A Century and Counting on Michiana's West Side
Temple Beth-El has been a steady Reform Jewish presence in the South Bend, Indiana area for more than a century, gathering on January 22, 1905, for its very first worship service less than six weeks after a founding meeting called by Simon Greenebaum, Sam Adler, and Samuel Spiro. By March of the following year, the new congregation had dedicated a building on the corner of LaSalle and Taylor Streets in South Bend, and within four years it had affiliated with what is now the Union for Reform Judaism, a relationship that continues today.
That first Taylor Street building could not contain the congregation for long. By the middle of the twentieth century, Temple Beth-El had outgrown its original home. In May 1950, the congregation dedicated a new sanctuary on West Madison Street in downtown South Bend, where it would remain for more than seven decades. The campus eventually grew to include a chapel, two libraries (one for adults, one for children), a community room dedicated in memory of four members lost in World War II, a modern lounge, and the Kurt and Tessye Simon Education Center.
When that building closed in 2023, the congregation did not stand still. Temple Beth-El now gathers for worship, study, and community at 13260 State Road 23 in Granger, Indiana, while preparing to transform a recently purchased former McGann-Hay funeral home into a new spiritual home. A "Plant for the Future" capital campaign is underway to make that transition possible. Through every chapter, Temple Beth-El has remained what its founders intended: a House of God in the broadest sense, where members of every generation can come together to mark the Jewish year, raise their children in the tradition, and repair the world one conversation at a time.
Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky
Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky has served Temple Beth-El since July of 2024 and is its spiritual leader and primary teacher. Ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1994, she spent ten years serving a merged congregation in the greater Pittsburgh area before relocating to Adelaide, South Australia, where she served as rabbi of Beit Shalom Synagogue for the next eighteen years.
Kaminsky is a dedicated musician, a passionate advocate for social justice, and someone who finds her deepest sense of meaning in the connections between people. She moved from Australia to South Bend in 2024 with the intention of staying just a year or two but quickly discovered that the community had gotten under her skin. She now holds a five-year contract with Temple Beth-El, has purchased a home in the area, and has affixed mezuzot to its doorposts. She is happy to meet with prospective members and is available to speak with community groups about Judaism and synagogue life.
Her teaching draws freely on Jewish text, contemporary moral philosophy, and the events of the day. A Yom Kippur 2025 sermon series built around the theme of "home" moved from the geography of her own life to the meaning of the United States, the state of Israel, and the Jewish tradition as a kind of mansion with endless rooms to explore. Her March 2026 sermon reflected on the rise of antisemitism, the realities of Jewish security in 2026, and the courage required to live a fully Jewish life in the present moment.
Shabbat: The Heart of the Week
Temple Beth-El members meet weekly on Friday evenings to celebrate Shabbat with prayer, reflection, and music. All Friday evening services are available on Zoom, and in the winter months some services may be held solely online. Time for shmoozing with refreshments follows every gathering, and congregants regularly linger long after the formal service has ended.
On Saturday mornings, the congregation gathers monthly for Torah study followed by a service that includes Torah reading and concludes with a light lunch. These mornings are among the most warmly anticipated events on the Temple calendar, drawing members who appreciate the chance to study the weekly portion together in community.
At least once a month, the congregation comes together for a communal Shabbat meal, alternating between dinners and lunches. The program is free of charge thanks to the generosity of congregational sponsors, and newcomers are especially welcome.
Lifelong Learning
An average month at Temple Beth-El includes a wide variety of study opportunities for adults. A monthly book discussion group brings readers together around works of Jewish and general interest, while a separate women's Torah study group meets on a regular basis for shared learning. Monthly Torah study sessions precede the Saturday morning Shabbat service, and the rabbi leads a weekly Lunch and Learn that has become a touchstone for many members.
For those seeking a deeper dive, Rabbi Kaminsky offers a Wednesday evening survey course in Judaism on Zoom, open to participants near and far. Classes run for the remainder of the academic year and are designed so that newcomers can drop in on topics of particular interest. The rabbi regularly shapes new stand-alone classes in response to requests from members.
The Temple's educational philosophy is captured by the phrase "lifelong learning," a framing that recognizes the value of curiosity at every age. As the rabbi has written, Judaism is a mansion full of mysteries, with secret passageways and whole additional wings waiting to be explored. Members are invited to wander from room to room at their own pace, knowing that every encounter with Jewish text or tradition is itself a mitzvah.
