Bat Yam, Temple of the Islands on Sanibel, Florida

held its first worship service on January 11, 1991.

Twenty families agreed to form the Temple and to engage

Rabbi Karen Soria to be its spiritual Leader.

An advisory Committee was formed with Mel Bleiberg

as its chair. The original advisory committee consisted of

                             Len & Ann Arnoff

Shirley & Mel Bleiberg

Vera & Ed Goldstein

Temy & Herb Joseph

Marge & Herb Kallman

Henny & Ken Karasin

Marilyn & Mark Klauber

Evie Lewin

Ilona & Jay Oberman

Aaron Ritvo

During the first year, 61 families joined, and decided

to affiliate with the Union of American Hebrew

Congregations (UAHC), the organization linking 850

Reform Jewish Congregations in the USA and Canada.

Services were held twice monthly, and a first Community

Seder was held on Passover that year (1991).

During the summer months, services were held at member’s homes.

In the second year, services were held monthly at the

Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ of Sanibel.

Rabbi Soria conducted services bi-monthly and lay leaders conducted services on the intervening Shabbats.

In December 1992 Bat Yam welcomed Rabbi Phil Frankel, who would serve as our Rabbi until he retired in 1996.

Rabbi Murray Saltzman came to Bat Yam as its Rabbi in February, 1997, and has served since that date.

Mel Bleiberg was the first President of Bat Yam. He was followed by Ann Arnoff, David Crown, Lois Medinets, Steve Greenstein, Marty Packard, Al Kaplan and Jack Cohen at two year intervals.

Bernie Lubetkin is the present President.

September, 2008

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