Members of Congregation Etz Chaim in Bentonville are preparing for a historical event — the dedication of Benton County’s first synagogue.
The ceremony will be at 6 p.m. Friday at the corner of Moberly Lane and Central Avenue in Bentonville. The public is welcome.
The Jewish congregation was formed last year through the efforts of 12 families and quickly grew to about 40 families. To help meet the needs of the growing group, members joined together earlier this year to buy a building.
The growth of the Benton County congregation and the purchase of the meeting place is a sharp contrast to the trend of decline among small-town Jewish communities in America, says Stuart Rockoff, a historian with the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life in Jackson, Miss. "Here is a small-town Jewish community that is the exception. It’s growing, and incredibly fast," Rockoff says. "It’s quite amazing."
Rockoff says there are more Jews in the South than ever before, but most have moved from their small communities to larger cities. According to the records of the Jewish Federation of Arkansas, there are 11 congregations throughout the state.
Growth has occurred in Jewish congregations, but only in large urban areas like Atlanta. Small-town communities have declined. Except for Bentonville. "Bentonville really sticks out," Rockoff says. "This is just a really significant event because it’s the countertrend. Who knows, it may be the start of something new."
David Hoodis, of Bentonville, is president of Etz Chaim. He agrees that the purchase of a synagogue is a momentous event for the area, especially with the growing diversity of ethnic groups. Hoodis says the congregation grew out of families with common goals and values. Foremost was the desire to leave a legacy for their children and future generations. "We’re trying to build something," Hoodis says. "We know the fruits of our labor. We might not be here to benefit from it, but we have to start somewhere. It becomes a labor of love."
Before the purchase of the building, members met at the Bentonville Advertising and Promotions building downtown for services and held larger events at the Boys & Girls Club or at the Clarion Hotel.
Now, barely a year after forming, the group has its own home. The congregation’s first building might be small, but Hoodis says it’s a starting point on the path to the future. He says the congregation plans to stay in the facility for a few years and then try to build a larger synagogue as they continue to grow.
Ida Fineberg, of Bentonville, is a member of Congregation Etz Chaim and is thrilled that the congregation has a home of its own. "I think it’s an ‘about time’ event for this area," Fineberg says. "For some of us this means that we now have a place to go worship. We don’t have to travel."
Fineberg believes the synagogue will signal a turning point in the county by offering residents a glimpse of Jewish culture. "They will be able to celebrate with us and see what the Jewish religion is all about," she says.
Before the building was bought, some members traveled to synagogues in other cities for some events. There are 11 Jewish congregations throughout Arkansas. Fineberg would travel to a synagogue in Dallas. "Now we have a place to call our religious home, and hopefully it’s just a small steppingstone on a huge staircase that we can climb," she says, adding that the congregation will now have a place to have bar mitzvahs and other important events.
When her family first moved to Bentonville, Fineberg says her son completed his bar mitzvah training long-distance, from Arkansas to Texas, and the ceremony was held in Texas.
Fineberg says as newcomers arrive in the area they often come from urban areas where they had a place to worship, and they want the same facilities here. "We want to be able to offer people the amenities of having religious services here and all that entails for us," she says. "With the growth of this community it was bound to happen."
Fineberg says the county’s Jewish community is active. "They are doers. They accomplish a lot," she says.
The dedication ceremony will include members of other faiths and will be led by Rabbi Debra Kasoff of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Fineberg says the congregation has invited representatives of several local churches, including Catholics, Latter-day Saints, Southern Baptists, as well as Muslims and Hindus. She says the representatives in attendance will play a role in the dedication service. "They are all excited and want to share in this moment," Fineberg says.
A "gallery walk" of Jewish art, ritual objects and stories will also be on display to give non-Jewish visitors an inside look at the Jewish religion and culture.
Information is available online at www. etzchaimnwa. org or by calling (479) 544-4403.