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Congregation Beth Israel
1928

San Angelo, Texas

H. C. “Henry” Ragsdale, a San Angelo businessman believed to have been a Methodist, approached “Rabbi” Dave Goldman, a local Jew who served as the unofficial head of the San Angelo Jewish congregation at the time. Ragsdale explained to Goldman that he wanted to give land for the construction of a synagogue. Goldman was taken by surprise but was delighted.
At home his wife told him not to accept the offer; she didn’t trust those Christians. “Rabbi “ Dave checked the reaction of others and it was decided to accept the generous offer. Finally he went to his friend Henry Ragsdale and asked why he wanted to build a synagogue.

“Well you know Jesus was a Jew.”

“Yes”, Goldman replied.

“Well we believe that Jesus is going to come again someday.”

“Yes, I knew that too.”

“ Well Jesus spoke Hebrew. I figure that when he does come back we are going to

need you folks around to translate for us.”

Thus the Jewish community of San Angelo and the surrounding area had a synagogue.

As in many small, developing towns across America, Jews were not only welcomed but were encouraged to stay. By promoting the building of a synagogue in these smaller towns and cities, local citizenry was also promoting stability amongst the town population. This true as much in San Angelo, Texas as anywhere else.
Though the above story always gets a laugh, there actually was a monetary exchange 0f $1500.00 for the property as evidenced by the deed. Remember the figure $1500.00. It will resurface in this tale of Jewish San Angelo.
Furthermore the deed, dated April 7, 1928 stipulated that the property could “never be sold or leased or permitted to be occupied by negroes or Mexicans – this restriction having no relation to servants’ houses and such.” Additionally “said property shall never be sold or leased nor permitted to be occupied by prostitutes or bootleggers.” San Angelo may have been a West Texas outpost, but H.C. Ragsdale would not abide by what he perceived as an improper use of the property designated for Congregation Beth Israel.
Though a sprinkling of Jews were known to have lived there for a time during the operation of Fort Concho in the 1850’s, a greater settling of Jews occurred during the 1880’s. Marcus (also known as Michael) Koenigheim, a leading Jewish cattleman and merchant from San Antonio, acquired the original townsite for San Angelo in 1878 in lieu of a $1500.00 debt owned him. Koenigheim originally tried to get people to settle San Angelo by giving land for Methodist or Baptist churches. When San Angelo became the county seat of Tom Green County, the town finally prospered. Koenigheim encouraged Jewish merchants to settle into what became a bustling town of the West Texas desert. Jews not only came to San Angelo, but also to the surrounding smaller towns of Big Spring and Colorado City.
It is worth noting the interesting coincidence that the figure Koenigheim paid for the entire townsite, $1500.00, in 1878 was identical to that paid exactly 50 years later for the single city lot destined to hold the synagogue. Both of these exchanges were to herald prosperity and a sense of community-belonging for the Jews of San Angelo.
Gathering for religious worship services first began in 1884 in various homes in San Angelo and the surrounding tiny towns. In 1913 about 10 families formally chartered Congregation Beth Israel. By August, 1928 the Jewish community of San Angelo built a small but imposing synagogue in the Art Deco style current for its time. It is believed that there were about 40 Jewish families in the town at the time.
The synagogue has a brick exterior with cast masonry Mogen Davids decorating the front. It features lovely lancet stained glass windows which are most unusual in that they open and close. The lower floor, built slightly below ground level, contains the social hall, kitchen, bathrooms, and one, yes one, classroom. Barbara Cohen Rosenberg recalls, “there was only one small classroom in the synagogue, but as many as four or five classes met; one in the kitchen, one in the social area downstairs, one in the classroom, and one or two in the sanctuary. Classes on Sunday were taught by lay leaders as well as the Rabbi. Students were tutored individually in Hebrew during the school year, and optionally in the summer when classes were held in the Rabbi’s modest home. During the summer, the Rebbitsin Gertrude Schnayerson would prepare a snack of juice and cookies for the student.”
The upper floor has an entryway opening into the sanctuary, which is furnished with pews. The ark bears elegant blue velvet curtains. A wonderful focal point is the golden Star of David painted on the ceiling surrounding a chandelier. When one walks in ther is no doubt that this is beloved Jewish house of worship.
Though Dave Goldman, yeshiva-trained in New York, was the very popular lay rabbi and trustee for many years, San Angelo was also fortunate to have a full-time rabbi from 1951-1971. Ordained in New York in 1921, Rabbi David L. Schnayerson, a native of White Russia, had served as an assistant rabbi in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and beginning in 1929 as Rabbi of Kilgore, Texas. He later organized a Conservative congregation in Corpus Christi and finally, at age 63 was asked to be the Rabbi of Congregation Beth
Israel. Rabbi Schnayerson resigned in 1966 and continued to reside in San Angelo until his death in 1971. He was buried in the Jewish section of Lawnhaven Cemetery there.
Though the San Angelo Jewish community is greatly dwindling, the Polunsky family and several others look after the building and its schedule of services. Services are every Friday night at 7:30pm and they conduct High Holiday services. Said Robert Polunsky, “Our congregation continues to age and we have no young members with children.” A handful of congregants still show up on Friday nights as of this writing (1999).
As with many small Jewish communities, this congregation was created to serve all Jews regardless of their affinity for Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox practices. As a result, Congregation Beth Israel was never formally affiliated with any one movement and does not appear on any listing of synagogues.

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