1884: Isaac Friend, Aaron Katzenstein, Isaac Oppenheimer, Moses Oppenheimer, and Leopold Barr found Congregation B'nai Jeshurun ('Children of Israel'), Lincoln's first Jewish congregation. Early member Henry Schleisinger was later a founder of the Anti-Defamation League.

1893: The congregation's first temple at 12^th and D is completed. The congregation has 28 members.

1906 : The congretagion hires its first resident rabbi, Israel Mattuck.

1922: A fire damages the temple building to such an extent that the congregation decides to raise funds for a new building.

1922-23: Fundraising for the new building among Jews in Beatrice, Friend, Grand Island and Lincoln. Contributors include the Gold family (Gold's Department Store), the Weil family (National Bank of Commerce) and the Friend family (Beatrice Foods). The Lincoln architectural firm of Davis and Wilson is commissioned to design the building. On April 26, ground is broken for the new Temple to be built at 20th and South Streets.

1923‑ Temple cornerstone is laid on May 27. M.A. Newmark, at that time a Temple member for 33 years, said on that day, '. . . from this comerstone which we have laid today will rise the superstructure of our Temple beautiful, let us hope without interruption. We do not know what difficulties may confront us which it will be necessary to overcome, nor what obstacles may arise which we will have to surmount. An impenetrable veil screens the future from our gaze. The watchman on the tower scans the far distant horizon and sees no cloud looming up to cast its shadow across the path of progress. The mariner steers his vessel through deep and troublesome waters into a safe harbor. So we too may hope confidently to move smoothly along the path of progress, provided we show that same devotion to promoting the highest interests of Reform Judaism, the same zeal in maintaining its high ideal as was displayed by those hardy pioneer Temple builders of 1893. They are gone from amongst us, they rest in that eternal sleep that knows no awakening. If their spirit can look down upon us, it will be gladdened to see the progress and development of Reform Judaism in this city in the past thirty-five years which they did so much to sponsor and maintain. When our Temple beautiful is completed, we will again assemble on these grounds to witness its dedication to the service of the Most High. As we enter its portals, we can exclaim with fervent devotion, 'How goodly are thy tents, oh Jacob, thy tabernacles, oh Israel.''

1924: Completion and dedcation of the South Street Temple.

The new Temple B'nai Jeshurun is dedicated on September 19. In addressing the congregation, Rabbi Jacob Singer (rabbi of B'nai Jeshurun from 1912 to 1923) said, 'The building of the synagogue is not finished with the completion of the physical structure but can be completed only in the hearts of the people through their worship and faith.'