Temple Israel is the oldest synagogue in Columbus, Ohio, and a founding member of the Union for Reform Judaism. Formed as early as 1846 as the Orthodox Bene Jeshurun congregation, its first religious leader was Simon Lazarus, a clothing merchant who founded what would become Lazarus department stores.Differences between traditionalists and reformers led to a split in 1868, and re-merger in 1870, as the Reform "B'nai Israel" (later Temple Israel). To accommodate growth, the congregation constructed buildings in 1870 and 1903–1904.Jerome Folkman started his tenure as the synagogue's longest-serving rabbi in 1947, and the congregation moved to its current location in 1959, a building designed by architect Percival Goodman. The building was significantly renovated in the late 1990s. Misha Zinkow has been the senior rabbi since 2004.Formation, move to ReformTemple Israel was formed as early as 1846 by eleven families of Jews of German background as Bene Jeshurun, the first and oldest Jewish congregation in Columbus. Originally Orthodox, its first religious leader was Simon Lazarus, a clothing merchant who founded what would become Lazarus department stores. Lazarus, who had received rabbinical training in Berlin, served as a rabbi, without pay, and services were initially held in an upstairs room in his store.
