Good morning. My name is Tova Zatawi. Z as in zebra, T as in Tom, A-O-U-I.
All right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
I swear.
Could you please?
I'll wait.
Please wait.
Let's everybody in the front, any of these rows, when people come back, we don't make comments, okay?
Could you do me a favor? Could you please take two minutes and tell me where you stand?
i only need one oh okay thank you i'm a teacher okay so i want to say good morning to you and i
want to tell you that i'm a member of the benet abraham synagogue for 15 years i have been a
teacher in the philadelphia public and charter school system for 33 years yes i agree and support
that we need more quality schools in philadelphia it will strengthen the city in several concrete
ways. We are offering educational excellence. Philadelphia's existing Jewish schools have
already delivered on its promise, and we intend to continue this tradition. Our school emphasizes
rigorous academics infused with values, constructive dialogue skills, and global awareness. A new school
would extend this ecosystem, offering more families access to strong education. I am sure we all agree
that Philadelphia needs more safe, supportive youth spaces. This particular Jewish space,
led by this particular synagogue, provides emotional safety, cultural belonging, and an
anti-racist, anti-classist education for all Jewish children from every background. Frankly
speaking, a new school anywhere is a better investment than building another new prison.
b'nai abraham synagogue intends to strengthen neighborhoods by attracting families who want
high quality values driven education with more options in public charter or independent schools
it also supports economic vitality to the city by offering more jobs for teachers what's the
bottom line our new jewish school would not only serve jewish families it would add educational
capacity, cultural richness, civic engagement, and community stability to Philadelphia as a whole.
Thank you. Thank you very much for coming in. We appreciate it. Sir, could you please state your
name and spell it for the stenographer? Yeah. My name is Alan Silverman, A-L-A-N-S-I-L-V-E-R-M-A-N.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
I do. Sir, could you take two minutes and tell us where you stand on this project?
I'll try to take one. And I did not collaborate with my predecessor.
Okay, go ahead.
I'm a member of Congregation B'nai Abraham, and I'm here to testify to the benefit of K-8 Hebrew Day schools like the one proposed.
I graduated from just such a school. It was also located in a residential neighborhood.
I graduated from just such a school. It was also located in a residential...
I know of no adverse impact on the neighborhood, only positive benefits. I found it a big help
in my subsequent education and formation of values. My fellow Hebrew Day school students and I all
graduated to public high schools. I was valedictorian of my high school class. I earned
engineering degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic at MIT, and I had a career in industrial management.
Other graduates with whom we're still alive and with whom I remain in touch went on to careers including a federal administrative law judge, successful management recruiter, math teacher, a rabbi, a nurse, and the military.
Two of my grandsons are presently students at a K-8 Hebrew Day School in the D.C. area, and their education appears to be superb, excellent preparation in subject matter and in values.
This proposed school will help keep strong families in Philadelphia and feed well-prepared graduates into Philadelphia's public high schools.
Thank you very much for coming in. We appreciate it.
Good morning. Could you please state your name and spell it for the stenographer?
Jamie Goldberg, J-A-M-I-E-G-O-L-D-B-E-R-G.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth?
Could you give us two minutes on your thoughts?
Yes. Thank you so much for taking the time to hear from us. I appreciate it.
