Abraham Ehrlich, born in Gehause, Germany in 1841, was one of the first Jewish settlers in Bainbridge, moving to the community from Valdosta in 1869. A peddler by trade, he served in the Georgia infantry in the Civil War, and was wounded at Chickamauga. His brothers, Henry and Lewis, migrated from Germany after the war. Abraham and Henry established a dry goods business in Bainbridge and Lewis had a butcher shop. Abraham died from an infection in the wound he received at Chickamauga. Lewis and Henry became the leaders of the local Jewish community, which soon included the Kwilecki and Nussbaum families.

The Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities notes that by 1878, an estimated 53 Jews lived in Bainbridge. Most of the male breadwinners worked in retail trade. This growing number of Jews began to meet together. In 1900, Rosalie Kwilecki began a Sunday School to teach the tenets of Judaism to her community, and remained its leader for over 50 years. The Reform congregation was established in 1902 and met in members’ homes until the dedication of this synagogue in 1916. The Jewish community in Bainbridge peaked in 1927 with over 220 members. By 1937, the American Jewish Year Book counted just 42 Jews in Bainbridge, largely due to the effects of the Great Depression.

Beth El’s membership continued to dwindle over the decades but remained an active small community. In 2018, the decision was made to dissolve the congregation and sell the synagogue. It’s presently a short-term rental property.

Bainbridge Residential Historic District, National Register of Historic Places