bar and bat mitzvah dates, according
to Molotsky, as parents were amenable
to changes.

Th e transition requires hours of extra
work each week around the existing
schedules of the people involved, most
of whom are not synagogue employees.

But it’s just a lot of work; there are no
real issues.

“Open communication and a lot of
meetings,” Chasen said.

One aspect of the transition, though,
may be diffi cult.

Th e unifi ed temple may not be able
to keep every employee from the old
congregations, according to Molotsky.

Each community has offi ce and sup-
port staff members, and transition
leaders still need to ask them if they
want new roles and fi gure out if the
new synagogue will have enough roles
to satisfy everybody.

Both preschools and religious schools
are going to fi nish their 2021-’22 years,
then determine which teachers want
to stay and how many spots might be
open for applicants. Th ey will just have
to do so together, instead of separately.

Temple Emanuel in Cherry Hill
Courtesy of Temple Emanuel
Right now, too, the Reform institu-
tions have merely doubled their execu-
tive committees and boards of trustees.

Th ere are two people in each executive
position, two vice presidents, treasurers
and fi nancial secretaries, among other
roles. Th ere are also 24 people on the
board of trustees, a combination of the
12-person bodies from each synagogue.

Th at is going to be the situation for a
year, according to Molotsky, at which
point the new board will “fi gure it out,”
he said.

But work is less diffi cult when the
mission is clear and when most peo-
ple believe in it. Frenkel, for her part,
called the unifi cation “exciting.” Th e
rabbi believes that, aft er two years of
Rabbi Jennifer Frenkel will lead the
unifi ed congregation in Cherry Hill.

Courtesy of Rabbi Jennifer Frenkel
isolation during the pandemic, Jews are
looking for answers to deep spiritual
questions like “what community can
mean to one another,” she said.

“How we journey forward together
and make the ordinary sacred,” Frenkel
explained. “Th at depth of living. People
are looking for that.” JE
jsaff ren@jewishexponent.com
Ari Sirner, Executive Director
Sharon Richman, Registered Representative
1511 Walnut Street | Suite 301
Philadelphia, PA 19102-3021
215.545.8380 | 800.752.5671
philadelphia@israelbonds.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
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