Deaf Jews have historically not been fully welcome in the Jewish community at large. In response, the Hebrew Association of the Deaf (HAD) was founded to meet the social and religious needs of Deaf Jews in Chicagoland. In 1970, the leaders of HAD prevailed on the Hebrew Union College, in Cincinnati, to send a student rabbi to lead its members in participation in Jewish life. Douglas Goldhamer answered the call.

In 1972, the newly-ordained Rabbi Doctor Goldhamer, along with the members of HAD, founded Congregation Bene Shalom (CBS)—the first, and to this day, only full service synagogue serving the Deaf Jewish community in the United States. At the time, the congregation had 12 families, $125.00 in the bank, and its services were conducted in a warehouse, before moving up to the basements of other temples. In 1974, the Friends of Congregation Bene Shalom was organized to help the fledgling congregation meets its financial needs. It continues to be a generous supporter of the temple.

The temple moved into its own home in 1975. Since then, the temple has expanded—in the size of its building and its financial resources. The synagogue has been blessed with the Esther Knapp Children's Library, Kathryn Herskovits Resource Center, Nathan Cummings Sanctuary, Morris and Mollie Tannebaum Bima, and the Jack Levin Communications Center, helping to emphasize the temple's place as a spiritual and social resource for Deaf and hearing alike.

The temple's membership has also greatly expanded. Through no more than word-of-mouth, and owing to its commitment to the principle that all people are equal and should be treated as equals, the congregation has grown to its current size of approximately 200 families. The congregation's growth has been among Deaf and hearing families, who, upon visiting the temple and experiencing the welcoming, friendly, intimate, and spiritual atmosphere, have chosen to become part of the CBS/HAD community.