Touro Synagogue: The Oldest Synagogue in the United States
Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, dedicated in 1763, is the oldest surviving synagogue in the United States. George Washington's famous letter to the congregation remains a cornerstone of American religious liberty.
A Small Building with an Enormous Legacy
On a quiet street in Newport, Rhode Island, stands a modest Georgian building that played an outsized role in American history. Touro Synagogue — dedicated on December 2, 1763 — is the oldest surviving synagogue building in the United States, a National Historic Landmark, and the site of one of the most important statements on religious freedom ever written by an American president.
The building is small. The congregation that built it was small. But the principles it came to represent are foundational to American democracy.
The Sephardi Community of Newport
Newport’s Jewish community traces its origins to approximately fifteen Sephardi Jewish families who arrived in Rhode Island in the 1650s, drawn by the colony’s guarantee of religious freedom — a principle established by its founder, Roger Williams. Rhode Island was, from its inception, more tolerant of religious diversity than most of the other colonies.
The community grew slowly. By the mid-eighteenth century, Newport’s Jews were prosperous merchants involved in shipping, trade, and the spermaceti candle industry. They organized themselves as Congregation Jeshuat Israel and began planning a permanent house of worship.
Peter Harrison’s Design
The congregation hired Peter Harrison, considered America’s first professional architect, to design their synagogue. Harrison had designed other notable Newport buildings, including the Redwood Library and the Brick Market.
Harrison created a masterpiece of Georgian colonial architecture with a Sephardi interior layout. The building’s exterior is deliberately understated — no visible Star of David, no exterior ornamentation that would identify it as a synagogue. This restraint reflected both Georgian aesthetic sensibility and, perhaps, centuries of Jewish experience suggesting the wisdom of not drawing attention.
Interior and Symbolism
Inside, twelve columns support the gallery — representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The Ark faces east, toward Jerusalem. The bimah is centrally placed, following Sephardi custom. A trapdoor beneath the bimah, discovered during later renovations, has sparked theories about its purpose — some suggest it may have been an escape route, echoing the community’s history of flight from persecution, or a space for hiding during emergencies.
Five massive brass candelabras illuminate the space, and the women’s gallery is supported by elegant Ionic columns.
Washington’s Letter
In 1790, President George Washington visited Newport. Moses Seixas, the warden of Touro Synagogue, wrote to Washington expressing gratitude for a government “which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” Washington’s reply adopted Seixas’s own language, writing:
“The Government of the United States…gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens.”
This exchange is one of the earliest and most powerful presidential affirmations of religious liberty in American history. Washington’s letter is regularly cited in Supreme Court opinions and remains a touchstone for discussions of the First Amendment.
Decline and Revival
After the American Revolution, Newport’s economy declined, and many Jewish families relocated to larger cities. By the early nineteenth century, the congregation had essentially dissolved. The synagogue building survived thanks to the philanthropy of Judah Touro, a New Orleans businessman born in Newport, who left funds for its maintenance. The synagogue was named in his honor.
The congregation revived in the late nineteenth century, largely through the arrival of Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants who adopted the historic Sephardi synagogue as their own.
A National Treasure
Today Touro Synagogue is both a functioning congregation and a National Historic Site. Visitors tour the building, learn about colonial Jewish life, and reflect on the principles of religious freedom that the synagogue has come to symbolize. It stands as proof that America’s promise of liberty was, from the beginning, meant to include everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Touro Synagogue important in American history?
Beyond being the oldest surviving synagogue in the United States, Touro Synagogue is significant because of George Washington's 1790 letter to its congregation, in which he affirmed that the U.S. government 'gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.' This letter is considered one of the foundational statements of American religious liberty.
Who were the original members of Touro Synagogue?
The congregation, Jeshuat Israel, was founded by Sephardi Jewish families — descendants of Jews who had fled the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions. Many came to Newport via the Caribbean, particularly from Barbados and Curaçao. They were merchants involved in colonial trade.
Is Touro Synagogue still active?
Yes. Touro Synagogue remains an active congregation (Congregation Jeshuat Israel) and holds regular Shabbat and holiday services. It is also a National Historic Site administered in partnership with the National Park Service, and it welcomes thousands of visitors annually.