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Celebrating
History

Beth El to mark its 165th anniversary
with a gala event at the temple.

Shari S. Cohen I Contributing Writer

T

emple Beth El, Michigan's first Jewish
congregation, will celebrate its 165th
anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 7, with
a dinner, entertainment and a multimedia
history display. This is Beth El's first such anni-
versary gala and the idea originated with Rabbi
Mark Miller.
"Our gala is an opportunity for us to cel-
ebrate the remarkable 165-year history of
Temple Beth El, while concurrently building
for a bright and engaging future Miller said.
"The story of Temple Beth El is the story of ,
Jewish life in America, and we are energized
by the unique challenges E
of today's American Jewish
landscape. From lifelong
learning to striving for
social justice to creating a
meaningful spiritual con-
nection, TBE is dedicated
to fulfilling its role as a
21st-century synagogue. A
Rabbi Mark
temple where relationships
Miller
come first, we strive to live
according to our deepest
Jewish values, and we take seriously our role
as God's partners in making a better world:"
The celebration also will raise funds for
Bloomfield Township-based Beth El, mainly
through gala sponsorships and a live auction
offering several sports and luxury travel pack-
ages. The temple's history will come to life in
a walk-through display of photos and artifacts
complemented by videos.
"We want to have a fun celebration and
showcase the Temple's rich history:' said Anne
Weiner, gala co-chair.

HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS

Beth El was established in Detroit in 1850 by
12 German Jewish families. At the time, 60
Jews lived among a total city population of
21,000. Beth El's first rabbi, Samuel Marcus,
conducted Orthodox services in German and
taught congregants' children in a day school
providing religious and secular education. The
congregation initially gathered in a private
home and later in rented space at Jefferson and
Grand River in Detroit. The congregation pur-
chased its first building in 1861.
The temple soon adopted innovative ideas
reflecting the Reform Judaism that was

10 October 22 • 2015

developing in the U.S. In 1861, instru-
mental music and a mixed choir were
introduced in services, which led to
the resignation of 17 families who then
established what is now Congregation
Shaarey Zedek. Other changes fol-
lowed, including the seating of men and
women together during services.
By 1867, the congregation had out-
grown its quarters and purchased a new
building on Washington Boulevard.
English replaced German as the lan-

■

INTERESTING FACTS
ABOUT BETH EL

Center: Current

President L.

Steven Weiner,

Cantorial Soloist

Rachel Gottlieb

Kalmowitz and

Rabbis Mark

Miller and Daniel

B. Syme.

Left: A Beth El

,

guage of instruction although the sermon was
still delivered in German by rabbis trained in
Germany. The Beth El Hebrew Relief Society
was formed as the first centralized Jewish phil-
anthropic agency in Detroit.
Beth El was a charter member of the Union
of American Hebrew Congregations founded
in 1873. Rabbi Leo M. Franklin became the
11th spiritual leader in 1898, and served the
congregation for almost 50 years. He was
instrumental in establishing United Jewish
Charities (later the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit), the Jewish community's
first English newspaper, an interdenomination-
al community Thanksgiving service and the
Jewish Student Congregation at the University
of Michigan.
The temple's rabbis and lay leaders have con-
tinued to serve prominent roles in the Detroit
Jewish community and the national institu-
tions of the Reform movement. The congrega-
tion has been active in interfaith activities,

1

picnic, 1889.

details

The anniversary gala will begin at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 7, at Temple Beth El, 7400
Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, with
cocktails and appetizers, followed by a stroll-
ing dinner by Cutting Edge Cuisine at 8 p.m.
Comedian Dave Coulier of Full House and
America's Funniest People, a live auction and the
Collision Six Band will entertain guests. A walk-
through history of Beth El will be open all eve-
ning. For tickets ($100 each) and sponsorship
information, visit tbe165.com , tbeonline.org .
or call (248) 851-1100. Event co-chairs are Traci
and Dustin Feldman, Melissa and Win Schiller,
and Anne and Steve Weiner.

community service and charitable initiatives,
as well as innovations in rituals, educational
programs for all ages and outreach to young
families. Beth El currently has nearly 1,200
family members. *

•One of Temple Beth El's first rabbis,
Rabbi Leibman Adler, who served
from 1854-1861, was an ardent abo-
litionist who gave fiery anti-slavery
sermons from 1854-1861. He was
also a supporter of women's rights in
the synagogue.
•Three Beth El buildings were
designed by prominent American
architects of the 20th century.
Albert Kahn, a temple member,
designed the former Beth El build-
ing at Woodward and Elliot (now
Wayne State's Bonstelle Theatre)
and the building at Woodward and
Gladstone, both in Detroit. The cur-
rent building in Bloomfield Hills,
dedicated in 1974, was designed by
Minoru Yamasaki, architect for the
first World Trade Center in New York.
•Temple Beth El has extensive
historic archives, established by vol-
unteer members in 1982 and staffed
in more recent years by profession-
ally trained archivists. In addition to
minutes of board meetings dating
from 1871, the archive includes com-
munity collections for the Greater
Detroit Chapter of Hadassah and the
Jewish War Veterans of Michigan, as
well as many local families' historic
files. (Look for a story on the archives
next week in Arts & Life.)

Source: Temple Beth El Archives

