synagogue spotlight
What’s happening at ... Temple Sinai
JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER
A Temple Sinai Remains
Steady and Reliable
fter the pandemic broke out
in March 2020, Temple Sinai
in Dresher made like most
congregations and pivoted to the dig-
ital space.

Two years later, the Conservative
synagogue is still living there, but it’s
also back open in the physical space. As
other Jewish communities try to figure
out their hybrid futures, Temple Sinai
lives and gathers in a hybrid present.

For the High Holidays last fall, tem-
ple leaders reopened their doors but
also offered an online option; at an
adult education class, attendance is
higher than it was before the pandemic
due to Zoom and livestream compo-
nents; and at the synagogue’s religious
school, students can learn from home
during the weeknight class, though
they still need to show up in person for
the Sunday morning session.

“We want to continue this hybrid
option because it’s providing a ser-
vice to people,” Temple Sinai Executive
Director Ari Goldberg said.

During the pandemic, Sinai leaders
learned just how inconvenient it was
for many members to come in on week-
nights. Some older congregants didn’t
want to drive at night; some younger
parents barely had time to bring their
kids to Hebrew school.

Hybrid options make synagogue life
more accessible, according to Goldberg.

They even open up Temple Sinai to
Jews outside of the Philadelphia area,
who have joined local congregants at
various activities.

“It’s been incredible seeing how easily
many people transition to that,” he said.

He could say the same about the syn-
agogue in general. Goldberg credited
temple staff, especially in the Hebrew
school, for transitioning almost over-
night and adapting the transition’s fea-
tures into more long-term changes.

“My impression is it was a staff that
was very willing and open to pivoting
quickly, being creative,” Goldberg said.

Temple Sinai counts 400 families
38 in its congregation and close to 100
students in its preschool.

If you talk to congregants, it’s the
synagogue’s reliability that keeps them
coming back.

Marla Kepniss of Maple Glen joined
15 years ago. Her kids went through
preschool and religious school at the
Dresher institution. But even though
their children are older now, Kepniss
and her husband are still members.

She serves on the board of directors
and on various committees. He’s part
of the Men’s Club.

“It feels like a place where we want to
spend our time,” Kepniss said.

Greg Halperin of Dresher agrees with
Kepniss. Halperin, the synagogue’s
executive vice president, has been a
member for 19 years, and he’s seen his
son and daughter become a bar and bat
mitzvah, respectively, at Temple Sinai.

“It’s really just been home,” he said.

One reason he feels that way is
because of Sinai’s senior rabbi, Adam
Wohlberg. Halperin called Wohlberg “a very
knowledgeable guy,” a quality that
comes through in his sermons and
in private conversations. According
to the longtime member, the rabbi
is staunchly pro-Israel when it comes
to politics; he’s also good at applying
Jewish values to the complicated and
divisive political issues of the day.

“I like the way he infuses Judaism
into everything he’s talking about,”
Halperin said.

More important than his perspective,
though, is how Wohlberg cares about
congregants, according to Goldberg.

The executive director, who only joined
the temple 10 months ago but is a regu-
lar at Shabbat services, even went as far
as calling the rabbi a “mensch.”
Wohlberg, now in his 20th year lead-
ing the congregation, said that engag-
ing with families is his favorite part of
the job.

It was the reason he came to Temple
Sinai in the early 2000s. He had fam-
ily members who were congregants,
and he had attended a bat mitzvah at
the Dresher institution, so he knew of
MARCH 24, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
Rabbi Adam Wohlberg, front, with Temple Sinai students 
Courtesy of Temple Sinai
Temple Sinai congregants at a winter event 
Courtesy of Temple Sinai
the synagogue’s reputation for having
active families at every stage of the
life cycle: preschool, the bar and bat
mitzvah program and up through the
age brackets.

The reputation turned out to be true.

“I’ve immensely enjoyed being part
of the family’s lives, celebrating with
them, helping them through challenging
moments, watching their commitment to
Jewish life increase,” Wohlberg said.

Synagogue leaders are in the process
of planning a 20th-anniversary event
to celebrate their rabbi. And it will be
in person, too.

Goldberg expects congregants to
come out because they did so for other
gatherings. At a recent Purim program
for preschool families, Goldberg was
stunned by the number of people who
attended. “What it taught us is that, while
families are being careful, they do rec-
ognize what they’ve missed,” he said. JE
jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com



Out & About XXX
around last word town
2 1
3 4
director when she met Zuritsky for
the first time. Working in develop-
ment and engagement, her first contact
with Zuritsky was on a cold call; she
“wanted to tell him a little bit about
who we are and what we do, because
he didn’t know.” Zuritsky agreed to a
meeting, and it was a fruitful one.

