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“Build me a sanctuary, so I may dwell among you.”
 Keneseth Israel, founded in
March 1847, was the fourth congregation to be established by the expanding Jewish community of Philadelphia. Orthodox in observance at first, KI adopted reform in 1855, and thus became the first progressive congregation in Philadelphia, and only the fifth in the entire country, to take the way of radical experimentation. For almost forty years, KI was the only reform congregation in Philadelphia. Keneseth Israel means congregation or assembly of Israel.
The term Keneseth Israel is frequently used in the midrash to represent the entire people of Israel as a religious entity. We still hold to the goals of our founders: to maintain a synagogue as a center of worship, religious education and communal gathering; to foster a "living Judaism" not only in the synagogue, but also in the homes and lives of its members and their families; and to adjust the teachings and practices of old to the needs of each new generation of American Jews. Rich in years and distinguished in history, we maintain our dedication to the creative survival of Judaism as an eternal "light to the nations".
Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, widely called KI, was founded in
March 1847, the fourth congregation to be established by the expanding
Jewish community of Philadelphia. Keneseth Israel adopted Reform in 1855
and thus became the first progressive congregation in Philadelphia. For
almost 40 years, KI was the only Reform congregation in Philadelphia.
KI has been led by only eight senior rabbis through its long and
distinguished history. Dr. David Einhorn, one of the greatest Jewish
intellectuals of his day, a firebrand abolitionist and author of the
prayer book which formed the original basis of the Union Prayer Book,
was our Rabbi from1861 to 1866. He was succeeded by Dr. Samuel Hirsch,
the former Chief Rabbi of Luxembourg, who was both a scholar and a
pioneer in Jewish social services in Philadelphia. Dr. Hirsch was
followed by Dr. Joseph Krauskopf, a member of the first graduating class
of the Hebrew Union College. Under Dr. Kruskopf, KI became the largest
synagogue in the United States. Krauskopf founded the National Farm
School (Delaware Valley College) in 1896 and attracted large crowds to
his Sunday lectures.
In 1924, Dr. William H. Fineshriber was called to the pulpit of Keneseth
Israel. He was the first American-born rabbi to serve the congregation
and introduced both the Union Prayer Book and the Bar Mitzvah to
KI. Dr. Fineshriber was succeeded in 1949 by Dr. Bertram W. Korn, who
grew up in Keneseth Israel. Dr. Korn was the first rabbi in American
History to have been promoted to “flag” rank as a Rear Admiral in the
Navy. Rabbi Simeon J. Maslin, elected the sixth Senior Rabbi in 1980,
served as the President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis
from 1995-1997. Rabbi Bradley N. Bleefeld served the Congregation from
June, 1997, until June, 2000.
Rabbi Lance J. Sussman became KI’s eighth Senior Rabbi in July, 2001. He
earned his Ph.D. in American Jewish History at Hebrew Union
College-Jewish Institute of Religion and has written several books and
numerous articles. Rabbi Sussman is active in various scholarly
organizations and serves as president of the Cheltenham Area Multifaith
Council. He is also a Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center
for Advanced Judaic Studies and teaches Jewish History at Gratz College.
In 1993, the Senior Rabbinic Pulpit was endowed by Dr. and Mrs. Harry
Ginsburg to perpetuate the memory of his mother, Rose K. Ginsburg.
In addition to our Senior Rabbi, KI has an Assistant Rabbi, Peter C.
Rigler, who was ordained at HUC-JIR (New York) in 2002. Cantor Amy Lefko
came to KI from Tulsa, OK, in 2004. She holds a Bachelor of Music in
Vocal Performance from the University of Kansas and graduated from
HUC-JIR (New York) in 2000 as a cantor. Our Director of Religious
Education is Rabbi Stacy Eskovitz Rigler (HUC-JIR, New York, 2003), who
also holds a Master of Arts in Jewish Education from the Los Angeles
branch of HUC. The director of the Richard E. Rudolph, Jr. Preschool,
Beth Berman has her master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from
the University of Pennsylvania. Brian Rissinger, our Executive Administrator, joined our staff in
July 2006 from Main Line Reform Temple in Wynnewood, PA. Brian holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology.
Our congregation is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ).
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