Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities - Bentonville, Arkansas
Historical Overview
|
Located in the far northwestern corner of Arkansas, Bentonville is an unusual Southern Jewish story. Unlike other small Jewish communities in the South, the community in Bentonville has experienced tremendous growth in the twenty-first century. This growth can be attributed to one specific factor: Bentonville is the home of America's largest company, Wal-Mart.
|
RESOURCES
History of Congregation Etz Chaim |
Stories of the Jewish Community in Bentonville
A Different Story
The Jewish community in Bentonville does not follow the typical story of the small town Jewish community in the South, one of peddlers and merchants opening stores in the nineteenth century. In fact, in 1937, no Jews were reported to live in Bentonville. Instead, the community grew along with Wal-Mart. The transformative retail company began as a five and dime store in downtown Bentonville, and as the company grew, so did the town's population. In 1990, the population of Bentonville was 11,257. By 2000, almost 20,000 people lived there; just five years later the population was up to more than 29,000. As Wal-Mart emerged as the world's largest retail operation, other companies opened offices in Bentonville to be closer to their largest customer. Among these new residents were Jews, with 100 estimated to be living in the area by 2005, a development that even attracted the attention of the national media, with a front-page feature in the New York Times in 2006. Practically all of them came from other areas of the country, and most were young families with children. In 2004, they organized Bentonville's first ever synagogue, Etz Chaim (Tree of Life). The religious school quickly became the second largest in the state.
As the small town retail trade has declined, many Jews have moved into professional and corporate careers. As a result, they have moved to economic centers like Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta, while small town Jewish populations have shrunk. As a corporate center, Bentonville provides opportunity for twenty-first-century Jews.
The Jewish community in Bentonville does not follow the typical story of the small town Jewish community in the South, one of peddlers and merchants opening stores in the nineteenth century. In fact, in 1937, no Jews were reported to live in Bentonville. Instead, the community grew along with Wal-Mart. The transformative retail company began as a five and dime store in downtown Bentonville, and as the company grew, so did the town's population. In 1990, the population of Bentonville was 11,257. By 2000, almost 20,000 people lived there; just five years later the population was up to more than 29,000. As Wal-Mart emerged as the world's largest retail operation, other companies opened offices in Bentonville to be closer to their largest customer. Among these new residents were Jews, with 100 estimated to be living in the area by 2005, a development that even attracted the attention of the national media, with a front-page feature in the New York Times in 2006. Practically all of them came from other areas of the country, and most were young families with children. In 2004, they organized Bentonville's first ever synagogue, Etz Chaim (Tree of Life). The religious school quickly became the second largest in the state.
As the small town retail trade has declined, many Jews have moved into professional and corporate careers. As a result, they have moved to economic centers like Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta, while small town Jewish populations have shrunk. As a corporate center, Bentonville provides opportunity for twenty-first-century Jews.
The Jewish Community in Bentonville Today
Bentonville is a fast-growing Jewish community, though it experiences a high degree of turnover. Many corporations who station employees in Bentonville transfer them to other offices after a few years. Despite this, Bentonville’s Jewish community will likely continue to grow in next few decades. Anticipating this growth, Chabad has recently opened a branch in town.