Beth-El Temple Progress

Beth-El Temple, at 34th and Ruckle streets in Mapleton-Fall Creek, is the oldest existing synagogue building in the city. Temple Heritage Center, Inc., seeks to preserve and repurpose the building. According to Isaiah Kuperstein, president of the group, the board has named the building the Beth-El Center for Learning. “We’re looking for partners with whom we can work to find the best purpose for the building.” Plans are under way to remove exterior structures added over the years that are not part of the original 1924 design by renowned local architectural firm Vonnegut & Bohn. A new roof and drainage system was installed this spring. “The building will no longer fall apart, and water seepage has been stopped.” Next steps are to clean out the structure and undertake mold remediation. In the meantime, the board is working to identify partners in educational programming. “We have to think about the future and prepare people to do specific work on old buildings.” Kuperstein hopes this aspiration could lead to partnerships with Ivy Tech, IUPUI, or Ball State to develop a preservation practicum. templeheritagecenter.org  Photo courtesy W. H. Bass Photo Company Collection, Indiana Historical Society