{{Short description|Synagogue in East Passyunk, South Philadelphia}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox religious building | building_name = South Philadelphia Shtiebel | native_name = {{langx|he|סאוט פילאדעלפיא שטיבל}} | religious_affiliation = [[Judaism]] | image = 20220306 1321SJUNIPER.jpg | image_upright = 1.4 | caption = The synagogue in 2022 | map_type = Philadelphia | map_size = 250 | map_caption = Location in [[Philadelphia]] | location = 1311 South Juniper Street, [[East Passyunk Crossing, Philadelphia|East Passyunk]], [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] 19147 | country = United States | geo = {{coord|39.9335049|-75.166696|region:US-PA_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | rite = {{ubl|[[Nusach Ashkenaz]]|[[Open Orthodoxy|Open Orthodox]]<ref name="Fazed">{{cite news |last=Schere|first=Dan |date=August 9, 2018|title=Fruchter Not Fazed By Uncertain Future|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2099414199|work=[[Washington Jewish Week]]|location=[[Gaithersburg, Maryland|Gaithersburg]]|access-date=March 7, 2022|id={{ProQuest|2099414199}}}} {{subscription required}}</ref>|[[Modern Orthodox Judaism|Modern Orthodox]]<ref name="Streaming">{{cite news |last=Katz Connelly|first=Irene |date=August 7, 2020|title=No Streaming, No Singing: Here's How High Holidays Will Work in Modern Orthodox Synagogues|url=https://forward.com/news/452226/no-streaming-no-singing-heres-how-high-holidays-will-work-in-modern/ |work=[[The Forward]]|location=New York City|access-date=March 6, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Shimron|first1=Yonat |last2=Ben Zion|first2=Ilan|date=December 14, 2021|title=More Orthodox Jewish Women Are Ordained; Change is Uneven|url=https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-religion-philadelphia-36b9d6a079ea7c1e24f84f4acbfa47c6|work=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=March 7, 2022}}</ref>|[[Religious Zionism]]}} | region = | province = | territory = | prefecture = | sector = | district = | cercle = | municipality = | consecration_year = | status = [[Synagogue]] | functional_status = Active | heritage_designation = | leadership = {{nowrap|Hadas Fruchter}} | website = {{URL|southphiladelphiashtiebel.org}} | architecture = | architect = | architecture_type = | architecture_style = | general_contractor = | facade_direction = | established = 2019 {{small|(as a congregation)}} | groundbreaking = | year_completed = 2021 {{small|(current location)}} | construction_cost = | specifications = | capacity = | length = | width = | width_nave = | height_max = | dome_quantity = | dome_height_outer = | dome_height_inner = | dome_dia_outer = | dome_dia_inner = | minaret_quantity = | minaret_height = | spire_quantity = | spire_height = | materials = | nrhp = | added = | refnum = | designated = }}
The '''South Philadelphia Shtiebel''' ({{langx|he|סאוט פילאדעלפיא שטיבל}}) is a [[Judaism|Jewish]] congregation, [[synagogue]], and community center, located in the [[East Passyunk Crossing, Philadelphia|East Passyunk]] neighborhood of [[South Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], in the United States. The congregation is led by Rabbanit Hadas "Dasi" Fruchter, and offers educational, community, and religious programming. Its prayers follow traditional Ashkenazi Modern Orthodox traditions, but it uniquely uses a "tri-chitzah," a mechitzah (the divider between the men's and women's sections) that has a third section for those who feel more comfortable sitting outside the gender-binary-defined two-section construction.
== History == [[South Philadelphia]]'s Jewish community [[History of the Jews in Philadelphia|flourished]] between the 1880s and World War II. Between Third and Eighth Streets, and from Spruce Street south to Oregon Avenue, the Jewish community numbered 150,000 at its height in the 1940s. South Philadelphia was home to more than 150 "rowhouse Shuls" — small synagogues located in rowhouses where often the [[rabbi]] lived upstairs, and prayer took place downstairs. Rabbanit Fruchter chose to call the synagogue a "Shtiebel" in homage to this history.
The number of South Philadelphia shuls decreased in the late 1960s and early 1970s with changes in neighborhood demography. In 2019 there were approximately ten active synagogues in Society Hill and South Philadelphia, with only two south of [[South Street (Philadelphia)|South Street]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Silverman|first=Erica |date=July 1, 2019|title=Synagogues of Philadelphia Traces Jewish History Through Synagogues|work=[[Jewish Exponent]]|location=Philadelphia}}</ref> In recent years, South Philadelphia neighborhoods have attracted new residents including a growing number of [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jews]].
