Hi, Lower Merion! 👋

After a fire destroyed part of Overbrook Presbyterian Church, a Wynnewood synagogue stepped up to help. In the wake, the two forged a deeper interfaith partnership. Also this week, voters cast ballots for members of the school board, Regional Rail delays are likely to continue, the community remembers Gladwyne resident and beloved radio host Pierre Robert, plus several area restaurants are dishing up Thanksgiving takeout meals.

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Despite differing religious backgrounds, Rabbi Ethan Witkovsky of Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El in Wynnewood and Reverend Adam Hearlson of nearby Overbrook Presbyterian Church, have formed a close friendship that’s brought their two houses of worship together in unexpected ways.

That friendship, formed at a barbecue in 2023, quickly deepened in 2024 when a fire broke out at the church, displacing parishioners. Shortly after, when an “Our Community Stands With Israel” sign was vandalized at the synagogue, the church stood up to show its support.

Those moments are part of a larger “self-sustaining cycle of camaraderie” between the two congregations that’s become a “deeply profound” partnership, The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner reports.

💡 Community News

Voters headed to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in a number of local and state races. In case you missed it, Democrats swept the school board race while Democrat Andrea Baptiste is projected to be the next jury commissioner. Statewide, voters chose to retain three of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court justices, Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht. See more results here.

SEPTA has been granted an extension for emergency inspections and repairs to its Silverliner IV Regional Rail cars after several fires this year. Unable to make an original Oct. 31 deadline, the agency now has until Nov. 14 to complete inspections and until Dec. 5 to install thermal protection circuits. Regional Rail delays are likely to continue during that time.

The community is mourning the unexpected death of legendary radio host Pierre Robert, who died last Wednesday at the age of 70. The Gladwyne resident was celebrated at an informal gathering in Rittenhouse Square over the weekend, while Preston & Steve last week dedicated an entire show to their longtime WMMR colleague. Tribute messages have poured in from friends and musicians alike, while one friend is working with MMR higher-ups to memorialize Robert on his beloved 1970s Volkswagen RV affectionately known as Minerva. Take a look back at Robert’s career in photos here.

A grand jury probe by district attorneys in Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester Counties found that many smoke shops used “misleading packaging and fraudulent lab reports” to sell banned substances. The grand jury report, released last week, comes after a 10-month joint investigation and calls for better enforcement of stores selling banned substances, as well as asking lawmakers to create a statewide licensing system for the sale of THC products. Earlier this year, an Inquirer investigation found that Monty Smoke Shop in Narberth was selling a product more than 24-times the federal potency limit of Delta-9 THC.

Food pantry needs are growing as the government shutdown drags on. Bryn Mawr’s ElderNet is seeking shelf-stable goods in addition to certain personal hygiene items. Narberth Community Food Bank has a running list of its most-needed items, which includes boxed pasta, pasta sauce, canned goods, and pantry staples like flour and sugar. And Friends of Linwood Park has added a food donation bin, with collected items being distributed to Ardmore Food Pantry and Germantown Community Fridge. It joins the pop-up food pantry at Schauffele Plaza in Ardmore, where those in need can help themselves, or donations can be left.

Speaking of donations, Lower Merion residents dropped off between 200 and 300 boxes of nonperishable items at the polls on Tuesday that will be distributed to local food banks.

Bala Cynwyd-based Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia finalized its merger with Abramson Senior Care late last month. The merger is expected to enhance social services and healthcare programs for older adults and their families.

At the end of last month, Gratz College broke ground on its Bala Cynwyd campus project, about a year after purchasing the properties at 327 Levering Mill Road and 382 Bala Ave. They will be combined by a two-story glass atrium. When completed next year, the campus will have a digital archive lab and a theater featuring what it’s described as “Holocaust educational hardware and software.”

🏫 Schools Briefing

Gladwyne Elementary ranks No. 5 in the state among the best public elementary schools, according to the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings, released last week. It’s followed by Merion Elementary at No. 8. U.S. News ranks schools based on how many students are proficient or above proficient in reading/language arts and math state assessments, as well as test results within the context of socioeconomic demographics.

There’s a book fair at Merion Elementary and Black Rock is hosting its fall play today and tomorrow. There will be health screenings throughout next week. See the school district’s full calendar here. Belmont Hills Elementary is hosting its annual food drive next week, which will support the Narberth Community Food Bank. Requested goods are divided by grade. And on Tuesday, Harriton High will host a presentation on the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program at 7 p.m. for eighth to 10th grade families.

🍽️ On our Plate

Making Thanksgiving plans but don’t feel like cooking? A number of area restaurants, including White Dog Cafe, which has locations in Haverford and Wayne, are offering Thanksgiving takeout meals. White Dog’s menu includes an 18-pound turkey, soup, two sides, and a pie, as well as à la carte offerings.

A new boutique wine bar is opening tomorrow in Wayne, taking over the former longtime home of Cowan’s Flower Shop. Nature’s Vin specializes in natural wines, showcasing those made by women. The new shop has a barroom on one side and a storefront and a marketplace on the other.

Good news for the caffeinated and chronically online: The once staunchly anti-Wi-Fi cafe La Colombe has quietly been adding internet connectivity in its cafes this fall, including in Bryn Mawr.

🎳 Things to Do

🍸 Sober Cocktail Hour: Sip two non-alcoholic cocktails at this event. ⏰ Thursday, Nov. 6, 7-8:30 p.m. 💵 $25 📍 Wallace Dry Goods

🗓️ First Friday: This month’s event includes in-store deals at a number of Ardmore businesses, plus live music and food. ⏰ Friday, Nov. 7, 5 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Downtown Ardmore

🏀 9th Annual Race for Peace Committee Community and Police Basketball Classic: Take in some friendly games of three-on-three and five-on-five basketball, plus dunk and three-point shooting contests. ⏰ Friday, Nov. 7, 6-10 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Lower Merion High School

🍿 The Parent Trap: Catch a screening of the beloved 1998 film starring Lindsay Lohan. There’s another screening on Nov. 22. ⏰ Saturday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m. 💵 $6.75-$7.75 📍 Bryn Mawr Film Institute

🏃 Sean Hughes Memorial 5K and Fun Run: Now in its third year, the race benefits the Sean A. Hughes Memorial Fund and its goal to build a memorial garden in memory of the beloved LMHS principal who was killed in a car crash four years ago. ⏰ Sunday, Nov. 9, 9 a.m. 💵 $30-$40 📍 Lower Merion High School

🐕 The Dogist Live: Elias Weiss Friedman, the Lower Merion native behind the popular canine-centric social media account and books, is bringing his show to Ardmore. ⏰ Sunday, Nov. 9, 4 p.m. 💵 $39.85-$77.63 📍 Ardmore Music Hall

🏡 On the Market

A Gladwyne estate with a carriage home and pool

Built in 1938, this sprawling Gladwyne estate features a five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bathroom main residence, in addition to a two-bedroom, two-bathroom carriage home. The main white painted stone house spans three levels, with a foyer, dining room, office, and living, family, and sitting rooms, each with their own fireplace, on the first floor. The kitchen has a double oven and island and connects to a breakfast nook. The second level is home to the primary suite, which spans its own wing and has walk-in closets, a sitting room, and an ensuite bathroom. Other features include a slate terrace, a pool, a three-stop elevator, and a walk-out basement with a bar and a stone fireplace.

See more photos of the property here.

Price: $2.8M | Size: 7,112 SF | Acreage: 2.47

🗞️ What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:

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