Temple Tiferith Israel

To honor the memory of Jack Mandel and his wife Lilyan, the Mandel Foundation established a $16 million legacy gift to the Temple Tifereth Israel where they were longtime members. The donation catalyzed matching grants toward a $24.5 million building project that was completed in 2016, which allowed for the expansion and modernization of the temple, Cleveland’s oldest reform synagogue, where Jack Mandel was a life trustee. Established in 1850 as Tifereth Israel, the temple was originally based in University Circle for many years, with the addition of a religious school in Beachwood in 1969. Its Beachwood location would eventually become the congregation’s center of worship, education, programming and outreach for a community of over 1,500 members. The Mandel brothers considered synagogues and temples to be one of the major underpinnings of Jewish life, and this legacy gift aligned with the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening Jewish life and, in particular, Jewish life in Cleveland.