Temple Israel merges with Temple Beth Ahm
By Cheryl Orson
Jan. 18, 2008

It's said 'When God closes a door, He opens a window.' This has been precisely the case for Temple Israel of Union, which held its last service on Jan. 13.

Due to a declining membership and budget, including often lacking the 10 congregants needed to have a minyan for prayer, it was decided by the temple's board of trustees last fall to merge with the growing Temple Beth Ahm, since renamed Beth Ahm Yisrael in recognition of this merger, in Springfield. Temple Israel's religious school had previously been closed due to lack of enrollment.

"The demographics have changed," said Jeff Scherzer, who headed Temple Israel's Merger Committee, adding that although there was a "huge emotional attachment" to Temple Israel, "demographics don't lie."

Having held its first Yom Kippur service in 1954 while the sanctuary was still under construction, it was after its last Yom Kippur service this past September that the congregation chose to close its doors and merge with Beth Ahm. With a lack of membership and money, and having last renovated its sanctuary in the early 1980s, Temple Israel could no longer afford to keep up with building maintenance and other facility-related expenses.

Though this was a "very, very difficult process," Scherzer said, it was also a "beautiful process" with as "warm a result as God could have let it."

"There's nothing bad here," he said. The decision, he added, was made "in order to survive" and continue. "To have the doors close with no future would've been dreadful. We have a place to go, and it's a wonderful place. I want the legacy to be 'a community staying a community.' I took steps to save the community, and I'm proud of it. It's a great day, a mitzvah."

About 75 congregants gathered for the last service, after which the temple's Torah scrolls, with the exception of one which Temple Israel is donating to a minyan in Highland Park, were removed from their ark sanctuary and placed in cars to be moved to Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael where they will be incorporated into services there. Plaques with the names of Temple Israel's congregants' deceased family members, as well as the temple's stained glass windows, will also later be moved to Beth Ahm Yisrael. In recognition of the Torah scrolls' value, they received a police escort.

Upon their arrival at their new home, worshippers greeted the Torah caravan with songs while several men blew shofars to mark the occasion. Students from Beth Ahm Yisrael's Hebrew school sang as the two congregations worshipped together as one for the first time. Following the service, they later blessed and broke bread together to signify their union as one temple family.

Past president of Temple Israel Al Eglow also agreed "it's a really great merger, a fine union for both parties."

"The congregation (Beth Ahm) is warm to us; it's not just dollars and sense, it's an understanding and commitment to provide a home," Eglow said, confirming it was "a very, very warm reception" and the right choice. "We merged as if we were old friends already. It was a grand party, really lovely. We look forward to continuing ourselves in our new home. It's a very viable community our members will certainly enjoy."

Not everyone from Temple Israel was as enthusiastic about this merger, though. One key piece of Temple Israel's family will not be making this move. Rabbi Meyer Korbman, who said he was not involved in the merger decision, has chosen to retire. Offered an emeritus role at Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael, congregants may still request that he officiate at special services and events.

Despite this glitch, Beth Ahm Yisrael is doing it's best to fill the void. Beth Ahm Yisrael member Richard Falkin, also a key member of the Merger Committee, said his congregation "wanted to do the right thing" and the right thing was to deal directly with Temple Israel's congregants and make its members and leaders feel comfortable during the merger by respecting and listening to them and what their wishes and desires were while keeping in mind "it's not about us, it's about them."

"The process went well because we set our minds on a goal and never wavered from that goal. And it was accomplished," Falkin said, adding that the congregations trusted one another in this process. "We wanted them to walk out of the building with a good feeling in their hearts, and we accomplished that."

Falkin also acknowledged though, "now comes the real work, integrating the congregations into one." Being one of the highest mitzvahs to welcome strangers to a strange land, Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael's staff social worker is now available to help former Temple Israel members adjust to their new home. And while perhaps on unfamiliar ground, it is hoped the congregations will grow together as big and inseparable Jewish family.

"We are one congregation," said Falkin, "and we will get better as a congregation."