South Philadelphia Shtiebel
1321 S Juniper St, March 2022
Religion
AffiliationJudaism
RiteAshkenazi/Open Orthodox Religious Zionism
LeadershipHadas Fruchter (Rabbanit) and volunteer board
StatusActive
Location
LocationEast Passyunk
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Geographic coordinates39°55′40″N 75°09′56″W / 39.927860°N 75.165650°W / 39.927860; -75.165650
Website
southphillyshtiebel.com

The South Philadelphia Shtiebel (Hebrew: סאוט פילאדעלפיא שטיבל) is an active synagogue and center of Jewish life in the East Passyunk neighborhood of South Philadelphia. The South Philadelphia Shtiebel is led by Rabbanit Hadas Fruchter, and offers educational, community, and religious programming.

Congregation History

South Philadelphia's Jewish community flourished between the 1880s and World War II. Between Third and Eighth Streets, and from Spruce Street south to Oregon Avenue, the Jewish community numbered 150,000 at its height in the 1940s. South Philadelphia was home to more than 150 “rowhouse Shuls” — small synagogues located in rowhouses where often the rabbi lived upstairs, and prayer took place downstairs. The Shtiebel picked its organization's name in homage to this history.

The number of South Philadelphia shuls decreased in the late 1960s and early 1970s with changes in neighborhood demography. In 2019 there were approximately ten active synagogues in Society Hill and South Philadelphia, with only two south of South Street.[1] In recent years, South Philadelphia neighborhoods have attracted new residents including a growing number of Orthodox Jews.

South Philadelphia Steiebel, 1733 E Passyunk Ave in June 2019

Hadas Fruchter was ordained by the Open Orthodoxy Maharat in June 2016 upon completion of the Maharat Semikha Program. She served three years as assistant spiritual leader at Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac, Maryland. With initial funding and support from Hillel International's Office of Innovation, private donors, and Start-Up Shul, an organization that builds institutions, Fruchter announced her plans in July 2018 to move to Philadelphia and open her own synagogue that "will look like a typical modern Orthodox congregation".[2][3]

Seeing the growing Jewish community in South Philadelphia and interest in additional local Jewish programming, Fruchter founded the South Philadelphia Shtiebel in 2019.[4] The Shtiebel moved into a space at 1733 E Passyunk Avenue in March 2019,[5] previously Philadelphia Scooters.[6]

The synagogue held its first prayer services on Friday night, July 19, 2019 with 80 in attendance.[7]

The Shtiebel was unable to hold indoor gatherings in its storefront following Purim in March 2020 and through the COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia. Programming was offered online and limited services held in open outdoor spaces.[8] In closing its location at 1733 E Passyunk Ave, the Shtiebel announced its plans to move into a larger physical location when indoor activities proved safe to resume.[9]

The Shtiebel relocated in 2021 to a building on S Juniper St in the same neighborhood and continued its community activities including hosting an annual public Hanukkah lighting.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Silverman, Erica (July 1, 2019). "Synagogues of Philadelphia Traces Jewish History Through Synagogues". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  2. ↑ Kohn, Rachel (August 2, 2018). "One of DC area's two orthodox female clergy to lead synagogue in Philadelphia". KolHaBirah. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  3. ↑ Zighelboim, Selah Maya (August 8, 2018). "Rabbanit to Start Orthodox Synagogue in Philadelphia". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  4. ↑ Zighelboim, Selah Maya (February 7, 2019). "Rabbanit to Launch South Philadelphia Shtiebel". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  5. ↑ Gotlieb, Andy (March 28, 2019). "South Philadelphia Shtiebel Celebrates New Space on Passyunk Avenue". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Genuine My Buddy, WOW! Part 2". Philadelphia Scooters. August 27, 2006. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  7. ↑ Bernstein, Jesse (July 24, 2019). "South Philadelphia Shtiebel Debuts With Kabbalat Shabbat Service". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  8. ↑ Katz Connelly, Irene (August 7, 2020). "No streaming, no singing: here's how High Holidays will work in Modern Orthodox synagogues". The Forward. New York, New York. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
  9. ↑ Bernstein, Jesse (August 6, 2020). "South Philadelphia Shtiebel Closes Prayer Space, Looks Ahead". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  10. ↑ Zimmaro, Mark (November 29, 2021). "Holiday cheer on East Passyunk Ave". South Philly Review. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Retrieved March 6, 2022.


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