Temple Emanuel of the South Hills

Temple Emanuel of the South Hills Records [MSS 1383]
Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center

Temple Emanuel of the South Hills is a Reform congregation in Mt. Lebanon, Pa. It was the first Jewish congregation in the Allegheny County suburbs outside of Pittsburgh. 

With the rise in suburbanization after World War II, a Jewish population emerged in the suburban South Hills communities of Dormont, Mt. Lebanon, Scott Township, Upper St. Clair, and Bethel Park. According to one informal count at the time, several hundred Jewish people were spread across the area by 1950 without any institutional presence. At an organizational meeting at the Mt. Lebanon Women’s Club on June 6, 1951, more than 400 people established a new Jewish congregation to be called Temple Emanuel.

From the beginning, the group embraced Reform Judaism. The speakers that evening included Rabbi Solomon B. Freehof of Rodef Shalom, Rabbi Burton Levinson of Temple Sinai, and Dr. Emmet Baum of the Council of Reformed Temples. Also present was Russell Bradley of the local chapter of the Conference of Christians and Jews. Bradley ensured that the new Temple Emanuel would have a presence in the local Ministerial Association, including temporary facilities until it could establish a physical presence in the area. Within a few weeks, Temple Emanuel had 130 members. Temple Emanuel initially met in rented space at Howe Elementary School and held High Holiday services at the Mt. Lebanon Methodist Church and Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church.  

Temple Emanuel purchased land at 1250 Bower Hill Road in 1953 and selected architect Percival Goodman of New York to design a synagogue, which was dedicated in 1954. Additional land was purchased in 1960, and a second floor was constructed with a sanctuary and social hall. The building was renovated again in 1990 to improve accessibility for people with physical disabilities. Rothchild Doyno Collaborative oversaw a $3.6 million expansion and renovation in 2002 to update existing religious, educational and social spaces and to architecturally unite the entire complex.

Clergy

Spiritual leaders of Temple Emanuel include Rabbi Philip Frankel, Rabbi Harold Silver, Rabbi William Sajowitz (1968-1985), Rabbi Mark Mahler (1985-2018), Interim Rabbi Don Rossoff, Rabbi Aaron Meyer, and Cantor Kalix Jacobson.

Presidents

Presidents of Temple Emanuel include Bernard Samuels (1952-54), Peter Cooper (1954-56), Ellis Tumpson (1956-58), Norman Gordon (1958-60), Irving R. Isaacs (1960-62), Dean J. Hirschfield (1962-64), Jack C. London (1964-68), Albert Stern (1968-70), Robert Shapiro (1970-72), Irving W. Levine (1972-74), David Cohen (1974-76), Irwin D. Rosenberg (1976-78), Israel J. Rudoy (1978-80), Shirley R. Bleiberg (1980-82), Theodore Goldberg (1982-84), Mark H. Silverman (1984-88), Nancy R. Berkowitz (1988-92), Martin J. Katz (1992-94), Bonnie Cossrow (1994-96), Alan Ross (1996-2000), Betty Jo Hirschfield Louik (2000-2002), Melvin Vatz (2002-2004), David Cohen (2004-2006), Joan Rothaus (2006-2010), Lynn Richards (2010-2012), Eric Bernstein (2012-2014), Dan Rothschild (2014-2016), David Weisberg (2016-2020), and Michelle Markowitz (2020-2024).

Bibliography

Rauh Jewish Archives

Collections
  • Temple Emanuel of the South Hills Records [MSS 1383] (catalog record).
  • Rabbi Mark Mahler Papers and Photographs [MSS 1385] (catalog record).
  • Temple Emanuel materials, from Corinne Azen Krause Papers [MSS 113] (catalog record).
  • Temple Emanuel materials, from Jewish Chronicle Records [MSS 906] (catalog record).
  • Temple Emanuel materials, from Gerald Sapir Papers and Photographs [MSS 775] (catalog record).
  • Temple Emanuel materials, from Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh Records [MSS 287] (catalog record).
  • Temple Emanuel materials, from Jewish Archival Survey [MSS 196] (catalog record).
  • Temple Emanuel of South Hills bulletin (catalog record).
  • Temple Emanuel of South Hills publications [2003.0128] (catalog record).
  • J. B. Bernstein Papers and Photographs [MSS 1190] (catalog record).
  • Rebecca Greenberg papers [MFF 0287] (catalog record).
  • Marga Silbermann Randall Papers [MSS 543] (catalog record).
  • Marga Silbermann Randall Photographs [MSP 543] (catalog record).
Books
  • “A time to remember the place to grow and dream together : Temple Emanuel 25th anniversary,” 1976. [BM225 .M68 T4 1976 long] (catalog record).
  • “From our table to yours” (Temple Emanuel Sisterhood cookbook), 1989. [TX724 .F76 1989] (catalog record).
Obituary files

University of Pittsburgh

Collections
  • Temple Emanuel materials, from Archives of Industrial Society [AIS.Info.Files] (catalog record).
Oral Histories
  • Peter Cooper oral history (April 3, 1976), from Ethnic Fraternal Organizations Oral History Project Collection (online).
  • Irma Myers oral history (March 11, 1987), from National Council of Jewish Women-Pittsburgh Section Records [ais196440.307] (online).
  • Rabbi William Sajowitz oral history (1985), from National Council of Jewish Women-Pittsburgh Section Records [ais196440.400] (online).
  • Margery Weiner oral history (1988), from National Council of Jewish Women-Pittsburgh Section Records [ais196440.400] (online).
  • Miriam Wolfson oral history (November 5, 1975), from National Council of Jewish Women-Pittsburgh Section Records [ais196440.400] (online).

Exhibit history

  • Author: Catelyn Cocuzzi and Eric Lidji
  • Original: March 19, 2026
  • Current: March 19, 2026

Acknowledgements

  • This entry was made possible through a grant from the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh.

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