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Temple Beth Sholom (Miami Beach, Florida)

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Coordinates: 25°48′53″N 80°07′55″W / 25.814833°N 80.131949°W / 25.814833; -80.131949
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For similarly named synagogues, see Beth Shalom.

Temple Beth Sholom
Religion
AffiliationReform Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
Leadership
  • Senior Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz
  • Rabbi Robert A. Davis
  • Rabbi Joanne Loibe
StatusActive
Location
Location4144 Chase Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida, US
MunicipalityMiami
StateFlorida
CountryUnited States
Temple Beth Sholom (Miami Beach, Florida) is located in Central Miami
Temple Beth Sholom (Miami Beach, Florida)
Location in Miami Beach
Coordinates25°48′53″N 80°07′55″W / 25.814833°N 80.131949°W / 25.814833; -80.131949
Architecture
ArchitectPercival Goodman (1956)
TypeSynagogue
StyleModernist
FounderAbraham Zinnamon and Benjamin Appel
Established1942
Capacity700 worshipers
Website
tbsmb.org

Temple Beth Sholom (a transliteration of the Hebrew words for "House of Peace") is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 4144 Chase Avenue in Miami Beach, Florida, United States.[1] Founded in 1942, Beth Sholom is the oldest and largest Reform synagogue on Miami Beach and serves a community of more than 1,200 member households.[2][3][4] Temple Beth Sholom is included on the Florida Jewish Heritage Trail for its role in the area's Jewish history.[5]

The congregation originated as the Beth Sholom Jewish Center, organized by Abraham Zinnamon and Benjamin Appel to meet the religious and social needs of Jewish residents and visitors in the North Beach area of Miami Beach.[6] Early services were held in a storefront on 41st Street, and the congregation gradually expanded into a center for Reform Jewish life in South Florida.[7]

Temple Beth Sholom is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism and functions as a religious, educational, and cultural institution for the local Jewish community.[8] Rabbi Leon Kronish (1917–1996) served as spiritual leader from 1944 to 1985, shaping Temple Beth Sholom into a place for Reform Judaism and cultural activities for people across the American South.[9][10][11]

Historical context

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Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach is recognized as the city’s oldest and largest synagogue.[10][12] It became a focal point of the area’s Jewish community, which expanded after 1949 when state restrictions on Jewish property ownership were lifted, a period during which Miami Beach was sometimes called the "Shtetl by the Sea."[13][10]

Pre-WWII, Miami Beach enforced anti-Semitic restrictions north of Fifth Street, confining Jews to South Beach hotels and developments until economic pressures and 1949 ordinances eased them, enabling northward expansion.[14][15]

The broader South Florida Jewish community saw growth, with Dade County's Jewish population increasing from 9,000 in 1940 to 52,000 by 1950, driven by veterans returning to familiar climates and innovations like air conditioning.[14][16]

Early history

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Abraham Zinnamon and Benjamin Appel arranged the first founders' meeting of Beth Sholom Center that took place on April 6, 1942.[6] Later on June 3, 1942, they leased a building at 761 41st Street to congregate.[6]

It was Miami Beach's first Reform synagogue, serving Jewish military personnel stationed there during World War II alongside civilians.[17] Through the late 1940s, it grew further amid Miami Beach's post-WWII Jewish influx.[18][12][16]

A charter of the State of Florida was granted shortly thereafter, and Rabbi Samuel Machtai, the "Radio Rabbi," conducted the first High Holy Days Services in 1942.[9] The service was held in a storefront, where 20 Miami Beach Jewish families gathered to provide a house of worship for themselves and for the Jewish soldiers that had served during WWII.[19] Rabbi Leon Kronish was hired by Beth Sholom Jewish Center as its full-time rabbi in 1944.[9]

Kronish legacy

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Leon Kronish assumed leadership in October 1944,[15] and developed the temple, alongside peers like Irving Lehrman, during Miami Beach's rise with 75+ Jewish organizations by 1955.[14] In 1956, the temple hosted the Beth Sholom Project in Intergroup Education with joint activities.[20] In 1967, Temple Beth Sholom became a cultural center[21] for the Miami Area, keeping with Kronish's thoughts on the Temple as a Jewish community center as well as for worship.[19][12] For example, the temple hosted Leonard Bernstein events in 1967.[15]

Rabbi Kronish was active in the Jewish Federation, Histadrut, and the American Jewish Congress.[19][20][22] A first-generation American Jew whose family emigrated from Poland, he initiated a bar mitzva school-trip to Israel that became a recurring program at the congregation.[19][23] In 1983, he chaired the National Rabbinic Cabinet of Israel Bonds, leading a delegation conference on Mt. Herzl (Har HaZikaron) to honor soldiers killed in the Lebanon War.[24]