I live two blocks away from the proposed project and strongly support it there are three points I
want to make today one this project has significant support from a diverse range of neighbors two the
school is a logical and contextual use for this site and three beyond the benefits to school
families this school will benefit the surrounding community on point one this school has wide
support from the surrounding neighborhood in May I wrote an article in the Society Hill reporter
which is our neighborhood newsletter and about this project people stop me on the street jewish
non-jewish kids no kids older younger to express support for having another school in our
neighborhood and a relief that this that this vacant site would be developed point two those
of us living nearby know that this is actually a wonderful location for the school it's a mixed
use corridor just a block and a half from the busy pennsylvania hospital complex just half a block
from the south street the immediate block has a mix of um single family homes mixed
use residential buildings and it totally makes sense to have a community serving school right
there on point number three the benefits do i have time all right one three will be your last
excellent thank you um the um right now families seeking jewish education you've heard have to bus
an hour out to the suburbs the impact of having these kids stay in the neighborhood means that
they can be um mixing with their non with their non-religious school neighbors in the after
school program supporting all the small businesses who serve the after school programs parents after
drop-off patronizing the local businesses thank you for your time thank you very much sir could
you please state your name and spell for the stenographer sure joseph glenn last name is
spelled G-L-Y-N. Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the
truth? I do. Could you give us your two-minute? Sure, sure. I've been a near neighbor. I've been
living in my house for 15 years. I'm a strong supporter of the school, and I would urge this
board and my neighbors, too, to be strong supporters for three reasons. For more than a
decade, this building has been an unused, huge, significant eyesore and source of light. This is
likely because of the significant work that will go into need to make it usable and attractive
space. I know, for example, there's a large concrete platform in the building itself that
to destroy it will take three months of constant drilling. This will disrupt the quality of life
and hurt local businesses, but the school is going to incorporate this into the building itself,
saving the neighbors and the community with this disruption to their quality of life. Second,
the school will cause minimal disruptions in use to the neighborhood. We're talking about two 30
minute mini intervals of a slight bump in vehicle traffic, morning and afternoon, only during the
school year, and not for another decade until it's fully implemented. There's plenty of time to see
what works and what doesn't work. Concerns about quality of life are particularly odd because we're
so close to South Street. Every Friday and Saturday night we have noise disruptions, tons of foot and
vehicle traffic. We just had World Cup watch parties that went until midnight with porta
potties outside of my neighbor's homes for weeks, smelling up the whole neighborhood. The idea that
the school would be more disruptive to the neighborhood, quality of life, than South
street is absurd and you have to stop that's the second or third time you've done it if not you're
going to have to leave please proceed the school i believe will also significantly improve the
neighborhood it's a beautiful structure and great mission the rabbi and his family would be great
thoughtful additions to the neighborhood they will stabilize the block just last thing i just
want to say the parents when they drop off their kids can patronize local businesses all the non
head shop stores on south street will greatly improve uh from their patronage all right thank
from their patronage. Thank you very much. Sir, could you please state your name and spell for
Thank you very much.
Sarah, could you please state your name and spell for the stock?
the stenographer? Sure. Hi, Stuart Goldberg, S-T-U-A-R-T. Do you swear or affirm to tell
the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth? I do. Please proceed. The case for my support
starts with the people behind this application. Rabbi Goldman and Lay Goldman has spent three
decades showing this community and the city what good neighbors look like. They've been there
tirelessly for Society Hill and Washington Square West from births to burials and every high, low,
and mundane moment in between. In doing so, they've built a stellar reputation as pillars of
this neighborhood, taking over the stewardship of a historic 1870s congregation and ensuring that
this institution that has served the community for more than 150 years will be around to serve
generations of Philadelphians to come. That work happens every day at the Center City Jewish
Preschool, which has educated children in this neighborhood for more than 20 years.
Walk down Lombard Street on a random weekday and you'll see CCJP kids running around Star Garden,
chasing the ice cream truck before it can finish its first jingle, or parents catching up at the
local coffee shop, you'll see, hear, and feel a thriving community. And that's the crux of my
support. We're not asking you to support, we're not asking you to trust us as we vouch for an
unknown quantity. We're asking you to support the expansion of an already thriving institution
run by operators with decades of experience in this neighborhood. The chance to bring a vacant
lot back to life as a vibrant educational home does not come often. I humbly and strongly ask
you very much for coming in good morning could you please state your name and spell for the
stenographer yes i'm ellen well i think you're gonna get a little closer to the mic pull right
up to you that's it go ahead i'm ellen cohen e-l-l-e-n c-o-h-e-n do you swear or affirm
to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth yes please proceed ma'am and give us
your two-minute views i'm in favor of the project okay i'm in favor of the project for very personal
reason since i moved to center city about 12 years ago all my favorite stores restaurants
and bakeries have closed the streets i walk daily have multiple empty storefronts and they feel
derelict ugly and slightly dangerous i'd love to see safe wholesome businesses move into every
center city neighborhood and what could be more safe and more wholesome in any neighborhood than
a school for young children in the case of the jewish school the people who need such a school
tend to move nearby and we raise property values maybe if this neighborhood has a school
the whole area could support the bakeries and the restaurants that i lost that would greatly
improve my quality of life without i think irreparable harm to anyone thank you very much
for coming in tonight. Good morning. Could you please state your name and spell it for the
stenographer? Absolutely. My name is Cassidy Leyendecker, C-A-S-S-I-D-Y, Leyendecker, L-E-Y-E-N-D-E-C-K-E-R.
