Some concerned about sale of prominent Jewish temple in Palm Springs

A prominent Jewish temple in Palm Springs is up for sale, and some members are concerned about the future of Temple Isaiah. On Monday, KESQ and CBS Local 2’s Jeremy Chen looked into why the iconic temple may be moving.

Robert Weinstein, a temple member, said, “We lose our home. We would be homeless. We would have no place else to go.”

The temple has been in Palm Springs since the 1940s when it was built. Now, it could be sold with the temple moving to another location without a community center. According to a letter sent to members, there are two offers to purchase the building.

Weinstein said the loss of the building wouldn’t just be felt by the congregation.

“It’s been used in a number of times for community events and if we lost that, the whole community loses,” Robert Fey, former president of the temple, said.

KESQ and CBS Local 2 reached out to the Rabbi of the temple, he declined to comment but would say no decision has been made. The decision will be discussed at a special meeting on Tuesday with temple members.

Both Fey and Weinstein believe the sale is due to the temple struggling for funds.