The Early Years
The Beth Sholom Jewish Center was the brainchild of two men, Abraham Zinnamon and Benjamin Appel. After seeing a Yiddish newspaper in Appel's hands, Zinnamon approached him with the idea of forming a Jewish Center. They put together a group of people for the first founders' meeting of Beth Sholom Center, which took place on April 6, 1942. On June 3 of that same year, a building at 761 - 41st Street was leased.
A charter of the State of Florida was granted shortly thereafter. Rabbi Samuel Machtai, the “Radio Rabbi,” conducted the first High Holiday Service in 1942. The place was a storefront, where 20 Miami Beach Jewish families gathered to provide a house of worship for themselves and for Jewish servicemen. Two years later, the Beth Sholom Jewish Center decided to hire a full-time rabbi. On August 9, 1944, at the 36th meeting of the board of directors, held in the home of its chairman, Charles Tobin, it was decided to employ Rabbi Leon Kronish to serve as the center's spiritual leader. Rabbi Kronish was installed by Rabbi Stephen Samuel Wise, President of New York's Jewish Institute of Religion, in the North Beach Elementary School auditorium. To begin to build a Congregation, Rabbi Kronish went from house to house knocking on doors. Wherever he saw a mezuzah, he invited the family to join the new synagogue. On April 24, 1945, the by-laws were changed and a resolution was passed to amend the Charter of Beth Sholom Center, to rename the nonprofit organization Temple Beth Sholom.
The next home of the Temple was a two-story, dilapidated house called the Chase Avenue Hotel at 4141 Chase Avenue. The growing Congregation acquired the building and had it remodeled. In eight months, under Rabbi Kronish's leadership, the Congregation grew to 140 members. The Temple has grown, from what was called the laundry building or the horse stable, to the beautiful structure that now dominates the corner of Chase Avenue and Arthur Godfrey Road. In 1956, the sanctuary and banquet hall were built; in 1961, the religious school and auditorium were added; in 1984, the school was refurbished and the administrative wing was completed. In 2003, the school building was refurbished once again, which now includes a brand new two-story facility which includes a Youth Center, Administrative offices, Chapel, Welcome Center, classrooms, meeting spaces and an art gallery. Our new structure is also surrounded by wonderful outdoor spaces including play areas, a Meditation Garden and Palm Plaza. The latest project is a complete refurbishing of the original Sanctuary and Social Hall which should be complete by September 2011.
The Temple, like the community itself, continues to grow and expand, reflecting the renewed Beach philosophy. From the beginning, the school and the educational process, from infancy through adulthood, became the very essence of Temple Beth Sholom. Rabbi Kronish was so committed to the Jewish learning process that The Rabbi Leon Kronish School for Living Judaism was named in honor of his 40th year as Rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom. The Religious school, Hebrew school, Foundation school and early childhood education programs, youth groups and adult education programs lie at the center of all that we do as a complete Congregation.
In 1967, the Temple began its development as one of the finer cultural centers of the greater Miami area, in keeping with Rabbi Kronish's vision of the Temple as a place for community as well as worship. In 1969, Rabbi Harry Jolt, zecher tzadik livracha, who had recently retired from his pulpit in Ventnor, N.J., was asked by Rabbi Kronish to become Auxiliary Rabbi and assist in the cultural and adult education programs of the Temple. His death, at age 97, was a deep loss for the congregation.
Rabbi Kronish's loving devotion to the State of Israel was exemplified through his involvement in Federation, Israel Histradruth, American Jewish Congress and the Israel Bond National Leadership. He was one of the most outstanding leaders in World Jewry. As a first generation American Jew, he took pride in the rich heritage brought by his family from Poland to this country. His love of family life and the Jewish community were the prime motivating factors in his life. A spiritual man and an ardent Zionist, his life was synonymous with the history of Temple Beth Sholom. For more than forty years, Rabbi Kronish nurtured the temple as a center of worship, education and culture. Temple Beth Sholom has a longstanding and deep commitment to the State of Israel and to Jews worldwide. The Confirmation Class has journeyed on a pilgrimage to Israel every year, a program that Rabbi Kronish initiated. Reaching beyond Jewish borders, our Congregation has also been deeply involved in the civil rights movement and in fighting world hunger. Rabbi Kronish's death in 1996 officially ended the first era of Temple Beth Sholom's history.
The Next Generation
In 1985, the Temple engaged Gary Glickstein, a vibrant, young scholar to serve as Senior Rabbi. Rabbi Glickstein's vitality and youthful approach have attracted many new members and a greater involvement of its current membership. He has distinguished himself as one of the leaders of the Miami community. He serves on the advisory board of the Greater Miami Coalition for a Drug Free Community, was past Chairman of the President's Advisory Committee on Jewish Studies at Barry University, and has served as vice chairman of the Miami Mission 1000 and Mega Mission Two. He is a past President of the Rabbinic Association of Greater Miami. Nationally, he is past Chairman of the UJA National Rabbinic Cabinet, immediate past Chair of the National Rabbinic Cabinet of Israel Bonds and the incoming Treasurer of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
Rabbi Glickstein, in partnership with our dynamic lay leadership, has assembled a close-knit team of Jewish professionals and clergy who help create a warm and inviting atmosphere that pervades all of our Congregation's life. We continue to develop new and innovative ways of reaching out and reaching in to all who wish to find a Jewish home. Our present plans include enhancing and expanding the Woldenberg Center for Jewish Life, which will encompass our vision of Shared Community and cutting edge outreach to those who find themselves distant from organized Jewish life.
