30 | OCTOBER 13 • 2022
An Oasis of Judaism
J
ackson’s Temple Beth Israel
(TBI) is a Reform synagogue
formed in 1862 by Jews of
German background. The temple
developed out of the Hebrew
Benevolent Society, which had
been organized in 1858. The
congregation includes fifth-
generation members.
“This is either the oldest or
second-oldest Reform congregation
in the state of Michigan that is still
active,” said president Cathy Glick.
“And we have a Jewish cemetery
that we own, and it’s the oldest
still-active Jewish cemetery in the
state of Michigan.”
Dedicated in 1859, Temple
Beth Israel Cemetery is listed on
the National Register of Historic
Places. There are at least 200
people buried there, representing
four and five generations of
Jackson families.
“There were some Jews from
Detroit who moved out here.
Some of them were trappers from
Northern Michigan and came
down. And the first thing they did
was to build the cemetery,” Glick
said.
Like many small congregations,
TBI started in people’s homes and
smaller buildings. It’s been in its
current building since 1952.
“There are a lot of families that
have been in this congregation for
decades and decades,” Glick said.
“A lot of them grew up in this town
and congregation so they’re all
friends with each other because
they went to Hebrew school and
confirmation class together.”
The first female rabbi ordained
in the United States, Sally Priesand,
did her student rabbinate in the
congregation.
TBI has had many short-term
and student rabbis, but one of the
most recent long-term rabbis for
12 years was Rabbi Jonathan Plaut,
son of Rabbi Gunther Plaut.
TBI has had part-time rabbis
that live in the Michigan area
and come in every other Shabbat
for many decades. TBI’s current
rabbi is Nate DeGroot, formerly
the religious leader for Hazon.
DeGroot comes one Saturday
morning and one Friday night a
month and leads all High Holidays
services. Services are lay-led on
weekends the rabbi isn’t present.
Besides Shabbat services, TBI
does events for Sukkot, a latke
party for Chanukah and a big
second-night Passover seder, which
usually draws about 120 people.
For Purim, the youth group does
a play and members dress in
costumes.
Once or twice a year, TBI will
hold some kind of mystery night
or game night, which are usually
fundraisers for the cemetery
endowment fund.
TBI is famous for its massive
Election Day bake sale starting
back in the 1930s or 1940s.
Members start cooking and baking
in August for the November event.
Jackson’s Temple Beth Israel serves
multiple counties as sole synagogue.
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
OUR COMMUNITY
SYNAGOGUE SPOTLIGHT