The erection of a new temple in connection with a civic center to house all the communal, cultural, and philanthropic activities, is being contemplated by Little Rock Reform Jewry, at a cost of about half a million dollars.
The initiative for this movement is due to Rabbi I. E. Sanders, spiritual leader for the past two years, who also reorganized the Little Rock Reform Congregation.
The present temple which is one of the oldest in this part of the country, has proven too small for its worshippers, especially on the high Holy days. The number of Jews in this community has grown five fold since the establishing of the congregation. About $80,000 will come from the sale of the old temple and the remainder is to be raised in a special campaign. Considering business conditions which are not so favorable at the present for an enterprise of this kind, they will first erect one unit, the center, and after completing it, the temple will follow.
Charitable organizations, local as well as national, are taken care of by the Federation of Jewish Charities, which is part of the Little Rock Community Chest. It is estimated that about 8 to 10% of the Community Chest funds are donated by Jews, while they constitute only 1½% of the entire community. Most of the business men are Jews.
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