Worship, learn, celebrate and grow together!
Temple Beth Shalom is the only member congregation of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) in Marion County. Created over 40 years ago as an outgrowth of the original United Hebrews of Ocala, the congregation serves the needs of a diverse community.
Originally the congregation was housed in the former United Hebrews of Ocala synagogue which is a historic Carpenter Gothic building located at 729 N.E. 2nd Street, in the Tuscawilla Park Historic District of Ocala, Florida. Built in 1888, it was one of the first synagogues in Florida. It is listed in the Marion County section of “A Guide to Florida’s Historic Architecture”, published in 1989 by the University of Florida Press in Gainesville. The building is a contributing property to the city historic district and is among the oldest synagogue buildings still standing in the United States.
The Carpenter Gothic building served as the home of the congregation until the membership divided in 1975. Remaining just a short distance from its historical home, the new congregation of Temple Beth Shalom purchased its 8th Avenue facility.
During the early years of the new congregation, spiritual needs were served by temporary lay leadership along with student Rabbis furnished through the URJ. In 1985 the first full time religious leader, Rabbi Morrison David Bial, became one of a series of clergy to oversee the religious activities of the temple community. As the congregation grew during the intervening years, the new synagogue was expanded to include a social hall, library, offices and religious school facilities.
They remained there on 8th Ave until 2022 when the congregation again expanded and moved into the new Tree of Life Sanctuary off of SW 80th Ave between Stone Creek and Calesa Township.
Today Temple Beth Shalom is led by Rabbi Erin Boxt and offers a full range of spiritual and community opportunities through worship, education, social action, inter-faith dialogue and creative endeavors.