Leo M. Franklin - Temple Beth El, Detroit, 1899 - 1920

1920

Franklin preached his first sermon as Rabbi of Beth El at the Washington Boulevard temple on January 27, 1899. He again began by advocating changes. The congregation passed a new constitution later that year, and, in November 1899, Franklin organized the United Jewish Charities, an umbrella organization to coordinate the philanthropic activities of the currently-existing Beth El Hebrew Relief Society, Hebrew Ladies' Sewing Society, Self-Help Circle, and Jewish Relief Society. In 1901, Franklin organized the Woman's Auxiliary Association (later the Sisterhood of Temple Beth El), and assumed editorship of the Jewish American, Detroit's first English-Jewish weekly.

Franklin thought a new temple on Detroit's "Piety Row" along Woodward would serve the congregation by increasing the visibility of the Jewish faith. He convinced the Beth El congregation to build a new temple. They purchased land on Woodward near Eliot and engaged George Mason as an architect; Mason was aided by the young (and then relatively unknown) Beth El congregant Albert Kahn. The cornerstone of the building was laid in 1902 and the first service was held in the new Temple in January 1903. Beth El used this building until 1922; it is currently Wayne State University's Bonstelle Theater.

While in Detroit, Franklin's family expanded. In addition to Ruth, born in Omaha, Hattie Franklin gave birth to another daughter, Margaret, and a son, Leo.

Franklin introduced more changes over the next few years, including holding services on Sunday morning (in addition to Saturday morning), unassigned seating, and an exchange of pulpits with out-of-town rabbis. He reached out to Orthodox and Conservative congregations, instituted an interdenominational community Thanksgiving service, and spoke often at church groups to attempt to bridge the gap between Jews and non-Jews. Franklin was a popular Rabbi, the Temple congregation increased from 136 members in 1899 (Franklin's first year in the pulpit) to 422 in 1910. In 1917, Beth El was the third largest Reform congregation in the country.

Franklin reached out to younger Jews, establishing an annual service for students of the University of Michigan in 1912, and establishing a student congregation (the forerunner of the Hillel Society) at the University of Michigan in 1914. As a result, the Central Conference of American Rabbis and the Union of American Hebrew Congregations created a Joint Commission on Religious Work in Universities, naming Franklin as the chair. Franklin was named president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis in 1919.