Modern history

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In January 2009, Temple Beth Sholom participated in the Library of Congress's Inauguration Sermons and Orations Project with a sermon delivered on January 16, for Barack Obama's presidential inauguration and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.[25]

Architecture

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The Temple Beth Sholom congregation moved in 1953 to their current two-story house, the Chase Avenue Hotel, at 4141 Chase Avenue.[6] It was converted into a place of worship, with a capacity for 700 visitors.[6] The membership grew from 40 households to more than 750 by 1955. By the late 1960s, the membership included more than 1200 families.[7]

In 1956, the temple sanctuary and banquet hall were designed in the Modernist style by Jewish American architect Percival Goodman, inspired by Erich Mendelsohn.[6] In 1961, architects added the religious school and auditorium.[6] The lighting was designed by Goodman, he called the concept "the stars above Abraham’s tent.[26] Curvy arches pierce the dome, some with Stars of David.[6] Multicolor glass fills geometrical panels, creating interior light effects.[6][27]

In 2000, the sanctuary and lobby were re‑organized to better serve the congregation.[28] The formerly sloped floor was re‑graded, wheelchair‑accessible ramps were installed,[28] and the stained‑glass windows were replaced with new colourful art glass.[28] Working with artist Laurie Gross, PKSB also re‑designed the ark to fit with the building’s open plan while keeping existing Jewish art.[28] The same year the synagogue was recognized by the state of Florida as a key heritage site, included on the official Florida Jewish Heritage Trail.[5]

In 2011, the congregation expanded with a 20,393 square foot addition designed by Beilinson Gomez Architects.[29] This one-story project, built between existing structures, added more worship and congregation areas, a new temple, youth center, welcome center, and administrative offices while preserving mid-1940s elements of the original temple.[29]

Senior rabbinate

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Rabbi Gary A. Glickstein was Temple Beth Sholom's senior rabbi from 1985 to 2018.[30] Ordained by Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in 1974 (B.A., UCLA, 1971), he led Temple Sinai in Worcester, MA (1977–1985) and assisted at Congregation Bene Israel in Cincinnati (1974–1977)[30][31] In Miami, he established the Woldenberg Center for Jewish Life, chaired the Greater Miami Jewish Federation's finance committee, and led the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami plus the American Friends of Hebrew University (Miami).[32][33][31] He also headed the UJA Rabbinic Cabinet executive, Israel Bonds Rabbinic Cabinet, and served as treasurer of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.[31]

In 2018, Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz, who had served the congregation since 1994, was promoted to senior rabbi, becoming the first woman to hold that position in the synagogue’s history.[34][35][36] Pomerantz’s promotion was widely reported in local media, including a CBS Miami segment highlighting her role as the first female rabbi to lead the congregation and as one of the largest synagogues on Miami Beach.[37][38]

Programs and community engagement

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Temple Beth Sholom hosts the annual Ruach Pride gathering for LGBTQ+ Jews and allies, listed in the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s community calendar.[39] It's organized with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, JCRC, and Keshet.[40] The congregation states that it welcomes members of the LGBTQ+ community, interfaith couples, and interfaith families.[41] The temple organises an annual Mitzvah Day, a community‑wide volunteer and service event held for about thirty years that includes a public soup contest.[42]

