History of Jewish Washington, D.C.

How the Jewish population in the greater Washington D.C. area grew over the years: 
1847: 25 known Jewish residents in Washington D.C. 
1861: 200 known Jewish residents in Washington D.C. 
1865: 2,000 known Jewish residents in Washington D.C. 
1920: 10,000 Jewish residents in Washington D.C. 
1945: 20,000 Jewish residents in Washington D.C. 
1956: 81,000 Jews in the greater D.C. area, with half moving to the D.C. Suburbs
1970: 110,000 Jews in the greater D.C. area
1997: 165,000 Jews in the greater D.C. area
2005: 215,000 Jews in the greater DC area 
2020: 369,000 Jews in the greater DC area

The History of Jewish Washington D.C.

1795 - Arrival in D.C. of Isaac Polock, the first known Jewish person to live in Washington D.C.

1839 - Rosa Mordecai, the first known Jewish baby to be born in Washington D.C., was born

1852 - Washington D.C.’s first Jewish congregation, Washington Hebrew Congregation, was founded.  

1856 (June 2) - “An Act for the Benefit of the Hebrew Congregation in the city of Washington” was signed by President Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States.

1861 - Washington’s first Jewish school opened  

1864 - the Elijah Lodge, the first Washington Lodge of B’nai Brith, opened

1869 - Adas Israel Congregation was founded when a small group of traditionalists left Washington Hebrew Congregation after liturgical changes were implemented and organ was added.   

1901 - Founding of Washington Zionist Organization  

1909 - Founding of the Hebrew Free Loan Society

1913 - National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods was founded by Carrie Simon, the wife of Rabbi Abram Simon of WHC.

1919 - The first Hadassah chapter in D.C. was established by Henrietta Szold

1926 - First Jewish Community Center opened one mile from the White House

1930 - National Jewish Ledger (now Washington Jewish Week) began publication

1938 - Jewish Community Council was founded 

1943 - National office of B’nai Brith International was founded

1946 - The D.C. local United Jewish Appeal met its first million-dollar campaign to help meet the overwhelming economic and social needs of Jewish immigrants in Palestine.

1947 - Washington Jews tapped personal connections in the embassies and the White House to influence the UN vote on the partition of Palestine.

1948 - A large crowd of Washington Jews gathered at the Jewish Agency building on Massachusetts Ave NW as David Ben-Gurion proclaimed Israeli Independence on May 14.

1950 - Formation of Temple Sinai after 7 families broke away from Washington Hebrew Congregation. Before they purchased a building, they met at the National Cathedral.

1958 - National Museum of American Jewish Military History was founded

1962 - The Religious Action Center building was dedicated at 2027 Massachusetts Avenue, NW in Washington D.C.

1963 - Founding of Temple Micah

1964-1965 - The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were both drafted in the conference room of the RAC's building in Washington, D.C., under the aegis of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (which for decades was housed in the Center).

1969 - the JCC, Hebrew Home for Aged, and Jewish Social Services relocated to Rockville, Maryland following riots.

1993 - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened adjacent to the National Mall under President Jimmy Carter. 

2022 - the District adopted a “Sense of the Council Condemning Antisemitism Resolution of 2022” that denounced anti-Semitism and all hateful speech and violent acts in D.C.

2025 - over 200 ACC and GTM Members attend the annual convention and celebrate 50 years of women in the cantorate!