For more than 120 years, Temple Mishkan Israel has stood on Broad Street in the heart of Selma, Alabama’s downtown corridor, serving as the spiritual touchpoint for the thriving Jewish population that called this Black Belt city home. Today, only three Jews are left in the city of Selma – but the historic Temple Mishkan Israel structure remains, serving as a rare and stunning monument to Jewish life in the Deep South.

In keeping with the Jewish tradition of Tikkun Olam – contributing to the betterment of the world - The Selma Temple was founded as a non-profit organization seeking to restore the Temple Mishkan Israel building, preserve and share stories of the Jewish experience in Selma and the Deep South, and merge the congregation’s past with the present needs of its home city.

The Selma Temple has a vision – to open the doors of a restored Temple Mishkan Israel, which will continue to serve as a space for worship and celebration, and also as a community venue for all Selmians, and visitors to Selma, to gather, to learn, and to exchange ideas.