[[File:1733EPASSYUNK20190616.jpg|thumb|left|The synagogue's former location at 1733 E Passyunk Ave (June 2019)]] Hadas "Dasi" Fruchter was ordained by the [[Open Orthodoxy|Open Orthodox]]-affiliated [[Maharat|Yeshivat Maharat]] in June 2016 upon completion of the Maharat Semikha Program. She served three years as assistant spiritual leader at [[Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah]] in [[Potomac, Maryland]]. With initial funding and support from [[Hillel International]]'s Office of Innovation, private donors, and Start-Up Shul, an Open Orthodox-affiliated organization that builds institutions,<ref name="Fazed"/> Fruchter announced her plans in July 2018 to move to Philadelphia and open her own synagogue that "will look like a typical [[Modern Orthodox Judaism|modern Orthodox]] congregation".<ref name="DC">{{cite news |last=Kohn|first=Rachel |date=August 2, 2018|title=One of DC area's two orthodox female clergy to lead synagogue in Philadelphia|url=https://kolhabirah.com/index.php/2017-02-23-04-28-07/community-news/1553-one-of-dc-area-s-two-orthodox-female-clergy-to-lead-synagogue-in-philadelphia |work=KolHaBirah|access-date=August 15, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Rabbanit">{{cite news |last=Zighelboim|first=Selah Maya |date=August 9, 2018|title=Rabbanit to Start Orthodox Synagogue in Philadelphia|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2097566984|work=Jewish Exponent|location=Philadelphia|access-date=May 6, 2024|id={{ProQuest|2097566984}}}} {{subscription required}}</ref>
Seeing the growing Jewish community in South Philadelphia and interest in additional local Jewish programming, Fruchter founded the South Philadelphia Shtiebel in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zighelboim|first=Selah Maya |date=February 7, 2019|title=Rabbanit to Launch South Philadelphia Shtiebel|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2191762972 |work=Jewish Exponent|location=Philadelphia|access-date=May 6, 2024|id={{ProQuest|2191762972}}}} {{subscription required}}</ref> The synagogue moved into a space at 1733 East Passyunk Avenue in March 2019,<ref>{{cite news |date=March 28, 2019|title=Community Briefs: South Philadelphia Shtiebel Celebrates New Space on Passyunk Avenue|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2207912323|work=Jewish Exponent|location=Philadelphia|access-date=May 6, 2024|id={{ProQuest|2207912323}}}} {{subscription required}}</ref> previously Philadelphia Scooters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://philadelphiascooters.blogspot.com/2006/08/ |title=Genuine My Buddy, WOW! Part 2|date=August 27, 2006 |website=Philadelphia Scooters |access-date=August 14, 2019 }}</ref>
The synagogue held its first prayer services on Friday night, July 19, 2019, with 80 in attendance.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bernstein|first=Jesse |date=July 24, 2019|title=South Philadelphia Shtiebel Debuts|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2272181484|work=Jewish Exponent|location=Philadelphia|access-date=May 6, 2024|id={{ProQuest|2272181484}}}} {{subscription required}}</ref>
The synagogue was unable to hold indoor gatherings in its storefront following Purim in March 2020 and through the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia]]. Programming was offered online and limited services held in open outdoor spaces.<ref name="Streaming"/> In closing its Passyunk Avenue location, the synagogue announced its plans to move into a larger physical location when indoor activities proved safe to resume.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bernstein |first=Jesse |date=August 6, 2020 |title=South Philadelphia Shtiebel Closes Prayer Space, Looks Ahead |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2453906762|work=Jewish Exponent |location=Philadelphia|access-date=May 6, 2024|id={{ProQuest|2453906762}}}} {{subscription required}}</ref> During the pandemic, as many as 40 people would gather outside each Shabbat and meet in backyards, public spaces, parking lots, and a senior center bocce court.
The synagogue relocated in 2021 to a building on South Juniper Street in the same neighborhood. The community has continued to grow and organize community activities including hosting an annual public [[Hanukkah]] lighting<ref>{{cite news |last=Zimmaro |first=Mark|date=November 29, 2021 |title=Holiday cheer on East Passyunk Ave. |url=https://southphillyreview.com/2021/11/29/holiday-cheer-on-east-passyunk-ave/|work=South Philly Review |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|access-date=March 6, 2022}}</ref>, and in January 2026, an event showcasing the area's Jewish day school and after school education programs.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hamelin |first=Braden|date=January 13, 2026 |title=South Philadelphia Shtiebel Holds Event on Jewish Educational Options|url=https://www.jewishexponent.com/south-philadelphia-shtiebel-holds-event-on-jewish-educational-options/|work=Jewish Exponent|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|access-date=January 15, 2026}}</ref>
In 2026, the Shtiebel attracts approximately 175 attendees for Saturday morning services. The synagogue does not have mandatory dues but receives donations from households and individuals at whatever level they may afford, as well as sponsorships for community meals and programs.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cohen|first=Benyamin|date=January 28, 2026 |title=A millennial rabbi built a synagogue where others have closed. Her maverick ideas are becoming a model.|url=https://forward.com/news/800451/south-philadelphia-shtiebel-dasi-fruchter/|work=The Forward |location=New York, New York|access-date=February 5, 2026}}</ref>
== See also == {{stack|{{Portal|Philadelphia|Judaism}}}} * [[History of the Jews in Pennsylvania]] * [[List of synagogues in the United States#Pennsylvania|List of synagogues in Pennsylvania]]
== References == {{Reflist|2}}
== External links == * {{official website|https://www.southphiladelphiashtiebel.org}} * [https://www.facebook.com/southphiladelphiashtiebel Facebook/southphiladelphiashtiebel]
{{Synagogues in the United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:South Philadelphia Shtiebel}} [[Category:2019 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:21st-century synagogues in the United States]] [[Category:Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Ashkenazi synagogues in the United States]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 2019]] [[Category:Jews and Judaism in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Modern Orthodox Judaism in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Open Orthodox Judaism]] [[Category:South Philadelphia]] [[Category:Synagogues in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Unaffiliated synagogues in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Modern Orthodox Zionism]] [[Category:Zionism in the United States]]