Mishkan Shalom is a spiritual, activist and inclusive Reconstructionist synagogue located in the Manyunk/Roxborough section of Philadelphia. We are a geographically diverse community, with members coming from Philadelphia and its suburbs.
Our synagogue is a safe place to share our faith and our doubts, a place where we learn and ask questions of one another. We are a community committed to learning, with an active religious school and adult education program. We are a community whose members support one another during difficult times.
We work passionately for justice locally and in the larger world. We are committed to the survival of Israel, and to the belief that Jews and Palestinians must recognize and support one another's right to national self-determination in the land they share and revere.
Mishkan Shalom was founded in 1988. Early in its first year the congregation adopted a set of founding principles. This Statement of Principles identified three primary areas of Jewish Life:
Avodah (Prayer)
Through prayer we seek to infuse our lives with the Divine Presence and with
K'dushah (holiness).
Torah (Study)
Through study we seek to enhance our understanding of our tradition and the
ways in which its teachings and insights may inspire our ethical and spiritual
growth.
G'milut Hasadim/Tikkun Olam (Acts of Caring and Repair of the World)
Through acts of caring and repair we seek to transform our world so that
it reflects the divine values of justice and compassion.
Services at Mishkan Shalom are participatory and egalitarian. Shabbat Services are generally held Friday evenings at 6:00 pm and Saturday mornings at 10 am. Once a month, a catered dinner follows regular Friday services. Services during July and August are led by congregants.
For specific times and dates, please call 215-508-0226, press 6, then press 1.
The Congregational School at Mishkan Shalom provides Jewish learning for children from kindergarten through 11th grade. There are about 150 students in the school.
The school is intergral to the congregation. Students engage in a dialogue with the Statement of Principles and participate in all aspects of synagogue life. In addition, adult members are encouraged to be involved with the school.
Fostering a sense of community among our diverse and geographically dispersed members is a priority at Mishkan Shalom.
Community is also fostered though several other programs and activities. Our Acts of Caring (G’milut Chasadim) network provides a way for members to notify the community of life passages and seek help in times of need. We offer adult education classes, speakers and workshops that encompass subjects ranging from spritual practice to current affairs. Events such as our Auction and Community Retreat give us the opportunity to celebrate our community. Activism through our Tikkun Olam committee provides a way for us to directly address local, national and internation issues.
Mishkan Shalom is a place for spiritual expression, learning, activism and connecting to a community. As with all synagogues, it's substained in part by dues. Unlike some, it's also sustained by the contributions of time and energy by all of its members.
Our Dues Structure reflects our commitments to fairness, to tzedakah and to a community that respects the differences among us. Annual dues are based on a sliding scale based on household income. No one is asked to disclose income or pass a "means test."
So how will you know if Mishkan is the right place for you? Meet some of our members and find out why they joined Mishkan Shalom:
"I joined Mishkan six years ago with my secular Jewish husband. He likes the social action/tikkun olam work, especially in Middle East peace. We both appreciate the Hebrew School, annual retreat, and holiday celebrations, and I cherish the Shabbat and high holiday services. What really touched me most deeply was having Rabbi Yael's support when I dealt with breast cancer treatments five years ago. I had recently joined the shul —my first such affiliation as an adult. When I told Yael of my impending surgery, she offered to pray with me at the hospital before my operation. I had never imagined asking a rabbi for such support —and I am so grateful that Yael offered it. She prayed with my mother, husband, and me and it was incredibly moving and meaningful."
(Nonprofit Manager married to College Professor, with two school-age girls.)
"I attended Mishkan High Holiday Services many years ago and was deeply moved and attracted to its spirituality which did not necessarily mean religiosity, its call for social justice and its incredibly diverse congregation. It took a few years and many more high holiday services before I finally joined. Now my son attends Mishkan's Sunday school and I feel safe knowing that he is learning about Judaism in an atmosphere of tolerance and joy. Mishkan feels like a place where wondering and asking questions, even controversial ones (or maybe especially) is celebrated and that is important to me."
