Temple Beth Tikvah

The first Bar Mitzvah ever to be held within the Congregation of Temple Beth Tikvah of Springfield Township was held on Saturday, February 22, 1958, at 9:00 A.M. Rabbi Samuel Berkowitz, director of Hillel Foundation at the University of Pennsylvania, officiated at the ceremony honoring David Avayou, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Avayou of 1309 Church Road, Oreland. The Bar Mitzvah was held at the Flourtown Fire House.

After an exhaustive search -- including an unsuccessful effort to renovate a large two story house on Paper Mill Rd. south of Church Road -- a two-and-one-half acre tract on Paper Mill Road was discovered and purchased. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in mid-May, 1958, and the modest building was completed just before High Holidays.

Sanctuary view during the High Holy Days 1958.

In June of 1959, Rabbi Alexander M. Shapiro became the first rabbi of Temple Beth Tikvah (TBT). In 1961, because of a dramatic increase in religious school enrollment, a school building was added to the synagogue building. In November, 1961, TBT was officially inducted as a member of United Synagogue of America. TBT received its first Solomon Schecter award in 1963 for excellence in Jewish education, and the following year it was chosen as a pilot school under the Melton Research Center of the Jewish Theological Seminary. By 1965, membership reached 285 families. Over the next several years, however, membership plummeted to 215 families, probably as a result of school overcrowding and the implementation of a graduated dues plan. During his time at TBT, Rabbi Shapiro actively addressed the issues of the Vietnam War, civil rights, and racial unrest. He was an outspoken proponent of fair housing in Springfield Township. These were exciting times at TBT, but Rabbi Shapiro resigned in November, 1968, in a dispute with congregational leadership.

Rabbi Joseph Teichman was selected as the next rabbi of TBT in 1969 and joined Cantor Bernard Walters, who had come to the synagogue the previous year. Rabbi Teichman's time at TBT could be referred to as the "struggle for survival." The drop in membership continued, with many of Rabbi Shapiro's admirers following him to Germantown Jewish Centre. Existing financial problems deepened, and plans for building expansion had to be postponed. Rabbi Shalom Podwol replaced Rabbi Teichman, who had not wished to remain, in September of 1972. Membership had dropped to 180 families with 130 students in the religious school. Merger talks had begun with B'nai Jeshurun of Mt. Airy; the two congregations had been moving closer together, as the two USY chapters merged and children from B'nai Jeshurun began attending religious school at TBT. The board of TBT unanimously approved the principles of merger; which took place in August, 1973. The name of the new congregation was to be Beth Tikvah-B'nai Jeshurun.

View of Temple Beth Tikvah showing the school building, prior to extensive remodeling.

B'nai Jeshurun of Mt. Airy

Interior view of B'nai Jeshurun sanctuary.

In 1961, Ahavas Chesed, a synagogue in Germantown, decided to disband. B'nai Jeshurun was offered their Torahs and the congregation's name was added: B'nai Jeshurun-Ahavas Chesed. Later that same year, an expansion of the small synagogue building was completed.

By the mid 1960's, B'nai Jeshurun-Ahavas Chesed numbered 350 families with 200 children in the religious school. However, Mt Airy's Jewish families began moving to Northeast Philadelphia and the suburbs; as members continued to leave, it became increasingly difficult to meet financial obligations. In 1971, Rabbi Pickholz left, and by 1973 a merger agreement was reached with TBT.

Beth Tikvah-B'nai Jeshurun

At ground breaking in 1976 are Sam Lipman, left, oldest member of BT-BJ, benefactress Juliette Fox, and President Hershel Gordon.

Rabbi Robert Layman arrived in August of 1975. He retained the traditional Conservative service, but occasionally held a musical service. He continued to encourage congregational participation during his Shabbat morning Torah commentary. The year after his arrival the long awaited building expansion was completed. Sixty-eight new families joined that year. Through Rabbi Layman's efforts, a daily morning minyan was initiated. In 1979, a settlement with the trustees of the old B'nai Jeshurun of Strawberry Mansion was finally reached and BT-BJ received $55,000. The monies received were placed in a fund to be used for capital improvements.

BT-BJ during Rabbi Layman's tenure could best be described as united and stable. There were very few resignations of families after their children left the school. The congregational polarization that had existed during the sixties and into the seventies was no longer present. Although religious school enrollment declined, it began to grow again. Another Solomon Schecter Award for education was received by the school during this period. BT-BJ started its preschool, which became a major factor in attracting young members to the synagogue. Membership increased to about 280 families in 1987. In November of 1987, Rabbi Layman was released from his contract to become Executive Director of United Synagogue, Delaware Valley Region.

In August of 1988, Rabbi David Klatzker became BT-BJ's rabbi. Unlike his predecessors, he came from a Reconstructionist background. However, after several years, Rabbi Klatzker became a member of the Rabbinical Assembly, the Conservative rabbinical organization. During this period, the religious school, whose numbers had again declined - this time to a low of 36 students - began to grow again, with 125 students presently. Consistent with other Conservative religious schools in the are, BT-BJ adopted a two day a week program but also added Junior Congregation and Family Learning to supplement classroom education. In 1995, Cantor Arlyne Unger, who had assumed the Educational Director's position two years earlier, became Cantor of BT-BJ as well, replacing Cantor Walters who left after twenty seven years of service. The preschool, started by Barbara Abrams, has continued to grow and thrive under the direction of Valarie Hurwitz. While retaining its warm, individualized approach, the preschool has added summer camp, kindergarten, and even "tot power" programs to meet the needs of the community.

In June, 1997, the congregation voted to purchase a tract of land in Whitemarsh Township for the purpose of establishing a future home in the area where most of BT-BJ's newer members now lived. After encountering difficulties with two potential sites, however, the congregation decided to remain at the current location and undertake and extensive renovation and beautification project. In the summer of 1998, Rabbi Klatzker left the synagogue after ten years as rabbi, taking a pulpit in Massachusetts. Rabbi Saul Grife became Rabbi in August, 1998, wishing to return home to the Philadelphia area. Rabbi Grife has already made a strong mark on the synagogue, using his special talents to unite our diverse membership and emphasize the family feeling of BT-BJ. The synagogue's youth program has been revitalized under the direction of Linda Grife, including the restarting of BT-BJ's USY chapter after an absence of many years.

Postscript