Temple Emanu-El (Miami Beach, Florida)
Temple Emanu-El is a historic synagogue located in the South Beach district of Miami Beach, Florida. It is the oldest and largest Conservative congregation in Miami Beach. The original sanctuary was constructed in 1947 as the "Miami Beach Jewish Center" at a cost of $1 million, with additions for classrooms and a grand ballroom being added in 1966. It is considered to be one of America's most beautiful synagogues with an impressive Byzantine and Moorish style of architecture, featuring a rotunda building and aluminum dome more than ten stories tall. It is roughly modeled after the Great Synagogue of Oran. The Abraham Frost Sanctuary is capable of holding 1,370 people at maximum capacity, thus making it the fifth largest synagogue in the United States by fixed seating capacity. As of 2011, the senior rabbi is Daniel Sherbill.
History
Begun in 1947, Temple Emanu-El (formerly the Miami Beach Jewish Center) was established as the first Conservative congregation in Miami Beach. Its founding and long-time rabbi, Dr. Irving Lehrman, was largely responsible for its rapid growth, development, and national success. His career, spanning more than five decades, saw the creation of multiple educational and Judaic programs, most notably the Lehrman Community Day School, which still exists in Miami Beach.
In 2005, Touro College South began leasing classroom space from Temple Emanu-El, thus establishing its Miami branch campus at the synagogue.
Notable people and events
Over the years, Temple Emanu-El has hosted a myriad of notable statesmen and religious leaders such as: President Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Henry M. Jackson, the Dalai Lama, and Desmond Tutu.