The largest Orthodox congregation in North America.

Around the time of the American Civil War a group of Orthodox Jews began to pray together in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1892 the group was officially chartered as the Baron Hirsch Benevolent Society, in honor of the famed French Jewish philanthropist.

The congregation underwent tremendous growth in the first half of the 20th century. By the 1950s it became the largest Orthodox congregation in North America, with more than a thousand member families. It’s current, modern building was designed by McFarland & Associates, Memphis based architects. The building was dedicated in 1988.