Rabbi Benjamin David said in a recent email that Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel was “rapidly becoming a hub of Jewish culture and existence.”
And it’s hard to argue with the rabbi’s evaluation. The 800-family Reform congregation is so much more than that.
In its 100,000 square-foot building on the corner of Old York Road, it’s also the home of a Conservative synagogue, the Congregations of Shaare Shamayim; an Orthodox camp, Camp Seed; the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center; HaMotzi, a once-a-month food pantry; and Champions for Cheltenham, a tutoring program for Jewish and non-Jewish high school kids.
This multifaceted operation brings together different Jewish denominations. It also unites Jews and non-Jews. Out of 130 kids in KI’s preschool, “a significant number” are not Jewish, according to David.
KI began in 1847 as an Orthodox shul. Eight years later, it became the first Reform congregation in the Philadelphia area. In the 2020s, it’s now the hub that David described.
“Our vision and my vision is for KI to position itself as a center for Jewish life and learning in our community in the broadest possible sense,” the rabbi said.
David arrived in 2022 with that vision.
He had already served Adath Emanu-El in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, for 10 years, so he had an idea where Jewish life might be going. He was the son of Rabbi Jerome P. David, who led Temple Emanuel in Cherry Hill for almost 50 years, so he understood that a rabbi needed to think about these things.
Luckily, KI shared his vision. It was already the home of the Holocaust Awareness Museum, HaMotzi and the Temple Judea Museum, a collection of more than 6,000 objects of Jewish culture.
COVID was ending. People were leaving their houses again. But local Jews remained ambivalent about traditional observance. Instead, they wanted to connect with Judaism in “myriad ways,” David said.
“I think we acknowledged post-COVID that we need to embrace this and do it in a way that’s thoughtful,” he added.
You can do a lot with 100,000 square feet. But KI’s role also has to do with familiarity, according to David.
“Everyone knows KI on the corner of Old York Road,” he said. “KI comes with a reputation. KI comes with leadership. People expect quality programming from us.”
David acknowledged that some of the arrangements are tenant agreements. But he also said it’s not all about money. It’s about a different question.
“Who has the potential to speak to our mission?” he asked.
And that mission is to “break down barriers,” he said.
This summer, for example, KI, a Reform congregation, is hosting an Orthodox camp. The Reform Jews and traditional Jews see each other every day.
“We’re speaking to this sense of Kol Yisrael, that we’re one family,” David said.
The family can also include non-Jews. The food pantry, tutoring program and preschool are open to everyone.
“I think that’s never been more important. There’s such a misunderstanding. There’s such ignorance. We don’t know each other. We live behind our screens and glued to our phones,” David said. “We have a lot to offer each other. And in the end, we’re not as different as we might imagine.”
It’s also more important than ever for Jews to stay connected to each other, according to the rabbi.
“If this year taught us anything, it’s that we need each other. There are only so many of us in the world. We desperately need to come together in the name of Jewish life, in the name of supporting Israel, in the name of Jewish continuity. As the world turns its back on us, we need to be there for each other,” he said.