synagogue spotlight
Jarrad Saff ren | Staff Writer
I n 2011, Congregation Or Shalom built a new
education building. The Berwyn synagogue
had almost 200 members in its congregation
and nearly 100 kids in its Hebrew school. Alan
Daroff , a synagogue founder in 1974, called that
moment the “peak” of Or Shalom’s congrega-
tional life.

Twelve years later, the Conservative
synagogue is down to 75 members.

As Miriam Leshem, Or Shalom’s director of
education, explained, “Our children waited to have
children later and didn’t move back to the area.

Back in the old days, people got married younger.

Most of it is demographics.” And, as Daroff
added, the children of Or Shalom members often
choose Orthodox and Reform congregations over
Conservative communities. Daroff ’s own children
belong to Chabad and Reform synagogues.

Attracting young people is one challenge.

Keeping old members is another.

“A number of our members, who have been
members for years, have either died or moved
out of the area. Even me. I’m in Florida looking
at the beach,” said Daroff , who only lives in
Chester County for half the year.

But for Daroff , Leshem and others, there are
still reasons to stay.

Daroff served as the rabbi in 1974 and ’75,
before the synagogue hired one. He’s been the
president. He’s headed the ritual committee.

He’s in his second stint as treasurer right now.

Even from Florida, Daroff participates in services
via Zoom. And when he’s back in Pennsylvania,
the longtime member attends the community’s
once-a-month Shabbat dinners.

“I’ve been there for so long, it’s home,” he said.

Leshem stays because she’s committed to the
religious school students and their parents. She
has spent more than a decade helping to build
the kids into future prayer leaders and synagogue
members. She said she wants them to grow into
proud Jews. The director of education also appre-
ciates that Or Shalom members are serious Jews.

Many can read Torah and run a minyan.

“It’s spiritually uplifting,” she said.

Other congregants agree. Close to 30 are
planning on attending a community seder for
Passover in April, according to Daroff . Those
once-a-month Shabbat dinners draw between
38 MARCH 30, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
Congregation Or Shalom members
Synagogue members enjoy an activity together.

20 and 30 people. In December, 50 members
attended. And for Purim, 36 showed up.

Janet Emanuel, 76, has been a congregant for
40 years. When she fi rst walked in, she made
friends, and that’s why she still walks in today.

Emanuel’s daughter and granddaughter also
live nearby, and the grandmother has taken her
granddaughter to services for years. When it
came time for the young girl to enroll in religious
school, Or Shalom was there.

“It’s the people,” Emanuel said.

Julie LaFair Miller, a congregant for 42 years,
joined when she moved to Chester County with
her husband. Their son and daughter attended
religious school and had b’nai mitzvahs at Or
Shalom. The parents made their “dearest friends”
at the synagogue, said LaFair Miller. Today, the
couple lives in Center City but still travels 30
minutes to Berwyn for congregational life.

“We were there for Purim. I’ll be there next
week,” LaFair Miller said.

Allon Bloch and his family are in a diff erent
situation. Bloch is 40. Two of his kids are in
religious school. He admitted that it was “a little
awkward” to be one of the only young families
in the congregation. But the Malvern resident
said that, “As long as we’re in the area, I would
expect to be part of that community.”
“As long as we’re in the area.” It’s a nice senti-
ment. But it also seems like too few people are
in the area these days. Emanuel mentioned that
several of her synagogue friends no longer live
in Chester County. They reside in Nevada and
Florida, with no lingering family connection to
Berwyn. Leshem said that the children “move
away after college.”
Or Shalom is making some of the same
attempts that other Philadelphia area
synagogues make to attract young people.

The once-a-month Shabbat dinners. The
Men’s Club’s recent bowling night. The Sunday
morning yoga classes at the synagogue. The
game nights, music programs, plays, arts and
crafts classes and cooking classes.

But there is no easy answer for demographic
change. “The numbers are either there or they’re
not there,” Leshem said. “We’re doing what
we can.” ■
jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com
Photos by Julie LaFair Miller
Berwyn Synagogue Struggles
With Demographic Change