synagogue spotlight
What’s happening at ... Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation
‘Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist
Congregation’ Remains True
to its Name
JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER
S helley Kapnek Rosenberg was, as
she put it, “a bad Conservative
Jew” growing up. She knew she
was supposed to keep kosher and the
Sabbath; she just didn’t. At the same
time, she still wanted to practice her
religion. So as an adult, she left her
“Conservadox” synagogue and went
to a service at the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College in Philadelphia.

When Kapnek Rosenberg walked in with
her husband, someone came up to them
and asked if they wanted to play a part in
the service.

Th ey didn’t know how to respond.

Th ey had never been asked such a ques-
tion before.

But aft er a moment of hesitation, the
wife and husband said they wanted to
open the ark. And, in doing so, they
opened the door to their journey into
Reconstructionist Judaism.

It continues today at Or Hadash, the
Philadelphia area’s fi rst Reconstructionist
congregation, which started in 1983.

Kapnek Rosenberg’s husband has since
died, but she remains a member at the
synagogue they helped found aft er they
opened the ark that night.

Kapnek Rosenberg said they became
part of the group of six founding fam-
ilies because they believed in Judaism’s
youngest denomination. Th ey liked
how, as Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the
founder of Reconstructionist Judaism,
explained it, the past had a vote, but
not a veto. In other words, you needed
to understand Jewish history and com-
mentary, but you were also free to
make the religion work for you in your
modern community.

“I k new I cou ld be a good
Reconstructionist Jew,” Kapnek
Rosenberg said.

Other Jews of the time must have
agreed. Over the next three decades, Or
Hadash’s congregation grew to include
24 Top: Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation is located on Camp Hill
Road in Fort Washington. Bottom: Members enjoy a meal at the synagogue.

Photos courtesy of Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation
more than 100 and, eventually, more
than 200 families.

Th e synagogue emerged as an off shoot
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical
College. But in 1989, it separated itself
from the college to show that the new
denomination could survive.

Going into its 40th year, the Fort
Washington synagogue maintains a
community of about 150 member units.

Th at number increased slightly during
the pandemic, according to Rabbi
Alanna Sklover. Plus, in the past few
years, the temple’s religious school grew
from about 35 students to more than 50.

Carol Mueller Bell, who joined in 1994,
OCTOBER 6, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
was attracted to the temple’s open and
democratic nature. She’s now in her 28th
year as a member because the synagogue
remains both open and democratic.

“If you have an idea and can articulate
it, others will join with you,” she said.

“We’re a very alive congregation.”
Or Hadash has one full-time employee
in Sklover. It also has part-time roles
for an administrative staff member, an
education director and a bookkeeper.

Outside of those positions, the temple is,
as President Barrie Mittica described it, a
“lay-led congregation.”
Task forces of congregants drive new
initiatives, like aft er the Black Lives
Matter protest movement in 2020 when
members wanted to “see how they could
aff ect change,” Mittica said. An edu-
cational steering committee made up
mostly of parents helps guide school
policy. A variety of family clubs, like the
hiking club and the poker club, are just
outgrowths of member interests.

Recently, two b’nai mitzvah students
asked Mittica if they could start a theater
games group for a handful of 11-13-year-
olds. Th e president said “yes” on one
condition: It had to be led by a couple
of adults in the room. Two high school
seniors now lead the group.

“We are creating space for people to
explore and manifest their authentic
selves,” Sklover said. “And to bring those
selves into the community.”
Th e rabbi became Or Hadash’s spir-
itual leader in 2019, replacing Joshua
Waxman, who served for 15 years. She
has not had trouble fi tting in because,
despite being the temple’s only full-time
employee and offi cial leader, she prefers
its open and democratic process.

“I would rather work with someone
on a new initiative than come up with it
and implement it myself,” Sklover said.

“Th at’s the through line from the found-
ing of Or Hadash with six families to
now. Th at is still a core part of our
character.” When Or Hadash was founded, those
six families decided to cap the congre-
gation at 100 members, according to
Kapnek Rosenberg. Th ey wanted every-
body to know everybody, she explained.

But if they somehow got to 85, they
agreed to at least discuss lift ing the cap.

As word spread through social circles
and Jewish Exponent ads, they got to 85,
and then 100. And they decided that they
didn’t want to turn anybody away.

“We were mindful of the idea of want-
ing to grow but keep that small feel-
ing, that community feeling,” Kapnek
Rosenberg said. “It’s 40 years later and
I think that’s still how Or Hadash is.” JE
jsaff ren@midatlanticmedia.com