many Jews to move to larger cities, leaving empty storefronts to line streets of smaller cities that were once economic centers. As of 2006, there were thirteen Jewish congregations left in the state, and only two still had a full-time rabbi. Meridian as a whole has also seen a decline in population. Between the censuses in 1980 and 2000, the city's population declined over 16% from 46,577 to 39,968. By the early 21st century, there were fewer than 40 Jews remaining in the city of Meridian, most of whom were elderly. Ohel Jacob, the local Orthodox congregation, first shared services with Beth Israel on all but High Holy Days and then disbanded completely in 1990, with its handful of members joining Beth Israel. By the 2000s, there were no longer enough children in the Beth Israel congregation to support a Sunday school class or youth group. Beth Israel no longer has a full-time rabbi; instead, from 2005 to 2016 retired Rabbi David Goldstein from Touro Synagogue in New Orleans, leads services once a month. Starting September 2016, Rabbi Barry Altman, of Ormond Beach, Florida, took over as part-time rabbi. The synagogue serves about 20 member families and houses a Family Growth Services Group, which "seeks to sustain and advance the reach and contributions of the Jewish community within Meridian." In January 2010, Beth Israel launched a Family Relocation Program, which provided grants of up to $25,000 to families looking to relocate to the Meridian area. References External links Meridian Congregations, Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities 1868 establishments in Mississippi 20th-century attacks on synagogues and Jewish communal organizations in the United States Buildings and structures in Meridian, Mississippi Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Mississippi Jewish cemeteries in Mississippi Ku Klux Klan crimes in Mississippi Reform synagogues in Mississippi Religious organizations established in 1868 Synagogues in Mississippi Mississippi Landmarks National Register of Historic Places in Lauderdale County, Mississippi