| Beth Israel | |
|---|---|
| Basic information | |
| Location | 542 South New Middletown Road, Media, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Geographic coordinates | |
| Affiliation | Reconstructionist Judaism |
| Status | Active |
| Leadership | Rabbi: Linda Potemken[1] |
| Website | www.bethisraelmedia.org |
Congregation Beth Israel is a Reconstructionist synagogue located at 542 South New Middletown Road in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, near Media.[2] Formed in 1925 and granted a charter by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1929, Beth Israel is the first Jewish congregation founded in Media, the second-oldest in Delaware County, and the oldest Reconstructionist congregation in Delaware Valley.[3]
Originally Orthodox and led by lay members, Beth Israel allowed mixed seating in the 1940s. In 1948 it started hiring part time rabbis from the Yeshiva University Synagogue Council, and in 1957 it hired its first full-time rabbi, a Yeshiva University graduate. Jewish families became attracted to local Conservative synagogues in the 1960s, and demographic changes and a deteriorating building led to a significant membership decline, with the synagogue almost failing. In 1972, Beth Israel affiliated with the Reconstructionist movement, and by the 1980s it had hired its first full-time Reconstructionist rabbi, and had outgrown its building. It moved into its current building on Middletown Road in 1997.[3]
As of 2009[update], the rabbi was Linda Potemken.[1]