HISTORY

History of Temple Emanu-El

Temple Emanu-El, the first Jewish congregation in North Texas, was founded in 1875. The temple evolved from the Hebrew Benevolent Association, organized in 1872 by eleven men who established a cemetery and held the first Jewish services in Dallas. This initial gathering of pioneer Jews occurred just two weeks before the arrival of the first train—the indispensable catalyst for Dallas’ development into a bustling commercial center.

As more newcomers, drawn by the business opportunities engendered by the railroads, settled in Dallas, the rapidly expanding Jewish community recognized the need for a permanent religious structure. Accordingly, at Rosh Hashanah services in September, 1875, fifty-one men pledged their support to Congregation Emanu-El (God is with us). The members adopted a Reform prayer book and asked Dr. Isaac Meyer Wise, the leader of the American Jewish Reform movement, to recommend its first rabbi.

Temple Emanu-El erected its first house of worship in 1876 on Commerce Street in the heart of downtown Dallas. As the membership grew and the city expanded first south and then north, Temple Emanu-El relocated to Ervay Street in 1899, to South Boulevard in 1917, and to Hillcrest Road in 1957. Rabbis who have led the congregation had included Rabbi William Greenburg, Rabbi David Lefkowitz, Rabbi Levi Olan, Rabbi Gerald J. Klein, and Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman. Today the congregation of 2,800 families is currently led by Rabbi David E. Stern.

Built in 1899, the temple at South
Ervay and St. Louis Streets was
our congregation's second.

In 1957, Temple Emanu-El
relocated to its current location.

Through the years its members have kept faith with the pioneers who stated their religious obligation so simply and forcefully when they formed the Hebrew Benevolent Association in 1872, “It is a duty we owe our merciful God, our children and ourselves.”

More information about the history of Temple Emanu-El can be found in A Light in the Prairie, written by Temple's archivist Gerry Cristol.

Temple Emanu-El History Content Information

Gerry Cristol, Archivist
(P) 214.706.0000 | (E) gcristol@tedallas.org