01In brief
Temple Adath Israel is a Reform Jewish congregation in Cleveland, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta. A 2015 account described Cleveland as one of three Delta communities still holding Jewish services and recalled that the congregation had one of Mississippi's largest temple youth groups in the early 1960s. A 2026 Jerusalem Post opinion article identified Adath Israel as one of three Mississippi congregations listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
02Overview
Adath Israel is listed among Mississippi's Reform congregations.[1] A 2026 Jerusalem Post opinion article identifies the Cleveland congregation as one of three Mississippi congregations on the National Register of Historic Places, alongside B'nai Israel in Hattiesburg and Ahavat Rayim in Greenwood.[3] A 2015 account reported that Cleveland, Greenville, and Greenwood still held services at that time through the sustained efforts of community members.[2]
03History
National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods records document Adath Israel Sisterhood's participation in scholarship fundraising before World War II. In a table of sisterhoods whose contributions increased in 1938–39, Cleveland's Adath Israel Sisterhood is listed at $19.00 for 1937–38 and $246.00 for 1938–39.[4] The figures show a sharp one-year increase in the sisterhood's recorded support for the Federation's scholarship work.[4]
04Community Life and Regional Reach
By the early 1960s, Temple Adath Israel hosted one of the largest temple youth groups in Mississippi, drawing young Jewish members from Cleveland and small surrounding towns throughout the Delta.[2] Macy B. Hart, founder and president of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life, recalled traveling with his family 80 miles from Winona to attend services and religious school at Adath Israel.[2]
A 2015 visitor described an intimate, welcoming service at Adath Israel led by Rabbi Harry Danziger, who had retired after a long career in Memphis.[2] The congregation typically held a potluck after services; on that visit, the meal included fried chicken and latkes, pairing Southern and Jewish foods.[2]
Sources
- 1Jewish Virtual Library, Virtual Jewish World: Mississippi, United States, accessed on September 26, 2026.
- 2My Jewish Learning, Mississippi: Jewish in Plenty of Ways That Matter, accessed on September 26, 2026.
- 3The Jerusalem Post, Mississippi synagogue arson signals rising antisemitism, accessed on September 26, 2026.
- 4The American Jewish Archives, NFTS Proceedings, 1938–1941, accessed on September 26, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
What is Temple Adath Israel in Cleveland, Mississippi?
Temple Adath Israel is a Reform Jewish congregation located in Cleveland, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, alongside B'nai Israel in Hattiesburg and Ahavat Rayim in Greenwood, making it one of three Mississippi congregations with that designation.
How did Temple Adath Israel's Sisterhood contribute to scholarship fundraising before World War II?
National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods records show that Adath Israel Sisterhood's contributions to the Federation's scholarship work rose sharply in a single year, from $19.00 in 1937–38 to $246.00 in 1938–39.
What was Temple Adath Israel's role in Jewish youth life in Mississippi in the early 1960s?
By the early 1960s, Temple Adath Israel hosted one of the largest temple youth groups in Mississippi, drawing young Jewish members from Cleveland and small surrounding towns throughout the Delta. Macy B. Hart, founder and president of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life, recalled traveling with his family 80 miles from Winona to attend services and religious school there.
What was congregational life like at Temple Adath Israel around 2015?
A 2015 visitor described an intimate, welcoming service at Adath Israel led by Rabbi Harry Danziger, who had retired after a long career in Memphis. The congregation typically held a potluck after services, and on that visit the meal included fried chicken and latkes, pairing Southern and Jewish foods. Cleveland was noted at that time as one of only three Delta communities still holding Jewish services.