{"id":209176,"date":"2026-06-03T05:00:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T05:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/209176\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T05:00:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T05:00:09","slug":"ian-shinbrot-northern-liberties-resident-connects-with-jewish-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/209176\/","title":{"rendered":"Ian Shinbrot: Northern Liberties Resident Connects With Jewish Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Ian Shinbrot (Courtesy of the Villanova School of Business)<\/p>\n

Ian Shinbrot is not a synagogue member. But over the past few years, he\u2019s become as connected to Jewish life as any congregant.<\/p>\n

In May, Shinbrot was named in the Jewish Lay Leader category at the Tribe 12 Jewish Philly Under 40 Awards. The group\u2019s description of the Northern Liberties resident stated that he bridged his \u201cpassions for running and Jewish heritage\u201d by founding The Philly Schvitzers, a running and walking group, last year.<\/p>\n

The Schvitzers gather on Sunday mornings, and either run 3.5 miles or walk for 30 minutes, depending on which part of the group members join that day. Shinbrot also hosts Shabbat dinners, attends Jewish networking events and organizes gatherings at Jewish and Israeli-owned businesses like Top Tomato Bar & Pizza in Center City. The walking and running group typically ends its morning at Federal Donuts or Kismet Bagels.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt definitely does enhance the connection, because you\u2019re with other people around the same age,\u201d Shinbrot said of his Jewish activities.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old wasn\u2019t always this connected. Before Oct. 7, 2023, he lived in the liminal Jewish space between youth and young family development. He was Jewish primarily by cultural identity.<\/p>\n

But after the Hamas attack on Israel, Shinbrot joined Philly Runners in Israel<\/a>, a running group organized by the Kaiserman JCC. The group planned to conclude its eight-session program by participating in an Israeli marathon, but low participation got in the way.<\/p>\n

Despite the complication, Shinbrot realized that, as Tribe 12 put it, he could connect his two passions. The realization motivated him to launch The Philly Schvitzers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely about community,\u201d Shinbrot said.<\/p>\n

The Northern Liberties resident began running as a student at Drexel University to relieve stress. Today, he works from home as a software consultant, so he continues to run as a way to relieve stress and leave the house.<\/p>\n

But when he joined Philly Runners in Israel, it also became a way to connect with others. He had been loosely engaged with young Jewish life in Center City before Oct. 7, occasionally attending services at Mekor Habracha and networking events with the Young Jewish Professionals group.<\/p>\n

But The Philly Schvitzers became Shinbrot\u2019s personal Sabbath: an entry point into weekly Jewish connection. It also deepened his approach of supporting Jewish and Israeli-owned businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess with everything going on, it seems like people don\u2019t like to go out of their way to support Jewish-owned businesses. If people find out it\u2019s a Jewish-owned business, it seems like people are less likely to support it,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel like it\u2019s important to support Jewish-owned businesses, even if they aren\u2019t public about how they are Jewish-owned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shinbrot also explained that Jews in the community are often more inclined to attend if they find out the group is supporting a Jewish establishment. Then, once they go to the business, they might learn about another, as Jewish business owners often recommend their friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess you can say it\u2019s a tighter-knit group of people. If you go to one Jewish restaurant, they might have connections with another Jewish place,\u201d Shinbrot said.<\/p>\n

Shinbrot has also expanded his running and walking group by hosting Shabbat dinners and attending Jewish networking events.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou go to other Jewish events in the city, and then people find out about the group, and they are excited to learn more about it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He also said The Schvitzers would welcome non-Jews, as long as they are allies to the Jewish community. That\u2019s important to Shinbrot, because he has seen what it\u2019s like when Jews are not surrounded by allies.<\/p>\n

He grew up in a Long Island town that didn\u2019t have many other Jews. One year for a holiday party at school, his mom wanted to make potato latkes, but it was suggested she make candy canes instead.<\/p>\n

But when Shinbrot moved to Manalapan, New Jersey, at age 9, he lived in a more mixed area and had both Jewish and non-Jewish friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think growing up in Long Island, where there weren\u2019t a lot of Jews, opened my eyes to how people saw certain things,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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