History of the Jews in Brazos County, Texas
Encyclopedia
The history of the Jews in Brazos County, Texas covers a period of over 140 years of Jewish history
in Brazos County, Texas
. Many notable individuals and communities have contributed to this history beginning with early Jewish settlement in 1865. This history includes the present Jewish communities and individuals of Brazos County and Texas A&M University
.
. Built in 1912, the temple is still in use , making it one of the three oldest religious buildings still in use in the county. The temple is named for Ethel Freda Kaczer (1860-1912), wife of the president of the Jewish community when the synagogue
was built. The temple is unique for a Jewish place of worship
in that it is named after a woman.
Since 1982, Texas A&M University
's "Center of Heritage Conservation" has focused on the history of Temple Freda as one of its historical projects. The temple structure is built in Greek Revival style and also exhibits Classical Revival style with Beaux-Arts architecture elements. Temple Freda is associated with the Jewish cemetery
"Temple Freda Cemetery," which is also a part of the National Register of Historic Places
of Texas.
is the oldest Hillel Foundation organization in the United States
. The organization was founded in 1920, three years before the national Hillel Foundation was organized at University of Illinois. Texas A&M Hillel began as the "TAMC Menorah Club" and was organized in 1916 by Dr. Jacob Joseph Taubenhaus. Born in Safed
on October 20, 1884, Taubenhaus was chief of the plant pathology and physiology
division of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M
) from 1916 to 1937. During his life, he was also a leader in Jewish affairs at the university. He and his wife, Esther Taubenhaus, founded in 1920, the "TAMC Hillel Club" with assistance from Rabbi David Lefkowitz of Dallas.
In 1958, Texas A&M Hillel opened up a building of its own. During this period, some members of Temple Freda in Bryan, Texas
left to attend services at the Hillel building in College Station, Texas
. Presently, Temple Freda's Torah
is under the care of Texas A&M Hillel.After Mrs. Taubenhaus retired Shirley Reiser became the Director. She remained as director until 1982. She was the wife of Dr. Raymond Reiser a Distinguish professor in the department of biochemistry. She was lovingly knows as the mother away from home. The Reiser's came to College Station in 1940. Dr. Reiser enlisted in the Army Medical Corp in 1943 and they returned to College Station in 1945 with two kids in tow.
Rabbi Dr. Peter Tarlow, an expert in tourism security, has been the executive director of Texas A&M Hillel since 1983. A scholar in the area of tourism safety, he is a consultant for the tourism industry, and the founder of "Tourism & More Inc."Tarlow is married to Sara Alpern
, an associate professor of history at Texas A&M who specializes in women's studies.
was rechartered at Texas A&M. Sigma Alpha Mu, as a historically Jewish fraternity, has served an integral part of Jewish life at Texas A&M ever since, currently with 41 members.http://aggiesammys.com
of Brazos Valley
, also known as the "Chabad Center of Texas A&M," was founded on July 10, 2007, in the home of Rabbi Yossi Lazaroff and Manya Lazaroff. With the opening of Chabad of Brazos Valley, students at Texas A&M University have been provided with a regular Shabbat
dinner and lunch program, Pesach seders
, and Purim
parties. On December 4, 2007, the Jewish Aggies, a student group at Texas A&M, lit the largest menorah in the state of Texas
. Jewish Herald-Voice
reported that Rabbi Yossi Lazaroff is facilitating the writing of a Torah scroll at Texas A&M. Rabbi Lazaroff stated that “As our brothers and sisters in the land of Israel suffer daily hardship, now is the time for us to come together. What better way than through the core of our existence – the Torah.”
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
in Brazos County, Texas
Brazos County, Texas
Brazos County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas in the Central Texas region. In 2010, its population was 194,851. The county seat is Bryan and it is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area. Brazos is named for the Brazos River, along with Brazoria...
