Partner Profile: Temple Beth Sholom
Founded in 1942, Temple Beth Sholom is a synagogue in Miami Beach, Florida serving a diverse population, developing meaningful relationships and transformative experiences through a dedication to its core values of spirituality, education, community, repairing the world and supporting the state of Israel. The Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation has been a proud supporter of Temple Beth Sholom since 2015, helping to grow its endowment and subsidize membership costs for those who cannot afford them.
Built on the principles of inclusion and social justice, the community that makes up Miami Beach’s Temple Beth Sholom demonstrates its dedication to these ideals every day.
“We serve a very diverse population on Miami Beach,” said Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz, a Senior Rabbi for the temple who has served the congregation since 1994. “From Jews who were born here in Florida to people from South America, Israel and all over the world, we open our doors wide so that people of all economic streams are able to participate fully.”
And there’s a lot for members of Temple Beth Sholom to participate in. In addition to its weekly Shabbat services and annual holiday celebrations (now available entirely through Zoom due to COVID-19), the temple also has daycare, preschool, elementary and after-school offerings, and provides religious education programs for adults – ranging from parent-child workshops to helping those in the community who are interested in converting to Judaism and learn what it means to be Jewish.
Not just a place of worship and religious study, the temple is also a registered 501(c)(3) charity organization, hosting an annual Mitzvah Day to raise money for local causes and promote acts of service and kindness in the community. Mitzvah Day 2020, which took place on February 23, 2020, engaged more than 600 congregants and raised over $4,800 for the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), a statewide alliance of more than 62 member organizations – including farm workers, students, service providers, grassroots organizations and legal advocates – who work together in service of the fair treatment of all people, including immigrants.
“We do a lot of social-service, direct-service and social-justice kinds of projects,” said Rabbi Pomerantz. “Fighting for civil rights, voting rights, economic equality and against food insecurity — these are all issues we address as a synagogue.”
The Finker-Frenkel Family Foundation has been a partner of Temple Beth Sholom since 2015, and Rabbi Pomerantz says the Foundation’s support has enabled them to grow their endowment and provide subsidized membership for those in the community who want to be a part of the synagogue, but who cannot afford to join at a typical member rate.
“A little more than half our congregation cannot afford the full member dues,” she said. “But gifts like those given by the Finker-Frenkels enable us to continue to thrive as an organization and serve anyone who wishes to join our community. We are very grateful for their support!”
To learn more about Temple Beth Sholom, please visit: https://www.tbsmb.org/
