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Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line

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Coordinates: 39°59′58″N 75°14′43″W / 39.999451°N 75.245262°W / 39.999451; -75.245262
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For similarly named synagogues, see Adath Israel.
Temple Adath Israel
of the Main Line
Hebrew: עדת ישראל
Temple Adath Israel, in 2019
Religion
AffiliationConservative Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusSynagogue
Leadership
  • Rabbi Eric Yanoff
  • Rabbi Andrew Markowitz
StatusActive
Location
Location250 N Highland Ave, Merion Station, Pennsylvania 19066
CountryUnited States
Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line is located in Pennsylvania
Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line
Location in Pennsylvania
AdministrationUnited Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Geographic coordinates39°59′58″N 75°14′43″W / 39.999451°N 75.245262°W / 39.999451; -75.245262
Architecture
Architect(s)
TypeSynagogue
StyleModernist
General contractorWohlsen (2014)
Date established1946 (Haverford congregation)
Completed
  • 1954 (Old Lancaster Road)
  • 1959 (N Highland Avenue)
Construction cost$750,000 (1958)
Capacity1,400 (1959 – 2014)
Website
www.adathisrael.org

Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line (Hebrew: עדת ישראל) is a Conservative synagogue located in Merion, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The synagogue offers religious services, pre-school, Hebrew Sunday school, adult education, and community programming. It was founded in 1946 and moved to its current location in 1953. The congregation serves approximately 800 families. Rabbi Eric Yanoff has served as senior rabbi since 2010.

Main Line Hebrew Association

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Adath Israel traces its history to March 1936 when ten local businessmen founded the Main Line Hebrew Association, the Main Line's first Jewish congregation.[1] The group represented 30 families and together pooled $600 in cash. Its mission was to "worship Alimighty God according to the doctrines, creed and customs of the Hebraic faith."[2]

Founding and building

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Temple Adath Israel was chartered in 1946 and held its first congregational meeting on September 29, 1946 at 515 Lancaster Avenue in Haverford where it also held its first services.[2] Rabbi Martin Berkowitz came to the synagogue in 1947 and membership exceeded 400 families by 1949. The congregation rented space in the Ardmore YMCA building, the Ardmore Women's Club building, and in rooms on the campuses of Haverford College and Bryn Mawr College.[3] The congregation purchased a large house at 410 Montgomery Avenue in Wynnewood which it renovated for services.

Adath Israel continued to grow and the congregation purchased seven acres (two point eight hectares) at Old Lancaster Road and Highland Avenue in Merion in 1953 on the former site of Rose Hill, the estate owned by Charles Elmer Hires. Solicitor General of the United States Simon Sobeloff presided over the laying of the building's cornerstone on June 13, 1954[4] and Rabbi Theodore Gordon of Main Line Reform Temple delivered the invocation.[5] The congregation constructed and opened its Ralph Bodek Chapel, 900-seat Meyers Girsh Auditorium and 23-classroom educational building in time for the High Holidays that year.[6]

The congregation retained architects Pietro Belluschi and Charles Frederick Wise who designed the new sanctuary in 1956 and 1957. The synagogue laid the cornerstone for the sanctuary on November 23, 1958. Philadelphia mayor Richard Dilworth spoke at the ceremony, and was joined by former Senator Herbert H. Lehman and Governor Theodore McKeldin of Maryland.[7] The new George Friedland sanctuary sat 1400 and was dedicated on September 11, 1959,[3] along with the Charles Tabas Auditorium and six additional classrooms.

The sanctuary features a rooftop cupola and a 12-sided structure as the centerpiece and symbolizes the 12 tribes of Israel that rises 36-feet above the sanctuary.