Bronstein was not yet AJC’s regional
director when she met Zuritsky for
the first time. Working in develop-
ment and engagement, her first contact
with Zuritsky was on a cold call; she
“wanted to tell him a little bit about
who we are and what we do, because
he didn’t know.” Zuritsky agreed to a
5 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
Courtesy of Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
J oe Zuritsky, chairman and CEO
of Parkway Corp., will be hon-
ored with the American Jewish
Committee Philadelphia/Southern
New Jersey’s Human Relations Award
at the organization’s annual meeting
on June 23.

Zuritsky, a longtime AJC board
member and a key supporter, was
an obvious candidate to be this
year’s recipient, according to Marcia
Bronstein, regional director of AJC
Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey.

The Human Relations Award “is for
a person who’s near and dear to AJC,
like a family member,” Bronstein said.

“That really does mean Joe, to a T.”
“I am honored, very much honored,”
Zuritsky said. “It’s part of supporting an
organization that I hold in high value.”
Zuritsky, a patron of many local,
national and Israeli organizations, said
he is flattered he was selected for the
award, though he admits that, having
been honored in a similar fashion so
many times over the years, he looks
forward to when he won’t impose on
friends for their support.

“Hopefully, this is the last honor I’ll
get,” he laughed.

Per the AJC, Zuritsky “has been a
stalwart member of AJC’s Board and
Executive Committee for many years. He ment and engagement, her first contact
is a passionate advocate for AJC’s mission with Zuritsky was on a cold call; she
of protecting Jewish lives and commu- “wanted to tell him a little bit about
nities, 1 Jack
ensuring a safe and
secure Academy
Israel, who
we School
are and students
what we glazed
do, because
M. Barrack
Hebrew Middle
and ceramic
advocating for democratic
he didn’t and
know.” Zuritsky
to a
bowls to donate values
to the and
food insecure
created tiles agreed
for human
rights for gardens.

all. Joe has 2 Jack
long M. been Barrack
meeting, and Academy
it was a fruitful
community Hebrew
hosted one.

a supporter
of interfaith
was at not the yet University
AJC’s regional
Rev. Charles
Howard, and vice intergroup
president for Bronstein
social equity
dialogue, and a lifelong to learner.”
director of compassion
when she met for Zuritsky
of Pennsylvania,
discuss the importance
different for
The 2021 annual
AJC’s Hebrew
the first
time. Working
in develop-
3 Jack meeting,
populations. M. Barrack
Academy’s girls’ basketball
77th, feature the a finals
keynote of both
address ment and engagement,
her first contact
team will reached
the Pennsylvania
Independent from
Drexel Athletic
University President and John the Penn
with Jersey
Zuritsky Athletic
was on Association
a cold call; she
School Association
A. tournaments.

Fry in the virtual
ceremony “wanted members
to tell him Cantor
a little Jacob
bit about
4 Beth
Sholom where
Congregation Zuritsky
will receive
his Lisa
award. Stein, Ken Ulansey
who we and
are Aaron
and what
we do, because
Agar, Tess
Zakrwski, Grotsky
Bronstein not yet 11 AJC’s
regional didn’t know.”
rehearsed was
on March
for that
night’s he Klezmer
Shabbat. Zuritsky agreed to a
director when Philadelphia
she met Zuritsky
for meeting,
and shalach
it was a manot
fruitful baskets
one. 5 South
Ladies Auxiliary
#98 gave
the to first
time. Working
develop- Bronstein was not yet AJC’s regional
the Ronald
McDonald in House.

meeting, and it was a fruitful one.

Bronstein was not yet AJC’s regional
director when she met Zuritsky for
the first time. Working in develop-
ment and engagement, her first contact
with Zuritsky was on a cold call; she
“wanted to tell him a little bit about
who we are and what we do, because
he didn’t know.” Zuritsky agreed to a
meeting, and it was a fruitful one.

Bronstein was not yet AJC’s regional
director when she met Zuritsky for
the first time. Working in develop-
ment and engagement, her first contact
with Zuritsky was on a cold call; she
“wanted to tell him a little bit about
who we are and what we do, because
he didn’t know.” Zuritsky agreed to a
meeting, and it was a fruitful one.

The AJC “captured his imagination,”
Bronstein said, by dint of its impact on
local and national politics. Zuritsky,
with his interest in intergroup relat
“He’s a role model, a mentor and
innovator, someone not afraid to tackle
issues,” Bronstein said. “And Joe embod-
ies what AJC stands for. He is a centrist.

Zuritsky, for his part, sees the AJC
as a bastion of well-trained, intelligent
representatives of the Jewish people,
bringing a “diplomatic approach” to
sensitive, important issues for Jews
around the world.

“That’s something that the Jewish
people really need: really highly qual-
ified spokesmen to speak around the
world on Jewish and Israeli issues. And
that’s what the AJC does,” Zuritsky
said. JE
Courtesy of South Philadelphia Ladies Auxiliary
Courtesy of Beth Sholom Congregation
Courtesy of Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
JESSE BERNSTEIN | JE STAFF
Courtesy of Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
XXXXXXXXXXXX 39