OUR COMMUNITY
F
or many years, the
Conservative Beth Israel
Congregation was the
only Jewish synagogue in the
Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area. In
1966, Professor Ronald Tikofsky
initiated a meeting in the hopes
of establishing a Reform temple.
Beginning with a small gath-
ering in his home, with help
from the regional director of
the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations, a preliminary
steering committee was formed.
Several community meetings
were held, and the group began
to form plans for religious wor-
ship and a religious education
program. Beth Emeth, House of
Truth, was chosen as the name
for the new temple in the Ann
Arbor community.
Temple Beth Emeth held its
first services in August 1966 at
the Congregational Church on
State and William streets. In the
early years, services were con-
ducted by temple members or
by guest rabbis in the region.
As the congregation grew
from approximately 30 families
in 1968 to almost 100 families
over the next two years, they
realized they needed more
space.
In 1971, the congregation
leased the sanctuary of St.
Clare’s Episcopal Church on
Packard Road.
After several years of leasing
school facilities and renting St.
Clare’s for religious services,
mid-week Hebrew school and
office space for the rabbi, the
congregation recognized the
need for one building to house
all of the temple’s diverse func-
tions. In June 1974, the Rev.
Douglas Evett of St. Clare’s
came to invite Temple Beth
Emeth “to join us in this place.”
Discussions with members of
both congregations took several
months and culminated in June
1975 with approval to form a
corporation officially named
Genesis of Ann Arbor.
THE GENESIS
PARTNERSHIP
This unique arrangement defined
the joint sharing and owning of
a single facility by a Jewish and
Christian congregation. A week-
end dedication saw the installa-
tion of the Star of David along-
side the Cross in front of the
building on Packard Road. Media
throughout the country carried
stories about the joint venture.
As the membership of Temple
Beth Emeth continued to grow,
once again, space became an
issue. A plan was made that sup-
ported Genesis, to enlarge the
facility for both congregations.
In November 1994, Temple Beth
Emeth and St. Clare’s dedicated
a new building that included a
new sanctuary, a religious school
classroom wing, a new social hall
and kitchen, offices and a small
Jewish chapel.
“While there are lots of exam-
Ann Arbor’s Temple Beth Emeth co-owns
its building with a Christian church.
A Unique
Partnership
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
20 | AUGUST 4 • 2022
SYNAGOGUE SPOTLIGHT