Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience
PO Box 16528, Jackson, MS 39236-0528,
(601) 362-6357
email: information@msje.org
http://www.americanjewisharchives.org/97-2.htm - link no longer available "Decline in an Age of Expansion:
Disappearing Jewish Communities in the Era of Mass Migration" by Lee Shai Weissbach mentions Arkansas. [January 2001]
BELLWOOD CITY:
1919 Jewish population was 400 according to "Directory of Jewish Local Organizations in the United States", pp. 330-583. American Jewish Year Book 5680 September 25,1919 to Sept. 12, 1920, vol. 21, edited by Harry Schneiderman for the American Jewish Committee and submitted by Alan Hirschfeld.
BLYTHEDALE: Mississippi County http://www.rootsweb.com/~armissi2/ has
general Mississippi County information. [August 2005]
Contact: Temple Israel (Reform) 1500 Chickasawba Street,
Blytheville , 501-763-4148 [August 2002]
CAMDEN: Ouachita County http://www.rootsweb.com/~arouachi/ has
general Ouachita County information. [August 2005]
1919 Jewish population was 39 according to "Directory of Jewish Local Organizations in the United States", pp. 330-583. American Jewish Year Book 5680 September 25,1919 to Sept. 12, 1920, vol. 21, edited by Harry Schneiderman for the American Jewish Committee and submitted by Alan Hirschfeld.
Jewish Rest Cemetery:
33º35N09º25W; Across north Adams Street from Greenwood
Cemetery, Camden, Arkansas. http://www.rootsweb.com/~arouachi/CWtable.htm#Roster_5 has
Jewish Civil War veteran burials in Roster 5. [August 2005]
Beth el Emeth Cemetery: #00496 in Cemeteries of the
US, Deborah M. Burek, ed. Gale Research Int., Detroit MI
(1994) ISBN 0-8103-9245-3; submitted by Al Rosenfield, Columbus
OH; e-mail: arosen@ee.net
DERMOTT: Chicot County http://www.seark.net/~sabra/chicotco.html has
general Chicot County information. [August 2005]
Meir Chayim Temple:Email:
ripran@seark.net 191 Lake
Wallace Rd, C/o Rose Ann Naron Dermott, AR 71638-9454 870)
538-5355
DUMAS: Desha County http://www.rootsweb.com/~ardesha/ has
general Desha County information.
Contact Meir Chayim Temple (Reform) 870-382-4401 [August 2002]
Jewish Reform Congregation Cemetery: 1926; source: Eric J. Brock, Historic Preservation & Planning Consulting, P.O. Box 5877 Shreveport, LA 71135-5877
FAYETTEVILLE:Washington County
Temple Shalom of Northwest Arkansas, PO Box 3723, Fayetteville,
Arkansas 72702 and 608 North Storer Avenue, Fayetteville, AR
72701; (479) 973-2702. Phone: (501) 973-2702 Email: shalom@cavern.uark.edu.
www.uark.edu/ALADDIN/shalom/
FORT SMITH: Sebastian County http://www.rootsweb.com/~arsebast/ has
general Sebastian County information. [August 2005]
Fort Smith United Hebrew Congregation: (Reform)
UPDATE: 126 North 47th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72903; (479) 452-1468 [August 2002]
Cemetery of United Hebrew Congregation of Fort Smith: Southwest corner of Lexington Avenue and South "H" Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. Approximately 52,500 square feet with approximately 350 to 400 gravesites occupied. Contact: BJ Turner, bjqt@ipa.net 2321 South 25th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. (479-459-2334).
The cemetery is for the use of United Hebrew Congregation, but occasionally buried bodies from smaller nearby cities buried,
more so in past years than at present. Nominally all Jewish, they do bury non-Jewish spouses. Jewish settlers came to Fort Smith in the 1840's and 50's so the cemetery is quite old. The first formal Jewish organization was the Hebrew Cemetery Association. The synagogue has a copy of the Constitution and a petition for incorporation as a benevolent corporation. The Hebrew Cemetery Association filed for record on June 29, 1888. Evidently, they operated informally prior to that date. One marker in the cemetery dates to 1869. A few are illegible. By the same token, evidence shows a religious organization titled "Temple of Israel" existing since 1886.
UPDATE: The first formal Jewish organization was the Hebrew Cemetery Association.
The synagogue has a copy of the Constitution and a petition for incorporation as a benevolent corporation.
The Hebrew Cemetery Association filed for record on June 29, 1888. Evidently, they operated informally prior
to that date on cemetery land purchased from the Catholic Diocese in Little Rock, AR after several Jewish
burials had taken place in the mid-1800's. One marker in the cemetery dates to 1869. A few are illegible.
