The Lancaster Community
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is located on the Conestoga River and in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country where descendants of early Amish and Mennonite settlers continue to pursue a traditional lifestyle. According to the 1990 census, the city of Lancaster, which is about 60 miles west of Philadelphia and 70 miles northeast of Baltimore, had a population of 55,551. Lancaster County, with a population of 422,822, ranked 11th in a national quality of life study in 1990. Today, the Lancaster area boasts a widely diversified trade, manufacturing, industrial, tourist, service, and agricultural economy. Its farmlands, which are among the richest in the nation, produce tobacco, grains, dairy products, poultry, and livestock.
One of the first inland cities in the United States, Lancaster was settled in 1724 and designated the county seat in 1729. Lancaster was the nation’s capital on September 27, 1777, when the Continental Congress, fleeing from the British after the Battle of Brandywine, stopped in Lancaster. From 1799 to 1812 Lancaster served as Pennsylvania’s capital. It was incorporated as a city in 1818.
Lancaster County is the home of the Pennsylvania rifle and the Conestoga wagon. Some of its famous historical figures include James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States; Robert Fulton, the inventor of the steamboat; Thaddeus Stevens, the statesman and abolitionist; Charles Demuth, the artist; and Barney Ewell, a Gold Medal Olympian.
Rich in heritage and scenic beauty, close to major metropolitan centers of the Northeast, home to a diverse racial and ethnic population, the Lancaster area has become increasingly attractive to both tourists and new residents. Lancaster County is today one of the fastest growing counties in Pennsylvania.
The Lancaster Jewish Community
Lancaster's Jewish community is strong and vibrant. In addition to Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform congregations, there is also an active Jewish Community Center.
The Shaarai Shomayim Community
To be a Jew in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is to be a Jew in America. While there are far larger numbers of Jews in cities like New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles, small communities of Jews in places such as Lancaster face the particular challenge of maintaining a Jewish identity. This has been the reality for many American Jews. No matter whether it was a small handful of Indian traders in the English colonies of North America, the comfortable Western European merchants in the 19th century, the growing numbers of Russian and Eastern European Jews who swelled the immigrant ranks by the early 20th century, or today’s business people, entrepreneurs, and professionals scattered throughout the towns and cities of this country, Jews have always been a minority population. This community, then, is a microcosm of the American Jewish experience.
In 2006 we celebrated the 259th anniversary of the founding of a Jewish cemetery in Lancaster in 1747, the 150th anniversary of the charter of this congregation in 1856, and the 110th anniversary of the dedication of our house of worship in 1896. These are remarkable milestones. It is always a source of amazement to newcomers to learn that Lancaster is home to the fourth oldest Jewish community in the United States. The roots of Lancaster’s Jewry are broad and deep.
Our efforts include building a sense of community within our own membership and reaching out beyond our borders to the community at large.
For our own members, we provide a caring community committee that sends cards during times of illness or celebration. Our rabbi makes regular visits to Jewish patients at local hospitals and nursing homes, as do our own volunteers. Sisterhood organizes meals for new mothers and for bereaved families. Members who need transportation to services can have it arranged by calling the Temple office. Within the flow of congregational life, members connect with others who may share experiences in common.
Shaarai Shomayim has put a heavy emphasis on social action in recent years. We hold an annual Mitzvah Day at which time our members volunteer to help over seventeen loval non-profit agencies. These can be as varies as cleaning a group home for adults with disabilities to creating toys for a local homeless shelter. Throughout the year, we organize, cook, and serve meals for the Crispus Attucks Homeless Shelter. Over sixty of our members took part in the 1998 summer building blitz held by Lancaster County's Habitat for Humanity. Our religious school holds monthly Mitzvah projects that are often coordinated with the local Jewish Family Services. Our Bar/Bat Mitzvah candidates are urged to complete a mitzvah project as part of their life cycle event. Our congregation has become very visible in the Lancaster County Community through our many social action projects. Our members have many opportunities to do "Tikkun Olam" -- repair the world and to enjoy fellowship at the same time.
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