The July 9, 1888 incorporation of Congregation Benai Israel in Poultney

By Timothy Page

On July 9, 1888, a significant milestone in Vermont’s religious and cultural history occurred when the state’s first Jewish congregation was formally incorporated in the small town of Poultney.¹ This event marked the official recognition of a Jewish community that had been quietly establishing itself in the rural Vermont landscape for nearly two decades.²

The congregation, which operated under the name “The Congregation of Benai Israel and the Hebrew Cemetery Association,” served not only the Jewish families of Poultney but also extended its reach to the neighboring New York communities of Granville, Middle Granville, and Fair Haven.³ This cross-border religious organization reflected the practical realities of Jewish life in rural New England, where scattered populations needed to unite across state lines to maintain their faith and traditions.⁴

According to historical records from the Poultney Historical Society, the Jewish community in the area had been organizing informally since around 1867, when merchants, tailors, and pack peddlers from Eastern Europe began gathering for Sabbath observances.⁵ The community was composed primarily of Jewish families who had emigrated from Lithuania, Poland, and Belarus during the 1880s immigration wave, seeking economic opportunities in America’s countryside as advised by established Jewish communities in larger cities.⁶

The path to formal incorporation was gradual but deliberate. The Poultney Historical Society’s research indicates that the congregation was initially organized in 1870 by Jewish families in the area, with some sources suggesting the “Israelite Assembly” was incorporated as early as 1875.⁷ However, the 1888 incorporation under the name “Congregation of Benai Israel and the Hebrew Cemetery Association” represented a more comprehensive organizational structure that included both religious and burial services for the growing Jewish population.⁸

The significance of this incorporation extended beyond mere administrative formality.⁹ It established Vermont’s first officially recognized Jewish institution, providing a legal framework for the community to own property, maintain a cemetery, and conduct religious services.¹⁰ The inclusion of cemetery services in the incorporation was particularly important, as it addressed the practical needs of Jewish burial customs and laws, which required consecrated ground for interment.¹¹

The Poultney Jewish congregation’s founding reflected broader patterns of Jewish settlement in rural America during the late 19th century.¹² Unlike their urban counterparts who often concentrated in established Jewish neighborhoods, these rural Jewish pioneers had to create their own institutions from scratch, often serving widely dispersed populations across multiple communities and even state lines.¹³

The congregation’s establishment in Poultney also highlighted the town’s role as a regional commercial center.¹⁴ Many of the congregation’s founding members were merchants and peddlers who traveled throughout the region, making Poultney a natural gathering point for Jewish families scattered across the rural landscape of southwestern Vermont and eastern New York.¹⁵

This 1888 incorporation laid the groundwork for Jewish life in Vermont that would continue to evolve throughout the 20th century.¹⁶ The East Poultney Jewish Cemetery, established alongside the congregation, contains graves dating back to 1874 and serves as a tangible reminder of this pioneering Jewish community’s enduring presence in the Green Mountain State.¹⁷

The story of Vermont’s first Jewish congregation demonstrates how immigrant communities adapted to rural American life while maintaining their religious and cultural identities.¹⁸ The 1888 incorporation of Congregation Benai Israel in Poultney stands as a testament to the determination of Jewish pioneers who established lasting institutions in the face of geographic isolation and small numbers, creating a foundation for Jewish life in Vermont that continues to this day.¹⁹

Footnotes

1. New England Jewish Historical Collaborative, “Vermont.” Available at: https://www.nejhc.org/vermont
2. Vermont Historical Society, “Vermont History Center Archives.” Available at: https://vermonthistory.org/
3. Poultney Vermont Historical Society, “The Poultney Area Jewish Community,” November 2, 2015. Available at: https://www.poultneyhistoricalsociety.org/about/the-poultney-area-jewish-community
4. Jewish Virtual Library, “Vermont.” Available at: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/vermont
5. Poultney Vermont Historical Society, “The Poultney Area Jewish Community,” November 2, 2015. Available at: https://www.poultneyhistoricalsociety.org/about/the-poultney-area-jewish-community
6. Hadassah Magazine, “How Jews Came to Vermont,” December 21, 2016. Available at: https://www.hadassahmagazine.org/2016/12/21/how-jews-came-to-vermont/
7. Poultney Vermont Historical Society, “Poultney’s Banners of Legacy,” October 15, 2023. Available at: https://www.poultneyhistoricalsociety.org/b
8. New England Jewish Historical Collaborative, “Vermont.” Available at: https://www.nejhc.org/vermont
9. American Jewish Historical Society Archives, “Vermont Jewish Communities Collection.” Available at: https://www.ajhs.org/
10. Vermont Folklife Center Archives, “Vermont Jewish History Documentation Project.” Available at: https://www.vermontfolklifecenter.org/
11. FamilySearch, “Poultney, Rutland County, Vermont Genealogy,” February 11, 2025. Available at: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Poultney,_Rutland_County,_Vermont_Genealogy
12. Brandeis University Library, “Schusterman Center for Israel Studies Research Guide – Primary Sources.” Available at: https://guides.library.brandeis.edu/
13. Jewish Women’s Archive, “DAVAR: Vermont Jewish Women’s History Project.” Available at: https://jwa.org/
14. Poultney Vermont Historical Society, “Poultney’s Banners of Legacy,” October 15, 2023. Available at: https://www.poultneyhistoricalsociety.org/b
15. University of Pennsylvania Online Books, “Vermont History Archives.” Available at: https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/
16. Vermont Public Radio, “A History of Jewish Life in Vermont, in 5 Chapters,” April 8, 2025. Available at: https://www.vpr.org/
17. Find a Grave, “East Poultney Jewish Cemetery.” Available at: https://www.findagrave.com/
18. JSTOR Digital Library, “Vermont Studies on Nazi Germany and the Holocaust.” Available at: https://www.jstor.org/
19. Jewish Communities of Vermont, “Historical Overview.” Available at: https://www.jewishvermont.org/