Source: Barbara Turner, Secretary BOT UHC,bjqt@ipa.net [April 2004]
In 1908, United Hebrew Congregation of Fort Smith, AR was organized and petitioned for incorporation as a benevolent corporation, the successor to Temple Israel and The Hebrew Cemetery Association. The first synagogue was a brick structure erected in 1892. In 1956/57, a new Synagogue was constructed at 146 No. 47th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72903. Mailing address for UHC is P.0. Box 8201, Fort Smith, AR 72902. Contact for Jewish Cemetery information: Barbara Turner bjqt@ipa.net, 2321 S. 25th Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901. (479-723-2312). Records exist at (AJA: http://www.huc.edu/aja/intro.html) American Jewish Archive, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488; phone (513) 221-1875. United Hebrew Congregation. Cemetery records. 1882-1920. Microfilm No. 2301
UPDATE: Evidence shows a religious organization titled "Temple of Israel" existing since 1886. In 1908, United Hebrew Congregation of Fort Smith, AR was organized and petitioned for incorporation as a benevolent corporation,
the successor to Temple Israel and The Hebrew Cemetery Association. Source: Barbara Turner,
Secretary BOT UHC, bjqt@ipa.net[April 2004], Records exist at
(AJA: http://www.huc.edu/aja/intro.html)
American Jewish Archive, 3101 Clifton Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488; phone (513) 221-1875.
United Hebrew Congregation. Cemetery records. 1882-1920. Microfilm No. 2301 [May 2004]
Beth El Cemetery: {10213} This old, well maintained cemetery with many beautiful old trees, as well as many young trees planted in memory of loved ones, is located on Holly Street adjoining St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. The oldest burial date is 1863, although some may be older. Many of the people buried here are early settlers of Helena and the surrounding area. There is much family history information on the older stones and some very beautiful poetry. source: Herb Danziger; hkdcfd@aol.com
HOT SPRINGS: (Garland County)
Contact: Congregation House of Israel (Reform) 501-623-5821. Synagogue dates from 1875. See Lipman, Steve. "Ark(ansas) of the Covenant," The Jewish Week; (November 25 - December 1, 1994). Jewish House of Israel, 300 Quapaw Avenue, Hot Springs National, AR 71901 (501) 623-5821 [August 2002]
House of Israel: 1875; source Eric J. Brock, Historic Preservation & Planning Consulting, P.O. Box 5877 Shreveport, LA 71135-5877
JONESBORO: (Craighead County)
Contact Temple Israel (Reform) 870-932-9333. [August 2002]
Jewish Cemetery (Temple Israel): 1897; source Eric J. Brock, Historic Preservation & Planning Consulting, P.O. Box 5877 Shreveport, LA 71135-5877. ericjbrock@aol.com
LITTLE ROCK: (Pulaski County)
Contact Congregation B'nai Israel (Reform) 3702 North Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, AR 72212; (501) 225-9700 or Congregation Agudath Achim, 7901 West 5th Street, Little Rock 72205; (501) 225-1683 or Rabbi Eugene H Levy, 3700 North Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, AR 72212 (501) 225-9700 [August 2002]
First Jewish Cemetery: {10976} section of Mt. Holly (Listed in National Register of Historic Places), 1844- . Moved to Jewish Cemetery (section of Oakland) 1913-16. names source: Natalie Hamburg, e-mail: Jakies@aol.com
Oakland Cemetery: (Cong. B'nai Israel): founded 1875 or 1863.
A list of graves at Oakland Jewish Cemetery
is part of "Arkansas Ties", a family-run website which offers
CD ROMs and photos of grave stones for modest prices. There is no charge
for access to data at the website.
http://www.arkansasties.com/Pulaski/Hebrew/Hebrew.htm
OUACHITA COUNTY: 05103
Jewish Rest Cemetery: 33º35N09º25W;
Beth el Emeth Cemetery: #00496 in Cemeteries of the US, Deborah M. Burek, ed. Gale Research Int., Detroit MI (1994) ISBN 0-8103-9245-3; submitted by Al Rosenfield, Columbus OH; e-mail: arosen@ee.net
PINE BLUFF: (Jefferson County)
Temple Anshe Emeth (Reform) 870-534-3853. Former syngagogue building at Second and Poplar Streets, Pine Bluff, Arkansas currently is First Baptist Church. [August 2002]
Anshe Emeth: Dating from 1867. At one time, two synagogues existed in Pine Bluff, one Orthodox and one Reformed. Today, there are barely 40 Jewish families in Pine Bluff, with well over half elderly widows. For the index "Cemetery Records: Pike County, Arkansas", contact: Cindy Scott, compiler, 325 Ruckel Drive, Niceville, FL 32578-1752.
PULASKI COUNTY:
Congregation B'nai Israel Cemetery: #00513 in Cemeteries of the US, Deborah M. Burek, ed. Gale Research Int., Detroit MI (1994) ISBN 0-8103-9245-3; submitted by: Al Rosenfield, Columbus OH; arosen@ee.net
TEXARKANA: (Miller County, Ark./Bowie County, Tex.)
Mt. Sinai: 1885. The synagogue, Mt. Sinai, is on the Texas side of the city and the cemetery, Mt. Sinai Jewish Cemetery, is on the Arkansas side. Source: Eric J. Brock, Historic Preservation & Planning Consulting, P.O. Box 5877 Shreveport, LA 71135-5877 (318) 797-6765, ericjbrock@aol.com" [26 January 2001]
All individuals involved in the creation of this project are volunteers.
The right to make one copy for personal use with full citation is hereby granted;
however, no profit is to be made from the use of this website's information.
No reply will be made to inquiries about specific burials. All information that we possess is on the website. We have no other information so please do not write requesting any on either burial sites or individual burials.