THE EASTERN PANHANDLE
MARTINSBURG - BERKELEY COUNTY - WEST VIRGINIA
Beth Jacob Synagogue & Jewish Community Center
Photos - Julian H. Preisler - 2005
Martinsburg is located in the Eastern Panhandle of the state. The town was first laid out in 1773 by General Adam Stephen. Martinsburg was incorporated in 1778 and by the mid 19th century it became a center for the growing railroad industry. Later, Martinsburg became a center for textile and related mills. Jews first settled in the city sometime prior to 1870 when the Weil Family opened a retail clothing store in the town. The Fine, Levin, Katz, Kirson, & Snyder families were some of the earliest Jewish families to settle in Martinsburg. Jewish worship services and education were held in town during the latter part of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century though no congregation was formally organized. Records indicate that there was a rabbi who also served as the shochet. In 1912, Congregation Beth Jacob "Bash Yonkev" was organized as an Orthodox synagogue and thus was the first official community organization. The Martinsburg Jewish Community grew modestly with most members working in the retail & wholesale sectors. Many of the most famous and sought-after apparel stores in Martinsburg were Jewish-owned businesses. Names such as "The Hub Store", "George Katz & Son", "Katz's Economy Basement, "M. Cohen & Son", "Diamond's Smart Fashions", Louis Lipsic Men's Store, are just a few of the well-known stores that could be found along Queen Street and other locations downtown.
Beth Jacob Congregation worshipped from 1912 to 1952 in a former church building that was purchased on Pennsylvania Avenue. In 1952 a former funeral home building at 126 East Martin Street was purchased and remodeled to serve as a synagogue and a Jewish Community Center. It was around this time that the congregation moved towards the Reform mode of worship and became a member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. A Jewish burial ground, Beth Jacob Cemetery, was established in 1916. It is located adjacent to the Rosedale Cemetery outside of Martinsburg. It is a small Jewish cemetery that bears witness to the lives of the members in the community. Today, Beth Jacob Synagogue has only a few remaining member families. The Jewish businesses that once lined Queen Street are now gone and only the painted signs on some of the buildings remain. The synagogue continues to function despite its very small size, its remaining members dedicated to keeping Judaism alive in the Eastern Panhandle.
Click HERE for a List of Jewish Businesses in Martinsburg 1870-2005
Click HERE for Photographs of Jewish Businesses in Martinsburg 1870-2005
Click HERE for a List of Jewish Individuals & Families in the Eastern Panhandle 1870-2005
Click HERE for Jewish Images & Data from Charles Town & Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County
Click HERE for a List of Burials & Obituaries from Beth Jacob Cemetery in Martinsburg
More Photos & Information Coming Soon