Reviving Temple Beth Solomon of the Deaf

The Talmud, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism, was written in the 4^th century near the Galilee. It quickly became the source of Jewish law and theology. But it wasn’t perfect. It’s author’s assumed deaf people were incapable of learning Jewish culture, so they were excused from following the commandments and therefore exempt from religious obligations. 

As the centuries passed, synagogues ignored the needs of deaf Jews. I experienced that disregard after a severe hearing loss cut me off from my normal connection to my family, community, and congregation at Temple Judea in Tarzana, California. Even though I couldn’t understand a word coming from the bema, I stayed because I wanted my daughters to attend the temple’s excellent Hebrew school and bat mitzvah programs. 

Temple Judea did offer headphones for the hearing impaired, but that bit of technology couldn’t help someone with my level of hearing loss. To take control of my life and my hearing problem, I enrolled in ASL classes in Burbank and then at Pierce College.

One Shabbat, ASL interpreter Jan Seeley was invited to a service to interpret. Positioned near the bema, she signed the liturgy making the service comprehensible. I later learned that Jan was the official ASL interpreter for Temple Beth Solomon of the Deaf (TBS) that currently holds monthly Friday night services at Temple Ahavat Shalom in Northridge, California. 

TBS was founded in 1960 when a group of Deaf Jews, tired of being ignored at their synagogues, formed their own temple in Arleta, California. TBS became the first and only Deaf synagogue in the world. 

But there’s a problem. Many of the original members have either died or moved away. Attendance at monthly services has waned, and since pandemic restrictions have been lifted, attendance has been sporadic, at best. 

In January, our president, Joseph Slotnick retired after holding the position for 30+years. Before resigning, Joe recruited me to take his job. I agreed to do so for several reasons: As a newly deaf person, it has been difficult to get acceptance in a community skeptical of outsiders. I believe my near fluency in ASL helped me a lot, but as president of TBS, I’ll have greater opportunities to meet and establish positive relationships with other Deaf Jews. 

More importantly, is my focus. TBS is slowly dying. I can’t allow a jewel in the necklace of Judaism to fall. My primary concern will be building membership. We cannot permit the first deaf synagogue in the world to disappear. So, here’s the plan: Every TBS member, if possible, bring a friend and attend our 62^nd Anniversary Shabbat service to be held June 10^th at 7:00 at Temple Ahavat Shalom chapel (18200 Rinaldi Place, Northridge, CA.). 

If you are Jewish or interested in Jewish culture, learning ASL, or have some level of fluency, you’ll enjoy our services that are simultaneously held in English and American Sign Language. Services are officiated by Rabbi Warren Levy and signed by Jan Seeley. After the service to be held on June 10, 2022, we’ll have a delicious Oneg Shabbat and opportunity to chat with temple members and visitors. And since we’ll be celebrating our 62^nd anniversary, the treats should be extremely yummy. 

What can you do? Invite friends and family to join us for our 62^nd anniversary. Copy the link from this post and promote it on social media. (If you have any questions about the event, email Michael Thal at [email protected].)Temple Solomon of the Deaf will move forward to our seventh decade, but it will need the help of the Los Angeles community. {A writer for the Jewish Journal may be at our June 10th celebration.}

The authors of the Talmud wrote their comprehensive version of Jewish law and commentary almost two millennium ago. They agreed that deaf people were disqualified from participating in marriage, making contracts, buying property, and participating in Jewish rituals. They reasoned, “Since the deaf have limitations in their ability to communicate and to be communicated with, therefore their ability to understand is impaired, too.”  Tell that to former president, Joe Slotnick, who graduated from Harvard or to Troy Kostur, the Deaf actor who recently won an Oscar for his performance in “CODA.” Ludwig van Beethoven created some of his greatest work late deafened. We wouldn’t have the lightbulb or movie camera if it wasn’t for deaf Thomas Edison, nor would we have the Girl Scouts if it wasn’t for deaf founder Juliette Gordon Low.  

And we will not have TBS continuing into her seventh decade if we don’t all step up and speak her praises to our friends, relatives, and others who recognize the astounding biography of a small synagogue “of the Deaf” that has, despite all odds, survived.

Have a question? You can email the author at [email protected]. Michael Thal is the author of The Lip Reader an award winning novel about deafness.