Welcome to Congregation Rodeph Shalom.
Step into our sanctuary . . . Step into history.
If you listen you can still hear the echos . . .

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Step into more than 200 years of American Jewish History as you enter our synagogue

Step into history, as you enter the last of Philadelphia's great "Broad Street" synagogues, now more than 70 years old.

If you listen, you can still hear the echos of our forebearer's voices in happiness, sadness, and in prayer.
Step into history, as you enter the sanctuary of the oldest Ashkenazicly organized congregation in the Western Hemisphere.

Step into history, as you enter one of the oldest Reform Jewish congregations in America.

If you listen, you can still hear the echos of the immigrant founders singing praises of thanksgiving for the new land of freedom they entered.
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Step into history, as you walk the same path as Rabbi Louis Wolsey and Rabbi David Wice.

Step into history, as you walk the same path as thousands of Confirmands on Shavuot as they confirm themselves with more than 5000 years of Jewish history, tradition, and faith.

If you listen, you can still hear the echos of those happy and serious young adults as they confirm their lives as Jews standing beside their Rabbis, their teachers.
Step into history, as you walk the same path as thousands of B'nai Mitzvah students on their way to their first step from childhood to adulthood, as they read from the ancient Torah text for the first time before their congregation.

Step into history, as you walk the same path as thousands of Brides and Grooms to the chuppa where they will join their life paths into one path.

Step into history, as you walk the same path as thousands of Jews who harken to hear the stirring sound of the Shofar, as they greet the new year and affirm their faith.

If you listen, you can still hear the echos of all of us, the immigrnats, our parents, grandparents, and their parents, the old remembering, the young just beginning, the Rabbis teaching, comforting, and cheering, all of us, stepping through the years of Jewish history, tradition, faith, and of life.
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"Step into History" by Ned S. Levi, © 1997
Photographic story conceived by Pivotal Design.
Photographic images created by Pivotal Design.
Photographic scanning and retouching by NSL Associates Incorporated.
Page design by NSL Associates Incorporated.


Our thanks to Pivotal Design and NSL Associates for their generous donation of time and expertise to make this gallery of Rodeph Shalom history possible.


Downloading or capturing any photograph, graphic image or text, on this page is strictly prohibited by both International Copyright law and the Copyright laws of the United States of America!




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Congregation Rodeph Shalom
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