Main Line Reform Temple Beit Elohim was founded in 1952 by young couples as the area's first Reform congregation. The congregation held Sunday School and Sabbath services at the Haverford Friends School on Buck Lane.[8] When Adath Israel moved from 410 Montgomery Avenue to Merion in 1954, Main Line Reform purchased the property from Adath Israel and used the building for its own services. Main Line Reform constructed its current sanctuary and classroom buildings at the Montgomery Avenue site in 1960. During construction, Adath Israel welcomed Main Line Reform which shared Adath Israel's building for its own services, community events, and Hebrew school.[2]

History

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Adath Israel had grown to 900 families with a real estate value of $2,000,000 in 1965.[2]

On November 9, 1981, a fire ravaged Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning's building at Broad and York Streets in Philadelphia. In December 1983, Adath Israel welcomed the school which moved into its education building rent-free.[9]

In the early 1990s, Akiba Hebrew Academy relocated its Middle School across N Highland Avenue to the Adath Israel school building for two years.

The synagogue has long welcomed prominent leaders to address its congregation. Former prime minister of Israel Shimon Peres spoke at the synagogue on May 3, 1997.[10]

Congregation Beth T'fillah of Overbrook Park merged with Adath Israel in 2006.[11] Suburban Jewish Community Center-Bnai Aaron in Havertown closed in 2010 and merged with Adath Israel.[12]

Adath Israel undertook a renovation of its building in 2014. AOS Architects redesigned the sanctuary with a new ark, moveable bimah, and incorporated new lighting and audio.[13]

Leadership

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Martin Berkowitz served as senior rabbi at the synagogue from 1947 through 1981.[14] He was succeeded by Rabbi Fred Kazan. Rabbi Steven Wernick followed and held the position from 2002 until 2009 when he was appointed Executive Vice President/CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's Rabbinical Assembly.[15] Eric Yanoff has served as senior rabbi at Adath Israel since 2010.

Bernard Lowe served as cantor from 1992 until his retirement in 2017.[16] Ariella Rosen served as one of the congregation's rabbis from 2015[17] until 2018. Rabbi Andrew Markowitz came to Adath Israel in 2018 and currently serves as one of the congregation's rabbis. Elizabeth Shammash has served as Cantor since 2020.[18]

References

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  1. ^ O’Loughlin, Kathy (December 9, 2013). "History of the Main Line's many houses of worship". Main Line Times. Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Klein, Esther M. (1965). A Guidebook to Jewish Philadelphia. Philadelphia Jewish Times Institute. pp. 171–172, 175.
  3. ^ a b "New Temple Dedicated". The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. September 9, 1959. p. 20.
  4. ^ "Merion Synagogue Sets Stone Today". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. June 13, 1954. p. B5.
  5. ^ "Cornerstone is Laid at Merion Synagogue". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. June 14, 1954. p. 8.
  6. ^ "Our History - Adath Israel". adathisrael.org. Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  7. ^ "Dilworth Sees Israel as Factor in Progress". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. November 24, 1958. p. 14.
  8. ^ "Our History". mlrt.org. Main Line Reform Temple. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  9. ^ Shaffer, Michael D. (December 31, 1983). "A new home - and new hopes: Dropsie College moves towards rejuvenation". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 3-B.
  10. ^ Matthews, Thomas H. (May 5, 1997). "Peres visits L. Merion". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. B1.
  11. ^ Preisler, Julian H. (2006). Historic Synagogues of Philadelphia & the Delaware Valley. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 1614235341.
  12. ^ Cohen, J (October 28, 2015). "Abel, Eisenberg and Ferman Prepared to Take on the Role of Judge". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  13. ^ "Template Adath Israel, Merion, PA: Enhancing a Mid-Century Modern Masterpiece". aosarchitects.com. Atkin Olshin Schade Architects. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  14. ^ Raftery, Kay (April 2, 1996). "For quite a few seders, he wrote the book". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. B3.
  15. ^ "Proclamation on the Appointment of Rabbi Steven Wernick as the Executive Vice President/CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism". Us just.org. The Rabbinical Assembly. May 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  16. ^ "Adath Israel Cantor Honored in Celebration". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. November 21, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  17. ^ "Adath Israel introduces new rabbi". Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. July 28, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  18. ^ "About Cantor Shammash". elizabethshammash.com. Elizabeth Shammash. 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
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