Now the Jewish Museum and Cultural Center of Portsmouth, Chevra T’helim was founded In 1917 when four families, formerly members of Portsmouth’s orthodox Gomley Chesed Synagogue, decided to found their own orthodox synagogue and call it Chevra T’helim which means “family of psalms.” The land was acquired in 1918, and the building was erected soon after. Chevra T’helim thrived for decades, counting as many as 200 families at its height. This Virginia historical site became the centerpiece of a thriving first- and second-generation immigrant Jewish community, providing families with a rich traditional Jewish background and a direct link to their European ancestors who came to America to find freedom and prosperity.