. Many notable individuals and communities have contributed to this history beginning with early Jewish settlement in 1865. This history includes the present Jewish communities and individuals of Brazos County and Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.
Temple Freda
One of the first Jewish temples in Brazos County, Texas is Temple FredaTemple Freda
Temple Freda, built in 1912 , is a synagogue located on 205 Parker Street Bryan, Texas.-History:Temple Freda, a part of Brazos County, Texas history, is one of the three oldest religious buildings still in use in Bryan, along with St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and St. Anthony’s Catholic Church....
. Built in 1912, the temple is still in use , making it one of the three oldest religious buildings still in use in the county. The temple is named for Ethel Freda Kaczer (1860-1912), wife of the president of the Jewish community when the synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
was built. The temple is unique for a Jewish place of worship
Place of worship
A place of worship or house of worship is an establishment or her location where a group of people comes to perform acts of religious study, honor, or devotion. The form and function of religious architecture has evolved over thousands of years for both changing beliefs and architectural style...
in that it is named after a woman.
Since 1982, Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
's "Center of Heritage Conservation" has focused on the history of Temple Freda as one of its historical projects. The temple structure is built in Greek Revival style and also exhibits Classical Revival style with Beaux-Arts architecture elements. Temple Freda is associated with the Jewish cemetery
Jewish cemetery
A Jewish cemetery is a cemetery where members of the Jewish faith are buried in keeping with Jewish tradition....
"Temple Freda Cemetery," which is also a part of the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
of Texas.
Texas A&M Hillel
Texas A&M HillelTexas A&M Hillel
Texas A&M Hillel is the oldest Hillel Foundation organization in the United States. The organization was founded in 1920, three years before the national Hillel Foundation was organized at University of Illinois. Texas A&M Hillel began as the "TAMC Menorah Club" and was organized in 1916 by Dr...
is the oldest Hillel Foundation organization in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The organization was founded in 1920, three years before the national Hillel Foundation was organized at University of Illinois. Texas A&M Hillel began as the "TAMC Menorah Club" and was organized in 1916 by Dr. Jacob Joseph Taubenhaus. Born in Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
on October 20, 1884, Taubenhaus was chief of the plant pathology and physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
division of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
Texas AgriLife Research is the agricultural and life sciences research agency of Texas and a part of the Texas A&M University System. Formerly named Texas Agricultural Research Service, the agency's name was changed January 1, 2008 as part of a rebranding of Texas A&M AgriLife .The agricultural...
at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
) from 1916 to 1937. During his life, he was also a leader in Jewish affairs at the university. He and his wife, Esther Taubenhaus, founded in 1920, the "TAMC Hillel Club" with assistance from Rabbi David Lefkowitz of Dallas.
In 1958, Texas A&M Hillel opened up a building of its own. During this period, some members of Temple Freda in Bryan, Texas
Bryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
left to attend services at the Hillel building in College Station, Texas
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
. Presently, Temple Freda's Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
is under the care of Texas A&M Hillel.After Mrs. Taubenhaus retired Shirley Reiser became the Director. She remained as director until 1982. She was the wife of Dr. Raymond Reiser a Distinguish professor in the department of biochemistry. She was lovingly knows as the mother away from home. The Reiser's came to College Station in 1940. Dr. Reiser enlisted in the Army Medical Corp in 1943 and they returned to College Station in 1945 with two kids in tow.
Rabbi Dr. Peter Tarlow, an expert in tourism security, has been the executive director of Texas A&M Hillel since 1983. A scholar in the area of tourism safety, he is a consultant for the tourism industry, and the founder of "Tourism & More Inc."Tarlow is married to Sara Alpern
Sara Alpern
Sara Alpern Tarlow, known as Sara Alpern , is an associate professor of history at Texas A&M University, known for her specialization in women's studies.-Early life:...
, an associate professor of history at Texas A&M who specializes in women's studies.
