings. Temple B’nai Israel’s size and location make it an ideal facility to market to groups who want a special historic setting for their meeting.
The campaign is intended to pay for some immediate maintenance needs to preserve the building, and also to plan for long-term care and use of the building. The building will be function as a cultural and meeting facility, accessible to all, with an elevator, 350-seat sanctuary, museum exhibits, and special programming to preserve and interpret the important legacy of the Natchez Jewish community.
In total, approximately $3,000,000 must be raised in order to preserve this building and keep it as a monument to the legacy of Jewish life in Natchez, and maintain it as a perpetual gathering place for people of all faiths. The exhibition will be inclusive of many voices, highlighting the value of cultural and ethnic diversity in Natchez. The future plans for Temple B’nai Israel will both honor and preserve the history of the building while finding strategic new uses for the architecturally significant and important space.
The campaign is coordinated in part by the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL), which operates the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience and will operate the museum elements of the space. Click through our campaign brochure to learn more about plans and naming opportunities.
You can make gifts online or send checks (made payable to ISJL c/o Temple Bnai Israel) by mail: P.O Box 16528, Jackson MS 39236
