Tacoma's Temple Beth El celebrates 50th anniversary

In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected president, the Cold War raged between the Soviet Union and United States, and two Jewish groups in Tacoma overcame their differences and merged.

The result was one larger, healthy congregation called Temple Beth El, which is observing its 50th anniversary this year.

Si Rose of Tacoma remembers the days before the merger when two Jewish congregations – one Conservative called Sinai Temple and the other Reform called Temple Beth Israel – struggled to survive.

“We just didn’t have enough people to keep two synagogues going,” said Rose, 88, who was a member of Sinai Temple. “You had two places that were starving to death.”

Rabbi Bruce Kadden said the 50th anniversary year reflects the vision of the past – “the farsightedness of those who decided that Tacoma would be best served by one stronger, merged congregation.”

“Despite philosophical and ritual differences, it was more important that they bridge those so the community could come together under one umbrella, so to speak,” said Kadden, 56, Temple Beth El’s rabbi since 2004. “We’re working together for the same goal, which is the strengthening of Judaism in the community.”

These days, Temple Beth El is a Reform congregation of 280 families with a wide range of programs. The temple at 5975 S. 12th St. offers education for youths and adults, Shabbat services and community outreach, including running the Jackson Street Food Bank with St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.

Since 2003, Tacoma also has had a small Chabad-Lubavitch group with an Orthodox Jewish style.

Kadden said one of Temple Beth El’s challenges for the future is involving Jews in their 20s and early 30s.

“Younger Jews are not as connected to Judaism,” Kadden said.

The temple has one program called PJ Library, which provides Jewish books for young children with guides for their parents.

One primary role for Temple Beth El is to help people navigate their spiritual journeys, Kadden said, “to help discern their overall purpose in life and what it means to be Jewish.”

Rose recalled the journey that led to the formation of Temple Beth El.

He and his wife, Florence, were members of Sinai Temple, a Conservative congregation at South Fourth and I streets. Temple Beth Israel was a Reform congregation at North Fourth and J streets. Each temple had 100 or fewer families.

The two groups were divided over sensitive issues such as whether Jews should wear yarmulkes, traditional Jewish head coverings also called kipot, and whether the temple should have an organ to provide music at services.

Conservative Jewish men at Sinai Temple wore the kipot and prayer shawls during services. Reform Jews at Temple Beth Israel didn’t. But their synagogue had an organ.

The late Rabbi Richard Rosenthal, who led Temple Beth Israel, was able to get the two groups to compromise and merge.

“He put it together,” Si Rose said. “He was the guy that kept things in place.”

Life in the merged congregation, also led by Rosenthal, who died in 1999, wasn’t always easy for Florence Rose, now 87.

“I didn’t know anybody,” she said. “It was a little hard for me at first. I got to know everyone.”

The change was easier for her husband.

“If some people wanted to wear a yarmulke, you did,” Si Rose said. “If you wanted to wear a tallit, you did. We got along fine.”

Temple Beth El hasn’t used its organ for years, but it has turned to more contemporary accompaniment: the use of piano and guitar in services.

Fifty years after the merger, it’s still bearing fruit.

“It worked out very well … better than I thought it would,” Si Rose said.

If the two congregations hadn’t overcome their differences, he said, “we’d still be struggling.”

Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647
steve.maynard@thenewstribune.com

This story was edited to correct the spelling of Si Rose's name.