Temple Judea's origins date from 1946, when several Jewish families in the Coral Gables area began meeting in homes, in storefronts, and at the University of Miami Hillel Center for worship services and social functions. Occasionally, a visiting rabbi led Holiday services. In September 1948, the group officially formed as the Coral Gables Jewish Center (CGJC), joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and elected the first officers. The CGJC immediately began searching for a rabbi and a building. Soon thereafter, in 1950, the CGJC moved into its first home on Palermo Avenue near downtown Coral Gables.
By the mid-1960s, the CGJC, now known as Temple Judea, had outgrown the Palermo Avenue synagogue. In 1965, groundbreaking ceremonies began the construction of the new Temple Judea, which would soon rise as a prestigious landmark on South Dixie Highway at Granada Boulevard.
In February 1984, the president of the congregation appointed a Renovation Committee to address the renovation of the sanctuary, social hall, and lobby. The Committee presented its recommendation to the Board of Trustees, which approved the proposal and the budget. The fund-raising campaign, kicked off at High Holy Days 1985, was so successful that by the summer of 1986, we had raised enough money not only for the original project, but also for the renovation of the temple offices and the religious school.
From 1986 to 1996, Temple Judea grew significantly in both physical plant and programming, despite the area suffering one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, Hurricane Andrew. The entire building underwent renovation, and the Grossman Pavilion, Silverman Music Room, and Reiter Reflection Patio were added. Social action programs expanded first by establishing a weekly Soup Kitchen at a church in Coconut Grove, and next by developing an Annual Mitzvah Day. Adult education were expanded with the addition of the annual Eric B. Meyers Scholar-In-Residence weekend. Music was greatly enhanced by Cantor Stuart Pittle, z'l, who reinstituted both adult and children choirs.
In 1996, Rabbi Edwin Goldberg became Senior Rabbi. Since then, Rabbi Goldberg and the lay leadership have instituted remarkable changes in worship, education, and youth programs. Through Worship Transformation, both the music and the prayerbook for Shabbat Evening services have changed. The congregation's long range planning effort resulted in the hiring of a full-time youth director and a part-time program director. Youth programming has touched the lives of more than 100 children annually, with active programs for both junior and senior high school aged children. Our religious school curriculum was completely rewritten. These changes equate to growth, requiring yet another renovation of the building in order to best serve the needs of the congregation as we move rapidly into the 21st Century. Our current building project broke ground in December 2003.
