A Light in the Prairie: Temple Emanu-El of Dallas, 1872-1997

Temple Emanu-El, the first Jewish congregation in North Texas, has played a historic role in the growth of Dallas. Founded in 1875, the temple evolved from the Hebrew Benevolent Association, organized in 1872 by eleven men who established a cemetery and held the first Jewish services. This initial gathering of pioneer Jews occurred just two weeks before the arrival of the first train—the indispensable catalyst for Dallas’ development into a bustling commercial center.

Arguably, Temple E…