In 1921, two prominent Brooklyn synagogues, Temple Israel and K.K. Beth Elohim, joined forces. They formed the Union Temple of Brooklyn. The newly merged congregation sought a fresh start. They chose a prime location at 17 Eastern Parkway. This placed them near the Brooklyn Library, Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Their ambitious plan included a grand sanctuary and an eleven-story community house. The community house was finished in 1929. Unfortunately, the stock market crash that same year derailed plans for the grand sanctuary. A parking lot took its place.
The Union Temple of Brooklyn adapted. Worship services were held within the community house. For High Holy Days, the congregation utilized the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Later, in 1942, a theater within the community house was transformed. It became a sanctuary, modeled after a synagogue destroyed by the Nazis in Essen, Germany. This act symbolized resilience and remembrance.
The history of Union Temple of Brooklyn is intertwined with its predecessors. K.K. Beth Elohim, established in 1848, was the first Jewish congregation in Brooklyn and Long Island. It began modestly, holding services in a private home on Marcy Avenue. The congregation later occupied a remodeled church and eventually built the Keap Street Temple in 1876. This temple, known for its size, became a landmark in Brooklyn.
Temple Israel, founded in 1869, followed a similar trajectory. Initially, it held services in a YMCA building. Later, they occupied a former church on Greene Avenue. Finally, a magnificent new building on Bedford and Lafayette Avenues became their home in 1891. Both K.K. Beth Elohim and Temple Israel were pillars of the Brooklyn Jewish community. They contributed to numerous philanthropic endeavors, including the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, the Jewish Hospital, and the Brooklyn Federation of Jewish Charities. Their merger into Union Temple of Brooklyn in 1921 marked a significant moment in Brooklyn’s Jewish history. It represented unity and a commitment to continuing their shared legacy of service and community engagement.