A slice of Jewish life in Mississippi (Jackson, Greenwood: schools, stores)

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

I thought this was interesting. It was a link on Google News's front page.

Jewish History in Ruleville, Mississippi (Bonus: Early Example of Photobomb!) | Southern & Jewish - My Jewish Learning

[GrandviewGloria]

Was Miss Claude Jewish? My Delta friends of a certain age can repeat, verbatim, some of the things Miss Claude would say on her radio show, in the Seventies (on whatever channel was out of Ruleville).

Once, she played the First Baptist Kindergarten of Ruleville, singing "Delta Dawn" (the surreal Southern/Irish/Baptist Dipthong is especially pronounced when you're four years old). I've only heard Dowager Soybean Empress' reenactment of that performance (with her Butler providing backup). I'd love to hear the actual recording.

And she played bagpipe music, and all sorts of other things you didn't normally hear on the radio, in a region where Bad, Bad Leroy Brown has been the number one hit, since 1973.
Anyway, Miss Claude could make anything sound wonderful. "Her ads for Jimmy Sartin's Auto Parts made those auto parts sound so good, you wanted to go in and get you some of those auto parts - even if you had no need of auto parts."

I think that Ruleville was covered, in the film, Delta Jews.

[Neshomamench]

That was interesting. Thank you for posting that.

The lack of anything Jewish in this state is one of the things that makes it intolerable. There were once many more Jews than there are now. The Jews, like many others left as part of a talent drain that has really hurt the state.

When I try to tell people about the lack of Jewish things in Mississippi, most people do not even have enough knowledge to understand what I am telling them. They mean well, they try to tell me all about "The Temple on Old Canton" or the Doctor they saw a few years ago that had a Jewish sounding name, or that I should go to their church because they are pro Israel. It is beyond frustrating and I cant lash out at those well meaning, but ignorant people. Even when I try to explain it, few "get it." Many of the educated people here have little experience outside of the state, most of the uneducated folks have even less.

Sure there are some Jewish folks here. We know many of them and are very grateful for it, but there is no Jewish infrastructure or any real community. No schools, kosher places to eat, nothing Orthodox, no Jewish community center....

Because of this, Mississippi is missing out on being able to attract one of the most productive and the wealthiest demographic. Affiliated Jews really cant come here and if they do, they most often do not stay. All those investment dollars and all that human capital and Mississippi can not even play that game.


Anyways, just venting. Of all the things I find lacking in Mississippi, this is the one most personal to me. Having said that, the Jewish history of Mississippi is fascinating.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Originally Posted by GrandviewGloria

Was Miss Claude Jewish? My Delta friends of a certain age can repeat, verbatim, some of the things Miss Claude would say on her radio show, in the Seventies (on whatever channel was out of Ruleville).

Once, she played the First Baptist Kindergarten of Ruleville, singing "Delta Dawn" (the surreal Southern/Irish/Baptist Dipthong is especially pronounced when you're four years old). I've only heard Dowager Soybean Empress' reenactment of that performance (with her Butler providing backup). I'd love to hear the actual recording.

And she played bagpipe music, and all sorts of other things you didn't normally hear on the radio, in a region where Bad, Bad Leroy Brown has been the number one hit, since 1973.
Anyway, Miss Claude could make anything sound wonderful. "Her ads for Jimmy Sartin's Auto Parts made those auto parts sound so good, you wanted to go in and get you some of those auto parts - even if you had no need of auto parts."

I think that Ruleville was covered, in the film, Delta Jews.

I don't know a "Miss Claude". What was her last name?

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Originally Posted by Neshomamench

Sure there are some Jewish folks here. We know many of them and are very grateful for it, but there is no Jewish infrastructure or any real community. No schools, kosher places to eat, nothing Orthodox, no Jewish community center....

Some Jewish immigrants to Mississippi may have been Orthodox, but they eventually adapted Reform Judaism.
There was only one Orthodox shul in Mississippi - in Greenwood.

ISJL - Mississippi Greenwood Ahavath Rayim Encyclopedia - Institute of Southern Jewish Life

Greenwood has two Jewish cemeteries. Each temple in town founded its own.

[Neshomamench]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

Some Jewish immigrants to Mississippi may have been Orthodox, but they eventually adapted Reform Judaism.
There was only one Orthodox shul in Mississippi - in Greenwood.

ISJL - Mississippi Greenwood Ahavath Rayim Encyclopedia - Institute of Southern Jewish Life

Greenwood has two Jewish cemeteries. Each temple in town founded its own.

Actually, there were other Orthodox Synagogues in the State. For example Beth Israel, the only full time Synagogue left in the State, was Orthodox when it was founded.

From your same website.

ISJL - Mississippi Jackson Beth Israel Encyclopedia - Institute of Southern Jewish Life (I am personally loathe to use that website, while I adore their mission, and the Mississippi Jewish community has been amazing to my wife and I as newcomers, Macy Hart, their president, is the lone exception to that. He has been a dismissive jerk and in asking around, many folks agreed that is just how he is. A few people were surprised and had good things to say about him, so I'll put that out there to be fair. That is quite odd for someone who needs donors, but oh well)

.... While the congregation was founded as orthodox,...


It is also dishonest to make the claim that some Jewish immigrants may have been Orthodox but they eventually adapted to Reform Judaism. That is a false dichotomy. There are other options that most certainly happened, such as they died without adapting or they left.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Originally Posted by Neshomamench

It is also dishonest to make the claim that some Jewish immigrants may have been Orthodox but they eventually adapted to Reform Judaism. That is a false dichotomy. There are other options that most certainly happened, such as they died without adapting or they left.

Most of the Jews in the Mississippi Delta were merchants, and the Sabbath was the busiest day. Obviously they adapted to the habits of their Gentile neighbors in opening their stores on Saturday.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Originally Posted by Neshomamench

He has been a dismissive jerk...

So are you! Maybe it's your attitude rather than those of others that's the source of your woes in Mississippi.

[Neshomamench]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

Most of the Jews in the Mississippi Delta were merchants, and the Sabbath was the busiest day. Obviously they adapted to the habits of their Gentile neighbors in opening their stores on Saturday.

I have no doubt THAT is true, but that is not the same thing as your first binary statement.

Some did not change. Some left. There is another math as well, while the merchant might have adapted his family did not always and just like today, the children would often flee the state when they were old enough. There is also the truth that a number of people might have started doing things that were not orthodox, but that does not mean they became reformed.

I am not observant. (I don't follow all the rules) but that does not make me reformed. When I do Jewish things, I do them in an orthodox manner. To be reformed is a choice. That is a distinct Jewish sect. You don't become that by default because you stop being observant of another sect.

[Neshomamench]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

So are you! Maybe it's your attitude rather than those of others that's the source of your woes in Mississippi.

I am always conscious of that as a possibility but the truth about Mississippi, its talent drain, its inability to attract and keep talent and its rankings are pretty good proof that consensus is on my side as well as it can be for any State in the union.