Temple Beth-El is pleased to announce we have reached our fundraising goal for the important project of new material to protect our stained glass windows! Special thanks to the Jewish Historical Society of Michigan and The Detroit Jewish News for all their help and support. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Temple’s efforts with this campaign.

See this stunning nighttime view of our stained glass windows, with the new protective acrylic cover!

Dear Friends of Temple Beth-El,

Temple Beth-El, one of the few remaining 19^th century synagogues in the United States, is a 131-year-old building nestled on a quiet residential street in Alpena.  We are the only synagogue east of I-75 from Bay City to the Upper Peninsula and therefore are an oasis of Judaism along Lake Huron.

We are asking for your help to protect and preserve our four historic and irreplaceable stained-glass windows. Over 40 years ago, the Board of Directors had these 80–90-year-old glorious images covered in plexiglass. That plexiglass is now very brittle and fogged. To protect and preserve the beauty of these windows, we have started a project to replace the plexiglass with a stronger protective acrylic that will resist vandalism and will not fog.

The cost of this project is $24,500 with $9,500 promised from a FEMA Non-Profit Security Grant. The remainder of $15,000 is our goal for additional fundraising. This is a large expense for our small congregation, but we feel that the project is an absolute necessity.