Temple Beth El, Buffalo, NY was the first Jewish congregation established in Buffalo, New York and merged with Temple Shaarey Zedek in 2008 to form Temple Beth Tzedek. At a meeting on May 9, 1847 held at the Buffalo Western Hotel, Temple Beth El was founded by a small group of Polish Jewish immigrants and German Jewish immigrants. They established a synagogue of “moderate” orthodox ritual and initially rented the Concert Hall on the southwest corner of Main and Swan Street for services, after a period of using member homes. Appointed as the synagogue’s first President, this nascent congregation was initially led by Mark Moritz. In April 1848, the congregation adopted a constitution and by-laws, based upon the constitution of the “Jewish Congregation of Baltimore,” otherwise known as Nidche Israel or Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, founded in 1830 in Maryland. Eventually as membership grew in Buffalo, a worship site was purchased in the block around Main, Pearl, Eagle and Court streets. Refurbishing an old schoolhouse for synagogue use, the first service was held on July 22, 1850. Rabbi Samuel M. Isaacs of New York City gave the celebratory oration and the first sermon to be delivered in English in a synagogue in Buffalo. Temple Beth El continued to grow, adding a religious school for the benefit of members. After the synagogue weathered a fire and rebuilt, the congregation outgrew the Pearl Street location, and a new space was purchased in 1873 on Elm Street. Within thirty years, this location could no longer accommodate the entire congregation and another search for a new location began. Eventually a site on Richmond Avenue was selected and a cornerstone was laid in 1910, with the new building dedicated in 1911. The drive to locate the Temple away from the city center, and closer to where members lived, was spearheaded by Charles Polakoff. A real estate and insurance agent, Polakoff lead the congregation as President almost continually for the next three decades, from 1909 into the 1930s. Expansion continued in the years leading up to and after WWI as the synagogue became a “synagogue-center,” offering a wide range of clubs and activities, including separate Women’s and Men’s Temple Societies, a Bar Mitzvah Brotherhood, sports clubs and several choirs. It expanded its religious school for bar mitzvah students (and eventually bat mitzvah from the 1940s) as well as adding confirmation preparation. It also continued a tradition begun in the nineteenth century of elaborate annual balls, celebrated at local halls and hotels. In the early twentieth century, Beth El became known for dramatic productions at local theatres that often included sizeable casts and were open to the general public. While the synagogue struggled during the 1930s in the aftermath of the Great Depression, during the war years, through the work of the auxiliaries and the school, enough money was raised to purchase a bomber plane for US military use. The fundraising effort was also matched by regular contribution to war bonds drives. Rabbi Elihu Rickel served as a military chaplain and at the end of 1945, Temple Beth El listed 125 members who had served in the military during WWII. A year-long planning process for a wide range of events began in 1946 culminating in multiple centennial events, and a banquet and play, “Through the Years,” on May 1947. Demographics became a factor during the 1950s. As part of suburbanization, the Temple established a school building on Eggert Road at Sheridan Drive in 1960 in order to address needs of members located in the suburbs. By the end of the 1960s this site became the final home of Temple Beth El. At Eggert Road, it became “the first Conservative Jewish temple” in the suburbs. Tikvah School, made up mostly of Beth El members, provided schooling for children ranging from nursery school through tenth grade, and later became a merged school for several conservative synagogues. After a fire at Eggert Road in 1978, a new Sanctuary was added and dedicated in 1981. The space was expanded and new classrooms added, a foyer and bridal room, along with space for a large library, museum and basement archives. During this period, Temple Beth El was a significant convening place for the community, used heavily by local Jewish organizations for rented meeting space. At various times Beth El was also a home for the Kadimah School of Buffalo, and the United Jewish High School of Jewish Studies, as well as Tikvah, the combined congregational religious school. In addition to several temple locations, Temple Beth El purchased a cemetery in 1864 “located in the Broadway Fillmore area”, but these burials were later removed to the Pine Ridge Road Cemetery in 1911, the place of the current Beth El synagogue cemetery when land was purchased. An additional section on Pine Ridge Road was purchased in 1917 and dedicated in 1923. A chapel building designed by architect Louis Greenstein, was dedicated in 1926. Once again changing demographics led to change, this time contracting numbers of the broader Jewish community rather than congregational geographic relocations. In response to declining synagogue members, the temple ceased existence as a continual entity with the historic name of Temple Beth El. In May 2008, Temple Beth El families voted to merge the congregation with Temple Shaarey Zedek. Temple Beth El held its last service on June 9, 2008. The successor congregation was named Temple Beth Tzedek.

Chronology

1847 Congregation Beth El, Buffalo, New York was founded at a meeting on May 9 1848 The Hoyt Building, at the northeast corner of Main and Eagle Streets, was used as the first regular place of worship from the spring of 1848 1848 New synagogue adopts a constitution and bylaws and elects officers in April 1848 Synagogue Beth El is incorporated on June 19 1849 A lot located on Pearl Street with a vacant school is purchased as the first permanent site 1850 Within the newly built sanctuary, on July 22, a Dedicatory Address is delivered by Rabbi Samuel M. Isaacs of New York City 1854 Judah, Toura [Touro], an American Jewish philanthropist from New Orleans, bequeaths $3,000 to Temple Beth El 1865 On January 25, the Temple was damaged by fire that destroys nearby American Hotel 1874 On August 15, the synagogue held a dedication event for the second location of Beth El built on Elm Street between Eagle and North Division Streets 1897 Temple Beth El’s 50th Anniversary was attended by national, state and local dignitaries 1909 Charles Polakoff was elected to presidency on April 11 and served the congregation as President for nearly thirty years 1909 The Beth El Women’s Society, a forerunner to the Sisterhood, was organized on July 25 1910 On July 24, the cornerstone on the Richmond Avenue site was laid by Joseph Saperston 1911 On September 10, the new Temple building was dedicated 1915 In May, Solomon Schecter, president of Jewish Theological Seminary, delivers an address at Temple Beth El 1918 Temple Beth El Men’s Club was organized as a forerunner to the Brotherhood 1919 Membership increased from sixty-eight to two hundred and fifty families 1922 Bar Mitzvah Brotherhood begins their Sunday meeting club and continues through the 1970s 1926 A new chapel building dedication ceremony in the Beth El section of Pine Hill Cemetery is held in September 1944 Expansion and improvement of the Temple Center occurs over the year 1945 Temple Beth El lists 125 members who served in the military during WWII 1947 The 100th anniversary celebratory year concludes on May 18 with a banquet and play 1960 Beth El builds a school at a location on Eggert Road in the Town of Tonawanda 1966 On October 9, a final service is held at the Richmond Avenue building 1978 Fire destroys part of Temple Beth El’s new building on Eggert Road 1981 Expansion of synagogue including addition of the Rabbi Samuel I. Porrath foyer 1997 Members return to Richmond Avenue, now Temple Emanuel Church, to observe the 150th anniversary of Temple Beth El 2000 Cantor Gerald DeBruin is honored for serving as hazzan for fifty years 2008 Temple Beth El votes to sell Eggert Road and merge with Temple Shaarey Zedek to form Temple Beth Tzedek