In 1966, Congregation Shaare Shamayim of South Philadelphia merged with the Greater Northeast Jewish Congregation. The unified community later changed its name to Congregation Shaare Shamayim GNJC.
Shaare Shamayim means “gates of heaven.” And in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, many Philadelphia Jews were walking through those gates. As shaareshamayim.org explains, a sanctuary of 600 was not big enough, prompting a building expansion project.
Today though, that number is down to about 300 families, according to Jacques Lurie, the synagogue’s executive director. It’s down even though Shaare Shamayim has merged with 13 other synagogues since 1989.
Fewer local Jews have been walking through the “gates of heaven.” And now, those gates will be moving — and owned by another synagogue: Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park.
The Congregations of Shaare Shamayim (the name is now plural) are in the process of selling the Northeast Philadelphia property to the Block Church, according to Lurie. If the sale goes through, Shaare Shamayim will move into a wing of KI with its own entrance, offices, a kosher kitchen and a sanctuary/social hall.
It’s the same space that Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El has occupied since 2012. Melrose saw its membership decline from 200 to about 140 during COVID, according to synagogue President Shelley Schwartz. Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El is unifying with another Old York Road synagogue, Congregation Adath Jeshurun, on July 1.
“We have an opportunity to dramatically extend the life of the congregation,” Lurie said.
“It continues our goal of being a center for Jewish life and learning,” KI Executive Director Brian Rissinger added. “We had a wonderful 12-year partnership with Melrose, and we’re excited at the opportunity to build the partnership with Shaare Shamayim.”
Shaare Shamayim never planned to move, according to Lurie. Its Verree Road property was not on the market. The congregation got an “unexpected offer” from the church about six weeks ago.
The offer is $5 million.
“I think people understand the fact that there’s financial stress,” Lurie said.
After that offer, the synagogue’s executive committee and board of directors approved it “unanimously,” the director said. They also thought of KI because they knew Melrose would be leaving. The information was reported in the Jewish Exponent in January.
“Everything we heard was KI had a wonderful relationship with Melrose as a landlord, so it made sense to go and check it out,” Lurie said.
Synagogue leaders did not give members a chance to officially comment during the six weeks following the offer, according to Lurie. But on April 7, the congregation gathered in what might become its new sanctuary at KI. Members voted 152-19 to approve the deal.
“Before people can tell you what they think, you want them to understand what the facts are. We wanted them to come to the meeting, give their opinion and then they did … as a vote,” Lurie said.
But KI is on the eastern side of Montgomery County. Many of Shaare Shamayim’s members live in Bucks County to the north and Philadelphia to the east. Most of the members are also older.
Lurie said Shaare Shamayim has “committed to provide transportation to any of our members who would have a problem getting to KI.”
The executive director does not have an official timeline for a move because the real estate deal is not done. But he did say it could happen “as early as December.” Rissinger confirmed that Shaare Shamayim would likely move after the High Holidays.
“It’s a brighter future,” Lurie said. “It’s been a bright future. If this occurs, it’s going to be that much brighter.”
The congregations would remain separate, but they would collaborate on certain programs. Lurie and Rissinger said Shaare Shamayim’s upcoming greenhouse could add to KI’s mitzvah garden.
“It creates wonderful synergy between the communities of people that are committed to raising food for the needy,” Rissinger said.
The extra wing in KI was built as an extension to the building in 1967, according to Rissinger. KI’s congregation has dropped from about 1,200 families to around 800 in recent years.
“It helps to utilize the assets we have,” Rissinger said of the renting partnerships.
KI also houses the Holocaust Awareness Museum and Education Center.
“We think that it’s better for the community as a whole that we can be a hub for assembly, for learning, for worship,” Rissinger said.
I have a question. What will happen to all the plaques of our loved ones who passed and the tree of life? My family has quite a few. I would like to have mine.