Temple History

Temple Emanu-El is a warm and vibrant congregation in the heart of Sarasota. With about 840 member households, we are large enough to be vital and small enough to feel like a family.

Founded March 11, 1956, Temple Emanu-El was the first Reform congregation in the area. We remain active members of the Union for Reform Judaism. Our sanctuary building was erected in 1961 and rests on 4.6 acres. There have been several additions over the years, including a renovation in 2000, a major interior renovation that was completed in the summer in 2014, an environmentally-responsible renovation to our school building in 2016, and the installation of solar panels that allow 75% of our campus to be powered by the sun. We are located on McIntosh Road, just south of Fruitville Road.

Temple Emanu-El is a diverse congregation where everyone feels at home. We welcome interfaith couples, single parents, and other kind people of all ages and backgrounds who seek a Jewish home. We encourage a life of Torah, service of God, dedication to Israel, and responsibility for all humanity.

Temple Emanu-El has enjoyed an exciting renaissance under the leadership of Senior Rabbi Brenner Glickman. He brings a spirit of joy and warmth to our services, intelligence in his sermons, and caring and integrity in his daily conduct. Since his arrival in Sarasota, the congregation has grown substantially, and the religious school has tripled in size. We are delighted that Rabbi Glickman will be with us for many years to come. 

In the summer of 2016, we were blessed to have Associate Rabbi Michael Shefrin join us as well. His talents, warmth, sense of humor, and kindness towards our entire community, and especially our children, is a welcome addition to our growing congregation.

A vital part of our community since 2006, Rabbi Elaine Rose Glickman is known for her warmth, scholarship, and role in creating programs as diverse as Mitzvah Day, Project Amichai, and the Blessing of the Animals. She has written, edited, and contributed to a dozen books, including the National Jewish Book Award finalist Sacred Parenting; and her essays have been published in local and national newspapers. She is the proud wife of Senior Rabbi Brenner Glickman and mother of Moses, Leo, and Eden, who all grew up at Temple Emanu-El.

After retiring from full-time rabbinic duties and moving to Sarasota to be with her son, Rabbi Michael Shefrin, and his family, Rabbi Mimi quickly became a cherished part of Temple Emanu-El. She brings a wise, caring, and compassionate presence to Temple Emanu-El- focusing on teaching, pastoral counseling, meditation, and spirituality- and also chaired the Sarasota Jewish Hospice Support Program. During her rabbinic career, she served in diverse roles including as a Hospice Chaplain and Bereavement Counselor, Rabbi-in-Residence at a Jewish community high school, and Director of Jewish Educaiton and Continuity.

Throughout history, Jews have remained firmly rooted in Jewish tradition, even as we learned much from our encounters with other cultures. Nevertheless, since its earliest days, Reform Judaism has asserted that a Judaism frozen in time is an heirloom, not a living fountain. Click HERE to read "What is Reform Judaism" on the Union for Reform Judaism website.