Congregation Beth Israel-Judea - Merger To Present

Merger To Present

In 1969 the Congregation Beth Israel and Temple Judea merged, after three major potential impediments were resolved: the synagogue would have a "restricted kosher kitchen", Temple Judea's Friday night Torah readings would continue, and the rabbi would still perform intermarriages. Temple Judea's Morris became the rabbi of the combined congregation, and Beth Israel's Burstein became rabbi emeritus. The new congregation moved to Temple Judea's building on Brotherhood Way. The Geary Street Temple eventually became derelict, but was purchased in the late 1980s and renovated by designer Tony Duquette. In 1989, soon after the renovations were complete, it burnt down, and a post office was later built in its place.

At the merged Beth Israel-Judea, Friday night services were Reform-oriented, while Saturday morning services had "a Conservative feel". Morris created a new High Holy Day prayerbook for the congregation "combining liturgy of the Reform and Conservative movements". He created a Bar and Bat Mitzvah program for adults, and was a "firm supporter of women's causes civil rights". He also supported Israel, and introduced the practice of confirmation class trips there. In 1976 the congregation built a religious school, and by 1995 there were 486 member families.

Morris retired in 1998, and Beth Israel-Judea hired Evan Goodman as his successor. Goodman had previously served as rabbi of Beth El in San Mateo, California for five and a half years. Morris died in 2003, while Goodman served at Beth Israel-Judea until leaving in 2006 to take a position at Temple Israel in New Rochelle, New York. That year Rosalind Glazer, a graduate of the Reconstructionist rabbinical college, joined as rabbi.

In the late summer of 2011, the congregation hired Rabbi Danny Gottlieb, who was previously rabbi of Temple Kol Ami in Thornhill, Ontario.

As of 2011, Beth Israel-Judea was a member of the Reform movement. The rabbi was Danny Gottlieb.