On January 9, 1905, a meeting was called by Simon Greenebaum, Sam Adler, and Samuel Spiro for the purpose of "completing the organization for a new Jewish Congregation." That new congregation -- Temple Beth-El (House of God) -- held its first worship services on January 22, 1905, and within forty days of that initial meeting a lot on the corner of LaSalle and Taylor Streets had been purchased.

On March 6, 1906, just over a year after the organizational meeting, the Taylor Street building was dedicated. As early as 1909, Temple Beth-El became affiliated with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now the Union for Reform Judaism). That relationship continues today.

Temple's Sisterhood and Brotherhood date to the early days of the Temple. Indeed, the Sisterhood (originally known as the Temple Aid Society and, later, the Temple Aid Sisterhood) was organized only one month after the Temple's founding. The Brotherhood (originally known as the Temple Men's Club) was established in 1929.

By the middle of the 20th Century, Temple Beth-El had outgrown its original Taylor Street home. Accordingly, funds for new property and a new building were raised, and in May 1950 the current sanctuary building was dedicated. Soon thereafter, a new Community Room was dedicated in memory of four Temple members who gave their lives during World War II. In the following years, the Temple facilities expanded to include a small Chapel, two well-established libraries (one for adults and one for children), a modern lounge, and the Kurt & Tessye Simon Education Center, which contains large and modern classroom space for our educational programs. Temple Beth-El also maintains Rose Hill Cemetery, a small burial ground in the heart of South Bend that follows Reform Jewish burial rites.

As Temple Beth-El enjoys its second century, we look forward to continuing and building upon the dedication of those lay leaders and rabbis who have enabled Temple Beth-El to provide a strong Reform Jewish presence in the South Bend area.

  Rose Hill Cemetery Quick Fact Sheet

• Rose Hill Cemetery was the first Jewish organization established in the community under the original name of "The Hebrew Society of Brotherly Love" in 1853.
• Under the Society, Rose Hill was established "To procure and provide suitable grounds for the burial of deceased Israelites and to keep in repair and ornament the same; and to suitably, and at the expense of the organization, inter according to the rites and usages of our faith, strangers and indigent Israelites who may decease in our midst."
• Originally the plot of ground purchased was located in what was then known as Lowell, IN. Presently, this is the area around Sunny Italy Restaurant and the Madison Center.
• In 1883, the plot was sold and the graves were transferred to the present property at 1616 South Miami Street.
• Founding members of Temple Beth-El have long been associated with Rose Hill. Past directors include Adler, Barth, Berman, Feig, Lemontree, Morrison, Oppenheim, Sampson, and Simon.
• In 1952, under the leadership of then Temple President Phil Welber, Rose Hill was named the officially sanctioned Reform Jewish Cemetery of the South Bend community.
• In 1975 the Temple Beth-El Board of Directors assumed responsibility for maintaining a Board of Directors of the Rose Hill Association.
• In 1997 the ownership of Rose Hill was formally transferred to Temple Beth-El.
• Since Temple Beth-El's involvement with Rose Hill Cemetery, the cemetery has been able to continue to accommodate Jewish burial for all Jews, as well as their spouses and children of an interred plot owner - even if those immediate family members are not Jewish.

For more information please contact Temple Beth-El directly. The above information was compiled by Anne Feferman and drawn from the publication A Burial Ground for Deceased Israelites, Jewish Cemeteries in South Bend, Brotherly Love, 1859-1884, Rose Hill, 1883, by Roger Birdsell, published by the Michiana Jewish Historical Society, Inc. 2002. Copies of this publication are available at the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley.