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Main Line Rabbi David Straus
Retires After 24 Years
JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER
also a rabbi at Main Line Reform, will
replace her elder.

Straus is 65. Before coming to
ric Settle, a Main Line Reform Wynnewood, he led Har Sinai Temple
Temple member since 1973 and in Trenton, New Jersey, for 10 years.

the synagogue’s president from On a personal level, it’s just time, he
2014 to 2016, described Rabbi David said. Th ere are other things he wants
Straus’ mindset as “pessimism wrapped to do, he added. Straus already does
around optimism.”
work for Jewish organizations like the
In other words, the rabbi was idealistic National Council of Synagogues and
at his core but realistic on the surface. the Religious Action Center of Reform
Th is approach made Straus perfect for Judaism.

some of the big challenges he faced at
“Retiring, I hope, is not dying,” the
Main Line Reform, according to Settle. A rabbi said.

$10 million capital campaign to renovate
Straus can be sure that his legacy at
the building, an emergency fundraising Main Line Reform will not die, accord-
eff ort aft er the pandemic broke out and ing to congregants and lay leaders. He
a declining membership that ultimately left Har Sinai in 1998 because it was
rose again, among others.

about to embark on a move from Trenton
“He always found a way to look at to Pennington, also in New Jersey. Th e
problems and fi nd a way forward,” rabbi did not think he wanted to lead a
Settle said.

multiyear fundraising campaign.

Straus announced his retirement from
Th en he got hired by Main Line
Main Line Reform on May 2, according Reform and had to do just that.

“Of course, the joke was on me,”
to Davida Chornock, the synagogue’s
Straus said.

director of marketing and communica-
But MLRT’s $10 million eff ort
tions. He served the Wynnewood temple
allowed for the renovation of its
for 24 years.

Wynnewood building, according to
Th e Newark, New Jersey, native who
Settle. Th
e process
made the synagogue
grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, was
wheelchair-accessible and added new
only the fourth senior rabbi in MLRT’s
worship spaces.

As Settle
put it, the
70-year existence. His retirement takes
renovation brought
Main Line
Reform place on July 1. Rabbi Geri Newburge,
into the modern era.

Gordon Gelfond, who was
on the search committee that
hired Straus, credited the rabbi
with revitalizing the temple.

His wife Ann Gelfond, who
was also on that committee,
said Straus’ legacy could be
summed up in a single word:
“community.” Once Straus led the eff ort
to renovate the building, he
made it his own. Th e intel-
lectual rabbi became known
to congregants as a soaring
pulpit speaker and an inspir-
ing teacher. He pushed mem-
bers to expand their Jewish
practice into the community
through social justice initia-
tives, interfaith partnerships
Rabbi David Straus on the bimah at Main Line
Reform Temple. Courtesy of Main Line Reform Temple
and eff orts to alleviate food
insecurity. E
“Congregants have followed suit and
gotten very involved,” Ann Gelfond said.

During Straus’ tenure, MLRT’s con-
gregation fell from 1,000 members to
around 600, according to Settle. But it
grew back to about 850. And when the
pandemic threatened that growth, the
rabbi once again had to raise money.

Congregants contributed more than
$800,000 to keep the lights on.

“Th at got us through the darkest year
of the pandemic,” Settle said.

Since then, members have slowly
started to come back for smaller services.

Th is fall though, they will return in full
for the High Holidays. Th e rabbi will not
be there — but his legacy will be.

“I have left a congregation that is
strong, vibrant and dynamic and will
continue to be,” he said. JE
jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com
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