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The Sun Post "Best of" Issue
Temple Israel’s Star of David seems to be on the rise. A product of its changing inner city locale, it has become something of a religious magnet for the urban hipster crowd (developer Craig Robins, Florida Grand Opera director Robert Heuer and attorney Elizabeth Schwartz, to name a few), while retaining its loyal core of generations of area Reform Jews (radio personality Audrey Finkelstein, architect Kenneth Treister and the Gumenick family, among others).
But the Temple Israel of today is not your grandfather’s shul. The rabbi rides a motorcycle. The cantorial soloist is a statuesque Argentinean jazz singer who’s been known to wear stiletto heels on the pulpit. The temple welcomes gays, hosting a "Pride" seder among other outreach events. The music director, Alan Mason, is a New World Symphony alum who programs a diverse concert series in addition to leading the choir. "Temple Israel of Greater Miami is a paradox. We’re the oldest Reform shul in Miami with the oldest temple building in town. But we also have some of the most cutting-edge religious and educational programming not only in our region, but anywhere. We’re building new traditions on the shoulders of the old ones," states the Temple Israel home page, www.templeisrael.net.
Mitchell Chefitz joined as the congregation’s rabbi in 2002. A respected author and recognized national authority in Jewish spiritual study including Kabbalah, he’s largely responsible for the temple’s new image – though timing can’t be denied either. "We are not a suburban temple in any sense of the word," notes the Web site. "Our neighborhood is smack in the middle of Miami’s emerging arts district, five minutes from downtown and just blocks from the future Performing Arts Center." With all this going for it, Temple Israel seems to be in the right place at the right time for a revival, spiritual and otherwise. Location: 137 NE 19th St., Miami. Phone: 305-573-5900
June 30, 2005
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