Triple Chai is Society Hill Synagogue’s social group for congregants ages 54 and older. Chai (with the “ch” pronounced like in “challah”) means “living” in Hebrew and is a word formed by two Hebrew letters whose numerical value totals 18. Hence Triple Chai!
Recent Triple Chai programs and activities have included outings to theatre and a meal, specially guided tours of local art galleries, renowned speakers, and Jewish journeys to Morocco and to Italy. We welcome all adults ages 54 and older — singles and couples — to join us and build deeper bonds in a fun, welcoming ambiance. For more information, please contact Triple Chai Co-Chairs Robin Cohen and Natalie Landro at triplechai(at)societyhillsynagogue.org.
Upcoming Events:
Typewriters: Past & Present with Bryan Kravitz
Sunday, November 8
3:30 pm
Society Hill Synagogue
$10 Society Hill Synagogue Members | $18 General Public
Step into the fascinating world of typewriters! Join us on Sunday, November 8, at 3:30 pm at Society Hill Synagogue for an engaging presentation from the Typewriter Museum. Explore the history and evolution of these iconic machines through a slide presentation, and see electric typewriters in action with a hands-on demonstration.
Join us for an afternoon with Bryan Kravitz, founder of Philly Typewriter, who has worked with IBM Selectric typewriters for more than 50 years. Bryan will share the fascinating history of the typewriter, from hieroglyphics to 1895, and explore the role and value of the typewriter in today’s society.
Bryan began his career in 1975 at a technical school in San Francisco before opening a typewriter shop in Berkeley, California. He eventually returned to Philadelphia and opened Philly Typewriter, now the largest typewriter shop in the world. The shop restores vintage machines, supplies Selectric parts worldwide, trains future typewriter mechanics, and helps bring typewriter enthusiasts together.
The program begins promptly at 3:30 pm. Enjoy complimentary seltzer, water, tea, coffee, and cookies while you take a nostalgic trip through the world of typewriters!
Click here to register
In Partnership with the Men’s Club – Guest Speaker & Congregant Presentation:
JDC Around the World — Supporting Vulnerable Jewish Communities in a Time of Unprecedented Need
Thursday, November 19
7:00-8:30 pm
Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Eliza Prince, Global Partnerships Director at the JDC (the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee), for an inside look at the organization’s work. Known to generations simply as “the Joint,” JDC works in 70 countries around the world and has been a lifeline for Jews in need for more than a century.
From the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and Israel’s long-term recovery following the October 7 massacre, to rising antisemitism and growing vulnerability in Jewish communities across Europe, Latin America, and beyond, Eliza will share timely updates and stories from the field.
Learn how JDC is responding to urgent needs, caring for the most vulnerable, and strengthening Jewish communities to ensure a resilient Jewish future for generations to come. Synagogue member David Mink will also share reflections from his recent trip to Ukraine, where he witnessed the Joint’s lifesaving work firsthand and met members of Jewish communities that JDC serves.
Lunch & Speaker — “The Foundations of Jewish Success” with Dr. Joseph Berger
Sunday, December 13
11:00 am
Society Hill Synagogue
Included with Society Hill Synagogue Membership | $18 for General Public
Join Triple Chai for lunch and an enlightening talk by Dr. Joseph Berger as we explore the remarkable achievements of Jews and people of Jewish descent since the Enlightenment, examining their representation in fields such as science, medicine, finance, and the arts. Dr. Berger will discuss historical, cultural, educational, and genetic factors that have been proposed to help explain these patterns, including the impact of Jewish migration, historical limitations on employment and land ownership, the value placed on education and scholarship, and the possible role of inherited traits and neurological conditions found more frequently among Jewish populations.
Dr. Joseph Berger is a semi-retired academic neurologist. He and his wife, Sandy, are both members of Society Hill Synagogue.
Brunch & Speaker — Mamaleh Author Elaine Culbertson
11:00 am — Brunch
12:00 pm — Presentation
Brunch & The Word Mavens