Judaism in New Hampshire

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New Hampshire has a small, but vibrant Jewish community of about 10000, making up 0.7% of the population.[1]

History

William Abrams and Aaron Moses arrived at New Castle or Sanbornton in 1693, coming from Israel, as the first known Jews in New Hampshire.[2] Nearly a century later, in 1789, Abraham and Rachel Isaac arrived at Portsmouth from Prussia. In Manchester, a small Jewish group prayed together on Yom Kippur in 1862. The first record of a synagogue, B’nai Yeshurun, was founded in 1890.[3]

Organizations

  • Jewish Libertarians: Promotes libertarianism from a Jewish perspective. Hosts Jewish talks as well as a Kosher Kookout and Shabbat Service at PorcFest. Monthly services and other events are held year round, including new for 5783: self-defense shoots to celebrate Hanukkah and Purim. Website, Facebook.
  • Jewish Federation of New Hampshire: Promoting Jewish continuity by enhancing and expanding a connected and vibrant Jewish community in New Hampshire, Israel, and around the world. Many programs online and in person, including an annual Jewish film festival. Library, Israeli Shlichut, and more. Website Facebook
  • New Hampshire for Israel: Supporting Israel, Educating New Hampshire. Hosts monthly meetings and annual fundraiser and picnic. Website Facebook

Synagogues and Jewish Centers

Judaism does not have denominations, as in Christianity. Instead, there is a spectrum of observance from Orthodox (conservative) to Conservative (moderate), to Reform/Reconstructionist (liberal). Sadly, despite echoes of past restrictions on Jewish religious practices by governments, most Jewish services shut down in 2020, and did not reopen until 2021, or even 2022. Even worse, many maintained the antisemitic view of disease-spreading and required cloth to be worn and medical passes to be shown.

Orthodox

See also Chabad

There is no permanent Orthodox community in New Hampshire to speak of. Several summer congregations rent space in the North Country, notably Bethlehem.

Chabad

There are three Chabad Centers in New Hampshire, located at Durham, Hanover, and Manchester.

Synagogue Location Notes Promotes
Tikkun Olam?
Concealed Carry Friendly?
Seacoast Chabad Jewish Center 72-1 Main Street
Durham, NH 03823
  • Newest Chabad
  • Affiliated with UNH
No Likely
Rohr Chabad Center at Dartmouth 19 Allen St
Hanover, NH 03755
  • Affiliated with Dartmouth
No Likely
Chabad of New Hampshire 1234 River Road
Manchester, NH 03104
  • Sanctuary faced with gorgeous Jerusalem stone
  • Libertarian friendly
No Likely

Conservative

There are three Conservative synagogues in New Hampshire, located at Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth.

Synagogue Location Notes Promotes
Tikkun Olam?
Concealed Carry Friendly?
Temple Israel 66 Salmon Street
Manchester, NH 03104
  • Most libertarian-attended
Yes Yes
Temple Beth Abraham 4 Raymond Street
Nashua, NH 03064
- Yes
LGBT
Unknown
Temple Israel 200 State Street
Portsmouth
  • Female-led services
Yes Unknown

Reform

There are five Reform centers in New Hampshire, located at Amherst, Concord, Derry, Laconia, and Manchester.

Center Location Notes Promotes
Tikkun Olam?
Concealed Carry Friendly?
Congregation Betenu 5 Northern Blvd
Unit 1
Amherst
- Yes Unlikely
Temple Beth Jacob 67 Broadway
Concord
  • LGBT-led services
  • Female-led services
Yes
LGBT
Unlikely
Etz Hayim 1½ Hood Road
Derry
- Yes Unlikely
B'nai Israel 210 Court Street
Laconia
  • Hosts Jewish Food Festival in June
  • Female-led services
Yes No!
Temple Adath Yeshurun 152 Prospect Street
Manchester
  • Hostile to libertarians
  • Female-led services
Yes
Injection reqd
Unlikely

Reconstructionist

There is one Reconstructionist center in New Hampshire, located at Keene.

Center Location Notes Promotes
Tikkun Olam?
Concealed Carry Friendly?
Congregation Ahavas Achim 84 Hastings Avenue
Keene
  • LGBT-led services
  • Female-led services
Yes Unlikely

Unaffiliated

There are three Unaffiliated centers in New Hampshire, located at Bethlehem, Hanover, and North Conway.

Center Location Notes Promotes
Tikkun Olam?
Concealed Carry Friendly?
Benei Horin Varies
  • Only libertarian congregation in the world
  • Monthly services
No Yes
Bethlehem Hebrew Congregation 39 Strawberry Hill Road
PO Box 395
Bethlehem
  • Female-led services
Yes No
Kol HaEmek Upper Valley Jewish Community 5 Occom Ridge
Hanover
- Yes Unknown
Kehilat Har Lavan PO Box 474, Bartlett
  • Newest congregation in NH
- Unknown

Defunct

There are at least four defunct synagogues in New Hampshire, located at Berlin, Claremont, Dover, and Manchester.

Synagogue Location Notes Disposition
Beth Israel 13 Exchange St
Berlin
- Dissolved 1987
Now Heritage Baptist Church
Temple Meyer David 25 Putnam Street
Claremont
- Dissolved 2020[4]
Temple Israel 36 Olive Meadow Lane
Dover
- Merged with Temple Israel at Portsmouth
Anshe Sephard 293 Central Street
Manchester, NH 03104
Beautiful Sefardic-design wood structure Split into Temple Israel and Temple Adath Yeshurun,
Building now used for apartments

References

External links