C ELEBRATING 140 YEARS OF Congregation Ahavath Chesed

By Rabbi Maya Glasser

Congregation Ahavath

Chesed (The Temple)

Congregation Ahavath

Chesed (The Temple) is celebrating! For 140 years, the Temple has been at the center of Jewish life for Reform Jews in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida. It has seen a lot of change over the years and has a rich history with major milestones. The first Temple president, Morris A. Dzialynski, was Jacksonville’s only Jewish mayor (1881-1883.) The original Temple at Laura and Union streets was dedicated in 1882, destroyed in the Great Fire of 1901, and was the first house of worship in the city to be rebuilt. Temple Rabbi Sidney Lefkowitz made history as a young Army chaplain in 1944 when he held the first Jewish service on German soil following the years of Nazi persecution.

Today, Temple’s location on San Jose Boulevard draws individuals and families from all of Northeast Florida, offering worship, Temple Institute of Religion, lifelong learning,

JAFTY and other youth groups, Boy Scout troop 12, Sisterhood and Brotherhood, and a host of activities, programs, and events that engage the several hundred member families and many others. Temple continues as a beacon of interfaith understanding in our community, a tradition that started with the community’s annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service in 1917 and continues today.

Most importantly, Temple continues to welcome Jews who are searching for a sweeter Shabbat, a closer connection to God, a deeper understanding of our responsibility to repair the world, a warmer embrace when we are hurt or grieving, and a window into the future when we see our youth claim their place in our 5,000 year chain of history.

Temple is led by Rabbi Maya Glasser, who represents a new generation of leaders that are re-energizing their communities to embrace the joys of Reform Judaism.

“While the world has changed greatly during the last 140 years, the idea of being a community that lives up to our name, loving kindness, justice, and mercy, has not,” noted

Rabbi Glasser, referring to the translation of Temple’s name: Ahavath Chesed.

“With this celebration, we keep dreaming about what can be. With this celebration, we express our gratitude for this holy congregation and one another, and renew our dedication to our Mission: To foster purpose and belonging within an inclusive community for those who want to experience the profound joys of Reform Judaism; and our Vision: To deepen our connections with ourselves, one another, and God as part of our quest for Tikkun Olam- repairing the world.

Temple President Miriam Greenhut believes the 140th Anniversary, which was being celebrated with a gala on May 20th, provides a perfect moment to consider the long arc of Temple’s place in our lives.

“Our 140th Anniversary is an opportunity not only to honor our past, but also to celebrate who we are today, and who we dream of being in the future,” she noted. “Our past reminds us that in every generation we have embraced an ever changing world with dedication, love, and compassion. We celebrate this milestone in gratitude for these prior genera- tions, to rededicate ourselves to living up to their example. We will evolve and we will grow from strength to strength.”