Rabbi Glasner used his personal funds to launch the Wynnefield congregation, and with $500 purchased the necessary advertising, music, and prayer books. With a borrowed Torah scroll and a non-Jewish choir of two, he conducted the first High Holy Day service for a group of 18 members in the Wynnefield Post of the Jewish War Veterans. By 1944, Erev Shabbat services were held weekly and a religious school opened. The Jewish War Veterans Post remained the spiritual home of Beth David for the next two years.

With the purchase of a building at 5220 Wynnefield Avenue, Beth David Reform Congregation was officially chartered in 1945. Rabbi Glasner was formally appointed Rabbi and served in this capacity until January, 1948. Rabbi Samuel H. Markowitz, (zt”l) followed Rabbi Glasner as the spiritual leader of Beth David, where he remained for sixteen years. Rabbi Markowitz was dedicated to Jewish education and expanded Beth David from a Beit Tefillah, House of Worship, to a Beit Midrash, House of Learning. Upon Rabbi Markowitz’s retirement in 1964, Beth David welcomed Rabbi Henry Cohen (zt”l). The hallmark of Rabbi Cohen’s rabbinate was his personal dedication to social action. He inspired the congregation through his intellect and his caring.

Beth David’s first Cantor was Cantor Henry Pordes, (zt”l) who remained its cantor until his death. Beth David then welcomed from the then Soviet Union a young Lilia Kazansky (zt”l) as its Cantor, where she remained for 30 years until her retirement in 2015. Cantor Lauren Goodlev is now Beth David’s Cantor.

Rabbi Cohen (zt”l) became Beth David’s Rabbi Emeritus until his death in 2021.  Beth David has welcomed as its rabbis, Rabbi Robert Rozenberg, Rabbi Andrew Busch, and Rabbi Jim Egolf. Rabbi Beth Kalisch is our current spiritual leader.

Throughout its beginning years, Beth David quickly established itself as a dynamic congregation, a tight knit community dedicated to Jewish learning and social action. Members enjoyed the connections they established with one another, the intellectual challenges that came with learning and the satisfaction of working for worthy causes in the broader community.

For thirty-seven years Beth David remained in Wynnefield. In 1985, Beth David acquired a school and land in Gladwyne from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

St. John Vianney, whose rectory still stands in front of the synagogue. On May 2, 1986, the congregation dedicated its present sanctuary. The congregation has since grown and enlarged its building to properly accommodate the current membership. Ground breaking for this endeavor was in the spring of 2010 and was completed in 2012.

Today, Beth David’s spiritual and liturgical leaders are Rabbi Beth Kalisch and Cantor Lauren Goodlev.