Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities - Ruleville, Mississippi
Overview >> Mississippi >> Ruleville
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Ruleville, Mississippi, is in the heart of the Mississippi Delta’s cotton-growing region. The Rule brothers were the first settlers there, and the town was named in their honor. The location of the railroad, which supplanted the river as the lifeline of the Delta, determined the site of Ruleville and sparked its growth and development. Many Jewish immigrants moved there in the late 1800s and early 1900s to serve as peddlers and merchants in the growing region. The Jewish population of Ruleville peaked in 1937 with 26 Jews. Although no Jews live there now, their legacy lives on through personal stories and memorabilia that show a small but tight-knit community of Jews
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Early settlers:
Ruleville settler Jacob Levingston established a mercantile business in 1897. Born in Poland in 1873, he came to New York. He moved to Louisville and traveled south as a peddler. Settling in Ruleville, he became one of the most successful merchants and planters in the country. He also helped found the Planters Bank and Trust Company. His cousin, Oscar Levingston, also purchased a good deal of farm land. Hyman Pinsky emigrated from Poland and immediately moved to Ruleville because his uncle was already settled there, and established a grocery store. Like many enterprising Jews in the South, Pinsky started by peddling with a pack on his back until he had enough money to open up a general store called Pinsky's. He married Gertrude Oser, who came to the United States from Lithuania by herself but had sisters in the U.S. Mrs. Pinsky tried to keep Kosher and kept two sets of silverware. For middle-class Jewish families like hers living in the Deep South, keeping kosher was difficult because, rather than supervising the cooking themselves, women typically relied on African Americans maid, who were unfamiliar with the rules of kashrut. Louis Silverblatt came to Ruleville in the early 20th century to run a grocery store. His sister Hinda, had married Max Kaplan, a wealthy farmer in Drew. Hinda was reportedly a very shrewd business woman and for many years lived at the Gayoso Hotel in Memphis. From there she would send for and finance family members, one a year, to move to the U.S.A. Louis' son, Paul, eventually took over the store and opened a dry-goods store in Drew. Silverblatt eventually closed the store in Ruleville but spent his retirement years in Ruleville. Paul’s son Alan continued the merchant tradition by opening up a store called Young Ideas in Indianola, Mississippi. |
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Jewish life in Ruleville:
Jews living in small communities like Ruleville typically faced little anti-Semitism given the assimilatory nature of small town living. However, Jews sometimes felt slighted because of their religious and ethnic identity. When one of the Pinsky daughters, Dorothy, graduated High School, she was not allowed to be valedictorian despite having the highest grades in her class. Instead, the honor was given to a Christian male student. Originating from Latvia, The Dattel family settled in Ruleville and opened a dry goods store. Like many Jewish merchants, the Dattels catered to African American customers. Their busiest shopping day fell on Saturday, as sharecroppers and tenant farmers came to shop on their day off. This somewhat intimate customer-client relationship between Jews and African Americans would help small communities like Ruleville eventually allow African Americans to have greater economic and social mobility over the course of the twentieth century. Jews were not only active in the local economy of Ruleville; they were also avid participants in important community rituals, particularly sports. Of the large number of Jews in the Delta in those days, Dattel said: “There were so many Jewish athletes that the high school football coaches would call the rabbi to find out when the high holy days were so they could schedule football games.” Like many of the area’s Jews, the Dattels made friends with non-Jews, played sports, and tapped into the allure of Ole Miss football. Jews were also heavily involved in civic and social affairs of Ruleville. Earl Flowers and Isadore Dattel served as program directors for the Ruleville Dixie Day Committee. Mrs. Oscar Levinston served as president of Ruleville garden club. Jews were also supportive of their Christian neighbors. For instance, Paul Silverblatt donated part of his land to the local Baptist church and Church of Christ. Although Ruleville never had a formal congregation, the Jewish community organized in other meaningful ways. For instance, in the 1920s they established a Sunday school for the Ruleville/Drew Jewish children. After Cleveland established a temple in 1929, the school disbanded and students attended the school in Cleveland. |
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The Busy Bees:
The women of Ruleville and Drew organized a local women’s organization in 1915 under the name “Busy Bees,” which combined the Jewish sewing circles of Ruleville and Drew with discussion sessions and charity drives. Minute book records from meetings in Ruleville during 1921-1931 demonstrate a lively group that fulfilled the economic, cultural, and social needs of small town Southern Jewish women. Members raised and donated money to charities like the Jewish Relief Fund, the Jewish Orphanage of New Orleans, the General Israel Home for Girls of Palestine, United Charity of Jerusalem, the House of the Daughters of Jacob, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and the HUC scholarship fund. The members also involved themselves in local civic groups. For instance, in 1925, records show that they served lunch for the Rotary Club. Members tried to cultivate religious identity through various means. For example, during roll call, members had to signify their presence by citing a Biblical quotation. They also began and ended their meetings with prayer. The presentation of “papers” was another form of Jewish content in their meetings. Individual women delivered papers on topics including: “We Call Judaism a Tree of Life,” “Why the B’nai B’rith, “Jewish Student Life in Pairs,” the “Pulitzer Prize of the Year,” and “Thinking Aloud.” The ladies officially joined the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods in 1927; after that, they officially changed their name to the “Sisterhood.” Starting in 1929, they held joint meetings with the sisterhood at the Cleveland Temple, and by 1930, they decided to combine their groups into the Cleveland Sisterhood.
