Welcome to the Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society
Honoring the Past. Enriching the Present. Shaping the Future.
Seventy-five years ago, a group of Holocaust survivors - most of them immigrants who found refuge and renewal on farms in northeastern Connecticut - joined a small Jewish community in Danielson, CT and founded and built Temple Beth Israel. With resilience, faith, and a deep commitment to community, they built more than a synagogue - they laid the foundation for a legacy of justice, learning, and cultural richness.
The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society was created to honor their vision and to carry it forward.
Rooted in Jewish values and inspired by our founders’ remarkable journey, we are a Jewish social justice organization dedicated to:
The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society was created to honor their vision and to carry it forward.
Rooted in Jewish values and inspired by our founders’ remarkable journey, we are a Jewish social justice organization dedicated to:
- Preserving memory, through Holocaust education that connects the past to the present.
- Building bridges, through interfaith and intercultural programming that celebrates diversity and common purpose.
- Creating community, through events that nurture the spiritual, cultural, and social fabric of our region.
Our Mission & Vision
Our mission is twofold: 1) preserve our parents’ and grandparents’ stories of trauma, healing, and renewal and 2) use those stories to promote understanding of, and empathy for, the Holocaust and its enduring impact on humanity. We fulfill our mission by:
- Collaborating with schools, colleges, cultural institutions, and religious and civic organizations on creating valuable and unique learning opportunities.
- Offering programs designed to enrich appreciation of cultural, religious, and social differences. This includes contemporary celebrations of ancient rituals, interfaith celebrations, and educational programs addressing the dangers of prejudice, racism, and bystander indifference.
- Maintaining a Community Archive documenting the history of the community through books, letters, photographs, oral histories, and other historical artifacts that bear witness to the remarkable contributions of this particular Jewish community to life in Northeastern Connecticut and to the Jewish diaspora in general.
President's Message - October 31, 2025
Join Us for our 70th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
Our courts appear still to be functioning as intended—upholding both law and conscience. A recent order requiring the government to release emergency funds for the SNAP program is a reminder that sometimes justice can serve compassion.
Food insecurity is real. Too many families in our community struggle to put food on the table. I urge everyone to support local organizations that meet these urgent needs—especially the Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson and the Community Kitchens of Northeastern Connecticut.
We are living through difficult times—socially, politically, and economically—and now more than ever, we must stand together and support one another. One meaningful way to do that is by joining us for our 70th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday, November 25, at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Israel, 39 Killingly Drive, Danielson for prayer, song and friendship. The service is co-sponsored by the Federated Church of Christ in Brooklyn, CT and the Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society.
Please bring non-perishable food items and, if you’re able, cash donations, which will go directly to these worthy organizations. We are too rich a nation to allow hunger to oppress our neighbors. Let this season of gratitude move us toward generosity, compassion, and community.
— Norm Berman, President, Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society
Food insecurity is real. Too many families in our community struggle to put food on the table. I urge everyone to support local organizations that meet these urgent needs—especially the Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson and the Community Kitchens of Northeastern Connecticut.
We are living through difficult times—socially, politically, and economically—and now more than ever, we must stand together and support one another. One meaningful way to do that is by joining us for our 70th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday, November 25, at 7:00 p.m. at Temple Beth Israel, 39 Killingly Drive, Danielson for prayer, song and friendship. The service is co-sponsored by the Federated Church of Christ in Brooklyn, CT and the Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society.
Please bring non-perishable food items and, if you’re able, cash donations, which will go directly to these worthy organizations. We are too rich a nation to allow hunger to oppress our neighbors. Let this season of gratitude move us toward generosity, compassion, and community.
— Norm Berman, President, Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society
Temple Beth Israel Celebrates 75 Years - "A House Built by Hope"
On Saturday evening, October 25, Temple Beth Israel in Danielson celebrated a remarkable milestone — the 75th anniversary of its founding and construction. The festive gathering featured music by The Leslie Alexander Quartet, opening remarks from President Norman Berman, and moving reflections from members of the Board of Directors on the Temple’s enduring mission and legacy.
Founded in 1950 by Holocaust survivors who rebuilt their lives on nearby farms and joined the small Jewish community of Danielson, Temple Beth Israel stands as a testament to faith, resilience, and renewal. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2013, the Temple continues to serve as “A House Built by Hope.”
The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society, led by descendants of the founders along with long-time member Dr. Elsie Fetterman, now operates a vibrant center for education, social justice, the arts, and historic preservation. Dr. Fetterman was presented with a proclamation from the Town of Killingly congratulating the Preservation Society on this important milestone.
As the evening’s program noted:
“Seventy-five years ago, a group of Holocaust survivors and local Jewish families built more than a synagogue — they built a legacy of learning, justice, and community. Today we celebrate their vision and continue their work with gratitude and hope.”
Many thanks to the evening's co-chairs: Dora Glinn and Joel Rosenberg and a dedicated crew of volunteers including Rosa Goldblatt, Sheri Abrams and Alicia Pion who helped to make the evening a great success.
Founded in 1950 by Holocaust survivors who rebuilt their lives on nearby farms and joined the small Jewish community of Danielson, Temple Beth Israel stands as a testament to faith, resilience, and renewal. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2013, the Temple continues to serve as “A House Built by Hope.”
The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society, led by descendants of the founders along with long-time member Dr. Elsie Fetterman, now operates a vibrant center for education, social justice, the arts, and historic preservation. Dr. Fetterman was presented with a proclamation from the Town of Killingly congratulating the Preservation Society on this important milestone.
As the evening’s program noted:
“Seventy-five years ago, a group of Holocaust survivors and local Jewish families built more than a synagogue — they built a legacy of learning, justice, and community. Today we celebrate their vision and continue their work with gratitude and hope.”
Many thanks to the evening's co-chairs: Dora Glinn and Joel Rosenberg and a dedicated crew of volunteers including Rosa Goldblatt, Sheri Abrams and Alicia Pion who helped to make the evening a great success.
Updates on Our Impact
Some of Our Partners
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