Temple Beth El is home to one of the most comprehensive congregational archives in the nation and the largest such collection in Michigan. The archives is named in memory of Dr. Leo M. Franklin, Temple Beth El's rabbi from 1899-1941 and one of the leading voices of the Reform Movement nationwide. The Archives was founded in 1981.

The Leo M. Franklin Archives (FA) collects, maintains, and makes available records pertaining to Michigan Jewish history with a vast majority related to Temple Beth El and its functions. As the first Jewish congregation in the state, Temple Beth El’s Franklin Archives incorporates materials from early Jewish Detroit, its prominent members, and the organizations they helped to build.