Jill Cooper oversaw a lot of growth at Beth David Reform Congregation in the past 20 years. The temple expanded to add a chapel and classrooms, hired two long-term clergy members (Rabbi Beth Kalisch and Cantor Lauren Goodlev), revived the Gladwyne Jewish Memorial Cemetery and introduced “shema groups” to serve specific subsets of its congregation (suburban singles dining out, people exploring Judaism, etc.).

The Gladwyne synagogue is also in the process of opening a preschool and on the verge of announcing a grant to add solar panels to its roof.

Cooper has overseen all of this institutional growth as executive director. Now, as she nears her 20th year in the post, Cooper is also retiring.

The congregation honored her years of service with a party on the evening of Nov. 22 and a morning

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