Darchei Noam President Lynne Krause (Courtesy of Darchei Noam and Kol Ami)
In the summer of 2021, Darchei Noam opened in Ambler. A little over a year later, it had 211 member families. Now it’s up to 235, according to President Lynne Krause.
It’s a growing synagogue in a growing town. But it has also bucked the trend of synagogue decline with modern qualities, according to synagogue leaders.
As a 2022 Jewish Exponent story explained, Darchei Noam is inclusive to people from all demographics, geographical areas and Jewish backgrounds. It has no structure for paying dues. Members pay what they can.
It also has no denomination and no board. Instead, clergy, staff members and committee chairs are involved in decision-making as part of a leadership team.
The model works, and now it’s attracting a whole other synagogue: Congregation Kol Ami from Elkins Park.
Kol Ami and Darchei Noam announced in a recent news release that they would join forces for a trial year beginning July 1. If that goes well and members approve, they will unite.
Kol Ami used to have 205 households and a property on High School Road. But it sold the property as its membership base dropped to 140 by 2021. Today, it’s down to about 100, according to Co-President Ben Long. Kol Ami has also rented space inside Beth Sholom Congregation — the Old York Road synagogue designed by Frank Lloyd Wright — since 2021.
“Our synagogue was not financially sustainable,” Long said. “Our expenses were continuing to outpace membership pledges and fundraising opportunities.”
But Long and his members did not want to lose their community. So, the president called Krause.
“I was reading about this new congregation with a vibrant young rabbi (Danielle Parmenter). I saw their website. It was based on reading and knowing a few members,” he said.
Krause liked the idea. Darchei Noam covers its expenses. But it also pays its clergy and staff members less than market value, according to Krause. One hundred new households can help with that.
“We say we’d like you to pay this amount, and it’s a voluntary pledge. We don’t call it dues. A lot of people don’t actually pay what we need,” Krause said. “With Kol Ami, we thought you get some people who will maybe pay dues.”
With the transition, Kol Ami will cut its rent payments, religious school expenses and rabbi salary. Rabbi Leah Berkowitz, who began serving Kol Ami in 2018, will not be coming along to Darchei Noam, according to Long. The congregation’s 20 religious school students can join a Darchei Noam program that has 110 kids.
The Old York Road congregation will also be moving away from Old York Road, an area with a declining Jewish population. Ambler’s population grew by more than 6% between the 2010 and 2020 censuses.
“From a demographic standpoint, there are more young Jewish families,” Long said of Ambler. “Where we are, the demographics have changed. There’s just not enough potential members to go around anymore.”
Both synagogues are “retaining our individuality,” as Long described it, in year one. But they will have to get to know each other, according to Krause. Kol Ami uses a Reform prayer book; Darchei Noam does not. Kol Ami also has a board.
“We don’t even vote. We discuss,” Krause said of Darchei Noam’s leadership team. “They’re not against that. It just has to be talked through and worked out.”
The synagogues are aligned on values, according to Long.
“The importance of education, l’dor v’dor and tikkun olam,” Long said. “They’re not affiliated with any branch, which we think is incredibly inclusive to Jews of all sorts.”
Long said he hopes at least 75 member families will make the move with Kol Ami.
“Together with about 300 or so members, Darchei Noam or Kol Noam will be a financially sustainable model,” he said.
