On December 8, Philadelphia's Congregation Rodeph Shalom broke ground on a significant new addition and renovation to its historic home. Founded in 1795, Rodeph Shalom is the oldest Ashkenazic congregation in the Western Hemisphere. Its current synagogue building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and, while it is an outstanding example of Byzantine revival architecture, the congregation's rapid growth created the need for more space, enhanced connectivity, and increased accessibility throughout the building. Through a series of renovations, as well as the addition of a four-story expansion, Rodeph Shalom will become a welcoming house of prayer, study, and social action that is both respectful of the existing building's storied history and flexible enough to accommodate the congregation's continued growth and development.