The Lincoln County Historical and Genealogical Society welcomed a speaker on Jewish history in Mississippi Thursday night.

     Dr. Stuart Rockoff, president of the Southern Jewish Historical Society, spoke to a crowd at the Jimmy Furlow Senior Citizen Center about the somewhat surprising history of Jews in the state.

     Rockoff said many think that Mississippi is and was a place where no Jews live, as they are much more prominent in large cities such as New York. Despite making up less than 1 percent of the population, Rockoff went over how Jews have made an impact in the state.

     Lincoln County Historical and Genealogical Society Curator Rita Rich said the presentation enlightened many in attendance.

     “Most people here aren’t familiar with Judaism,” she said. “They don’t know much about their beliefs or culture.”

     During the presentation, Rockoff relayed how the first Jews came to the state, their businesses, influences and their legacy.

     The first Jews came to Mississippi in the late 18th century as peddlers, or merchants. Rockoff said they were concentrated in cities along the Mississippi River, as many had previously lived in New Orleans.

     These peddlers were forced to move often because of the nature of their job, but eventually they settled in a location. Many went on to build stores that sold a wide array of dry goods.

     “Stores operated by Jews often had things you could not find elsewhere,” said Rockoff. “Many imported items from all over the country.”

     The city with the strongest Jewish influence was Meridian. Rockoff said Jews operated numerous businesses there.

     At its peak, there were once 22 cities with Jewish synagogues, including Brookhaven, but today that number has dwindled to 11. At least 23 Jews have been elected mayor of 18 Mississippi cities. That includes three in Brookhaven.

     “Their presence was very visible despite their small numbers,” said Rockoff.

     When trying to assimilate into American culture, many Jews adopted elements of Protestant services and culture. Rockoff said one unique thing about Jews in Mississippi was that most ate pork, which is against traditional Jewish beliefs.

     “Almost everything in Mississippi has pork in it,” said Rockoff. “The Jews understood that and did what they had to do.”

     Today, the number of Jews in the state has dwindled to 1,500 from around 5,000 at its peak. Most Jews today are centered in Jackson, as Rockoff said they are drawn to that area by its status and the health care and business center of the state.

     In the future, Rockoff said he expects the current trends to keep up.

     “I expect to see the continued decline of small towns and stability in Jackson,” he said.