Who We Are

Congregation Agudath Jacob is a warm and caring community of Jews who belong to the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. We are a mix of native Texans and others who have chosen to live in the Heart of Texas and like to celebrate being Jewish together in a traditional but egalitarian way. We are also a mix of ages from families with young children to nonagenarians.

The congregation has about 80 family member units, with 2/3 of them living in the immediate Waco area. Others join for various reasons including proximity, simply supporting the congregation, or wanting a plot in our congregational cemetery.

In addition to regular prayer services, we offer the opportunity for a full complement of educational, social, and cultural programming.

History

In 1870, only fifty of Waco’s 3,168 residents were Jewish.  The Hebrew Benevolent Association and Cemetery of Waco were incorporated in 1873.  The association was Waco’s earliest Jewish community organization.  Its purpose was to support local Jewish settlers.
In the early 1880s political unrest in many Eastern European countries let to heavy migration to the United States.  Consequently Waco’s Jewish population grew rapidly.

In 1886, fifteen Orthodox Jewish families brought Rabbi Samuel Levy to Waco.  Two years later in 1888, Agudath Jacob, Waco’s first Orthodox Jewish congregation, received its charter.  By that time the number of Jewish families in Waco had grown to one hundred.  Worship services were conducted in a rented room over a grocery store until 1894, when the congregation erected a frame synagogue at 624 Columbus Avenue.  In 1914 a new brick synagogue was erected at the site and Agudath Jacob membership rose to fifty families.  The congregation included a Ladies Auxiliary Society and the Talmud Torah Religious School.  In 1923, a Hebrew Institute was added to the Columbus Avenue facility.  A new synagogue which included a Social Hall and classrooms was built in 1950 at 15th and Jefferson Streets.

In 1966 the Traditional Orthodox congregation voted to ally itself with the conservative movement.  The congregation erected a new synagogue on Hillcrest Drive in 1972, and in 1993 added a Hebrew school.  Included among the congregations longtime leaders are Rev. Samuel Levy, who served for 62 years until his death in 1948; the Rev J. M. Rosenberg, who served as congregation secretary for 27 years; and Rabbi Charles Blumenthal, who served for 18 years.

Services

Agudath Jacob holds services every shabbat and on holidays. Daily minyanim can be arranged by request for shiva (mourners) and yahrzeits (anniversaries of deaths).

Kabbalat Shabbat services are held Friday evenings in the main sanctuary at 6:00 p.m. This service generally lasts an hour or so.

Shabbat shacharit servcies are held Saturday mornings in the Chapel at 9:30 a.m., and last about two hours or so. This includes a Torah discussion and reading. Kiddush and snacks follow the service.

Holiday service times are announced in the bulletin and the email announcements.