[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[Senate]
[Page 33511]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF TEMPLE BETH EL IN MIDLAND, MICHIGAN

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it is my distinct honor to pay tribute to 
Temple Beth El on its 50th anniversary, which will continue to be 
celebrated throughout the year. This small but vibrant Jewish 
congregation has made an important contribution to the Midland 
community.
  Since the 1890s, when the first Jewish family settled in this area, 
there has been a strong Jewish community. By 1955, the Jewish community 
in Midland totaled nearly 50 families. The following year, after having 
commuted to other cities for religious instruction and observance for 
many years, the decision was made to establish a local place of 
worship. After much discussion and with guidance from Rabbi Katz of 
Saginaw and the leadership of Ralph Cutler and Leonard Bernstein, the 
congregation's founding families provided the financial and material 
support necessary to design and secure a location for both the temple 
and for a permanent rabbinical residence.
  On December 29, 1957, Temple Beth El formally opened its doors at a 
dedication ceremony led by the congregation's first spiritual leader, 
Rabbi Marc Samuels, a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary and a 
Holocaust survivor. In attendance were the 52 original member families, 
the congregation's officers, and many other community leaders. At its 
inception the congregation chose to affiliate itself with the 
conservative Jewish movement. In 2000, in response to the wishes of its 
members, the Temple decided to become a reform congregation.
  I am sure that my colleagues in the Senate join me in congratulating 
the leadership, congregants, and the greater Midland community as they 
continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Temple Beth El. Their 
rich history and commitment to service has greatly impacted the small, 
close-knit Jewish community in Midland. We all look forward to at least 
50 more years of spiritual guidance and leadership.

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