As a result of the Revolutionary war Newport declined. Many of the residents including the entire Jewish community left. Eventually the synagogue building became the property of Congregation Shearith Israel from New York City. Shearith Israel was the oldest congregation in North America. The colonial Jewish congregation, Yeshuat Israel was the second oldest. By the 1880s enough Jews were in Newport to hold regular services.Some of the them came from Russian Poland and Austrian Poland (Galicia). In the early
Shearith Israel sent a several rabbis to Newport to lead worship in the Synagogue. Congregation Jeshuat Israel was founded in 1893. The Newport Jewish community constituted several factions, including the Touro Congregation, incorporated in 1899. When all were locked out of the synagogue, some of them broke into the synagogue in an attempt to dispute ownership of the building in court. This failed. From 1903 onwards Jeshuat Israel rented the building for $1 per year, continuing to worship in the orthodox Sp
A second orthodox synagogue, Congregation Ahavas Achim was incorporated in 1915. Most of its members were from Eastern Europe, many from what is now Belarus. Others from Austria-Hungary especially Galicia, much of which is now in Ukraine. Ahavis Achim reached its height in the 1950s. Eventually it disbanded since the changing community did not need two orthodox Synagogues. A liberal synagogue Temple Shalom makes its home in nearby Middletown. There is also a reform Havurah .