Narberth Havurah is not your typical Jewish community. Rabbi Simcha Zevit, who joins the synagogue periodically for different services and events based on need, explained what exactly that means.
“We are a havurah. That word can be used in lots of different ways, but based on the word, [it] often [means] a more informal type of Jewish community that can operate with or without a rabbi as the head of it,” Zevit said. “It is a collaborative relationship. It’s a community that is lay-led by the members, for the members.”
On July 1, Narberth Havurah named its new president, Shane Rubin. While the Havurah may not resemble most synagogues in its structure, its worship services and sense of togetherness are just as strong as any thriving shul.
“We celebrate holidays, come together for Shabbat and all the foundations of Jewish life, and our community just has a strong heart and a strong sense of a close-knit, small group of neighbors, friends and people who come together for both Jewish reasons and just a sense of community,” Zevit said.
Rubin said this journey started two years ago when he began attending the havurah as a member. He quickly took to the community and decided that he wanted to do more than just attend services and celebrate holidays.
“As the rabbi said, it’s very much all self-run. So to participate and to be involved on some level, I found myself quickly becoming so enmeshed in the community and enjoying it,” he said. “I really wanted the chance to give back more to the community and get involved.”
Zevit said that Rubin exemplified the qualities that the synagogue was looking for in its new leader.
“We [looked for someone] who really just has a lot of enthusiasm for the community. Who are we? We’re involved, we are people who are present and show up and who care about their Jewish life and the life of the people in the community,” Zevit said. “We wanted [someone] who wants to give us their time and their love and their energy.”
For the first couple of weeks Rubin’s tenure, he has been mostly doing what he called “bureaucratic” duties: everything from learning where important files are to introducing himself to the executive board to creating early outlines of programming that he wants to help introduce.
Rubin said he wants to make sure Narberth Havurah continues to enjoy the benefits of being a small community. For example, members are often there for each other when one of them loses a loved one.
“We will arrange with each other to make sure that we’re at the shiva house, to make sure we have a plan and to make sure that that member has food coming,” he said. “What I really like is that with a small community, we really have a connection to each individual member.”
Rubin hopes to introduce an event honoring the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is held each year on Nov. 20. Typically, such events include a reading of names of trans folks who have been murdered in the past year, as well as poetry readings, speeches, art showings and more.
“I’ve never seen any local Jewish organizations have any event like this, and I think it could be a really healing experience, particularly for Jewish people in the trans community. There’s a lot of mourning all around the horrific levels of violence the trans community is facing, particularly trans women of color,” Rubin said.
Rubin said that Zevit will continue to come into the havurah to perform rabbinical duties as needed, adding that the system works, even if it’s atypical. For Zevit, Narberth Havurah is as refreshing as it is unique.
“We are not a community that has layers of people and systems. We are run by people who have the heart and soul to not only strengthen relationships in the community, which I know Shane has the ability to do, but to grow our membership. Shane will have all the support,” she said. “We are in this together.”
