On May 16th, 2025, the temple was severely damaged by a devastating tornado. This sacred space, which has served as a center for our community for 117 years, has suffered significant structural damage, specifically to the roof. Help us restore this significant and historical landmark, an anchor of the Holy Corners historic district.

Our financial goal is to raise enough to begin phase 1 of the repairs which is closing the roof. Your contribution is imperative towards recovery.

History: The Holy Corners National Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, recognizing its historical and architectural significance for St. Louis and Missouri as well as the United States. The name of the District derives from the location of three great religious congregations -- one Reform Jewish and two Protestant Christian -- at the intersection of Kingshighway and Washington Place: Temple Israel, St. John's Methodist Church, and Second Baptist Church. Due largely to their immediate proximity, the congregations in these three magnificent buildings became pioneers in the ecumenical movement in the United States, inaugurating in 1931 the "Holy Corners Fellowship." In that year this group of Jews and Christians launched a "trail-blazing experiment in defiance of contemporary attitudes" and evolved with one of the country's great interfaith organizations, the National Conference of Jews and Christians. Temple Israel was completed in 1908 according to the design of Tom P. Barnett of the firm of Barnett, Haynes & Barnett, who were also architects of St. Louis' Basilica Cathedral at Lindell and Newstead. The Temple Israel building is now known as United in Worship.

Architectural Significance: The Holy Corners buildings were designed by St. Louis architects of national prominence including Barnett, Theodore Link, and the partners of Mauran, Russell and Garden, successors in St. Louis to the firm of the great H. H. Richardson; they showcase a variety of styles, including Barnett's sublime Greco-Roman temple in the Corinthian order at 5001 Washington Place, St. Louis, MO 63108.

We can’t let that happen.

But now, the roof is gone. Rain pours through the sanctuary. Pews are crushed. And without urgent repairs, this irreplaceable piece of our shared heritage may be lost forever. Despite being denied federal aid and facing mounting structural challenges, Pastor Andre Downing and his congregation are determined to rebuild. But they can’t do it alone.

Every dollar brings us closer to sealing the roof, saving the sanctuary, and reviving a beacon of hope in our city.

Let’s honor the past — and invest in a future where this historic house of worship continues to uplift lives.

Disaster Recovery Initiative

By ATOD Development Corporation

Disaster Recovery Initiative

For an historic and architecturally significant location.