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Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright built only one synagogue. It’s now a growing congregation.

JL;DR SUMMARY Frank Lloyd Wright's only synagogue, Beth Sholom in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, designed to evoke Mount Sinai, remains a thriving community despite the broader trend of declining synagogue memberships. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CommunityConservative JudaismJewish ContinuityFrank Lloyd WrightSynagogue ArchitectureBeth SholomRabbi David Glanzberg KraininMembership GrowthParent EngagementElkins Park

Places mentioned

Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, United States
"Benyamin Cohen traveled to Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, and interviewed half a dozen people for this story."
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
"It’s nice to have this larger network of friends. I have people I can call and say, Lets go to the park. It just feels big in a way I didnt expect. That village goes beyond drop-off and pickup. It includes Friday morning breakfasts with other families, and parents-only Shabbat lunch-and-learns with the rabbi. Kuntz, who holds a masters degree in historic preservation from the University of Pennsylvania, also hopes to become more involved with efforts to maintain the iconic building. I love being part of a congregation that is also a dedicated steward of such a significant piece of American history, she said."

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Retrieved 2025-08-26 05:31:03 UTC
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