Rodeph Shalom will continue to operate its synagogue in historic Philadelphia's Center City.

Congregation Purchases Rodeph Shalom's Suburban Campus
Kol Ami finds a sanctuary to call its home.

-- Laura Reiser

Kol Ami, which has been a member of the Elkins Park/Jenkintown community of synagogues for the last 13 years, has signed an agreement of sale for the Rodeph Shalom suburban campus on High School Road in Elkins Park.

"Moving into the Rodeph Shalom space will allow us to have a new home immediately without any need for demolition, construction and renovation," said President Jonathan Auerbach to the Kol Ami community in a letter announcing the purchase. "We'll have a sanctuary large enough for the whole community, room for a nursery school and camp, classrooms for the religious school, an office, playground, garden space and additional acres of green campus."

?This is an extraordinary development for our Congregation and for the greater Jewish community," said Auerbach in his statement. "This is a rare opportunity to keep a synagogue a synagogue. The leadership of Congregation Rodeph Shalom and Kol Ami's leadership recognized the vital importance of seeing that this property continues to serve a Jewish holy use and honors the principal of maalin bakodesh v'ein moridim enunciated by Rabbi Hillel, 'in sacred matters we must increase holiness rather than decrease it.'"

?We believe that the beneficial impact of such a development will reverberate well beyond the Jewish community in Elkins Park, setting an example for the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community at-large."

Kol Ami will be holding joyous celebrations at its new site, reveling in the fact that finally, they have a home.

Past Features Around Our Community

• August 2006: Around Our Community
• July 2006: Coming Together To Worship God, Walking For Peace
• June 2006: Around Our Community
• May 2006: Philadelphia Pride, Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg
• April 2006: Around Our Community
• March 2006: Successful Women, Israeli Film Festival
• February 2006: Delaware Gratz, Shul for Sale, Slots
• January 2006: Highland Parks Goes Egalitarian
• December 2005: Around Our Community
• November 2005: Around Our Community
• October 2005: Around Our Community
• September 2005: Around Our Communnity
• July 2005: Around Our Community