The Rhode Island Supreme Court has ruled that a New York City-based synagogue can evict a Newport congregation from the nation’s oldest synagogue, ending a years-long legal battle over Touro Synagogue and its historic treasures.
In a decision issued Thursday, the court upheld a 2023 ruling by Superior Court Judge Maureen B. Keough, allowing Congregation Shearith Israel of Manhattan to remove Congregation Jeshuat Israel from the Touro Synagogue property. The ruling clears the way for Shearith Israel to assume full control of the 18th-century synagogue and its valuable possessions, including Colonial-era Torah bells worth millions.
The case centers on a dispute dating back to 2012, when Congregation Jeshuat Israel sought to sell the ceremonial bells to raise funds. Shearith Israel objected, claiming ownership of the synagogue and its artifacts.
Jeshuat Israel has been the primary occupant of the Newport landmark for more than a century, but Shearith Israel — the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S. — holds the legal deed to the property.
Shearith Israel said it plans a “seamless transition” and will bring in a new congregation, Congregation Ahavath Israel of Newport, to continue religious services at Touro.
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