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth? I do.
Could you give us your two-minute viewpoint? Absolutely. So I stand in opposition. I serve
currently as the Democratic committee person for the Fifth Ward, Fifth Division, which includes
many of the neighbors who would be directly impacted by this proposal over the past several
weeks i've spoken with residents and listened to their concerns one thing has been consistent this
is not in opposition to a school people support the redevelopment of this site and welcome an
educational use in the neighborhood the concern is that the proposal goes well beyond that as
it's currently presented it combines a school religious assembly space community gathering
space and significant residential use into a single project many neighbors feel that there
has not been a clear explanation of why all these uses need to exist together or why they require
their zoning relief being requested if this project's stated mission is to provide a safe
environment for children then safety cannot be treated as an afterthought it must be demonstrated
not assumed i respectfully ask the board to carefully consider whether any relief granted
should be narrowly tailored to support the educational mission that has been presented
to the community rather than the broader mixed-use program currently proposed all right thank you very
much for coming in good morning could you please state your name it's spelled for the stenographer
yeah kayla dickstein jacini k-a-i-l-a-d-i-c-k-s-t-e-i-n-g-i-u-s-i-n-i do you swear or affirm
to tell the truth the whole truth not to quit the truth i do could you please give us your two month
two minute viewpoint all right i'm speaking in support of the school for benet abraham okay i
I have a long history of being part of this community.
My grandfather and my father were leadership
at B'nai Abraham and my children
are fifth generation at the synagogue.
I've had the very great privilege of knowing the Goldman's
for the past 25 years.
They came to a dying Jewish community and revived it.
I personally watched the evolution of this community
from empty and cluttered storage spaces
to lovely engaging classrooms
where my two-year-old sings and laughs and learns.
And now our community needs more.
our community needs more. In order to remain in my home, my husband and I have to be able to educate
in order to remain in my
our children, and sadly, our community lacks a place to do just that. If anyone wishes to educate
their children in their Jewish roots, we must travel very far outside of the city or out of
the state, forcing a choice between remaining where home is or giving our children the education
they deserve. The purpose of a city and civic organizations it serves is to meet the needs of
the people. The Jewish community, which continues to grow and contribute all along this economic
corridor, requires a place to educate our children. This school would allow my family to remain in the
city we live, in the community we call home, while giving our children the opportunities for which we
all strive. Were we not permitted to build this community necessity? Would constitute a true
hardship, not just for my family, but for all of us who want to be able to live in Philadelphia
while practicing our religion and traditions long established in these very neighborhoods.
I urge you to act to ensure the continued growth and prosperity of the community as a whole
and see how refusing this project would result in countless families continuing to flee the city
to find a place where they can have a school that meets their needs.
This is an opportunity which will result in economic and community success
and prosperity or stagnation. Thank you.
Thank you very much for being here.
sir could you please state your name it's spelled for this yes first name william last name town is
k-a-l-n-i-z right do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth
yeah please proceed sir yes your zoning board the proposal of you before you is thoughtful
do me a favor pull the mic just a little bit closer to you that's it there you go okay the
The proposal before you is a thoughtful and appreciate use of this property.
Today, 510 South A Street is occupied by a vacant, non-conforming, two-story garage that was built in 1929 and covers the entire lot.
the proposal would transform this existing unutilized structure into a vibrant educational
institution serving approximately 180 students from pre-cray from pre-k through eighth grade
the land use study examined schools throughout philadelphia and found that this location
has the highest diversity of surrounding land uses among the schools surveyed.
In other words, a school is not out of a place here.
It is consistent with the character and the fabric of this neighborhood.
This is a modest-sized school thoughtfully designed to fit within its urban context
while giving new life to a property that has long been underutilized.
We believe that this project represents exactly the kind of thoughtful,
adoptive, reuse and community investment that Philadelphia should encourage
and that this location is entirely appropriate for a school.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Your time's up, but we do appreciate your comments
and appreciate you coming in today.
Sir, could you please state your name?
Good morning, Commissioners.