Temple Beth-El
Hebrew: ק.ק. בית אל
Temple Beth-El, in 2005
Religion
AffiliationReform Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
LeadershipRabbi Joel Fleekop
StatusActive
Location
Location800 North Palafox Street, Pensacola, Florida 32501
CountryUnited States
Temple Beth-El (Pensacola, Florida) is located in Florida
Temple Beth-El (Pensacola, Florida)
Location in Florida
Geographic coordinates30°25′18″N 87°13′01″W / 30.421663°N 87.217056°W / 30.421663; -87.217056
Architecture
TypeSynagogue
StyleArt Deco
Date established1876 (as a congregation)
Completed
  • c. 1880s
  • 1912 (E. Chase Street)
  • 1933 (N. Palafox Street)
Website
templebethelofpensacola.org

Temple Beth-El (Hebrew: ק.ק. בית אל) is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 800 North Palafox Street, in downtown Pensacola, Florida, in the United States. Founded in 1876, it is the oldest Jewish congregation in Florida.[1]

Beth-El is a member of the Union for Reform Judaism, and has led the congregation in Reform services since the temple's foundation. The current rabbi, since July 2021, is Joel Fleekop.

History

The first Jews who migrated to northwest Florida originally stopped at Milton, 20 miles (32 km) to the east,[2] because Milton was a national hub for lumber production and distribution in the South (the first Jews to the area were skilled in lumber production; they came from heavily wooded areas in what is now southern Germany).[2]

Sensing more business opportunities to the west, a congregation settled in Pensacola and founded a Reform temple after forming in 1876.[2] Many of the lumber workers in Milton did not follow the congregation, and eventually started a smaller Jewish community in Okaloosa County when lumber opportunities dried up. The male members of Beth-El's first congregation consisted largely of businessmen and tavern owners.[2]

The first two buildings of Temple Beth-El were destroyed in fires, first in 1895 and again in 1929.[3]

In 1933 Temple Beth-El moved into its third and current building, designed in the Art Deco style.[2]

Today, many members of the current congregation are descendants of the men who founded the temple over 125 years ago. Immigrants from Eastern Europe, Israel, and the Caucasus eventually settled in Pensacola and became part of the congregation as well. Beth-El is unique today in that a large number of the congregation consists of Jews who converted from other faiths.[2]

Starting in 1962, Paula Ackerman, a member of the congregation since birth, was the first woman to perform rabbinical functions in the United States,. From 1962 until a suitable replacement was found in 1963, Ackerman served the congregation at Beth-El as an acting rabbi.

Notable members

  • Paula Ackerman (1893 – 1989), both as a child and later serving the congregation as a rabbi.

See also

References

  1. ↑ American Jewish Year Book. Jewish Publication Society of America, American Jewish Committee. 1907. p. 150.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "About us: History". Temple Beth-El.
  3. ↑ "Florida's oldest temple gets makeover". Gulf Breeze News. March 24, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2022.

Bibliography

  • Hendrix, Janel D. (2004). A History of Temple Beth-el, Pensacola, Florida 1876-1990. Trent's Prints.
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