A Look at Brownsville's Jewish Community

Photo of Kowalski House ©Brownsville Station

By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon

Brownsville may be known as a homogeneous community, but nothing could be further from the truth. While census numbers put the number of Brownsville's Hispanic population at 94%, there is a kaleidoscope of cultures that intersect at the crossroads of the hemisphere.

In the recent days, the American (and the global) Jewish community has come under attack. Everything from the conflict between Israel and Palestine to the inappropriate and vomit-inducing comments neo-Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has made comparing wearing a mask during Covid to the Nazis forcing Jews to wear the identifying Star of David during the Holocaust, anti-Semitic sentiment and hate crimes have increased across the country.

The Jewish community and the Jewish people have endured arguably one of the most horrific tragedies in the annals of world history. The Holocaust has to be at the very top of the list of the black marks on all of humankind. There is no excuse for any politician to compare the inconvenience of having to wear a mask to the horrors of being sent to concentration and death camps. 

Instead of focusing on the negative, it might be in our interest to recognize everything positive the Jewish community has done to help build  Brownsville and move Brownsville forward.

Brownsville's Jewish community can be traced back to the founding of Brownsville and the Mexican-American War. One of the first Jewish settlers to arrive in the area was Simon Mussina. He arrived in Matamoros in 1845 and became a newspaperman, acquiring the publication The American Flag. Eventually, he would become a substantial landowner, purchasing territory in the area that would officially become part of the United States after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. Mussina is considered one of the city's founders along with Charles Stillman.

After Brownsville was established in 1848, several other Jewish families would settle in the area. When the Civil War broke out, some Jewish families would move to Matamoros, as they were Union sympathizers (and Texas would secede to join the Confederacy). More Jewish merchants coming from Galveston would set up shop in Matamoros to avoid the blockade the Union Navy was imposing on Gulf Coast port cities. This would start a Galveston-Brownsville-Matamoros connection that continues to this day.

Members of Brownsville's Jewish community distinguished themselves as prominent community leaders. They would serve faithfully as mayors, city commissioners, and county judges. Perhaps the most well known of these early city leaders is Benjamin Kowalski who was elected mayor in 1912. The Kowalski House, the home built for the mayor, still stands and can be seen in the downtown area.

Other civic organizations like the Brownsville Rotary Club and the Masons were led by members of our Jewish community.

Perhaps the most important contribution the Jewish community made to Brownsville and its early development was the impact on our economy. The Bollack family owned a general store that provided goods to the people of Brownsville. Another important businessman was Sam Perl. Perl was not only a clothing and textile merchant, he was the lay-leader for the community. Mr. Perl woild frequently take trips across the border into Matamoros to ferry customers over the border so they could shop in downtown Brownsville, a trend that continued until the current border crossing restrictions were put in place. The Sam Perl legacy forever linked Brownsville's economic prosperity to attracting customers from the other side of the Rio Grande. Today, the route that cuts through downtown through East 12th Street turns into Sam Perl Boulevard as you pass by Hope Park and head towards El Puente Viejo — a fitting homage to the man who helped make downtown prosper.

Another unforgettable name among Brownsville's civic and business leaders is Edelstein. Morris Edelstein set up his furniture business in town, but it was his son Ruben who really expanded the business. After returning from WWII where he served in the army as a Captain in the field artillery, Edelstein's expanded from six stores to fourteen, offering several Brownsvillians furniture for their homes. Before the days of FAMSA, Lack's, and Rent-A-Center, Edelstein's was there to furnish your home. If your home was built in the early to mid 20th century in Brownsville, you probably have a piece or two of Edelstein's furniture. 

Not only was Ruben Edelstein a successful merchant, he also served as mayor from 1975-1979. During his tenure as mayor he helped establish the Brownsville Community Health Clinic, the Brownsville EMS, and the first public transit system in the Rio Grande Valley — The Brownsville Urban System (now known as the Brownsville Metro).

Several other members of Brownsville's Jewish community have served the citizenry over the years as members of the medical profession, public school teachers, and college professors. Although the Jewish community is not the largest population in town, their contributions to Brownsville and its progress into modernity can not, and will not, never be forgotten.

I'm a born and raised Brownvillian, and a good-as-can-be South Texas lapsed Catholic, but I stand in solidarity with my Jewish brothers and sisters, and my heart breaks for the pain, suffering, and despicable acts they have had to endure. But as sure as the sun comes up tomorrow, Brownsville wouldn't be where it is had it not been for the contributions the Jewish community has made over the past 170 years.




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