For nearly 100 years, Temple Beth-El has been a landmark for the Reform Jewish community in Great Neck.
As the first synagogue on the peninsula, Temple Beth-El was breaking new ground for Jews on Long Island.
“This wasn’t even the suburbs,” Temple Executive Director Stuart Botwinick said. “This was the sticks.”
“It wasn’t even clear whether there would be enough people here to have a Jewish community when they started in 1928,” he said.
Soon enough, however, it would turn out to be a good investment, and the community would grow to serving 1,500 families with 500 families on its waiting list, Botwinick said.
Today, the past looms large as the congregation has fallen to around400 congregantsand the administration plans on selling its building.
Throughout the years, the synagogue has had many notable names in its congregation—comedian Andy Kaufman, Mets owner Steve Cohen, and businessman Sidney Jacobson.
The temple has also spawned several offshoots.
In 1940, Temple Israel branched off from Temple Beth-El to serve as a conservative synagogue and in 1953 Temple Emmanuel broke away to serve the growing Reform community that could not be served by just one temple.
Temple Beth-El has also been at the forefront of many progressive social movements, including Black, women’s, and LGBTQ rights.
Source: LI Press
