synagogue spotlight
What’s happening at ... Congregation B’nai Jacob
B’nai Jacob Brings
Different Jews Together
JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER
C ongregation B’nai Jacob is
a Conservative synagogue.

But it is not just open to
Conservative Jews.

As the only synagogue in
Phoenixville, it welcomes Jews from all
denominations, according to Rabbi Jeff
Sultar. The 120-household congrega-
tion is multigenerational, with congre-
gants ranging from young families to
seniors in their 90s.

With a smaller community, too,
most members can know each other.

And they place a premium on at least
making the attempt, per Sultar.

“Everybody likes each other and
spends time together,” the rabbi said.

“Services, social gatherings, different
celebrations.” Sultar believes it helps that there are
not many ideological considerations to
get between people. Congregants come
together simply because they want to
practice Judaism.

“It’s a good place to call home,”
Sultar said.

To make B’nai Jacob feel like a home,
Sultar does his best to accommodate
all types of Jews. Nowhere is that bet-
ter exhibited than at the synagogue’s
weekly Shabbat services.

Most Jewish communities have ser-
vices on Friday nights and Saturday
mornings. But usually, one of the two
is bigger than the other.

For more Reform-style Jews, the
Friday night service, with more sing-
ing and English reading, is the bigger
service. But for more traditional Jews,
the Saturday morning gathering, with
more Hebrew readings, is the import-
ant one.

At B’nai Jacob, an equal number of
congregants, about 15 each, attend both.

“That’s very unusual in my experi-
ence,” said Sultar, who served at two
other congregations before B’nai Jacob.

“Most synagogues have a dominant
service.” Outside of Shabbat services, the rabbi
doesn’t even need to do much accom-
28 MAY 12, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
modating. Members learn and work
together pretty seamlessly regardless of
their approach to prayer.

Congregation B’nai Jacob University,
the temple’s education arm, offers
classes on gun violence, the environ-
ment and “anything people might be
interested in,” Sultar said.

Recently, some congregants realized
that the Jewish Relief Agency, a non-
profit that helps fight hunger, does
not service people that far outside of
Philadelphia. So the members coor-
dinated with JRA to get boxes and
food items for a monthly distribution
to people in the Phoenixville area. At
each distribution, B’nai Jacob’s social
hall is full of members, religious school
students and other volunteers packing
boxes, according to Sultar.

In addition, the synagogue serves
20 students in its religious school and
offers a full schedule of fun events.

A comedian from Israel Zoomed in
recently, and a mentalist is coming
later in May.

“It’s really profound to think of how
important the community is to so
many people and what they do to keep
it vibrant,” the rabbi said. “When peo-
ple voluntarily choose to be a part of
something, it makes a statement.”
History suggests that B’nai Jacob has
always had this quality. Over more
than a century, its congregant number
has always hovered in the 100-plus
range, Sultar said.

Synagogue President Mark Snow
explained that the congregant base
stayed the same, even through the
pandemic era shift to virtual services
and programs. Moving forward, Snow
hopes to use a hybrid approach to
maintain the congregation and possi-
bly expand it.

Snow is forming a post-pandemic
strategic plan, and it includes four pil-
lars: attracting the next generation of
members, inspiring volunteers, plan-
ning for financial health and growing
the member base.

Snow believes that growth is pos-
sible in Chester County even beyond
Phoenixville. Like many synagogue
Congregation B’nai Jacob in Phoenixville 
B’nai Jacob’s sanctuary 
leaders, he learned during the pan-
demic that the digital reality could
transcend geographical limitations.

The president credited Sultar with cre-
ating “a virtual social hall” at the end of
Shabbat services.

“It’s been a great experience,” Snow
said. “Why wouldn’t you continue
to do that to maximize engagement
opportunities for your community?”
B’nai Jacob’s community educa-
tion and fundraising events remain
on Zoom, according to Snow. But the
synagogue’s Manavon Street home is
reopening for certain group meetings
“as the chairs of those meetings want,”
he said. A few weeks ago, the congre-
Courtesy of Mark Snow
Courtesy of Mark Snow
gation held its first bar mitzvah in the
building since before the pandemic
broke out.

Come June, Snow wants to host the
temple’s annual meeting in person and
online. He also already has teams in
place to work toward three of the four
pillars in his strategic plan. They should
be ready to set forth their objectives for
the coming year in July.

“We’re going to continue with digital
engagement but look to have hybrid
models that support activities we do in
the building,” the president said. “It’s
all about maximizing engagement.” JE
jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com