Mem Global today announced the launch of Base Philly, a new space for local Jewish young adults in their 20s and 30s to gather and enjoy Shabbat dinners, discussions, pastoral care, and meaningful programs. Rabbi Arielle Krule and her husband, Jackson Krule, will lead Base Philly and open up their house for the meals and events, creating a warm, home-based setting designed to help participants build lasting connections during one of the most formative periods of adult life.

Base is Mem Global’s network of rabbinic homes where Jewish life is built through hospitality, authentic relationships, and meaningful Jewish experiences. Rather than asking young adults to find community within traditional institutions, Base brings Jewish community into spaces where people can gather regularly, celebrate together, wrestle with big questions, and find support through every stage of life.

Philadelphia has become an increasingly attractive destination for young professionals, graduate students, medical residents, artists, entrepreneurs, and others building their futures. As more young adults choose the city for its universities, hospitals, affordability, and vibrant neighborhoods, many arrive without established Jewish networks. Base Philly seeks to fill that gap by providing a welcoming, relationship-centered community while also serving as a bridge into the city’s broader Jewish ecosystem.

“Our vision is to create the kind of Jewish home that becomes part of the fabric of people’s lives and helps them live lives of greater connection, joy, and purpose,” said Rabbi Arielle Krule, head of Base Philly. “We hope Base Philly becomes a front porch for Jewish life — a place where someone can come for their first Shabbat dinner, meet lifelong friends, discover a love of Torah, celebrate milestones, find support through difficult moments, and then be connected into the broader Jewish community across Philadelphia.”

For the Krules, launching Base Philadelphia is also deeply personal, as Philadelphia has played a meaningful role in shaping both of their families’ histories.  Arielle’s family established roots in South Philadelphia in the 1930s, where her great-grandparents helped build a synagogue and later generations became known for the neighborhood supermarket that welcomed customers by name. Jackson’s maternal grandparents both attended the University of Pennsylvania after his grandfather returned from serving in World War II. They met through Penn’s Jewish community, at a Jewish dance, beginning a relationship and a connection to Philadelphia that would shape their lives and family for generations. 

“Returning to Philadelphia feels like our chance to continue that story,” Krule added. “We are grateful for the opportunity to help build the next chapter of Jewish life in the same city that shaped generations of our own family.”

Together, the Krules bring more than fifteen years of experience creating Jewish community. Rabbi Krule has served as a rabbi, educator, clinical social worker, and founder of Selah– a Jewish community for people in recovery and those who love them– accompanying individuals through learning, life transitions, and community building. Jackson Krule has worked as a photographer, storyteller, educator, and researcher, helping Jewish organizations better understand and engage their communities through creativity and authentic storytelling.

Their decision to launch a Base was also shaped by personal experience. Nearly a decade ago, they participated in New York Bases programming themselves, witnessing firsthand how rabbis could build thriving Jewish communities through hospitality, consistency, and genuine relationships. That experience inspired their own vision of Jewish leadership and ultimately led them to bring the model to Philadelphia.

“We are so excited for this moment for Jewish Philadelphia,” said Rabbanit Dasi Fruchter of the South Philadelphia Shtiebel. “Rabbi Arielle Krule is such a talented community builder and she will add to the landscape tremendously by creating incredible opportunities for connection, growth and transformation for Jews in their 20s and 30s. Rabbi Krule’s leadership is grounded in collaboration and abundance and I can’t wait for her to be a part of our growing ecosystem.” 

At Base Philly, the Krules envision Friday night dinners where first-time guests become regulars, close friendships are formed, and those friendships grow into lifelong sources of support. They hope to cultivate a community where Jewish learning continues long after dessert, where participants feel comfortable exploring all kinds of Jewish, and where hospitality, service, and celebration reinforce one another.

“We hope Base Philly becomes a place where people are accompanied through the ordinary and extraordinary moments of adulthood, such as career changes, relationships, grief, joy, life milestones, difficult questions, and everything in between,” Krule added. “Years from now, we hope people remember that this was where they found friends, discovered a Jewish practice that felt authentic, and built the foundation for the Jewish lives they continue to lead.”

Base Philly joins a growing network of Base communities that are helping thousands of young adults build meaningful Jewish lives through home-based hospitality, learning, celebration, and community.

The launch of Base Philly has been made possible through the generous support of Micah Philanthropies, Ann and Jeremy Pava, Trustees; the Bernard and Etta Weinberg Fund; Anonymous Foundation; and Tribe12.