Spring Landmark Celebration
Honoring Rabbi Jill Maderer
In Spring 2026, we will come together for a special celebration that reflects our congregation’s enduring spirit, our deep relationships, and our shared journey through Jewish time, while also honoring Rabbi Maderer’s 25th anniversary of leadership — a milestone woven into the fabric of our collective story.
For more information on these events, contact Neil Wise, Philanthropy Director, at nwise@rodephshalom.org.
Spring Landmark Events
Shabbat Service & Dinner:
Friday, April 24: Reflections, music, and shared stories, with special guest, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), followed by a Shabbat dinner. $54/person. Register here for dinner. Annual Philanthropic Patrons are invited to the Shabbat dinner as our guests, with gratitude for their generosity. If you are an Annual Philanthropic Patron, please RSVP to Neil Wise.
An Evening of Celebration:
Saturday, April 25:
Patron Reception | Havdalah | Dessert Soirée
RS Stories with New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer Weiner.
While there is no cost to attend, we kindly encourage you to make a reservation so we can plan thoughtfully for this special evening. Register here.
Family Program – L’dor V’dor: From Generation to Generation: Sunday, April 26: An intergenerational morning of learning, creativity, and celebration.
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25/25 Campaign: Building the Future of the Jewish Community
The 25/25 Campaign honors Rabbi Jill Maderer’s 25 years of leadership by inviting our community to invest—together—in the future of Jewish life. Jewish life flourishes when it is welcoming, accessible, and rooted in relationship. The 25/25 Campaign reflects this belief by offering an inclusive entry point to giving while also inspiring transformational investment in our shared future.
Funds raised will establish the Future of the Jewish People Fund, an endowment dedicated to expanding outreach and engagement beyond traditional membership models—strengthening Rodeph Shalom and helping grow the broader Philadelphia Jewish community for generations to come. Gifts received by April 5 will be included in Spring Landmark event materials and publicity. Click here to make a donation to the 25/25 campaign.
We Want to Hear Your RS Story!
Storytelling has always been at the heart of Jewish life. From generation to generation, we share memories, moments, and experiences that shape who we are and guide who we are becoming. Through stories, we remember our past, celebrate our present, and carry our values into the future.
We are collecting short Rodeph Shalom stories—memories, moments, or reflections that capture what RS has meant to you and how it has been part of your shared journey. Your story will help reflect the spirit of our community—past, present, and future.
We invite one story per person, and we also encourage children and teens to participate and share their voices as part of our community’s story.
Selected stories and themes will be woven into the RS Spring Landmark Celebration’s Saturday evening program (April 25) with Jennifer Weiner, and all submissions will be collected and preserved in a digital flipbook.
Click here for the story guidelines. Share your story here.
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For more information on these events, contact Neil Wise, Philanthropy Director, at nwise@rodephshalom.org.
2025-2026 Philanthropic Year Patrons:
$7,500: Pillar
Henry Bernstein
Gary Silverman
$5,000: Foundation
Anonymous (2)
Lynn Buono & Seth Schwarzman
Marilyn Cohen
Allegra Saens Coleman
Firstrust Bank
Fox Rothschild LLP
Jackie & Earl Wolf
$2,500: Cornerstone
David Behrend & Dona Horowitz-Behrend
Jonathan Broder & Joy Bernstein
Catherine & Richard Fischer
Dena Herrin & Alfredo Mauri
Andrea R. Kramer
Beth & Stan Lashner
David Seltzer
Ellen Simon
Judith Whellan
Alison & John Zagat
$1,250: Steward
Anonymous (2)
Joel Beaver
Susan Behr
Robin Blumenfeld
Ken & Nadine Chavin
Emily & Chris Collier
Stuart Davidson
Devine Bros., Inc.
Cheryl Dougherty
Lynn & Mitchell Edelman
Karen & Fred Edelstein
Chip Ellis & Henry Patterson
Susan & Harry Frankel
Rabbi Eli & Laurel Freedman
Rabbi Alan & Carol Fuchs
Paula Fuchsberg
Laurel Glaser & Mark Levenstien
Goldsteins’ Rosenberg’s Funeral Dirs.
Michael Hauptman & Erika Flory
Cantor Brad & Vicki Hyman
David Israel
Jennifer James
Lisa Kagel & Scott Hecht
Jeffrey & Joan Katz
Holly Lentz Kleeman & Andrew Kleeman
Mark Kogan & Ellen Kraftsow-Kogan
Carl Kopfinger & Stephen Weitzenhoffer
Bernice Koplin
Rabbi Bill & Emily Kuhn
Laurel & Brent Landau
Josh & Erica Laster
Marc Lowenstein & Debbie Davies
Mac’s Facility Solutions
Rabbi Jill Maderer & Len Lipkin
Fran Martin
Cathy Moss & Mitchell Harris
Etta & Charles Nissman
Tom & Carol Perloff
Marjorie Rosenbluth Philips
Gail Rosenberg
Adelle Rubin
Joan Gubernick Ruttenberg & Alan Ruttenberg
Alice & Leonard Sayles
Bobbe & Dick Schmeltzer
Terry & Meryl Silver
David & Patricia Stiffman
Fred Strober & Beth Ann Robinson
Bob & Marlyn Vogel
Marsha Weinraub & Stuart Schmidt
Neil Wise & Lincoln Harding-Wise
