Temple Brith Achim celebrates Golden Jubilee anniversary
UPPER MERION — This past year Temple Brith Achim celebrated the Golden Jubilee anniversary of its founding. Temple Brith Achim, located in the King of Prussia section of Upper Merion, is a warm and welcoming Reform synagogue serving all of Upper Merion Township and Greater King of Prussia as well as local area suburbs of Metropolitan Philadelphia such as Wayne, Berwyn, Phoenixville, Collegeville, and West Norriton for over 50 years.
In the summer of 1969, young Linda Rice was with her husband Howard at Valley Forge State Park. There she thought about the Jewish presence in Upper Merion and nearby municipalities. She decided it was time that a place should be found for the local worship of her faith. This was the beginning idea that would one day become Temple Brith Achim in King of Prussia. By 1970, having gathered together a core group of 22 area Jewish families, Howard and Linda Rice looked to find a place where they could worship. Among those first founding families were, Howard and Ruth Rosenblum, Shelley Newman, Steve and Ellen Matzner, Ronald and Nancy Drucker, and Howard and Valerie Sheinbach.
Their first meeting was in 1971 at Valley Forge Presbyterian Church on Town Center Road. Former Upper Merion Park and Recreation Director David Broida recalls the shul being located for a time at the Upper Merion Cultural Center/ Moore Irwin Estate on Moore Road. The former Winter Quarters Farm was once visited by George Washington during the Constitution Convention of 1787.For some time afterward the group met at various local places for religious services and education until with perseverance and time they finally established a home of their own. In 1982, Temple Brith Achim was built at 481South Gulph Road.
Temple Brith Achim is a reform Jewish congregation. This means that while they believe in the Divine Revelation as revealed on Mt. Sinai, they also subscribe to a progressive ongoing revelation. They believe that the first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah, were written by human beings under Divine Inspiration It is believed that as Torah is passed to each generation, it is open to interpretation and re-interpretation; therefore, revelation is continuous and at times necessitates reform that is informed by the past but not always bound by tradition.
Over the years Temple Brith Achim has grown. In 1988, the Solomon Social Hall, kitchen and 8 classrooms were added for religious instruction. In 2008 the Powell Center for Lifelong Jewish Learning was built. It was dedicated in 2009. A licensed, catering kitchen was added in 2010. A stone garden was donated near a side entrance in 2020 in memory of Temple member Ira Saligman.
Today Temple Brith Achim offers many educational, social and religious opportunities for its members. It offers many chances to learn, grow and worship in an atmosphere filled with cultural and religious traditions. Their Powell Religious School offers pre-school through confirmation education as well as the means to create and foster positive Jewish identities through the study of Hebrew, prayer, history, the Torah and the celebration of Shabbat and life-cycle events.
Among annual charitable works and events are the on-going Tikkun Olam Food Drive, three Red Cross Blood Drives a year, hosting voting precincts twice a year, getting out the vote efforts and continuing chartable and community support. Such as providing holiday gifts for families in need, volunteering in soup kitchens and cleaning parks.
Temple Brith Achim’s social and cultural activities include many to share with new friends and old. There are activities for a variety of ages, genders and genres. Both religious and secular. The Temple has an Adult Choir, Junior and Senior Youth Groups, a Men’s Club, Sisterhood, and a toddler play group. There are on-going learning opportunities including Adult Education, Torah Study, Social Action, a yearly Scholar-in-Residence Program, Adult B’nei Mitzvah classes, Shabbat dinners, Tot Shabbat and numerous Holiday celebrations.
Examples Temple Brith Achim 50th Anniversary Celebration Events
1. Party with Dinner and Silent Auction
2. Songs with Sara starring TBA’s Sara Duchovnay
3. Workhouse Brewing Company “Beer Tasting” and tour of brewing company
4. Day of Jewish Learning with learning activities, pizza in the sukkah, and Simcha Torah services
5. Capstone Service with Choir and Orchestra, catered dinner and oneg.
The most recent Linda Rice Lifetime Service award was awarded on December 15, 2022 to Rhonda Hager . Previous recipients have been the late Leon Rosen, Kareen Hartwig, and Ellen Matzner. The award is in memory of honored Temple founder Linda Rice. Former Brith Achim Temple President Rhonda Hager is only the fourth person to date to receive the highest Temple Brith Achim award for the demonstration of leadership, spirituality, passion and consistent and dedicated service to the community. Matthew Shapiro (2012 – 2015), Heidi Rosenau-Sinel (2015 – 2017) are some of the most recent past temple presidents. Steve Kantrowitz is current president and Sharon Forman, Director of Life-Long Jewish learning. Cindy Poust is office manager.
Over the years there have been many part time and full time rabbis who have helped with the spiritual and secular health of the temple. Among these were Rabbi Bogash (1971) who assisted the early members in creating the temple name and charter. Rabbi Howard Bogot, (1972) was the first part time rabbi. Rabbi Kenny Berger and Rabbi Gary Gerson assisted student in the early years. Rabbi Hava Pell (1977) At the time, one of only 50 female rabbis in world, served as the temple’s part time rabbi. Rabbi David Cahn-Lipman (1983) was Temple Brith Achim’s first full time rabbi/school administrator. He is now known as Rabbi David Lipman. Rabbi Rober O. Ourach was the second full time rabbi/school administrator. Rabbi Reena Spicehandler, (2003) served as interim rabbi. Rabbi Eric J. Lazar is the current rabbi/school administrator. He has served as full time rabbi/school administrator of Temple Brith Achim for 18 years, since 2004.
Temple Brith Achim is a valued and welcoming member of our Greater King of Prussia community of friends and neighbors. Enriching our lives and adding to our human experience with open hearts and helping hands for over 5 decades.
Sources for this article are Steve Kantrowitz, President, Sharon Forman, Director of Life-Long Jewish learning, Peter Walsh, Rabbi Eric Lazar, Cindy Proust, executive assistant to Rabbi Lazar and office manager, Howard Rice and Cheryl Rice Wohlstett, Former Upper Merion Park and Recreation director David Broida, Philadelphia Jewish Exponent and Chabad.org.
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