Blog

Dear Temple Israel Members: 

In 1972, Congregation Temple Israel purchased slightly over 100 acres in Troy, Missouri, adjacent to 10 acres deeded to TI by Boy Scout troop 11, which we named the Edison Retreat Center (ERC). Though the roughly 110-acre property was utilized extensively in the 1970s and 80s, since the mid-late 1990s the property ceased to be of use to the Temple. The Board of Trustees, taking our fiduciary responsibility very seriously, made efforts in the mid-2000s to sell the property, but the efforts failed to come to fruition. Last summer, the Board of Trustees again began to explore the possibilities of selling this property. 

As President of the Board of Trustees, I am pleased to inform you that on Tuesday, May 10, we finalized the sale of the Edison Retreat Center. The sale of this property feels bittersweet, as many of us remember weekends spent there with our Religious School classes; others recall summers spent at Camp Kee Tov, or perhaps adult education programs held at the lodge. This property, though having historical and emotional significance, also came with financial responsibilities and liabilities. The opportunity to sell in this market was determined to have a greater beneficial outcome for our TI community and will help to fund some of the Temple’s current needs.  

We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that, though our Congregation no longer utilizes the ERC, Boy Scout Troop 11 — which is sponsored by TI — has been utilizing the property throughout this time. We appreciate the significance this property has had for the Troop, and we thank them for being a partner with us through this process. In recognition of the property that Boy Scout Troop 11 deeded to Temple Israel in 1972, a portion of the proceeds will be shared with the Troop. 

The decision to sell this property was not made lightly, nor without the due diligence that the Congregation expects of the Board. I would like to thank those who spent hours in conversation, research, and negotiation, whose work brought us to this point. The Board has already determined that a portion of the proceeds will be spent on upgrading the electrical system in TI’s Jack & Ellen Deutsch Family Education Center, and we will later determine how to best utilize the rest of the proceeds.  

L’shalom,  

Louise Losos 
President, Congregation Temple Israel  
president@ti-stl.org