The women of Ruleville and Drew organized a local women’s organization in 1915 under the name “Busy Bees,” which combined the Jewish sewing circles of Ruleville and Drew with discussion sessions and charity drives. Minute book records from meetings in Ruleville during 1921-1931 demonstrate a lively group that fulfilled the economic, cultural, and social needs of small town Southern Jewish women. Members raised and donated money to charities like the Jewish Relief Fund, the Jewish Orphanage of New Orleans, the General Israel Home for Girls of Palestine, United Charity of Jerusalem, the House of the Daughters of Jacob, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and the HUC scholarship fund. The members also involved themselves in local civic groups. For instance, in 1925, records show that they served lunch for the Rotary Club. Members tried to cultivate religious identity through various means. For example, during roll call, members had to signify their presence by citing a Biblical quotation. They also began and ended their meetings with prayer. The presentation of “papers” was another form of Jewish content in their meetings. Individual women delivered papers on topics including: “We Call Judaism a Tree of Life,” “Why the B’nai B’rith, “Jewish Student Life in Pairs,” the “Pulitzer Prize of the Year,” and “Thinking Aloud.” The ladies officially joined the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods in 1927; after that, they officially changed their name to the “Sisterhood.” Starting in 1929, they held joint meetings with the sisterhood at the Cleveland Temple, and by 1930, they decided to combine their groups into the Cleveland Sisterhood.
A declining Jewish population:
Prior to 1950, Ruleville had been a commissary town, in which the economy was based almost totally on agriculture with an emphasis on cotton. During the Depression, labor was plentiful. After World War II, labor became scarce. Attempts were made to attract industry; but, because the town had no hospital or sewer system, industrialists were reluctant to locate here. As a result, the Jewish community of Ruleville scattered to the winds to seek out economic opportunities in other places.
Prior to 1950, Ruleville had been a commissary town, in which the economy was based almost totally on agriculture with an emphasis on cotton. During the Depression, labor was plentiful. After World War II, labor became scarce. Attempts were made to attract industry; but, because the town had no hospital or sewer system, industrialists were reluctant to locate here. As a result, the Jewish community of Ruleville scattered to the winds to seek out economic opportunities in other places.
Civil Rights Era Ruleville:
During the Civil Rights era, Ruleville was home to a few Northern Jewish volunteers. For instance, Elizabeth Aaronsohn went down to Mississippi as a Freedom School teacher. Her first location was in Ruleville, where she stayed for a while with Fanny Lou Hamer, a voting rights activist, and civil rights leader. Heather Tobias Booth also worked in a freedom school in Ruleville.
During the Civil Rights era, Ruleville was home to a few Northern Jewish volunteers. For instance, Elizabeth Aaronsohn went down to Mississippi as a Freedom School teacher. Her first location was in Ruleville, where she stayed for a while with Fanny Lou Hamer, a voting rights activist, and civil rights leader. Heather Tobias Booth also worked in a freedom school in Ruleville.
Present Day Ruleville:
Today in the tiny town of Ruleville, little evidence point to a once small but active Jewish community. It is a story that is all too common, as small towns like Ruleville diminish in importance. The memory of this legacy lives on through personal antidotes and treasured memories that remind us of how Judaism continues to survive in even the smallest places.
Today in the tiny town of Ruleville, little evidence point to a once small but active Jewish community. It is a story that is all too common, as small towns like Ruleville diminish in importance. The memory of this legacy lives on through personal antidotes and treasured memories that remind us of how Judaism continues to survive in even the smallest places.
Sources:
Kahn, Dorothy. Interview with Marvin Bonowitz. June 4, 2004. Columbus Historical Society. http://columbusjewishhistory.org/?post_&p=1722. Accessed May 19, 2015.
Hemphill, Marie M. Fevers, Floods and Faith: A History of Sunflower County, Mississippi, 1844-1976 (Indianola, Miss: Sunflower County Historical Society, 1980)
Robertson, John A. and Tom Conger. Early History of the town of Ruleville. (Greenville, Miss.: Democrat Printing Co., 1965).
Levingston, Jon. Interview with Shana Walton. July 13, 2000. Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage at the University of Southern Mississippi. http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/spcol/coh/cohlevingstonj.html. Accessed May 19, 2015.
Nelson, Rex. “Cotton picking time down South.” http://www.rexnelsonsouthernfried.com/?p=2827. Acessed May 19, 2015.
Tuckman, Vicki Seren, “The Role of Jewish Women in the American South: A Look at Four Jewish Communities.” Cincinnati: Fall 2000. American Jewish Archives
Kahn, Dorothy. Interview with Marvin Bonowitz. June 4, 2004. Columbus Historical Society. http://columbusjewishhistory.org/?post_&p=1722. Accessed May 19, 2015.
Hemphill, Marie M. Fevers, Floods and Faith: A History of Sunflower County, Mississippi, 1844-1976 (Indianola, Miss: Sunflower County Historical Society, 1980)
Robertson, John A. and Tom Conger. Early History of the town of Ruleville. (Greenville, Miss.: Democrat Printing Co., 1965).
Levingston, Jon. Interview with Shana Walton. July 13, 2000. Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage at the University of Southern Mississippi. http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/spcol/coh/cohlevingstonj.html. Accessed May 19, 2015.
Nelson, Rex. “Cotton picking time down South.” http://www.rexnelsonsouthernfried.com/?p=2827. Acessed May 19, 2015.
Tuckman, Vicki Seren, “The Role of Jewish Women in the American South: A Look at Four Jewish Communities.” Cincinnati: Fall 2000. American Jewish Archives