Temple Israel (Silver Spring, Maryland)

Former synagogue, now church in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States

Temple Israel

The former synagogue, now church, in 2019

Religion
Affiliation|

* Conservative Judaism (1951-1997)
* Baptist (since 1997)

Ecclesiastical or organizational status|

* Synagogue (1951-1997)
* Church (since 1997)

Status| Active (as a church)
Location
Location| 420 University Blvd East, Silver Spring, Maryland
Country| United States

Location in Maryland

Geographic coordinates| 39°00′31″N 76°59′51″W﻿ / ﻿39.0087209°N 76.9974763°W﻿ / 39.0087209; -76.9974763
Architecture
Date established| 1951 (as a congregation)
Completed| 1952 (as a synagogue)

Temple Israel is a former Conservative Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 420 University Boulevard East, in the neighborhood of Montgomery Knolls, in Silver Spring, Maryland, in the United States. The congregation was established in 1951, the building was completed in 1952 and operated as a synagogue until 1997; when it was subsequently repurposed as the Mount Jezreel Baptist Church, a Baptist church building.

## History[edit]

Temple Israel was founded in 1951 as a Conservative congregation, originally named the Langley Hebrew Congregation. Rabbi Lewis Weintraub was the synagogue's first rabbi. In 1952, the synagogue's building was constructed on University Boulevard.[1] Sam Eig, a Jewish real estate developer, donated 10 acres (4.0 ha) to the congregation.[2] A synagogue, library, social hall, and Hebrew School were built at this location. During its peak, Temple Israel was home to 750 families. About half of these families were headed by government employees who commuted into Washington, D.C. for work.[3]

As part of the Soviet Jewry movement, the synagogue "adopted" two Soviet prisoners of conscience: Aleksander Feldman in 1976 and Amner Zavurov in 1977. Rosh Hashanah greeting cards were sent to Soviet Jews in 1975 and Simchat Torah greetings were sent in 1976. In 1979, English classes were held for Soviet-Jewish immigrants.[4]

In the 1990s, changing demographics caused Temple Israel to make the "painful decision" to sell the synagogue building on University Boulevard. In 1997, Temple Israel merged with Beth Tikva (now Tikvat Israel) of Rockville, Maryland. Beth Tikva had been founded in 1959 as the Rockville-Wheaton Synagogue.[5] As of 2023[update], the building that was housed Temple Israel is home to Mount Jezreel Baptist Church, a predominantly black church.[6]

## See also[edit]

* Judaism portal
* Maryland portal

* History of the Jews in Maryland

## References[edit]

1. ^ "History". Tikvat Israel Congregation Rockville MD. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
2. ^ Kelly, Clare Lise (2015). Montgomery Modern: Modern Architecture In Montgomery County, Maryland, 1930–1979. Silver Spring, Maryland: M-NCPPC. ISBN 9780971560727.
3. ^ Gordon, Albert Isaac (1959). Jews in Suburbia. Beacon Press. p. 44.
4. ^ "TEMPLE ISRAEL". Capital Jewish Museum. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
5. ^ "A Short History of Tikvat Israel" (PDF). Tikvat Israel. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
6. ^ "Connect With Us". Mount Jezreel Baptist Church. Retrieved December 5, 2023.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Temple Israel (Montgomery Knolls).

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Silver Spring, Maryland

Communities|

* Four Corners
* Polychrome Historic District
* Forest Glen Park
* Franklin Knolls
* Indian Spring
* Lyttonsville
* Rock Creek Forest
* Woodside
* Woodside Park
* Woodmoor

Education|

| Primary and
secondary schools|

* Montgomery County Public Schools
* Montgomery Blair High School
* Nora School

|

Other education|

* Montgomery College
* Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library

Former|

* National Park Seminary
* Academy of the Holy Names

Landmarks|

* Acorn Park
* Silver Spring Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station
* Talbot Avenue bridge
* Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Commerce|

* Ellsworth Place
* National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement)
* United Therapeutics

Arts & culture|

* AFI Silver (AFI Docs)
* Betty Mae Krammer Gallery and Music Room
* Coastline (sculpture)
* Great Labor Arts Exchange
* Native American Report
* Urban One
* Washington Hispanic

Recreation|

* Capital Crescent Trail

Sports|

* Silver Spring–Takoma Thunderbolts

History|

* 1996 Maryland train collision
* Silver Spring Three

Transportation|

| Current|

* Silver Spring

|

Future|

* Lyttonsville Road
* Woodside
* Silver Spring Library
* Dale Drive
* Manchester Place
* Long Branch
* Piney Branch Road

This list is incomplete.
Prior to the 2010 census, Four Corners was classified by the U.S. Census Bureau as being part of its for statistical purposes only, census-designated place (CDP) of Silver Spring, and Montgomery Blair High is in the Four Corners CDP.
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