82R5191 JBA-D
By: Naishtat H.R. No. 178
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Congregation Beth Israel of Austin is celebrating
the 135th anniversary of its founding in 2011; and
WHEREAS, On September 24, 1876, a group of 30 Jews gathered at
the Odd Fellow's Hall at Sixth Street and Congress Avenue and
started Congregation Beth Israel; members completed their first
temple in 1884 at the corner of 11th Street and San Jacinto
Boulevard and hired the first full-time rabbi in 1892; through the
decades, the congregation has grown and prospered, becoming a focal
point of worship and social interaction for the Jewish community of
Central Texas; and
WHEREAS, Beth Israel has played a vital role in the lives of
its congregants over the course of its history; education for both
young and old is a continuing priority, and great emphasis is placed
on Hebrew school and the study of the Torah; and
WHEREAS, As Austin's population has expanded, so too has the
congregation's membership, which nearly doubled between 1983 and
1995; Beth Israel's mission has been furthered by such groups as the
Sisterhood and the Brotherhood; founded in 1940, the CBI Sisterhood
carries out a variety of educational, social, and religious
programs and projects; the men's service committee, the
Brotherhood, was begun in 1955 and sponsors cultural and
recreational activities in addition to its myriad other
contributions to the congregation; and
WHEREAS, Beth Israel is also a positive force in the greater
Austin community; its Mitzvah of the Month initiative provides
donations to worthy organizations that have included the Town Lake
Animal Center, Micah 6 of Austin, SafePlace, and Barbara Jordan
Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, Congregation Beth Israel has long served as a source
of inspiration and guidance to those who worship there, and its
continued existence is a tribute to the unwavering commitment of
its members and clergy, both past and present; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate all those associated with
Congregation Beth Israel on its 135th anniversary and extend to
them sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Congregation Beth Israel as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.