(41 year old psychologist and mother of two young children, with Jewish husband)
"Mishkan Shalom appealed to me because I am Jewish and my son's father is not, so I wanted a synagogue where my son and I would both feel comfortable. I believe in Mishkan's commitment to social justice and feel that my individual efforts are 'multiplied' by being part of this activist synagogue. I am deeply grateful for and moved by our community's gestures of collective support when a member experiences illness, grief and loss of a loved one."
(Single mom business owner with a teenage son)
"My children are grown and my spouse isn't much interested in organized religion. At this time in my life, I'm free to be affiliated with a synagogue that meets my needs to develop my spirituality and experience a deep sense of community. I don't (often!) mind the 40-minute commute."
(Not-for-profit executive director and grandmother)
"We both grew up going to conservative synagogues and were looking for a place that felt comfortable to us, Mishkan Shalom seemed to fit so we joined when Mishkan was in Havertown. As Mishkan moved we followed because we found it spiritually fulfilling and at the same time open to our limited Jewish knowledge. We also felt good about the Jewish education our kids were getting at Mishkan and the way it was presented to them."
(Director of Clinical Trials dad and a stay at home Mom, with three school-age boys.)
"Mishkan Shalom appealed to my sense of Judaism as a living, breathing, evolving religion —still connected to tradition— with a strong impulse towards social justice and social change.
Mishkan members are extraordinary people: passionate about their jobs, politics, family, religion, and our community. People worship with intention and from the heart, not out of social convention."
(A refugee from Reform and independent writer/producer)
"I grew up with a vivid sense of Jewish cultural identity, but no religious education or regular attendance at services. Mishkan has been a welcoming place for me to ask questions, learn Hebrew and Torah trop (chanting) and eventually celebrate my Bat Mitzvah at the age of 33."
(A 39-year-old lesbian writer with a partner and 14-month-old daughter)
"I joined Mishkan Shalom for a number of reasons. I have a (now) 12 year old daughter, am divorced and her mom is not Jewish. This seemed like an open and accepting community. I liked the political involvement of the congregation. I felt a sense of community that I identified with. I liked the rhythm of the Reconstructionist services."
(Single dad and a craft artist)
"I grew up with a strong background in social activism. I was raised in a secular home. After a trip to Israel and years of searching for a place where activism and a spiritual quest could go hand in hand, I heard that a group of people were forming a new synagogue (during the summer of 1988). As I listened and went to meetings, it became clear to me that Mishkan Shalom would be the perfect place to continue my activism as well as immerse myself in as much of the religious and spiritual quest as I needed for myself.
"Through the years, I have found Mishkan supportive and allowing each person to be whoever they wish to be or become. I feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful community."
(A proud founding member and Equal Opportunity Specialist)
"Many years ago I was invited by a friend to attend a Yom Kippur service led by Brian Walt. That service had a profound effect on me… it was the most spiritual experience I had ever had in a synagogue to that day. Every ritual, every word, was given so much thought,care, and meaning that I experienced Judaism in a new light.
Where previously services had been uninspiring, seemingly done by rote, this service was a truly meaningful experience and I wanted more. Although we had never been affiliated with a synagogue before, when Mishkan was founded, we decided to become members, continue to be inspired."
(Grandparents celebrating our 50th anniversary.)
One-hour informal Information Sessions are scheduled 6 times a year for people who want to meet one of our rabbis and get a better feel for our congregation. You'll meet several members as well as other people who are considering joining.
The rabbi will briefly discuss the topics below, followed by a synagogue tour.
History of the congregation, including our position on Israel.
What is Reconstructionism?
Statement of Principles
Religious School (structure and curriculum)
Participatory Community (what that means, expectations of members)
Activities of the congregation (adult ed, school, tikkun olam, everything
other than services)
Structure and governance
Costs: Tuition and Dues
Expectations of Capital Campaign
How to Join: the next steps.
Q&A
If you wish to find out when upcoming Information Sessions will be held or
to attend one, call the synagogue office (215-508-0226) or email us at office@mishkan.org.
Thanks for taking the tour. Additional information on the subjects covered in this tour is available through the menu links on the left side of this page.
