A Symbol of Religious Freedom: A Q&A with Touro Synagogue’s Meryle Cawley
Every August, the Touro Synagogue Foundation in Newport, Rhode Island (an affiliate site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation), partners with the local congregation, Congregation Jeshuat Israel, to host a reading of George Washington’s 1790 letter “To the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island.” This letter and the fact that Rhode Island was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams on the principles of “soul liberty” is why Meryle Cawley, the executive director of the Touro Synagogue Foundation (TSF), describes the site as “a symbol of religious freedom for all Americans.”
Those who cannot visit this National Historic Site (also an affiliate of the National Park Service) in person can access a virtual online tour. The full text of Washington’s letter with additional historical context is also available on their website.
Cawley, the executive director of TSF for over ten years, shared some details on her love of history and what excites her about working at this important historic site today.
photo by: Meryle Cawley
What first inspired your love of history?
My father did not believe in taking family vacations to theme parks. Instead, we camped throughout the East Coast, stopping at historic sites and every historical marker along the way! As a child, this was often exasperating, but as an adult, I now appreciate these invaluable experiences.
What is your earliest memory of experiencing a historic site?
Washington, DC, and Mount Vernon come to mind immediately. I can vividly remember the identical outfits that my mom and aunt dressed me, my cousins, and my siblings in when we went to see the monuments in DC. I have no idea what they were thinking!
When people visit
Touro Synagogue, what do you want them to see, do, and feel while they are
there?
As the oldest synagogue in the United States and a symbol of religious freedom for all Americans, we hope anyone of any background or religion feels comfortable visiting. We stress that we do not just tell a Jewish story but an American history story. Our presentations occur in the building, creating an emotional backdrop for this important history lesson. While sitting in the space, you can feel the past rather than just passively listening.
photo by: Touro Synagogue
Exterior of Touro Synagogue
What is your favorite part of your site?
My office overlooks the synagogue and its beautiful park and garden. The vista is lovely, but I have been opening and closing the building for tours for fourteen years and still get chills when I walk inside. It is a monument to elegant simplicity and Newport’s colonial architecture. Furthermore, it is a place of importance for highlighting the ideals this country was founded on.
What project at the site is energizing you today?
Our middle school program, Pathways to Understanding, is one of my favorite projects. At the Touro Synagogue Foundation, we feel that to stem the tide of bigotry and hate, we must reach students early in their academic careers. The Pathways program aims to promote dialogue and understanding among people of all backgrounds and faiths in an interactive on-site learning experience. With funds from the Rhode Island Foundation, A Pathways to Understanding Middle School video was created during the pandemic for teachers to use in the classroom as an introduction to the in-person symposium.
For everyone who visits, we need to tell a fuller story of who lived and worked alongside the Jewish residents in town. Ironically, Newport, a city in a colony founded on religious freedom, is also where many had no freedom. Residents of all backgrounds, enslaved people, or participated in some aspect of the triangular trading system. Over the coming months, plans are to create more exhibits on this subject.