Religious School and Bar/Bat Mitzvah
For the 2026-27 academic year, Temple Beth-El is launching a new children's education program that meets on Sunday mornings. The school welcomes families interested in Jewish learning and is designed to give young people a strong foundation in Hebrew, prayer, and the rhythms of the Jewish year.
The path to Bar and Bat Mitzvah at Temple Beth-El begins with enrollment in the religious school for at least two years preceding the ceremony. Students receive both classroom instruction and individualized tutoring from designated tutors, and the rabbi meets personally with each student to help them prepare the dvar Torah, or words of Torah, that they will deliver on the day. Candidates for Bar or Bat Mitzvah must come from families that are members in good standing of the congregation.
The Bar and Bat Mitzvah is a moment of profound joy at Temple Beth-El, marking the young person's entry into the adult Jewish community. The Temple rejoices with each family and supports them through preparation and celebration.
The Sisterhood
Temple Beth-El's Sisterhood was organized just one month after the congregation itself was founded in 1905, originally under the name Temple Aid Society. Now part of Women of Reform Judaism, a global network of more than 60,000 women in over 600 sisterhoods, the Sisterhood supports the Temple in its religious, educational, charitable, and financial activities.
The Sisterhood helps fund the religious school teachers' salaries, organizes youth activities, and sends "We Care" packages to college students. Sisterhood members provide the refreshments that follow every service and enhance holidays with family celebrations, dinners, and study lunches. The annual Sisterhood Shabbat Service is a highlight of the congregational year.
Through its local funds, including the Friend Caring Fund, the Youth and College Student Fund, and L'Havdil, the Sisterhood supports Temple families in need, sends packages to and visits home-bound members, and maintains the Temple kitchen. To support its budget, the Sisterhood operates a catering service for B'nei Mitzvah, sells flowers, and creates the Family Tree of Life. Members meet at least monthly for luncheons, dinners, business meetings, outings, and a variety of programs.
Tzedek Seekers: Justice and Advocacy
The Tzedek Seekers is a congregation-wide group formed by members who were inspired by participation in the women's marches of January 2017 to become a voice for advocacy in federal, state, and local government. "Tzedek" is the Hebrew word for justice, and the group is dedicated to endorsing legislative actions that assure justice for all segments of society.
The Tzedek Seekers share information about current issues and encourage members to contact their elected officials. The group is non-partisan, though individual members are free to express their own opinions. No one in the group speaks on behalf of Temple Beth-El as a whole. Meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at noon at the Temple, and anyone interested is welcome to attend or to be added to the group's email list.
Beyond encouraging direct advocacy, the Tzedek Seekers sponsor educational programs to help Temple members learn how to be effective advocates for the issues they care about. Temple Beth-El and the Tzedek Seekers are also a core part of Faiths in St. Joe County, now rebranded as We Make Indiana, a coalition working for justice across the region.
Rose Hill Cemetery
Rose Hill Cemetery, located on South Miami Street in South Bend, became part of Temple Beth-El in 1999, though its history stretches back to 1859. It is the oldest Jewish burial ground in the South Bend area, originally established by the Hebrew Society of Brotherly Love, which purchased land for a Jewish cemetery along the St. Joseph River near Niles Avenue. In 1883, new land was purchased on South Miami Street and the graves were moved to the present site.
Rose Hill is the only Jewish cemetery in the South Bend area that permits the burial of cremated remains, and it also permits the burial of non-Jewish family members alongside their Jewish loved ones. The cemetery is open to the entire Jewish community, though members of Temple Beth-El receive preferential treatment in the purchase of cemetery plots. Day-to-day operations are handled by the Temple office, and a voluntary committee of lay members oversees the cemetery and reports to the Board of Trustees.
The Kurt and Tessye Simon Legacy
The Kurt and Tessye Simon family has shaped Temple Beth-El in profound and lasting ways through three distinct vehicles.
The Kurt and Tessye Simon Foundation, established in 1976, supports adult education at the Temple, including classes in ethics and Hebrew language. The Foundation also sponsors periodic lectures and special events, including the recent visits of artists-in-residence such as Rabbi Deborah Zecher and conversations with leaders like Rabbi Angela Buchdahl. The Foundation's gifts to the Confirmation Class have become a meaningful part of the Temple's lifecycle programming.
