Vision & Mission
Temple Israel of Greater Miami -a progressive Reform congregation - has been celebrating its diversity in downtown Miami since 1922.
Our Mission
To worship God in accordance with the faith of Judaism in the Reform tradition; to stimulate fellowship in the Jewish community; to strengthen the bonds of loyalty with the Jewish people everywhere; and to help complete the creation of God's world through an emphasis on the principles of righteousness and oneness of humanity. (Temple Israel’s By-laws, 1997).
Our Vision
We are a spirited progressive community with a powerful connection to God and a fresh approach to lifelong Jewish learning. As an inclusive congregation, members and visitors alike can feel at home in the diversity of our religious, educational and social activities. We are a 21st century urban synagogue with a longstanding tradition of being at the forefront of social change, supporting the struggle for civil and human rights for all, regardless of creed, color, sexual orientation, or national origin.
History of Faith-In-The City of Miami, Inc.
Faith-in-the-City began in 1987 as a thematic idea for the 65th anniversary of Temple Israel of Greater Miami. Following that landmark event, the synagogue called together its historic downtown and Overtown sister congregations in a series of ongoing meetings. It evolved into a spiritual double entendre: each had provided a denominational faith presence physically within the city’s core and, by voting to stay downtown time and again, each had demonstrated faith in the future of the City of Miami.
Faith-in-the-City was, and is, a multi-prong ecumenical effort. The congregations had provided an anchor in an environment otherwise characterized by sea-change. And while the varied houses of worship shared a common bond linked to inner-city locations, each shared the joy of offering permanence, stability and strength in the central city.
Originally intended to present a single high-profile event in the hopes of attracting new members to its constituent congregations, Faith-in-the-City grew to become a coalition of establishment religious institutions intent on restoring the sense that downtown Miami is a safe, caring and attractive place to live, work and…to worship. In addition, Faith-in-the-City has provided a vehicle for clergy and leadership to work together to enhance a social action agenda and to serve as a sensitizing body for community interdenominational relations.
Since its formal inception on April 2, 1989, Faith-in-the-City has been an umbrella for multiple interfaith services and celebrations, civic, cultural and educational programs and joint social action and activist projects.
Indeed, Faith-in-the-City served as the core of the Religious Committee for Miami’s Centennial Celebration in 1996.
Jointly and individually, the varied voices of Miami’s Faith-in-the-City congregations welcome you “home!”
Norma A. Orovitz,
Founding Chairman
