Eliot Meadow, the new president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, is a graduate of Kellman Brown Academy in Voorhees and Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy on the Main Line. Growing up, he also attended Temple Sinai in Cinnaminson and Camp Ramah in the Poconos.
But perhaps most importantly, he’s a die-hard Eagles fan. Even though Meadow lives in Charlotte now, he still comes back for important games to attend a kosher tailgate with fellow KBA alums.
“This will be my 35th year of having season tickets,” Meadow said.
The Eagles fan thinks that new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion can get Jalen Hurts going again. He also sees Hurts’ love-hate relationship with the fans as similar to that of Phillies great Mike Schmidt.
The new leader of the Conservative movement’s congregational organization also has stances on his denomination’s role in Jewish life today. In a news release, Meadow said, “Synagogues are where Jewish life happens.”
“USCJ has the opportunity — and the responsibility — to serve as the connective tissue between them, ensuring they have the resources, relationships, and support they need to thrive,” he added.
Meadow’s hiring was announced in January. The USCJ oversees almost 600 synagogues in North America, according to uscj.org. The organization consults synagogues on management and community development, runs United Synagogue Youth (USY) and connects leaders to share best practices, among other duties.
Meadow joined the organization’s board in 2004 and has been an officer since 2021, according to uscj.org. In that time, he has led the Department of Synagogue Success Committee and the youth engagement strategy. He currently sits on the Social Justice Commission’s LGBTQ+ Working Group and the Intermarriage Working Group, among other bodies.
The Philadelphian’s mother taught for over three decades at the Solomon Schechter Day School, where Meadow also attended. Meadow also raised his own daughters in Conservative synagogues and sent them to Camp Ramah in New England. His connection and commitment to the movement are intergenerational. He even touts on uscj.org that he’s been a member of six different Conservative congregations.
“I’m a product of the Conservative/Masorti Movement in every sense,” Meadow said in the release. “I believe deeply in our mission, our values, and in the value we bring to Jewish life and lives.”
The new president’s connection to the movement was solidified during his youth. As a teen, he was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo chemotherapy treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for 18 months. His refuge during that time became USY.
USY gave teens a chance to plan events and stand in front of a room. It also provided space for them to talk and figure out their identities. The adults who oversaw the activities often told the teens that they were the future leaders of Conservative Judaism.
Meadow believed them.
“A lot of people say, ‘USY was my life in high school.’ I often say, ‘USY saved my life in high school,’” Meadow said. “USY was what kept me going, gave me hope, gave me something to look forward to every week.”
The future Conservative leader found USY through his synagogue, Temple Sinai in Cinnaminson. But his chapter also connected with other South Jersey chapters.
“It taught me a lesson that many synagogues haven’t figured out: There are actually Jews outside their community,” he said.
Meadow was a kid dealing with cancer. He had no hair. What he found at USY was that he could be himself. He didn’t have to be the social kid, the athletic kid or the smart kid.
He also noticed that Jews from all backgrounds were welcomed. Some kids had parents who were rabbis. Others had little knowledge of their religion.
“You were in the room, and you were part of the group,” he said. “I don’t find that everywhere.”
But he wants to find it throughout the Conservative movement.
“We have a really polarized society. People are going to extremes on just about everything,” he said. “Amongst movements, we’ve always said the Conservative movement occupies the vital center. It’s a place where we open doors; we have a big tent. We can have conversations about things we disagree about.”