Temple Solel is a Reform Jewish Congregational family, guided by Torah; fostering a lifelong commitment to feeling, caring and doing Jewishly. Temple Solel has been a large part of its member’s lives – from religious services and school, to adding spirituality to our lives, to life cycle events and to being a Jewish Center for social and sporting events. Temple Solel’s first 42 years have been marked by continuous growth in membership and spirituality. Today, we are almost 220 families. With our sisterhood, men’s club, junior and senior youth groups’ activities and our choirs, in addition to our religious and social activities, something is always going on.
The roots of Temple Solel go back to a time when Belair at Bowie was in its infancy. As the new Levitt development was growing, about five families recognized the need for a Reform Jewish congregation. In 1963, the first Reform services in Bowie were informally held in the living room of one of our founding family’s home. Temple Solel was born shortly thereafter in 1964. The new Congregation received a great deal of help from Rabbi Hirsch who came to Bowie from Washington every other month to conduct services. Our second Rabbi was Bart Shallot, a student Rabbi from the Hebrew University in Cincinnati who came to Bowie once a month to conduct services.
When the congregation reached about 50 members, we moved to the Christian Community Presbyterian Church. In 1965, we purchased a rancher on Cherrywood Lane in Bowie to serve as our sanctuary, school and social center. Rabbi Larry Kaplan was hired as our first full-time rabbi. From 1966 through 1967, Rabbi Sol Besser, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Council of the UAHC, conducted bi-weekly services at Temple Solel.
In 1967, Temple Solel hired a full-time rabbi again as Rabbi Louis Cashdan came to Bowie. Rabbi Cashdan served as our Rabbi for 12 years until his retirement in 1979. During Rabbi Cashdan’s tenure, our Congregation grew to over a 100 families and weekly services were instituted. We quickly outgrew the rancher. In December 1969, we purchased a three-acre site on Mitchellville Road, where our current building stands, which in those days was surrounded by corn fields. On October 3, 1971, we broke ground for our original building. The construction company provided us with only a “shell” of a building. Much of the remaining work was done by volunteer members of Temple Solel. We dedicated the building in February, 1974. After a few years, we acquired additional classroom space by purchasing a “temporary” classroom building from the District of Columbia.
Upon Rabbi Cashdan’s retirement in 1979, Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt became the Congregation’s spiritual leader and Rabbi Cashdan became our Rabbi Emeritus. Under Rabbi Weinblatt’s leadership our Congregation grew to over 200 families. The first of many committees were formed to plan for the Congregation’s future as the Congregation increased in membership, including increasing the building’s capacity and refurbishing the interior and exterior.
In 1987 Rabbi Weinblatt left our Congregation and Rabbi Michael Kramer moved to Bowie to become our Rabbi. Our Congregation continued to grow. In 1996, the membership approved a renovation of the building. The renovation included adding a second floor for new four classrooms, completely remodeling and renovating the Temple’s offices, classrooms and lobby and the exterior of the building. After the religious school spent two long years at the Summit School during the renovation, we rededicated the building in October 1998.
In 2000, Rabbi Kramer left our Congregation, and Rabbi Steve Weisman moved to Bowie to be our Rabbi. Under Rabbi Wiseman, Temple Solel has continued to grow in all respects. Today, as back in 1967, we continue to meet the goals of our vision.
