Jewish Sites of Interest throughout New England

The National Yiddish Book Center
1021 West Street, on the campus of Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts
The National Yiddish Book Center is a vibrant, non-profit organization working to rescue Yiddish and other modern Jewish books and celebrate the culture they contain.  Visit the beautiful new headquarters in Amherst, Massachusetts; a lively "cultural shtetl" featuring a book repository, theater, conference space, and museum exhibitions.  Telephone: 413-256-4900, 1-800-535-3595.

Touro Synagogue
85 Touro Street, Newport, Rhode Island
Touro Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the United States, having been completed in 1763.  It is considered a symbol of religious freedom in this country, in large part due to the famous letter sent by President George Washington in 1790 "To the Hebrew Congregation in Newport," that declared the new nation would "…give to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance."  Touro Synagogue is also considered to be one of the most architecturally distinguished buildings of 18th-century America and has been designated a National Historic Site.  While continuing to serve an active Jewish congregation, Touro Synagogue greets approximately 30,000 visitors each year who come to see its physical beauty and learn about its founding and history.