History of the Jews in Galveston, Texas History of the Jews in Galveston, Texas Jews have inhabited the city of Galveston, Texas, for almost two centuries. The first known Jewish immigrant to the Galveston area was Jao de la Porta, who, along with his brother Morin, financed the first settlement by Europeans on Galveston Island in 1816. de la Porta was born in Portugal of Jewish parentage and later became a Jewish Texan trader. In 1818, Jean Laffite appointed de la Porta supercargo for the Karankawa Indian trade. When Laffite left Galveston Island in 1820, de la Porta became a full-time trader. In 1852, residents of Galveston
Port of Galveston then-newest ship, the "Carnival Magic" at the port. Terminal 2 was expanded in 2016 to accommodate Royal Caribbean's desire to base their larger "Freedom"-class ships in Galveston. The new facility can accommodate up to 5,000 passengers and allows for simultaneous handling of passengers embarking and disembarking. Port officials have earmarked $100,000 for the design of a third terminal, but are waiting for definitive interest from a cruise line before beginning work. The port receives fees of $11-$26 per cruise ship passenger, depending on whether port employees are responsible for tying the ship down, or for paying the harbor pilots responsible