Congregation B’nai Israel’s Second Rabbi

The Congregation B’nai Israel are to be congratulated for having secured the services of Rabbi A. Levi, for the next year beginning the first of September. He comes from Jefferson, Texas, where he has enjoyed a reputation for learning, piety and faithfulness. he will have in his new charge an earnest and appreciative audience, and one that is able and will be willing to aid him in making his ministry a complete success. (The Monroe Bulletin, August 25, 1880, page 3.)

Thus began the leadership role of Monroe’s second Rabbi, Aaron Levy. Rabbi Levy’s role here was short, leaving three years later in 1883. He left for better educational opportunities for his children and a large congregation in St. Louis. Rabbi Levy seemed to have had a successful career here. He even had a lively back and forth editorial debate over faith in the local newspapers with Rev. Benjamin F. White, the local Methodist minister!

Rabbi Levy and his family moved to St. Louis where he headed the Sherith Israel Congregation. He later moved back to Texas where he began Congregation Emanuel in Beaumont. He passed away there and is buried in a local cemetery.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/41239517/aaron-levy

If you are wondering about Monroe’s first known Rabbi, that was Joseph Glueck. If my research is right, he left here in 1875 for New Orleans and was the head of Jewish synagogues in Owensburg, KY, Georgia and Las Vegas. He and his wife sailed for Europe in the mid 1890’s and passed away in Hamburg, Germany in 1906.