Temple Beth El is a historic synagogue building constructed in 1883 and is the oldest synagogue west of the Mississippi River in continuous use in the United States. Today, the congregation includes roughly 25 families, with members of all ages. Temple Beth El is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism.

As both a place of worship and a historic landmark, the synagogue represents more than a century of Jewish life in Jefferson City, reflecting the community’s long-standing traditions, resilience, and ongoing commitment to preserving its heritage.

I would like to thank the esteemed Gail Severance, Temple Beth El President, for her support of this article.

Temple Beth El in Jefferson City, Missouri, is recognized as the 13th oldest active synagogue in the United States still worshiping in its original building. The Jewish congregation of Jefferson City built the synagogue on the west side of Monroe Street between High and McCarty Streets in 1883. The building, measuring 38 by 25 feet (11.6 m × 7.6 m), was constructed of brick with cut-stone trim. Its neatly furnished interior included a Torah scroll handwritten on parchment. Today, Temple Beth El remains the oldest continuously operating synagogue in its original building west of the Mississippi River.

Temple Beth El is home to two historic Sefer Torah scrolls.

The congregation’s original Torah was placed in the synagogue by its founding members and dates to approximately 1815, making it more than 200 years old. The scroll was written in the German-Bohemian region of Central Europe, in an area that later became part of Czechoslovakia and is now within the Czech Republic.

A second Torah scroll, written in the early 1900s and originating from the Poland-Russia region, was acquired by the congregation in 1989 through funds provided by the estate of Gertrude Stein. Both Torah scrolls underwent professional restoration in 2010 by Rabbi Gedaliah Druin of Sofer On Site.

Today, both scrolls are considered kosher and remain in good condition despite their age. These treasured Torahs continue to serve the congregation, preserving a direct connection to more than two centuries of Jewish religious and cultural heritage.

The Jewish community of Jefferson City established its original Jewish cemetery in 1879. In the 1930s, the cemetery was relocated, and the remains of 29 individuals were respectfully moved to a newly dedicated Jewish cemetery. The original cemetery site remains an important part of the community’s history, and the fence that once enclosed the cemetery still stands as a reminder of its original location and the early Jewish settlers who helped build Jefferson City’s Jewish community.

Temple Beth El is a lay-led congregation with no resident rabbi. Shabbat........

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