Judaism

Torah

Blessing the People With Love and Joy

Local

Does Birthright Stifle Teen Travel?

Shavuot

Synagogues Celebrate New Arrivals

Synagogue Life

This Synagogue's Not Closing, It's Just Moving

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

Congregation Melrose B'nai Israel Emanu-El in Cheltenham has two signs out front. One says the 51-year-old building is up for sale. The other reads: "We're moving." The leadership wants to send the message: "We're not closing." At its annual meeting in May, the congregation that calls it-self "The Little Shul With a Big Heart" approved renting space at Reform Congregation...

Judaism

Lodge Disbands, Leaving Behind a Scholarly Legacy

By:

Deborah Hirsch

Once a month for the last 53 years, Elkins Park resident Jerry Older joined fellow members of the Judaic Lodge to share a meal, play a round of poker and discuss which charities to support. Like so many other Jewish organizations, however, lodge membership ranks thinned dramatically over the years. Trustees began anticipating the end about 15 years ago, said...

Synagogue Life

Closing of Synagogue Signals End of an Era

By:

Bryan Schwartzman

When William Jaird Levitt first established Levittown, Pa., in the 1950s, he set aside land to house schools, churches and synagogues. More than five decades later, the only remaining Jewish house of worship in the planned community is poised to close its doors. Temple Shalom recently signed an agreement of sale with Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania, a nonprofit organization...

Synagogue Life

Beth Sholom Puts Out Call for Docents

The visitor center at Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park is looking for a few volunteers with the right stuff. The Beth Sholom Preservation Foundation needs docents to lead groups on tours of the only synagogue designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In 2007, the structure, meant to evoke Mount Sinai, was named a National Historic Landmark. In 2009,...

Torah

Is Winning Really Most Important Thing in Life?

MATOT, Numbers 30:2-34:42

By:

Rabbi Howard A. Addison

"The imperative to win runs strongly through our collective American psyche." Football coach Al Davis' sentiment rings loud and clear: "Just win, baby." In many pursuits in the modern world, we find those willing to hurt others and compromise their integrity just to gain on the competition. To quote baseball manager Leo Durocher, "Nice guys finish last." Since nobody wants...