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June 2003
The 50th Anniversary of Temple Emanuel
by Cherry Wunderlich
The first weekend in March marked a special occasion for
Temple
Emanuel in Kensington - its 50th anniversary. Recently we learned more
about Temple Emanuel's history from Myrna Rosen Byer, congregation president,
and Cindy Gerecht, board member and librarian. They also told us about
its current programs and its involvement in the community.
The temple's origins go back to 1952, when 10 local families
met
and decided that they would like to form a Reform Judaism congregation.
It would be the first in Montgomery County.
With a student rabbi, the families began holding services
in
meeting space provided by Kensington area churches, including Warner Memorial
Presbyterian Church. The families also began a religious school for the
children; it met at McKenney Hills Elementary School. In the fall of 1952,
the newly forming congregation held High Holiday services with the student
rabbi.
In 1953, Rabbi Leon Adler became the congregation's rabbi.
He was
to serve for some 35 years, until his death in 1988. Rabbi Warren Stone
came later that year and has served ever since. He also currently serves
as the president of the Washington Board of Rabbis. For the past two years,
the congregation has also had a cantor, Rosalie Boxt.
In 1955, the congregation purchased property at 10101 Connecticut
Avenue. The groundbreaking for its first building followed in 1957. The
rectangular building stood where the social hall and lower-level
classrooms now stand.
The congregation grew to 200 families in 1953. Today, the
congregation serves more than 500 families, a diverse community in
background and ages. Members range from singles and young families to
seniors.
From its beginnings, the congregation has focused both
on serving its
families and on reaching out to the larger community. Programs and
activities involve everyone from children through seniors. The
religious school, with the leadership of Temple Educator Itzik Eshel,
has 14 classrooms. Children stay in the school through 10th grade and
then are confirmed.
Sunday morning coffeehouses offer speakers and discussions
for
adults while the children attend religious school. Youth groups are active
in the congregation and community, with trips to New York City and other
areas.
To bring individuals and families together in small groups
as
communities within the larger community, there are Havurot groups of
seven to ten families each. Often gathering in each others' homes, they
also enjoy outings and restaurant gatherings, and come together to mark
life cycle events and to celebrate holidays together.
Two service organizations, the Women of Reform Judaism/Sisterhood
and the Brotherhood, are also active. A retreat group has been meeting
since the 1960s. Temple Emanuel also has a B'nai Mitzvah program, a two-year
program for adults. Programs for seniors include exercise classes and
other activities.
Large numbers of volunteers are actively involved in every
facet of
congregation life, as well as the newsletter and the Website
www.TempleEmanuelMD.org. Congregation members volunteer in many ways,
often donating the skills of their professional services.
Over the years since its founding, the congregation has
been
involved in the community in several areas. Environmental awareness and
action are longstanding concerns.
Now led by the Green Shalom Committee, activities range
from recycling to using environmentally friendly materials, such as the
bamboo floors in one of the worship spaces, to the beautiful tree sculptures
in the sanctuary created by an artisan in
the southwestern United States.
A recent speaker explained the history and challenges of
the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed, an area spanning some 64,000 square miles. The
Person to Person program was another early focus.
The congregation also became an active supporter of SOME
(So Others
Might Eat), a DC organization that provides meals and other services to
indigent people.
In several recent years, the Temple also hosted memorable
benefit
concerts to raise funds for SOME. SOME recently recognized the
congregation's many contributions with a special award.
Service to homeless people also includes providing food
and other
support to a local homeless shelter. Through the Ton of Food drive,
volunteers from the congregation recently collected 473 bags of food
totaling 8,600 pounds for the Manna Food Center of Montgomery County.
Temple Emanuel is also actively involved in the Kensington
Ministerium. This group of seven or eight Kensington churches and
synagogues includes Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, the AME Church of Kengar,
and other faith communities.
These congregations hold an interfaith service for Thanksgiving,
hosted this past year by Temple Emanuel. Last September 11, the
congregations also held a 9/11 memorial observance at the Kensington Town
Hall/Community Center.
During the past year, another major project was the building
renovation and expansion. Over the year of the construction, the congregation
met in numerous places in the community.
Despite the many challenges, the project brought the community
closer together. Services were held in the Executive Office Building cafeteria
in Rockville. The Torah Study group met in Warner Memorial Presbyterian
Church in Kensington. Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs took place in varied
locations.
The religious school classes took place in space rented
at Lee
Middle School. The offices and administrative staff met in space
opposite the Café Monet in Kensington. Many events and meetings
were held in the homes of congregation members.
Now in its new space, with a spacious light-filled library
serving
all ages, a large sanctuary and an alternate worship space as well as
a social hall, the congregation honored its 50th anniversary with three
days of celebrations and observances. The weekend's events included
speakers on the history of the congregation, tributes to past
congregation presidents, a Torah Fair for the children, and a concert
by the singer Danny Maseng.
Special projects for 2003 continue with a silent auction
benefit
on June 14th. The anniversary celebration and the ongoing activities
continue to reaffirm congregation's goal, expressed by congregation
President Myrna Rosen Byer, of "creating an environment where people
are comfortable, where everyone is accepted, and where they bring these
values back to their homes."
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