The Kurt and Tessye Simon Fund for Holocaust Remembrance, a separate initiative, develops educational resources for raising awareness of the Holocaust among both Jewish and non-Jewish communities. Each year, the Fund sponsors "The People Next Door," a student art and creative writing competition that draws entries from area high school students reflecting on the experiences of South Bend Holocaust survivors and the broader significance of the Shoah. The Fund's annual Yom HaShoah observance, often held at the South Bend Civic Theatre, brings together members of the wider community for reflection and remembrance.
The Kurt and Tessye Simon Scholarship Fund, established in 1989, provides college scholarship assistance to members of Temple Beth-El and to the children of members. Scholarships are available to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at two-year, four-year, technical, or graduate programs, and are renewable for each year of enrollment. In recent years, the Fund has awarded more than $17,000 to Simon Scholars in a single year, supporting the next generation of Jewish learning and professional development.
Sustain: Looking After the Community
In March 2021, the Temple's Board of Trustees voted to rename the endowment fund formerly known as the Temple Beth-El Food Pantry for the Needy to the Sustain Endowment Fund. Sustain now donates thousands of dollars each year to local non-profit agencies that help people in need of clothing, food, help with utilities, and other necessities.
While most donations remain in St. Joseph County, the Fund also supports national and international Jewish agencies responding to humanitarian crises abroad. Among the agencies that have received Sustain's support are La Casa de Amistad, Cultivate Food Rescue, The Jewish Federation of North America, the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley, the Northern Indiana Food Bank, the Portage Township Trustee Utility Program, the World Union for Progressive Judaism, and the United Religious Community.
The Sustain Committee meets about four times each year to review available funds and select recipient organizations. Donations to Sustain or any other Temple endowment fund are welcomed in honor of the High Holidays and throughout the year.
Life Cycle Events
Temple Beth-El serves as a welcoming space for every significant moment in Jewish life, from joyous celebrations to solemn occasions. The Temple marks b'rit milah and baby namings, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, confirmation, weddings, funerals, and unveilings. The rabbi is available to guide families through these milestones and to help craft services that honor both Jewish tradition and the specific character of each family.
The Temple encourages prospective members to join a Shabbat service in person or online to experience what makes Temple Beth-El a special place for its members.
Supporting Temple Beth-El
Temple Beth-El relies on the financial generosity of its members to meet ongoing expenses and to secure its long-term stability. There are many ways to give, from small contributions in honor of a particular mitzvah or life cycle event to larger endowment gifts and bequests. The Temple maintains an extensive list of funds, including general funds such as the Temple Endowment Fund, Temple Building Fund II, the Rabbinical Trust Fund, and the Temple Food Pantry; memorial funds honoring departed members; music funds supporting the cantorial tradition; religious and cultural funds promoting Jewish learning and humanitarian work; library and archive funds preserving the congregation's collection; Sisterhood funds supporting women, youth, and families; and youth, education, and scholarship funds including the Kurt and Tessye Simon Scholarship Fund.
Two enduring forms of remembrance are also available. Simcha plaques, given in a minimum gift of $180, offer a permanent way to celebrate happy occasions in the Temple sanctuary, while memorial plaques, given in a minimum gift of $360, honor departed loved ones. Donations can be made by contacting the office directly.
Becoming a member of Temple Beth-El is open to any person of the Jewish faith, or a partner of a Jewish person, upon approval by the Board of Trustees. The congregation maintains a fair-share dues system and has a long-standing policy of never denying anyone the privileges of membership or access to rabbinical services based on ability to pay.
A House of God in Its Second Century
Temple Beth-El enters its second century as it began its first: a congregation rooted in Reform Jewish values, animated by learning, and held together by the relationships between its members. From its first prayer service in January 1905 through the closure of the West Madison Street building in 2023 and the congregation's move to Granger, the Temple has continued to provide a strong Reform Jewish presence in the South Bend area. With a new building on the horizon, an active Sisterhood, a youth-focused religious school, a long history of cemetery stewardship, a robust adult education program, and a rabbi whose voice is heard both in the sanctuary and on the wider Jewish stage, Temple Beth-El remains the spiritual home that its founders set out to build.