Newport was founded in 1638.The first Jewish settlers may arrived by 1658. They may have left shortly thereafter. By 1677, Jews started arriving from Barbados, which had trading relations with Newport. ON 1677, Marodcai Campanal and Moses Pacheco purshased land fomr cmetery for the use of the "Jes and ther Nation Society or Friends." After some Jews were molested and their goods were confiscated, Simon Mendez and David Brown petitioned the General Assembly of The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations which, on June 24, 1684, "Voted, In answer to the petition of Simon Medus, David Brown, and associates, being Jews, presented to this Assembly, bearing date June the 24th, 1684, we declare, that they may expect as good protection here, as any stranger, being not of our nation residing amongst us in this his Majesty's Collony, ought to have, being obedient to his Majesty's laws."
In the 1690s, more Jews arrived from Curusao, and they trickled in during the 18th century, including some from New York, and some directly from Portugal. They were a mix of Spanish Portuguese and Ashkenazim.
By the mid 17th century, Newport was a prominent city in colonial America. It was a trading city and was involved in the manufacture of spermaceti candles, Castile soap and the triangular trade which involved the slave trade. Jewish merchants were active in these pursuits. Newport was also a fishing port.
In 1759 the growing Jewish community hired a religious leader, Isaac Touro, and built a synagogue, now called Touro Synagogue, which was dedicated on the first day of Hanukah, December 4, 1763.
As a result of the Revolutionary war Newport declined. Many of the residents including the entire Jewish community left. Eventually the synagogue building became the property of Congregation Shearith Israel from New York City. Shearith Israel was the oldest congregation in North America. The colonial Jewish congregation, Yeshuat Israel was the second oldest. By the 1880s enough Jews were in Newport to hold regular services.Some of the them came from Russian Poland and Austrian Poland (Galicia). In the early 1900s an influx of mostly interrelated families arrived from the Dokshitz Glebokie area, which were in the Vilna Gubernia of the Russian Empire, and are now in Belarus. Eventually this group became more the 50% of the twentieth century Newport Jewish community.
Shearith Israel sent a several rabbis to Newport to lead worship in the Synagogue. Congregation Jeshuat Israel was founded in 1893. The Newport Jewish community constituted several factions, including the Touro Congregation, incorporated in 1899. When all were locked out of the synagogue, some of them broke into the synagogue in an attempt to dispute ownership of the building in court. This failed. From 1903 onwards Jeshuat Israel rented the building for $1 per year, continuing to worship in the orthodox Spanish-Portuguese fashion. After several years of legal wrangling, Jeshuat Israel has lost its lease for Touro Synagogue. In April 2025, Congregatition Ahavath Israel, created in 2023, replaced Jeshuat Israel as the tenant at Touro Synagogue, which began holding services on the Shabbat before Passover. Jeshuat Israel moved its services to the Levi Gale house which is across the street from Touro Synagogue. Visit our synagogue page for information about each congregation.
A second orthodox synagogue, Congregation Ahavas Achim, was incorporated in 1915. Most of its members were from Eastern Europe, many from what is now Belarus. Others came from Austria-Hungary, especially Galicia, much of which is now in Ukraine. Ahavis Achim reached its height in the 1950s. Eventually it disbanded, since the changing community did not need two orthodox synagogues. A liberal synagogue, Temple Shalom, makes its home in nearby Middletown. There is also a reform Havurah.
This website is a creation of Aaron Ginsburg, who grew up in Newport and lives in nearby Massachusetts. If you have any questions about this site, send a message.
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