The oldest Jewish congregation in Texas.

Congregation Beth Israel is the oldest Jewish congregation in Texas. Early Jewish families that settled in the area formed the Hebrew Benevolent Society in 1844 under the leadership of Lewis Levy. By 1854, seventeen adults organized themselves into the Hebrew Congregation Beth Israel, and the congregation received a state charter in 1859.

Members first met in a small room on Austin Street between Texas and Prairie, but later moved to a frame building on Labranch Street. The congregation’s first permanent synagogue was dedicated on Crawford Street in 1874. A larger synagogue followed in 1908 but waves of immigration, the oil boom and the deepening of the ship channel brought explosive growth to the congregation and the need for another, larger building became urgent. The new synagogue, located at the corner of Holman and Austin streets was designed by congregation member and noted architect Joseph Finger. When the Temple was dedicated in 1925, the Houston Chronicle called it “the finest house of worship of its kind in the entire south.” In 1969 the congregation moved to a new site, its current home, in southwest Houston.

The architectural style of the current synagogue is very similar to that of the iconic United States Embassy in New Delhi, India designed by Edward Durell Stone.

The original congregation of 22 members has grown to more than 1600 households.