Temple Emanuel is the oldest Reform Congregation in Montgomery County. It was formally organized with 28 member families in August 1952, and affiliated with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now Union for Reform Judaism) in March 1953. Temple Emanuel engaged Rabbi Leon Adler as its first full time rabbi in July 1953, and he continued to serve the congregation until his death 35 years later. In 1958, after a successful capital campaign chaired by early member Abe Pollin, the first stage of our present building was completed on our five acre site, just south of the Kensington town line.
With expansions and renovations in 1974 and 2002 and again in 2008 and 2011, we completed the building you see today. Our goals were to meet the needs of our congregation for spiritually inspiring worship space, for life long learning, and for building a welcoming and caring community. Led by Rabbi Stone, and with our Green Shalom Committee, we also incorporated our concerns for the environment in our plans and construction. One of our innovations is a solar powered Ner Tamid (eternal light). We also made certain that every part of our building and sanctuary is accessible to those in wheel chairs or with physical disability so we can indeed practice our values as a caring community.
Our Leon Adler Sanctuary, named in memory of our first Rabbi, has won national recognition, with its large windows opening on natural surroundings and the embodiment of its theme, the ancient image of the Tree of Life, the metaphor for Torah. Under the leadership of Rabbi Stone, a visionary leader for the environment, our Temple has been recognized as a green Temple and it has been given the Green Menorah Award.
Our Cantor, Rosalie Boxt, served as vice president of the American conference of cantors and was the producer of the tri-state community concerts “350 Years in Song” and “Libi Bamizrach.”
We have introduced the new Reform prayer book Mishkan T’filah into our weekly Shabbat services, giving new spiritual content to our services. Every Shabbat morning, there is lay led Torah and Tanach study preceded by a Minyan.
On Sunday mornings during the school year, the building is a beehive of activity. Our school-age children study in our Religious School, and adult congregants attend courses led by the Rabbi, Cantor, Educator Itzik Eshel, and outside scholars. Adult learners also come to lectures and courses on week day evenings, on the weekends, and even some during weekdays. With the opening of the Temple Emanuel Childhood Center, learning opportunities at Temple Emanuel extend from the youngest members to the oldest members of our Temple families.
The Temple offers opportunities to share both joys and sorrows. We celebrate together baby namings, consecrations, B’nai Mitzvah, confirmation, weddings, and other life affirming events. We also join in consoling one another in times of illness and mourning.
The congregation is in many respects a partnership between its members and its professional staff. Neither could function without the other. Volunteers serve on Temple committees dealing with the range of Temple activities: fund raising, publicity, the Religious School, the Early Childhood Center, buildings and grounds, religious services, adult education, social action, Green Shalom and others, as well as Women of Reform Judaism and the Temple Brotherhood. Our teenage members have access to their own youth lounge, and they participate in KESTY, our youth group. Whatever the talents or interests you bring with you, there is a place for you in the Temple family.
