Welcome to Temple Israel
In April 1849, twenty Jewish families in Lafayette, Indiana formed the association named Ahavath Achim (Brotherly Love), the second oldest reform Jewish congregation in Indiana. These families worshipped in various homes and buildings until 1867 when our first synagogue was built at 7th and Alabama Street in Lafayette. In 1919 we changed our name to Temple Israel. In September 1969 we moved to our current location.
Temple Israel is a proud founding member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC), now known as the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). More than one million Americans and Canadians are affiliated with Reform congregations, making Reform Judaism the largest Jewish denomination in North America.
Temple Israel embraces progressive ideals reflective of an inclusive and informed Jewish community. We are committed to being a home for Jewish engagement where our members can feel spiritually and intellectually nourished. At the core of our mission is practicing the core value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) through social justice and local partnerships.
Featured Activities
What Our Members Say About Temple Israel
A Diverse Community
BETH GOODMAN
I love that the congregation is small. If you really want to get to know other members, it’s not so hard to do that. I love that Temple Israel is a comfortable place for everyone to be themselves….young, old, single, families with children, couples without children, more prosperous, not so prosperous, Jews by birth, Jews by choice, interfaith families and same-sex couples. Everyone is “at home” at Temple Israel.
Welcoming the Stranger
ROBERT BOLDUC
The first time I came to Temple Israel, I was scared, nervous and unsure of how I would be accepted being a non-Jew. The first person I met welcomed me with warmth and acceptance. She invited me to sit with her, explaining the form and manner of the service. The Rabbi was equally kind and accepting, never viewing me as a stranger. In the months following that first visit, Temple Israel and its members became family to me and now, today, I am a Jew-by-choice and proud!
Images From Around Our Temple
