The fulfillment of a collective dream is the story of the home of Temple Israel. Nine men signed the articles of Temple incorporation in a storeroom belonging to Louis Dubetz at 712 Broadway in October 1910. At that time, services were held in several places including a clubroom over Walgreens at 6th and Broadway. Eventually, land was purchased at 445 Adams Street in Gary for the first building. We stayed at this location for 49 years until we could no longer fit with our growing population and the building in need of repairs. A ground breaking ceremony was held on March 9, 1958 and the cornerstone was laid on Sunday, August 3, 1958 at our current location-601 N. Montgomery.
We are the only Jewish institution left in Gary and have remained for over 112 years. We are very proud that our members feel the importance of Jewish survival and some travel from Illinois and various cities throughout Northwest Indiana. Social Justice has always been an important part of who we are and we continue to remain involved in various causes locally and nationally. Interfaith activities have played and continue to remain a significant aspect of our Temple through services, adult education programs, and community outreach.
Our members range in age up to 97 and we are diverse ethnically, socio-economically, religiously, and gender. We are accepting of all. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE JEWISH TO BELONG.
Temple Israel is proud to support all couples in marriage, and we are available to host and perform marriage ceremonies for LGBTQ+ couples. Please contact us at templeisraelmiller@gmail.com or 219-938-5232 to find out more.
