IN 1759 the Jews of Newport decided to build a synagogue. They hired Isaac Touro to be their rabbi. Peter Harrison, a merchant from England, designed the building. He had already designed Newport's Redwood Library. Several members of the Jewish community were active in the library. The synagogue took four years to build. A fund raising campaign was undertaken. Various gifts were received including a clock (every synagogue should have one!), a large chandelier, four smaller chandeliers, six tall candle sticks and two charity boxes.
The building is made from brick, which was imported from England. The first part to be completed was the wing, where there was a school and stairs to the women's gallery. The building is a little higher than ground level and it is on a hill. There is a grand covered entry, which has painted hollow wooden columns. Sand was mixed into the paint, giving the feel of stone. The large chandelier in the center is unique. It has four heads in the center. The smaller chandeliers and the candlesticks have the names of the donors on them.
Peter Harrison also designed Brick Market in Newport, Christ Church in Boston and King's Chapel in Cambridge. Harrison eventually moved to New Haven. He was loyal to Britain, and his house was burned, including one of the largest libraries in colonial America.
The second floor balcony is supported by 12 columns made from solid tree trunks.
The original wall with the ark was remodeled in about 1828. At that time the painting over the ark was commissioned. The cost was $10.
The dominant feature is the large windows and the light they supply.
When Touro Synagogue was built, the laws did not allow the congregaation to purchase land and build a building, so three members filed the paperwork. Whe the last one died, he left the building in the care of New York Congregation Shearith Israel.
The sons of Isaac Touro became successsful merchants, Abraham in Boston and Judah in New Orleans. Their generosity included both Newport. In 1820, Abraham built a brick wall around the old Jewish cemetery. Thiry years later, Judah replaced the brick wall with a granite wall. When Abraham died in 1822, he left a fund to care for the Synagogue, and a second fund to care for the street, whose name was then changed from Griffin to Touro St. Judah Touro left money in his will to purchase the land that became Touro Park, which is a few blocks from the Synagogue as well as funds to care for the synagogue and to hire a religious leader.
Originally, as far was we know, the only seating was the wainscoting around the walls. The floor consisted of wide wooden floor boards, now covered by a carpet. Colonial reproduction chairs were added in 1963. Other modern additions are a memorial stone to the Rabbis from the late 19th century and a stone with the names of donors to a recent restoration and a bookcase behind the bimah.
Newport has over 300 buildings that were built before 1800. Touro Synagogue today nestles among them.