Norma Orovitz, the Director of Development for the Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged, tells us: “As the Biscayne corridor blossoms into a vibrant urban center around it, Temple Israel wears the badge of steadfast survivor – clinging to its downtown location through blight and flight. Some 20+ years ago, Past President Dave Fleeman (a community activist and developer) walked me out to the edge of our property on

       Well, Dave was right and so were all those visionaries who built Temple Israel into the sacred space it is and has been for 85 years!

      Look to the south a few blocks...Performing Arts; to the north...Midtown and the Design District!

      While awaiting the gentrification, we've secured the neighborhood; enhanced educational, cultural and religious life for generations of Miamians...birthed myriad Reform congregations from South Dade to the Broward line. When riots threatened the city-core, TI was a safe space...our clergy and lay leadership led the charge to merge Miami 's citizenry, black and white.

      We've brought zip-codes of folks together in one central location and been the liberal light of Judaism in Dade County 's "neighborhood congregation."

      I married into TI nearly 45 years ago...much of who I am has been shaped by the legions of lessons taught by Reform and refined by the women and men who have lived them while leading our congregation as role models.”

 And Temple Israel is doing just that, serving as a solid and central beacon of Jewish life in the area in turn making it more attractive to Miami ’s progressive Jews moving into the surrounding neighborhoods. But Temple Israel also continues to draw those seeking an alternative, more urban Jewish experience from throughout Greater Miami – congregants often muse about the number of synagogues they pass right by on their way to their beloved community of Temple Israel .

 Always a home to visionary thinking and ideals and as a particularly progressive community, Temple Israel is recognized for its historical commitment to social action, always appearing on the frontlines of support for those in need politically, economically and socially worldwide and in its own backyard. The synagogue is also home to Ruach, an LGBT fellowship group within the congregation fostering a large and active home for LGBT Jewish life.

It is appropriate that the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts is built on the neighboring original site of Temple Israel and that the Design and Wynwood Arts Districts have developed around the synagogue per the congregation’s rich history of supporting the arts. Currently Temple Israel is home to several significant arts programs including the Reflections Concert Series, the Guava Rugelach Festival, and Temple Israel Arts which recently married Temple Israel’s cultural and social action values in it’s community-wide choral event, A City Sings for Martin Luther King.

 True to form Temple Israel celebrates its long history as a spirited progressive community by marking its 85^th anniversary in May with a diversity of creative events.

We also interviewed Stanley Tate, a developer and entrepreneur, creator of the Florida College Prepaid Program tell us that he and his wife Joni have been temple members for almost 60 years.  The Tate Family is among the strongest supporters of Temple Israel and all it entails.

 Martin Fine, Lawyer at Holland and Knight, said this about Temple Israel: n my opinion Temple is unique, as it celebrates its 85th year in Miami for many reasons.  Among them are: It has been a great and important House of Worship, a great Center for meeting at which Community problems and opportunities are reviewed and acted on; it was a leader in years past in helping to break down the barriers of racial segregation, it is a bastion of what a responsible religious organization ought to be in this 21st Century and many of its members and their families are past and current builders of the Greater Miami community.

 From Dr. Joan Bornstein, recently retired Executive at Easter Seals, an actual president of the board of trustees at Temple Israel : “I arrived in Miami in August 1952 as the bride of the first Cantor of Temple Israel. We had met at Hebrew Union College and now we were associated with the largest Reform Congregation in the community.  It was so exciting.  More than 1000 people attending a Friday night service.  The service had to be piped into the Social Hall.  After struggling with multiple High Holyday services for several years, we moved into the Miami Beach Convention center and 5,000 people attended the services.  The Temple prided itself on the quality of the clergy and on the Social conscience of the Congregation. Rabbit Narot's sermons were meaningful and inspiring.  All issues, controversial or not were presented.  Faith in the City was begun and churches and synagogues worked together to better the community.

Robert Glazier, past president 2005-2007.  Chair Advisory Committee.

"Miami is a relatively new city, still changing--in fact, in the midst of what may be its most dramatic change. In the heart of the city there are a few institutions which have remained through the changes, remained through the flight to the suburbs, remained to see the return to the city. Temple Israel is one of those handful of Miami institutions."


Dorothy and Dr. Maurice Serotta, Social Activists.  Dorothy's was present at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Temple's first building in 1927.

"The family saga, just to complete the picture: Carla Serotta Neufeld (Mrs Enrique Neufeld), is currently serving on the Temple board and as one of the vice-presidents of Sisterhood. My long-deceased parents were her grandparents. Belle Weinkrants Levin and Isaac Levin arrived in this area in 1925. My father served as a president of the Temple and was particularly proud all of his life that he was one of the ones who insisted, when the Temple building was erected in 1927, that it should be built large, not just for a few more members than the Temple had that year.. He said it should be built to serve at least 600 people and won the argument . My mother was a perennal Sisterhood president, returning to that office for  moe than one term at separate times, whenever she was needed. My late brother also served on the temple board and his widow, Juanita K. Levin, is a faithful Temple member to this day.  I have served as a  Sisterhood president  and on the nati onal board of the Women for Reform Judaism as well as nearly thirty years on the National Commissin for Reform Judaism. and perennially as local Temple social action chair. Three of Carla and Enrique's  children: David, Leo and Sasha Belle Neufeld were all bnai mitzvah and confirmands of this Temple and  Sasha is scheduled to serve in the coming year as president of the Temple Israel Federation of Temple Youth.
Carla's brothers are Rabbi Gerald Serotta of Washington, D.C. , the national chair for the Rabbis for Human Rights association; Richard Serotta,a sound engineer, composer and recording specialist, and Rabbi Isaac Serotta  of Lakeside Temple in Chicago.  We have eleven grandchildren and foiur great-grandchilden.

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