The records are arranged in eleven categories: Adult Education, Building Contract And Specifications, Bulletins, Correspondence, Financial Reports, Membership Directories, Minutes, Religious Education, Reports, Scrapbooks, and Temple Dedications. Much of the material is available only on microfilm.
The Adult Education file (1955-1956, undated) contains programs for lectures and discussions on contemporary trends ranging from “Islam and Judaism” to the “Effects of Atomic Radiation of Heredity.” The Building Contract and Specification file (1949) includes the agreement made between Beth El congregation and Raymond N. Le Vee and associates of Chicago and Appleton, Wisconsin for the construction of the Temple.
The Bulletins are the Temple's monthly report to the members and detail dates and times of services, meetings, concerts, activities, and general membership news for 1960-1980. Previous bulletins, 1946-1959, are in the collection's Scrapbooks. The Scrapbooks, 1944-1975, represent a continuing project of the members to document the history of the Temple. They contain bulletins, photographs, clippings, special program notices, posters, and flyers. A special scrapbook is devoted to the 1975 celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening of the Temple building.
The Correspondence consists mainly of the letters of Lawrence Weinstein during his tenure as president of the congregation, 1961-1964. Included are thank-you letters; letters regarding financial affairs; communications with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Beth El's national affiliation; and other general temple matters. Other correspondence can be found in the Minutes.
The Financial Reports contain yearly statements for 1951, 1957, 1962, and 1967, and monthly Treasurer's Reports for June 1970 to February 1974.
The four Membership Directories resulted from the Sisterhood's project to periodically update membership lists, and were done in 1962, 1964, 1967 and 1975.
The Minutes, 1939-1980, include those of the Board of Directors' meetings, some committee meetings, and annual Temple meetings. The annual meeting minutes contain reports of the president of the Temple, Men's Club, Sisterhood, and the Temple's treasurer. Minutes for the period 1964-1968 which were not microfilmed have been filed in Box 1, Folders 6-10. Of special note is a booklet summarizing the history and activities of the congregation, which was published to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary (May 26, 1964) of the Temple's founding.
The Religious Education file contains material relating to Temple Beth El's religious schools from 1967 to 1977. Included are mailings, an examination of classes and religious education in general, some listings of pupils, and an analysis of educational facilities.
Reports consists of a 1971 study titled “Congregation Temple Beth El: How Cohesive a Unit is It?” The Temple Dedications file consists of three booklets which provide concise histories of the congregation, describe its programs and services, and detail its future goals.
