- April 24, 2024
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In April 1979, a group gathered at the home of Sydney Flanzbaum to talk about the possibility of forming a Jewish congregation on Longboat Key.
Now, 40 years later, Temple Beth Israel has become a hub for Jewish living on the island.
When Rabbi Michael Eisenstat first came to the temple, he said he thought he had gone to heaven.
“The thing that impressed me most about the congregation is that it was a congregant-driven congregation as opposed to just being the professionals doing everything,” said Eisenstat, the temple’s rabbi for 11 years.
Since the beginning, the congregants have been a driving force behind the creation, and continuation, of the temple.
On Oct. 19, 1979, a small group held an inaugural service, led by lay leaders and retired Rabbi Albert Shulman. On Dec. 3, 1979, about 20 people attended a formal meeting at Flanzbaum’s house, where it was unanimously decided that a liberal reform Jewish congregation would be established. On Jan. 20, 1980, Temple Beth Israel was incorporated.
After its incorporation, the temple’s population quickly increased and outgrew its space at the Coast Federal community room. The Rev. Edward Pick of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church offered them space at the church’s social hall, so congregants met there until the temple was built and completed in 1984.
When Temple Beth Israel Director Isaac Azerad thinks of the temple turning 40, he thinks of a person turning 40.
“By the age of 40 your career is pretty well set, you don’t have the same concerns as a young person with the securing of food and shelter and all that and the necessities, and now you start aspiring to better involvement in the community, aspiring to a better life,” he said.
Going forward, the temple will continue as the center for Jewish living on Longboat Key and its mission to educate the public on the Jewish faith and heritage.
“I think that through education you eradicate stereotypes, you eradicate ignorance of a particular group and you open up goodwill in the community and you become a good citizen,” Azerad said.
Eisenstat helped bring such educational efforts to the temple with the creation of programming that is now called the Rabbi Michael B. Eisenstat Miniversity of Judaism. Along with Miniversity, the temple hosts a scholar-in-residence weekend each year and offers 92Y and Sarasota Institute of Lifelong Learning programming that are for members and the public. The temple also houses a library and gift shop.
“It’s a great pleasure to see that the congregation is prospering and serving and continuing to serve as the center for Jewish life on Longboat Key and beyond,” Eisenstat said.
Along with outreach programs, Azerad said the temple’s diverse population brings in a mix of experiences. From lawyers and doctors to judges and engineers, everyone’s background contributes to the growth and image of the temple.
“I think we really are on the cusp of some very, very good prospects in the future,” Azerad said. “Not only have we seen some renewed interest in our temple, but we have for some reason attracted a little more of young retirees that come onto Longboat.”
In short, Rabbi Stephen Sniderman, who has been with the temple for two-and-a-half years, said it’s booming. For him, it sticks out from other temple’s he’s served because of the age of the population. A normal congregation, he said, would have a religious education program for children, but as Temple Beth Israel serves a larger population, the focus is on other activities and outreach efforts.
He also noted that because the members are mostly retired, they are more devoted to the temple, much like those who started the congregation 40 years ago. He said he has found the temple to be welcoming to everyone, whether they are a member or visitor.
“I enjoy all the socializing and all the kinds of people,” he said. “It’s more than just a place of worship. It’s a community center in many ways.”
