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30-545: Upper Uwchlan Township ( / ˈ juː k l ən / ; [ˈɪuxlan] ) is a township in Chester County , Pennsylvania , United States. The population was 11,227 at the 2010 census . The township included the community of Milford Mills before it was inundated by the creation of the Marsh Creek Dam in 1972. The main population center of the township has grown surrounding the historic Eagle Tavern at

60-507: A chaplain at Norristown State Hospital , and taught Hebrew at Arcadia University . Charney retired in 2015, though continued to instruct Bar and bat mitzvah candidates, and died in 2019. The congregation purchased its current property at 385 Pottstown Pike ( Route 100 ) in Upper Uwchlan Township in 1989. Construction on a new synagogue building there began in 1994 and completed in 1995. Designed by Callori Architects,

90-414: A double life, she had enjoyed her time with the synagogue and found it very rewarding). Now she informed Beth Israel's board of directors that she and her partner were planning to have children and that she wanted co-parenting leave, and by her subsequent account, each board member privately indicated they were okay with this but that the other board members were not ready for such a development. She left

120-657: A family was $ 101,895. Males had a median income of $ 76,206 versus $ 37,404 for females. The per capita income for the township was $ 33,256. About 2.0% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over. Upper Uwchlan Township is in the Downingtown Area School District . Residents are within the Brandywine-Wallace, Pickering Valley, Shamona Creek, and Springton Manor elementary boundaries. The township

150-594: A new synagogue building there, completed in 1924. After World War II, an extension to the building added a chapel/library and classrooms, and expanded the kitchen and social hall. Elihu Schagrin was rabbi from 1945 to 1953. Born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1918, he was ordained at the Reform Jewish Institute of Religion in 1946. During his tenure at Beth Israel he also served as chaplain of Coatesville's Veterans Hospital , and, from 1949 on,

180-479: A non-Conservative rabbi in itself was not unusual, however; due in part to a shortage of Conservative rabbis, a fifth of all Conservative synagogues in the U.S. had non-Conservative rabbis in place. While Holtzman believed in the tenets of the Reconstructionist movement, she said that members of the congregation could choose to follow either traditional or nontraditional ideas. Beth Israel's membership

210-1201: A tax collector and, in many townships, a panel of three auditors who annually audit all township accounts. The supervisors or commissioners of the township appoint a secretary and a treasurer, and may also appoint a township manager to coordinate township employees and operations. County governments may provide some or all municipal services to residents of townships, regardless of class and size, including trash collection or sewage processing. Some counties, though, leave individual municipalities to provide their own services; in some instances small groups of boroughs or townships may pool their resources to provide water, police, or other functions. The main areas of local services include police and fire protection, maintenance of local roads and streets, water supply, sewage collection and treatment, parking and traffic control, local planning and zoning, parks and recreation, garbage collection, health services, libraries, licensing of businesses and code enforcement. All municipalities in Pennsylvania, however, rely on county and state organized courts for probate, criminal, and civil court services. Under

240-508: A township of the first class and operate under the powers of the First Class Township Code, a township must have a population density of 300 inhabitants per square mile (120/km ) and voters therein must approve the change of classification in a referendum. The classes of townships differ primarily in the form of their administration. Townships of the second class are governed by a board of supervisors, elected at large by

270-615: Is divided into two secondary boundaries: Downingtown Middle School and Downingtown West High School , and Lionville Middle School and Downingtown East High School . St. Elizabeth School of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia is in the township. Windsor Christian Academy is in the township. As of 2019, there were 67.81 miles (109.13 km) of public roads in Upper Uwchlan Township, of which 4.00 miles (6.44 km) were maintained by

300-574: Is located at 100 Fellowship Road, at Pottstown Pike. Just south of it, on Pottstown Pike, is Beth Israel Congregation of Chester County (founded 1904), Upper Uwchlan's only synagogue . Township (Pennsylvania) A township , under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , is the lowest level of municipal incorporation of government. All of Pennsylvania's communities outside of incorporated cities , boroughs , and one town have been incorporated into individual townships that serve as

330-602: The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC), 4.28 miles (6.89 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 59.53 miles (95.80 km) were maintained by the township. The Pennsylvania Turnpike , also known as I-76 , is the most prominent highway serving Upper Uwchlan Township. It follows a northwest-southeast alignment through the center of the township. Pennsylvania Route 100 follows

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360-402: The U.S. Census Bureau , the township has a total area of 11.6 square miles (30 km), of which 10.8 square miles (28 km) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km), or 7.33%, is water. At the 2010 census, the township was 80.8% non-Hispanic White, 1.4% Black or African American, 14.1% Asian, and 1.3% were two or more races. 2.4% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. In

390-704: The 17th century during the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania prior to the American Revolution . Much of the province was then occupied by Native Americans , but the colonial administration in Philadelphia brought new counties and new settlements regularly. The first communities defined by the provincial state government tended to be rural, geographically large, and sparsely populated townships. Townships or portions of them tended to become boroughs after population growth or an increase in population density and, eventually, might to reincorporate at

420-830: The 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m ) facility houses a sanctuary, chapel/library, and school wing. Behind the school wing is a Holocaust memorial garden. Jon Cutler became the rabbi of Beth Israel in 2015. A native of Philadelphia, he graduated from Temple University in with a Masters of Arts in Religious Studies, and was ordained by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. He then earned his Doctor of Ministry (Counseling) from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion . He previously served in congregations in Flemington, New Jersey and Warrington, Pennsylvania . Cutler also had

450-570: The Pennsylvania constitution, each governmental entity has the right to choose its own form of self-government, and a limited ability to delegate powers and oversight to such entities as authorities, commissions and school boards. Any township, regardless of its class, may adopt a home rule charter, at which point it is no longer governed by the Pennsylvania Township Codes. While a home rule charter can incorporate unusual features, standard municipal functions are generally part of

