Brith Emeth Temple (1959-1986) was established when existing Reform congregations in Cleveland, Ohio, had reached their membership capacities, and a need for a new synagogue was noted by both the local and national Reform organizations. In 1959 a group of eight families met with Rabbi Philip Horowitz, then Minister of Religious Education at Fairmount Temple (Anshe Chesed), to explore founding a new synagogue. Rabbi Horowitz and Martin Friedman selected the name "Brith Emeth," or "Covenant of Truth."
By Rosh Hashanah of 1959, almost 300 families had formally affiliated with the new congregation. The synagogue services were held at the First Unitarian Church in Shaker Heights, Ohio, the Cleveland Heights Jewish Community Center on Mayfield Road, and Byron Junior High School in Shaker Heights until a permanent home was constructed. Architect Edward Durell Stone designed the synagogue built in 1967 at 27575 Shaker Boulevard in Pepper Pike.
The congregation followed Reform Jewish tradition. It established a "Ben/Bat Torah" program, similar to Bar and Bat Mitzvah. The Parents' and Teachers' Association was the first constituent group to be established after the formation of the synagogue. It began meeting in June 1959, and in addition to seeing to the needs of the Religious School, produced a yearly calendar and hosted several annual programs. The Sisterhood took on traditional programming responsibilities, and was also a major fund-raiser for the building fund. Brith Emeth disbanded in 1986 principally for financial reasons. Attempts to merge with another suburban Reform congregation (Temple Emanu El in University Heights, Ohio) failed, and Park Synagogue purchased the Shaker Boulevard building and all the synagogue's assets.
The building was purchased by Park Synagogue after 1986 and used for its educational programs and later housed the Ratner School. The records in this collection were found by construction workers when the building was being renovated for the Ratner School in 2006.
Brith Emeth Temple Records, Series II, 1962-1980 and undated, consist of lists, memoranda, minutes, posters, rosters, and reports.
This collection is of value to researchers studying the development of Brith Emeth Temple and Reform congregations in Pepper Pike and the greater Cleveland, Ohio, area. The records document the administration of the congregation in the minutes of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee and the construction of the building. Brith Emeth was known in the local Jewish community for its innovative educational programs.
The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
All photographs have been removed to The Photograph and Print Collection
The researcher should also consult MS 4747 Brith Emeth Temple Records
Processed by Louis Rosenblum in 2008.
None.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5017 Brith Emeth Temple Records, Series II, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Gift of Scott Blitzer in 2006.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.