WHEREAS, Rabbi Louise Elizabeth Dailey was born into a religious family in Annapolis, Maryland. Her father was an orthodox Baptist minister, and was the founder of the Second Baptist Church. Her father led Bible studies on Saturdays and wore a hat at all times, and her family covered the mirrors when there was a death in the family, sitting quietly in darkened rooms for seven days; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Dailey, who was referred to as "Mother Dailey" by most people who knew her, left Annapolis in the 1940s and relocated to Philadelphia, where she worked as a domestic in a Jewish home; and
WHEREAS, It was during her time working in a Jewish home that she began to notice many similar traditions between her religious upbringing and the Jewish faith. It was then that she began to pray for guidance and to learn "the ways of the Hebrews" with whom she so identified; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Dailey began to observe the Sabbath on Saturday, and to keep a kosher home. She also began a prayer group in her living room; people heard about it and came to pray with her; and
WHEREAS, The group grew by word of mouth, and soon she had a group too large for her living room to accommodate. Over time, the group became a formal entity – Congregation Temple Beth’El – and Rabbi Dailey purchased three additional buildings in an attempt to accommodate her growing membership; and
WHEREAS, Once settled at the present location on Lowber Avenue in West Oak Lane, she realized that what she needed was a Synagogue that would allow her community to worship as Jews should. She presented the idea to the congregants, and they joined in the building project which resulted in their current edifice of Congregation Temple Beth’El; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Dailey was the birth mother of five children, and the adoptive mother of many more; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Dailey passed away on March 27, 2001, and she continues to be remembered as a great leader of the Jewish faith among communities of color; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby adds Rabbi L.E. Dailey to the street signs on the block intersections on Lowber Avenue between Mayland Street and Mohican Street in recognition of Rabbi Dailey’s tremendous service and contributions to the West Oak Lane community.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the congregants of Congregation Temple Beth’El as a sincere expression of the Philadelphia City Council’s gratitude and recognition.
End