Rodeph Shalom — Philadelphia, PA

Congregation Rodeph Shalom is the oldest Ashkenazic Congregation in the Western Hemisphere and the second oldest congregation in the city of Philadelphia. The Metropolitan building, erected in 1928 on North Broad Street, was designed by the noted Philadelphia architectural firm of Simon and Simon in the Byzantine style. The D'Ascenzo Studios, also of Philadelphia, decorated principal interior spaces. In 1950, Rodeph Shalom established a suburban complex in Elkins Park, in response to the suburban migration of Philadelphia’s Jewish community.

In 1992, MJRA was retained to produce a Master Planning and Project Development study for both the Philadelphia and Elkins Park campuses. The study included assessment of architectural, space planning, mechanical/electrical and structural systems, evaluations of building code compliance and ADA accessibility.

MJRA was retained again in 2003 as preservation architect to restore the sanctuary interior at the Metropolitan campus, including restoration of the laylight, the acoustic fabric and decorative painting, and carpeting, as well as lighting and mechanical upgrades in conjunction with Becker-Winston Architects. This restoration project received awards from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, Preservation Pennsylvania/Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, and AIAs Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.