Touro Synagogue

Touro Synagogue Review

Jews were attracted by Rhode Island's religious tolerance; they arrived in Newport as early as 1658, possibly from Holland or the West Indies. At first they worshipped in homes, but by 1758 they were numerous enough to begin building a synagogue. Dedicated in 1763, the Touro Synagogue is the oldest surviving synagogue in the United States. Simple on the outside, the Georgian building, designed by Peter Harrison, has an elaborate interior that was fully renovated in 2005. Its classical style influenced Thomas Jefferson in the building of Monticello and the University of Virginia. In August 2009, the John L. Loeb Visitors Center opened on the synagogue property; it contains two floors of state-of-the-art exhibits and multimedia presentations that interpret early American Jewish life as well as the Colonial history of Newport.