Congregation Beth Aaron records, 1915-1994

The small Jewish population of Billings, Montana, led by Louis Harron a native of Lithuania, began holding services on High Holy Days about 1905. Over the next dozen years they continued to meet informally as the Jewish population slowly grew. Briefly during this period there was a Congregation Shara Shomain, which purchased land for a Jewish Cemetery. Congregation Beth Aaron was incorporated in Billings, Montana, on April 22, 1919. The congregation held an auction for the privilege of selecting a name. One of the founding members Louis Harron won the auction and named it Congregation Beth Aaron or House of Harron, after himself. The new congregation chose the same officers as the old congregation, including M. Levy, president; Benhart Zacks, vice president; Max Friedwald, treasurer; and Max Seidmon, secretary. Louis Harron, Morris Stern, and Max Rossman were elected trustees. The new congregation purchased the cemetery land and began building Beth Aaron Cemetery. In 1940 the congregation built a synagogue. The congregation hired Rabbi Samuel Horowitz in 1954. He immediately began re-energizing the congregation, starting a Sunday School program and summer camps. The Congregation built a new synagogue in 2005. It is still active.

On June 18, 1917, two years before the founding of the Congregation, a group of Jewish men formed Billings Lodge #815 of the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. Charter members of the lodge consisted of most of the same men who would form the congregation two years later. The lodge was primarily a benevolent and social fraternal order, but also sponsored High Holy Days services, talks on Jewish topics, charitable work, and political involvement.

The Jewish women of Billings were also active in social and benevolent organizations. In 1915 they formed the Jewish Ladies Aid Society as both a social club and as a charitable association to assist Jews in need in Billings and to give financial aid to several Jewish hospitals and orphanages nationwide. In October 1922, the club voted to affiliate with the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. They selected the name Esther Lodge and were assigned No. 31. Sometime in the 1930s the name again was changed, this time to Billings B'nai B'rith Women No. 31. It was also known informally as Billings Lodge No. 815 Auxiliary.