My wife and I have been members for several years but attended services long before that…read more Rodeph Shalom is extremely welcoming and the community is so so friendly and very diverse... making it a great space for all regardless of who who are (age, gender identity, race, sexual orientation) or what you believe. Some people are highly religious and others are in it for the community aspects and no one is felt left out. The clergy and staff are all kind, compassionate, and knowledgeable. They get to know the congregants and form meaningful relationships. My personal favorite is the Friday night Shabbat It's a way for me to calm down at the end of a busy week and prep me into the weekend. I love the community, the songs, the shared experiences of congregants, and the sermons that are culturally relevant to what's going on around us today. They always tie into the Torah portion. There is something for everyone: Young friends events Adult education Events for families with young children Art (Philadelphia museum of Jewish art) Diversity groups Interfaith events Lgbtq events I cannot say enough wonderful things about this community and congregation

Rodeph Shalom is a great congregation filled with lots of loving people and a wonderful staff. The…read morerabbis and the cantor are top notch.

I attended a Bar-Mitzvah this weekend at this quaint Reconstructionist synagogue in the heart of…read moreManayunk, just a few long blocks off of Main Street. They have a lovely, warm, friendly congregation. This is an older building and has much charm to it. Apparently it used to be a mill, and I can certainly see that. It's definitely a more modest synagogue. There were no photos allowed in the chapel on the third floor during the service. The reception was on the entrance floor and with minimal decor, it was quite lovely. I actually could see hosting my own daughter's party here. I remember saying how the intimate, more casual space felt like it kept true to what a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is really about, and it was refreshing. The room with exposed wooden beam ceilings and large windows that allowed for much daylight kept reminding me of Tuscany. I loved it! The room sat 100 guests comfortably. The restrooms and kitchen were conveniently located close by. Dreading Manayunk parking, I was happy to see they do have their own small lot and unmetered street parking was very easy to find. All around, a lovely experience was had here.

The Rev. Dr. Steak, the Young 'Un and I had an opportunity to visit Miskan Shalom today to…read morecelebrate the Bar Mitzvah of the Young 'Un's BFF. Being non-Jews (AKA "gentiles"), the only one of us who had ever been to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah before was I, and that was some 35 years ago. First, the space is lovely. It's a daringly restored old mill, one of many that dot the slopes of Manayunk in various states of decay. Here, they took care to preserve the mid-1800's arched windows, expose some of the brick and stone, while warming the space with new beaming and lighting. The sanctuary is on the third floor and is a wide, open, welcoming space. The congregation has a reconstructionist view and is both welcoming of all and engaged in many issues of social justice. As gentiles, we felt very welcomed and embraced. The hall is on the lowest floor, and is also quite nice. Again, preserved windows, new wood beaming, and a lovely terrace to one side. There's a modest dance floor and kitchens for catering. I would definitely consider renting this for a future event, as the congregation also has two parking lots ( a very big deal in Manayunk) and there was not an issue with on-street parking nearby. If you're looking for a congregation that is warm, friendly, welcoming and accepting, I'd check them out. If you're looking for a light-filled, mid-sized hall with a feel of the past blended with the present, I'd also check them out.

A great conservative shul where everyone fits in from tourists to undergrads to eighty year olds…read more They offer lots of programming for all ages as well. The cantor is super friendly and happy to help out with everything and anything. The shul itself is gorgeous with beautiful stained glass. Take a peek at the old neziner shul's bimah in the basement!

There have been a lot of positive changes to BZBI the past few years- most importantly to us is how…read moregreat the preschool is! We are thrilled with the teachers, the curriculum, and the friends our children have made. The program has a new director who has brought in even more enrichment activities for the students. There is a great tie to the shul and the community! We run into "school friends" outside of school. Our eldest is now enjoying the Hebrew school too! It is a warm and nurturing environment. We have been very happy at the BZBI preschool and our children have made wonderful friends.

One morning I decided that I wanted to choose my religion instead of conforming to what I was…read moreraised in. My goal was to visit one alternate place of worship per week. My first stop was here, at Suburban Jewish. I walked in and immediately felt as if this would be a tough group to be welcomed into. The silent and disapproving stares from the congregation was more than enough to put a normal human being over the edge. Not me, however. I walked directly to the front of the synagogue and turned to face the crowd. With one action, similar to a conductor in an orchestra, I waved my hand to hush and sit the crowd. I was amazed that this motion had actually worked to perfection. There were 250+ Jewish folks silently awaiting my next action. I felt very empowered. Just as I was about to speak, I felt a hand on my shoulder and a whisper in my ear. "What the heck are you doing up here, pill head?" After this terrible comment, The Rabbi grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and escorted me out of the building to what seemed like a suddenly boisterous, almost ball game like crowd cheering him on. Before I could blink, I was laying on my stomach outside of the synagogue watching the doors being slammed behind me in what seemed like a slow motion scene from a movie. Needless to say, after this event I could not see myself as converting to Judaism.

I started doing a new thing on the weekends to fill my time. I go to different places of worship…read moreand take in a little bit from a different culture. This was my first one. It was pretty cool. I walked around when the rabbi did his speach. I tried to be inconspicuous, but i'm pretty sure everyone knew that I was not a member. They had a small snack session afterwards, which I jumped in on and enjoyed. I'm pretty sure that the food was koshier, which is cool. I learned a bunch of stuff. No one would talk to me, but it was not a big deal. I still had a good time and felt I learned a lot about the religion. I'm always up for exploring new stuff.

This is by far the most beautiful synagogue in Philadelphia. At one time, many years ago, they…read moreused to have multiple morning minyans of over 500 people each. How many people walked by this shul and said, "That's where I'm getting married." That's how nice it is. Today, it is operated by Chabad. They have revitalized and injected new blood into this historic shul. The services are amazing, warm and friendly, as well as all of the classes and guest speakers they invite. Like I said, no other shul comes close. The rabbis are approachable, know Jewish law and are always available to the community. Contact Rabbi Goldman and Rabbi Schmidt for more information.

A very warm and inviting shul. They have a lovely preschool which is caring, open, and loving!read more

While I currently do not davnen at this Shul I have in the past. Rabbi Hirsch is one of the nicest…read morepeople in Philadelphia and really cares about the local Jewish community.

Rabbi Hirsch is inspiring, kind, and willing to give more time than any rabbi I've met in my entire…read morelife. His books on Pesach and the High Holidays helped me tremendously with my Jewish journey. The community is warm and welcoming.

Like Rachel U. puts it is so hard to find the words to describe how gorgeous BZBI ( as it is…read moreaffectionately known) is! A great place for everyone!

I keep trying to figure out how to review this place and not quite finding the words. I love this…read moresynagogue, both for the gorgeous Neo-Gothic architecture and stained-glass windows, and for the community where I spent most of my childhood eating hydrox and going to bar mitzvahs and USY dances. Since living away, I've still come back for the high holidays and always felt welcomed. The congregation seems to be growing with some younger families getting involved, and they offer lots of different services and classes during the year. I also knew this is where I wanted to get married, and so did just that =) They were a great help as I planned from Boston, with a wedding coordinator on staff for the day-of details. It was a bit surreal, but perfect.

Huge new building and great location, but the cost to run must be outragous because their preschool…read moretuition is the most expensive in town. By far! Would love to belong to this trendy temple, but think I'll be taking my worship up the road for a few less sheckels. They still pray to the same G-d right?

Very family and child friendly congregation. Fabulous and kindhearted clergy and staff.read more