In 2023, Israel turned 75, ignited a furious debate about the future of its democracy and got attacked by Hamas.
All of those events had a massive practical and psychological impact on the Philadelphia Jewish community. At the same time, the story of local Jewry runs deeper. Jewish Philadelphia’s people, communities and institutions have shown an enduring commitment to one of the Torah’s first principles: L’dor v’dor.
These were the biggest local Jewish stories of 2023.
Shapiro Inaugurated
On Jan. 17, Josh Shapiro took the oath of office and became Pennsylvania’s third Jewish governor. Unlike the first one, Milton Shapp (1971-’79), Shapiro didn’t change his name to make it less Jewish (Milton Shapp was born Milton Shapiro). And unlike the more recent one, Ed Rendell (2003-’11), Shapiro made Judaism central to his political identity.
“I stand before you a proud American of Jewish faith,” he told the crowd.
Millennial Rabbis Start to Define Their Roles
A new generation of millennial rabbis is emerging at local synagogues.
In 2023, Lizzie Horne Mozes, 32, became the spiritual leader at Congregation Beth Tikvah in Marlton, New Jersey. Sam Yolen, 33, became senior rabbi at the Kesher Israel Congregation in West Chester. And Ariel Milan-Polisar, 30, took over as assistant rabbi at Congregation Kol Ami in Cherry Hill.
They all said numbers were important. But they also said that something else was perhaps more important: relationships.
“I’d love to see where everyone is coming from and meet them where they are,” Horne Mozes said.
Camps Are Back
In March, the Foundation for Jewish Camp released its 2022 Census/State of Jewish Camp Report. It had an encouraging conclusion: Jewish camps in North America were seeing enrollments at 96% of pre-pandemic levels.
Directors at camps that served Philadelphia-area families said their numbers were even better. Many enrollments were larger than they were in 2019.
Rabbis Retire
In July, Rabbi Albert Gabbai retired from Congregation Mikveh Israel, Philadelphia’s oldest synagogue, after 35 years. In December, Rabbi Eliott Perlstein announced his retirement from Ohev Shalom of Bucks County after 48 years.
Rabbi Yosef Zarnighian replaced Gabbai and inherited his congregation of 200 families. When Perlstein steps away in June, he will leave a community of 400 households.
Temple Judea of Bucks County Fights to Survive
In January, Temple Judea of Bucks County, the only Reform synagogue in Central Bucks, announced that it would explore a sale of its building by the end of 2024. Its membership decline, from 200 households to 150, had made its property “too burdensome,” Treasurer Joel Weiner said.
By May, “an outpouring of support from past and present congregants,” as an email from synagogue leadership put it, allowed the temple to extend its lease on life through June 2025. One of the main benefactors was Noel Weiss. He’s now the president, and his goal is to continue the synagogue’s life beyond June 2025.
“There’s part of our culture and our history that needs to be passed along,” Weiss said.
A New Era of Holocaust Remembrance
How do we remember the Holocaust when the survivors are gone? This year, Gratz College, Theatre Ariel and the Holocaust Awareness Museum (Elkins Park) tried to start answering that question.
Gratz and Theatre Ariel toured a play about survivors to local schools such as Springfield Middle School. The Holocaust Awareness Museum started putting some of its Holocaust art on display at area institutions such as Cheltenham High School.
Jewish Protesters Make Impact on Israel’s Democracy Debate
In August, a group of Israeli Jews protested outside the home and office of Main Line resident Arthur Dantchik, a billionaire investor and donor to the Kohelet Policy Forum, the think tank behind the proposals to weaken Israel’s Supreme Court. After the protest, Dantchik announced that he would divest from the think tank.
Jews Gather in Support of Israel After Oct. 7
Two nights after the attack, more than 1,000 people gathered outside the Kaiserman JCC to listen to speeches from Governor Shapiro and others. Several rabbis visited Israel to see the damage. And the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia raised more than $14 million to donate to various efforts to rebuild the Jewish state.
Penn Becomes Hotbed of Antisemitism
In September, the University of Pennsylvania allowed the Palestine Writes Festival, an event featuring anti-Israel speakers such as Roger Waters, to happen on its campus. In December during testimony before Congress, Penn President M. Elizabeth Magill equivocated on the question of whether students should be punished for calling for the genocide of Jews.
Magill said it was a “context-dependent decision.” After a backlash, she resigned from her position.
