Our History
In 1961, Dr. Simon Greenberg of the Jewish Theological Seminary addressed a gathering on Aquidneck Island, about creating a Conservative congregation. At this meeting, Temple Shalom was born. After almost two hundred years of exclusively Orthodox Judaism on Aquidneck Island, the conservative movement became a presence in the Jewish community.
The first High Holy Day services were held in Newport. The fledgling congregation had little money, not nearly enough to hire a rabbi, so students from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) were brought in on a bi- weekly basis.
In 1974, the Temple asked one of the students from the JTS, Rabbi Marc S. Jagolinzer, to become its spiritual leader. Things appeared to be looking up for the fledgling congregation, however, early on Sunday morning, October 14, 1974, Temple Shalom was completely destroyed by arson.
In spite of this setback, the Congregation persisted and , supported by other congregations on Aquidneck island, commissioned a new building in Middletown. Ground was broken in July, 1977, and our current Temple was built and consecrated.
In the years that followed, the Temple enjoyed growth and activity. An important milestone occurred in 1989, when the Samuel Zilman Bazarsky Religious School was formally dedicated. Through the years, the Temple and the School prospered, and indeed, the United States Postal Service even designated Temple Shalom as the site for the reissue of the Chanukah Stamp.
After these many years of success, the year 2016 was a hard one for Temple Shalom. Memberships had fallen somewhat from high-water days of the 1980s, as the congregants' children grew up and moved on. Then, in February, "high water" took on a new meaning, as frozen pipes burst in one of the bathrooms, causing extensive water damage throughout the building. Over a eight-month period, the building was repaired and renovated, and finally in early October, 2016, Temple Shalom once again, almost miraculously, opened its doors for Shabbat worship and the High Holidays. In the preceding August, unfortunately, our long-time beloved Rabbi, Marc Jagolinzer, retired after 41 years of selfless service to the Temple.
The dramatic events of the preceding half-year seemed to be a propitious time for new leadership and the exploration of directions for Temple Shalom. Now Temple Shalom is in the process of rebuilding, reconsidering as we go who we are, and what we would like to become. It is indeed an exciting time to be a member of Temple Shalom!
The first High Holy Day services were held in Newport. The fledgling congregation had little money, not nearly enough to hire a rabbi, so students from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) were brought in on a bi- weekly basis.
In 1974, the Temple asked one of the students from the JTS, Rabbi Marc S. Jagolinzer, to become its spiritual leader. Things appeared to be looking up for the fledgling congregation, however, early on Sunday morning, October 14, 1974, Temple Shalom was completely destroyed by arson.
In spite of this setback, the Congregation persisted and , supported by other congregations on Aquidneck island, commissioned a new building in Middletown. Ground was broken in July, 1977, and our current Temple was built and consecrated.
In the years that followed, the Temple enjoyed growth and activity. An important milestone occurred in 1989, when the Samuel Zilman Bazarsky Religious School was formally dedicated. Through the years, the Temple and the School prospered, and indeed, the United States Postal Service even designated Temple Shalom as the site for the reissue of the Chanukah Stamp.
After these many years of success, the year 2016 was a hard one for Temple Shalom. Memberships had fallen somewhat from high-water days of the 1980s, as the congregants' children grew up and moved on. Then, in February, "high water" took on a new meaning, as frozen pipes burst in one of the bathrooms, causing extensive water damage throughout the building. Over a eight-month period, the building was repaired and renovated, and finally in early October, 2016, Temple Shalom once again, almost miraculously, opened its doors for Shabbat worship and the High Holidays. In the preceding August, unfortunately, our long-time beloved Rabbi, Marc Jagolinzer, retired after 41 years of selfless service to the Temple.
The dramatic events of the preceding half-year seemed to be a propitious time for new leadership and the exploration of directions for Temple Shalom. Now Temple Shalom is in the process of rebuilding, reconsidering as we go who we are, and what we would like to become. It is indeed an exciting time to be a member of Temple Shalom!