Congregation Beth Israel

Founded in 1881, Congregation Beth Israel at 301 East Jefferson Street is the oldest continuously operating synagogue in Virginia. Its roots go back to the Charlottesville Hebrew Benevolent Society, established in 1870 for cemetery purposes. In August 2017, white nationalists marched past during the Unite the Right rally, directing antisemitic threats at the building — including calls to burn it down — while services continued inside. The rabbis kept going. So did the congregation.