Temple Beth El (Detroit) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Temple Beth-El |
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The 1973 synagogue building, in 2008
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership |
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| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 7400 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan 48301 |
| Country | United States |
 Location in Michigan
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) |
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| Architectural type | Synagogue |
| Architectural style |
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| Date established | 1850 (as a congregation) |
| Completed |
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Temple Beth El is a Jewish place of worship, called a synagogue. It follows the Reform Jewish way of life. You can find it in Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan, in the United States. It started in 1850 in Detroit and is the oldest Jewish community in Michigan.
Temple Beth El helped start the Union for Reform Judaism in 1873. This group was first called the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. In 1889, Temple Beth El hosted a meeting where the Central Conference of American Rabbis was created. Its two older buildings in Detroit, at 3424 and 8801 Woodward Avenue, were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Contents
How Temple Beth El Started
In 1850, Sarah and Isaac Cozens moved to Detroit. At that time, only about 60 Jewish people lived in Detroit. There were no synagogues. Sarah Cozens encouraged other Jewish families to create a community. On September 22, 1850, twelve families met at the Cozens's home. They decided to form the "Beth El Society." A Michigan Historical Marker now marks this important spot.
The group hired Rabbi Samuel Marcus from New York. Rabbi Marcus led services in the Orthodox style. They met first at the Cozens's home, then in a room above a store. In 1851, the group officially became a legal organization. They wrote their first rules the next year.
In 1854, Rabbi Marcus passed away. The community chose Rabbi Leibman Adler as their new leader. Rabbi Adler's son, Dankmar Adler, later became a famous architect. Rabbi Adler helped the temple get involved with the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped people escape slavery. Members like Fanny Butzel Heineman, Emil S. Heineman, and Mark Sloman helped freedom seekers. These brave people crossed the Detroit River into Windsor, Ontario, Canada, between 1854 and 1861.
Changes and Growth
In 1856, the community updated its rules. They added new ideas from the growing Reform Judaism movement. More Jewish people were moving to Detroit, so the community grew. However, some members did not like the changes. In 1860, they discussed the new rules and decided to keep them.
But in 1861, when music was added to the services, 17 Orthodox members left. They formed a new group called Congregation Shaarey Zedek. The remaining members of Temple Beth El made more changes to their rules in 1862. This brought in even more reforms.
Temple Beth El was one of 34 communities that helped start the Union for Reform Judaism in 1873. They quickly became an official part of this organization. In 1889, Beth El hosted a big meeting. During this meeting, the Central Conference of American Rabbis was created.
In 1861, the community moved into a new temple on Rivard Street. In 1867, they bought a larger building on Washington Boulevard. They held services there until 1903. Many rabbis served Beth El, but none stayed long until Louis Grossmann arrived in 1884. He was the first American-born rabbi at Beth El. He made many changes, including using the Union Prayer Book.
The Leo M. Franklin Era
Rabbi Grossmann left in 1898. The community then hired Leo M. Franklin, a young rabbi from Omaha. This was a great choice, as Franklin led the community for over 40 years. He helped create the United Jewish Charities. This group helped organize charity work. He also started the Woman's Auxiliary Association, now called the Sisterhood of Temple Beth El.
Under Rabbi Franklin's leadership, Temple Beth El grew quickly. In 1902, the community decided to build a new place. It was on Woodward Avenue near Eliot Street. The building was designed by a young architect named Albert Kahn. He was a member of Beth El and later became very famous.
Temple Beth El used this building until 1922. It was then sold and changed into a theater. Today, it is Wayne State University's Bonstelle Theatre. In 1922, the community, which had over 800 families, moved again. Their new home was another Albert Kahn building at Woodward and Gladstone. This building is now the Bethel Community Transformation Center.
Recent History
Rabbi Franklin retired in 1941. B. Benedict Glazer took over as rabbi. After Glazer passed away in 1952, Richard C. Hertz became the leader. He served until 1982.
By 1973, the community had grown too large for its building again. Many members had moved to the northern suburbs. So, Beth El built a new temple in Bloomfield Township. It is located at Telegraph and 14 Mile Roads. The famous architect Minoru Yamasaki designed this building.
Temple Beth El Today
Today, Temple Beth El has about 1,000 families as members. It is led by Senior Rabbi Mark Miller, Associate Rabbi Megan Brudney, and Cantor Rachel Gottlieb Kalmowitz. The Temple continues to be a leader in Jewish worship and programs. It focuses on learning for all ages. It also works to build good relationships with other faiths and helps the wider community.
Architecture of the Synagogues
Temple Beth El has been home to buildings designed by two very well-known architects. The first is Albert Kahn. He designed both the 1902 and 1922 temple buildings.
Minoru Yamasaki's company designed the 1973 temple building. His firm also designed the World Trade Center in New York City. The congregation says that the World Trade Center towers and the Beth El temple were designed at the same time. Their models were even next to each other during the design process.
Yamasaki is said to have designed the current Temple Beth El to look like a tent. This is because early Jewish synagogues during the Exodus from Egypt were in tents. The current Temple Beth El has many features that Yamasaki is known for. These include concrete pillars, a natural skylight, and large windows. These windows offer views of the nature outside. Yamasaki also helped start the career of Latvian architect Gunnar Birkerts. Birkerts went on to design many award-winning buildings.
Notable People from Temple Beth El
- Dankmar Adler: A famous architect from Chicago.
- Albert Kahn: The architect who designed the 1902 and 1922 synagogues.
See also
- Bethel Community Transformation Center: The 1922 former synagogue, now a community center.
- Bonstelle Theatre: The 1902 former synagogue, now a theater.
- History of the Jews in Metro Detroit