Sigma Alpha Mu
Starting in 2004, the Gamma Kappa chapter of Sigma Alpha MuSigma Alpha Mu
Sigma Alpha Mu , also known as "Sammy", is a college fraternity founded at the City College of New York in 1909. Originally only for Jewish men, Sigma Alpha Mu remained so until 1953, when members from all backgrounds were accepted. Originally headquartered in New York, Sigma Alpha Mu has...
was rechartered at Texas A&M. Sigma Alpha Mu, as a historically Jewish fraternity, has served an integral part of Jewish life at Texas A&M ever since, currently with 41 members.http://aggiesammys.com
Chabad of Brazos Valley
ChabadChabad
Chabad or Chabad-Lubavitch is a major branch of Hasidic Judaism.Chabad may also refer to:*Chabad-Strashelye, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism*Chabad-Kapust or Kapust, a defunct branch of the Chabad school of Hasidic Judaism...
of Brazos Valley
Brazos Valley
The Brazos Valley is a region in the U.S. state of Texas consisting of Brazos County, Robertson County, Grimes County, Washington County, Burleson County, Madison County, and Leon County, with Brazos County and the cities of College Station and Bryan at its center...
, also known as the "Chabad Center of Texas A&M," was founded on July 10, 2007, in the home of Rabbi Yossi Lazaroff and Manya Lazaroff. With the opening of Chabad of Brazos Valley, students at Texas A&M University have been provided with a regular Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
dinner and lunch program, Pesach seders
Passover Seder
The Passover Seder is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted on the evenings of the 14th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, and on the 15th by traditionally observant Jews living outside Israel. This corresponds to late March or April in...
, and Purim
Purim
Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther .Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th...
parties. On December 4, 2007, the Jewish Aggies, a student group at Texas A&M, lit the largest menorah in the state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Jewish Herald-Voice
Jewish Herald-Voice
The Jewish Herald-Voice is a weekly community newspaper serving the Jewish community of Texas' Gulf Coast. Established in 1908, it bills itself as the longest-running Jewish paper in the Southwest....
reported that Rabbi Yossi Lazaroff is facilitating the writing of a Torah scroll at Texas A&M. Rabbi Lazaroff stated that “As our brothers and sisters in the land of Israel suffer daily hardship, now is the time for us to come together. What better way than through the core of our existence – the Torah.”
Further reading
- Toubin, Rosa Levin, Bryan-College Station: Temple Freda. Texas Jewish Historical SocietyTexas Jewish Historical SocietyThe Texas Jewish Historical Society, , which began in 1980, is a society dedicated to the preservation of Jewish history in Texas.-History:...
. - Page, Bill. Before Temple Freda: Jewish residents of Brazos County, Texas, 1865-1913. 1998.
See also
- David Lefkowitz (rabbi)David Lefkowitz (rabbi)Rabbi David Lefkowitz , an historic Texan rabbi, became Temple Emanu-El 's rabbi in 1920. He was rabbi until 1949, when he was replaced by Rabbi Levi Olan. He took a firm stance against the Ku Klux Klan. . The Perkins School of Theology houses the "Sadie and David Lefkowitz Collection of Judaica"...
- Jacob Joseph TaubenhausJacob Joseph TaubenhausDr. Jacob Joseph Taubenhaus, born in Safed, Palestine on October 20, 1884, was Chief of the Division of Plant Pathology and Physiology of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas from 1916 until his death on December 13, 1937...
- Jewish history in TexasJewish history in TexasJewish Texans have been a part of the history of Texas since the first European explorers arrived in the region in the 16th century. In 1990, there were around 108,000 adherents to Judaism in Texas. More recent estimates place the number at around 120,000....
- Peter TarlowPeter TarlowRabbi Peter E. Tarlow has since 1983 been the executive director of Texas A&M Hillel. He is a scholar in the area of tourism safety, a consultant for the tourism industry, and the founder of "Tourism & More Inc." He works for the city of Arlington, Texas as a security consultant in preparation...