During Hanukkah 2023, amid the Israel–Hamas war, Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz highlighted the holiday’s theme of light overcoming darkness, and the temple hosted Miami Beach firefighters who had volunteered in Israel[43] On October 7, 2024, the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks, the synagogue hosted a memorial attended by about 1,100 people, including elected officials and holocaust survivors, with prayers and appeals for the release of hostages.[44] In January 2026, Rabbi Loiben hosted a panel discussion on LGBTQ+ inclusion as a Jewish value in the temple’s chapel, in conversation with Keshet’s Tracey Labgold,[45]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Find A Synagogue or Rabbi in Miami-Dade County". Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
  2. ^ "Temple Beth Sholom, 4144 Chase Ave, # 6, Miami Beach, FL 33140, US - MapQuest". www.mapquest.com. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
  3. ^ "Home page". Temple Beth Sholom. Archived from the original on November 18, 2010.[self-published source?]
  4. ^ "Temple Beth Sholom (Miami Beach) - Phone, Email, Employees, CEO, VP, 2024". VisualVisitor. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Florida Jewish Heritage Trail" (PDF). Florida Department of State. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Miami Beach, FL ~ Temple Beth Sholom (1956)". Synagogues of the South. College of Charleston. 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Green, Henry A. (1995). Bridges and Bonds The Life of Leon Kronish. Scholars Press. p. 91.
  8. ^ "| Reform Judaism". reformjudaism.org. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  9. ^ a b c "Kronish, Leon | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  10. ^ a b c "Shtetl by the Sea: Jewish Landmarks of Miami Beach". www.sklarchitect.com. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  11. ^ wolfsonarchive (September 6, 2021). 1971: Rosh Hashanah at Temple Beth Sholom. Retrieved March 27, 2026 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ a b c "Jewish Miami Beach (Images of America) - George, Paul S.; Green, Henry A.: 9781467160414 - AbeBooks". www.abebooks.com. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  13. ^ "Shtetl by the Sea: Jewish Landmarks of Miami Beach". visitflorida.com. May 30, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  14. ^ a b c "ISJL - Florida South Florida Encyclopedia". Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  15. ^ a b c "Jews of South Florida by Andrea Greenbaum". Yiddish Book Center Store. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  16. ^ a b "Jewish Museum in Miami Beach: Unearthing Florida's Rich Jewish Heritage and Enduring Spirit - Wonderful Museums". www.wonderfulmuseums.com. October 27, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  17. ^ "ISJL - Florida South Florida Encyclopedia". Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  18. ^ Shapiro, Edward (Fall 2007). "Orthodoxy in South Florida" (PDF). Southern Jewish History. 10. Southern Jewish Historical Society: 136–142.
  19. ^ a b c d "Leon Kronish, 79, Miami Beach Rabbi". The New York Times. March 31, 1996.
  20. ^ a b "Page 1". digitalcollections.library.miami.edu. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  21. ^ Shapiro, Edward S. (2007). "A Shtetl in the Sun". Southern Jewish History. 10. Southern Jewish Historical Society: 54–72.
  22. ^ "Leon Kronish letter to Seymour Samet, January 9, 1956". Civil Rights Digital Library. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  23. ^ Florida, State Library and Archives of. "Florida Memory • Beth Sholom Temple confirmation class". Florida Memory. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  24. ^ "Israel Bond Leaders in Israel". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  25. ^ "Temple Beth Sholom (Miami Beach, Florida) | Library of Congress". findingaids.loc.gov. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  26. ^ "Temple Beth Sholom". Lux Populi. January 6, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  27. ^ "Percival Goodman architectural records and papers, 1929-1989". findingaids.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved March 29, 2026.[failed verification]
  28. ^ a b c d "TEMPLE BETH SHOLOM". PKSB. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  29. ^ a b "The expansion of the Miami Temple Beth Sholom included larger worship and congregation areas, a new chapel, youth center, welcome center, and administrative offices". www.plazaconstruction.com. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  30. ^ a b Wahle, Bruce; Ostrow, Marcy (April 2011). "A "Sethabration" of Temple Sinai's Rabbi of 25 years: Rabbi Seth Bernstein". Jewish Central Voice.
  31. ^ a b c Webmaster (December 15, 2023). "Seekers of Meaning 12/15/2023: Rabbi Gary Glickstein of the National Association of Retired Reform Rabbis (NAORRR)". Jewish Sacred Aging. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  32. ^ "Discover Our Clergy Team". Temple Beth Sholom. Retrieved August 18, 2025.
  33. ^ Webmaster (July 11, 2025). "Building Bridges: Retired Reform Rabbis in America and Israel - Seekers of Meaning 7/11/2025". Jewish Sacred Aging. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  34. ^ "Focus On South Florida: Temple Beth Shalom Names First Female Senior Rabbi - CBS Miami". www.cbsnews.com. December 16, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  35. ^ Hines, Bea L. (December 26, 2017). "Woman Promoted To New Senior Rabbi At Miami Beach Synagogue". WLRN. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  36. ^ Rise Miami News (April 12, 2018). Biggest Miami Beach Synagogue Makes History With First Woman Rabbi. Retrieved March 26, 2026 – via YouTube.
  37. ^ "Focus On South Florida: Temple Beth Shalom Names First Female Senior Rabbi - CBS Miami". www.cbsnews.com. December 16, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
  38. ^ "Woman Promoted To New Senior Rabbi At Miami Beach Synagogue". Miami Herald (via WLRN). December 25, 2017.
  39. ^ "Ruach Pride". Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  40. ^ "Mazal Tov and Welcome! You Are A Blessing". Keshet. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
  41. ^ "Discover - Temple Beth Sholom". January 26, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  42. ^ "Temple Beth Sholom Mitzvah Day and Soup Contest". Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  43. ^ Borenstein, Jaclyn (December 5, 2023). "Hanukkah theme of light shines hope for Florida Jews during Israel-Hamas war". The Times of Israel. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  44. ^ Zaragovia, Verónica (October 8, 2024). "Memorial event draws hundreds on Miami Beach, one year after Oct. 7 attacks on Israel". WLRN. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
  45. ^ "Panel Discussion: Why LGBTQ+ Inclusion Is a Jewish Value". Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
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