Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel is preparing for its annual spring celebration and fundraiser in April where it will be honoring Executive Director Brian Rissinger, who has served the congregation for 20 years.
Rissinger is beloved at Keneseth Israel and has a long history of serving as a Jewish professional in the Philadelphia area. He first started at Federation Early Learning Services where he was a member of the administrative team. After 11 years there, he took on a new role in local synagogue life and became the executive director at Main Line Reform Temple.
“I think [working in synagogue life] is a unique opportunity to try to make a difference in a community that is innovative, welcoming and is committed to tikkun olam,” said Rissinger.
He served as executive director at Main Line Reform Temple for 17 years. Then, in 2006, he became executive director at Keneseth Israel.
“It’s important for us to remember this isn’t just honoring Brian for a round number — for being here 20 years — but it’s really the 20 years of accomplishment, of inspiration, leadership, innovation, friendship, all of that,” Keneseth Israel President Andrew Altman said.
During his tenure, Rissinger has helped establish Keneseth Israel as a hub for the Jewish community, housing seven different nonprofits, including KleinLife Senior Center and the Congregations of Shaare Shamayim.
Under Rissinger’s leadership, the congregation has grown its religious school to more than 100 children and 165 preschool children and create a close relationship with the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center, which is housed in Keneseth Israel.
“It’s about building relationships within the community and having a reputation, and working with those different organizations, of trying to figure out a way to say yes, to be able to help to meet the needs of the community and of those organizations,” Rissinger said. “It’s also a belief that KI is stronger when the organizations around us are stronger, whether it’s those organizations that are in our building or the other synagogues and organizations within our community. That if there’s anything we can do to strengthen them, then that benefits the community as a whole.”
When Rissinger spoke about his accomplishments at Keneseth Israel with Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, he didn’t attribute them to himself.
“They’re celebrating my 20 years here, [but] it’s really about an amazing staff and colleagues and lay leaders in the congregation that are really the focus of the spring celebration for us,” he said. “I haven’t accomplished any of these things on my own.”
Rissinger is not only known locally, but also nationally, as he’s a board member of the National Association for Temple Administration and an active member in the Delaware Valley Association for Synagogue Administrators.
“He’s recognized as one of the best around the country, and every time I travel as president or talk about KI to people who are in different synagogues, they know Brian’s name. They know his reputation,” Altman said. “It’s well beyond time to be honoring him for what he’s done for KI.”
The spring celebration will take place over several days, with different events, including a performance from puzzler and mentalist David Kwong in April and a pianist performance leading up to the events at the end of March.
“It’s hard to believe that 20 years has gone so quickly, and I am deeply honored that the congregation is honoring me for that time,” Rissinger said.
Altman added, “The idea of the spring celebration is to remind ourselves of the accomplishments of KI and the potential for our future and Brian just has that. He has the history here, of course, and he has the innovation, creativity, the vision, as all leaders need for where we’re taking KI tomorrow, and so it just makes a lot of sense to honor someone like that.”