480-464: The Pottstown Pike along a north-south alignment through the east and northeast portion of the township. Pennsylvania Route 401 follows Conestoga Road along a northwest-southeast alignment across the northeastern corner of the township. Windsor Baptist Church, founded in 1833 is located in the township at 213 Little Conestoga Road, in the village of Eagle. Saint Elizabeth, a Catholic church,

510-823: The characteristics of more-urbanized areas that might be associated with "towns." Because Pennsylvania's constitution provides for a progression of municipal structures based on population growth, it is not uncommon to have a township and borough of the same or similar name, generally adjacent within the same county. The 'town-like' borough might be partially or wholly surrounded by the remaining township from which it had split off. The government of Cold Spring Township ceased to function in 1961, when there were no candidates for office. Pennsylvania townships typically vary in size from 6 to 40 square miles (16–104 km ). There are two classifications of townships, first class and second class. The commonwealth initially incorporates all townships as second class townships. To become

540-432: The electorate of the whole township for overlapping six-year terms. The number of supervisors can be increased to five by referendum. Townships of the first class, by contrast, have a board of commissioners. Between five and fifteen commissioners sit on this panel; they can be elected either at large or by wards within the township; and they serve for overlapping terms of four years in office. Other elected officials include

570-686: The fact that it was a Conservative synagogue. The executive vice president of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly , Rabbi Wolfe Kelman , described the appointment as "an historical breakthrough and simply fantastic", and felt that other synagogues would be encouraged to follow suit. At the time, the Rabbinical Assembly did not accept women as members, and the Conservative movement did not ordain its first woman rabbi— Amy Eilberg —until 1985. The hiring of

600-590: The growing numbers of women who have faced obstacles in becoming a rabbi-in-charge", and quoted Holtzman as saying "the fact that I have an appointment in a small town and that they have entrusted me with functions they believe are important is very significant for women and for the Jewish community". At the time, there were only 22 female rabbis in the entire world. Beth Israel hired the Reconstructionist-ordained Holtzman despite

630-549: The intersection of Route 100 and Little Conestoga Road. This major unincorporated community is known as the village of Eagle , but also sometimes known as Uwchlan. That is the address of the local post office. The Byers Station Historic District , West Vincent Highlands Historic District , Larkin Covered Bridge , and Wheelen House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . According to

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660-455: The legal entities providing local self-government functions. In general, townships in Pennsylvania encompass larger land areas than other municipalities , and tend to be located in suburban , exurban , or rural parts of the commonwealth. As with other incorporated municipalities in Pennsylvania, townships exist within counties and are subordinate to or dependent upon the county level of government. Townships in Pennsylvania were created in

690-548: The level of city. Initially, each municipal organization begins as a second-class township. When a sufficient population density, currently 300 people per square mile, was attained, the township had the option of holding a referendum and, if it passed, became a first-class township. The municipality could proceed to the level of borough or city in a similar fashion. Historically, this progression has often included border adjustments or mergers with other boroughs or townships. Many communities remain townships in spite of growth that brings

720-585: The mix regardless of how offices and powers are allocated within the jurisdiction. "Citizen's Guide to Pennsylvania Local Government, 2010" Beth Israel Congregation of Chester County Linda Joy Holtzman was appointed rabbi in 1979, the first female rabbi appointed to lead a Conservative congregation in the United States. Holtzman served until 1985, and was succeeded by Michael Charney. The congregation purchased its current property in 1989, and completed its facility there in 1995. Charney

750-526: The presiding or senior rabbi of a synagogue, following Michal Bernstein . She was the first woman to serve as a rabbi for a Conservative congregation, as the Conservative movement did not then ordain women. The Reform and Reconstructionist movements had previously ordained at least ten women rabbis, but (aside from Bernstein) they all served as assistant rabbis, hospital chaplains, or directors of university campus Hillel organizations. The New York Times described her hiring as "a marked breakthrough for

780-746: The synagogue and later that year became spiritual leader of Beth Ahavah, an LGBT congregation in Center City, Philadelphia . Holtzman was succeeded as rabbi in 1985 by Michael Charney. The son and grandson of rabbis, he was ordained at the Reform Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, and served congregations in Clearwater, Florida and Bowie, Maryland before coming to Beth Israel. While serving at Beth Israel, he also work as

810-413: The township, the population was spread out, with 35.0% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 4.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males. The median income for a household in the township was $ 96,711, and the median income for

840-506: Was 125 families by 1983, and the synagogue building also housed B'nai B'rith and Hadassah chapters. Holtzman served at Beth Israel until 1985, when her contract was up for renegotiation. She had been living in Philadelphia and commuting to Coatesville for several years; although she and her lesbian partner had had an open commitment ceremony in Philadelphia, she had not yet come out to her congregation (but despite living something of

870-602: Was president of the Greater Coatesville Inter-Racial Committee. In 1953 he moved to Temple Concord of Binghamton, New York. In 1979, the congregation (which now numbered 110 families) hired Linda Joy Holtzman as rabbi. She had been ordained that year by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College , and was one of thirty applicants. She became the second woman in the United States to serve as

900-565: Was succeeded in 2015 by Jon Cutler. Beth Israel was founded in 1904 as Kesher Israel by Jewish immigrants to Coatesville, Pennsylvania from Eastern Europe. It established a Sunday school and purchased a cemetery in 1907, and was formally chartered as "Beth Israel" by the Chester County Court of Common Pleas in 1916. The congregation purchased land on Fifth Avenue and Harmony Street in Coatesville in 1923, and constructed

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