The Jewish Community of Natchez

Jewish merchants and cotton traders began arriving in Natchez in the 1840s and quickly became some of the city's most prominent citizens. They built Temple B'nai Israel — now a Moorish Revival landmark — and operated businesses on Main Street. During the Civil War, some served in the Confederate army; others navigated the occupation as neutral merchants. The Jewish community maintained deep roots in Natchez for over a century, though the congregation has shrunk dramatically. Their story adds a layer to Natchez that complicates the simple Black-white narrative most visitors arrive with.