Established 1954
Who We Are
The oldest Jewish congregation in Southwest Florida, and a modern, inclusive Reform community in the heart of south Fort Myers.
Our Judaism
Temple Beth El is a member of the Union for Reform Judaism. We are committed to the principles of Reform Judaism and to the highest standards of Jewish worship, education, and celebration.
We pursue a relationship with God through communal worship, Torah study, and our interactions with one another. Our weekly Shabbat services use Mishkan T’filah, the prayer book of the Reform movement, with prayers projected so that everyone can follow along.
We are a welcoming Jewish haven and an extended family of the spirit, with particular sensitivity to the needs of interfaith families. We believe that we are all created in the image of God and that each life is sacred. We try to offer God the gifts of love, care, and concern for each other, and to bring more holiness into the world through mitzvot and the pursuit of justice — tikkun olam, repairing our world together.
At a glance
- Movement
- Reform — Union for Reform Judaism
- Founded
- 1954, by 22 families
- Size
- The largest synagogue in Lee County
- Prayer book
- Mishkan T’filah
- Sanctuary
- Dedicated 1994, with a T-coil hearing loop
Our Clergy
Our clergy lead worship, teach, and walk with our families through every season of life.
Rabbi Nicole Luna
Rabbi
“Whence have you come and where are you going?” Rabbi Luna’s vision is a sacred community where people can discover and reveal their true selves, enriched by their diverse life experiences and by the intellectual adventure of Jewish wisdom and learning.
She holds a B.A. in Cognitive Science and Jewish Studies from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in Hebrew Literature, and was ordained at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City, where she was a Bonnie and Daniel Tisch Fellow. She previously served five years as solo rabbi at Congregation Bayt Shalom in Greenville, North Carolina, and has served congregations in Altoona, Pennsylvania and Omaha, Nebraska. She completed a chaplaincy internship at NYU Langone Medical Center and interfaith work through Auburn Theological Seminary’s Center for Multifaith Education.
Raised in Norfolk, Virginia in an interfaith household — her Catholic Hispanic father later converted to Judaism — she is married to Joe Bord and they have two daughters.
Cantor Marshall Portnoy
Cantor
Cantor Portnoy leads the music of our congregation, from Erev Shabbat to the High Holy Days. Our services are joyous, musical, and participatory — the congregation is meant to sing, not just listen.
He also works with our choir, prepares our B’nai Mitzvah students, and brings music into lifecycle moments across the community.
Our Staff
The office is the front door of the temple. Call (239) 433-0018 and one of these people will pick up.
Karen Kagan
Office Manager
First point of contact for membership questions, calendar and facility use, and anything that needs to find its way to the right person.
Moshe Beck
Accounting Clerk & Administrative Assistant
Handles billing, statements, donations, and the day-to-day administration of the temple.
Allison Fego
Religious School Coordinator
Coordinates religious school enrollment, scheduling, and family communication.
Gabriel Vega
Building & Grounds
Keeps the sanctuary, social hall, classrooms, and grounds ready for our community.
Board of Trustees and Committees. Temple Beth El is governed by an elected Board of Trustees and run day to day with the help of committee volunteers — ritual, membership, education, social action, house, and more. Committee rosters and meeting times are available from the office, and new volunteers are always welcome. Ask how to get involved →
Our History
Seventy years of Jewish life in Southwest Florida.
- 1954 Twenty-two Jewish families establish Temple Beth El–Fort Myers Jewish Community Center, affiliated at the time with the Conservative Movement. It is the oldest Jewish congregation in Southwest Florida.
- 1955 The congregation celebrates its first Chanukah at its original home at Grand and Linhart Avenues.
- 1964 The Rosen brothers, the developers of Cape Coral, donate land on Del Prado for a new facility as the congregation outgrows its first building.
- 1991 A gift of land on Winkler makes the current building possible. It is designed by congregation member Bruce T. Gora, who set out to carry a sense of spirituality into the sanctuary itself.
- 1994 The new building is completed in time for the High Holy Days.
- 2024 Temple Beth El marks its 70th anniversary and 30 years in the Winkler Road sanctuary — today the largest synagogue in Lee County.
Also at the Temple
Judaica Gift Shop
Kiddush cups, candlesticks, mezuzot, tallitot, holiday goods, and B’nai Mitzvah gifts. Open around services and school hours, or by appointment through the office.
Temple Groups
Sisterhood, Brotherhood, and social groups that run everything from Mah Jongg to community dinners to volunteer projects.
The Garden of Memories
Our memorial wall, where families dedicate plaques and remember their loved ones by name. Dedicate a plaque →