Mama's Falafel
Keystone-K certified
Kosher vegetarian - falafel & borekas · €
18 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
United States
Philadelphia
Center City/Society Hill is home to America's oldest continuous Jewish congregation (Mikveh Israel, est. 1740) alongside a modern Orthodox community, all within blocks of Independence Hall
Photo: 颐园居 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Candle lighting
17:51
10/23/2026
Havdalah
18:50
10/24/2026
This week's Torah portion
Parashat Lech-Lecha
7-day weather forecast
Accurate times for the upcoming Shabbat, calculated for this destination's location
Pick a day on your trip — we'll show candle-lighting, havdalah, parsha and daily times for that week
Eruv in Philadelphia: there is an eruv for Shabbat
The Center City eruv runs from Washington Avenue to Poplar Street and from I-95 to the Schuylkill River - Old City and the Liberty Bell included. The eruv is checked weekly - confirm its status before Shabbat.
Eruv map and weekly statusShabbat meals in Philadelphia
Most kosher restaurants close for Shabbat. Ask the Chabad house about Shabbat meals before you travel - ideally by Thursday.
Tip: book a stay within an easy walk of the Chabad house - for a relaxed meal and a short, pleasant stroll back.
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Hotels within an easy walk of a synagogue or Chabad house, for a calm, relaxed Shabbat.
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Photo: Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0Congregation Mikveh Israel
Spanish & Portuguese Sephardic (Orthodox)
44 N 4th St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Pennsylvania's oldest continuous synagogue, est. 1740Historic ties to the American Revolution
Historic Congregation B'nai Abraham
Ashkenazi Orthodox
523-527 Lombard St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Current building from 1910
For a restful Shabbat
Recommended hotels & apartments in Philadelphia
Available hotels and apartments in this destination, shown together with our synagogues, Chabad houses and mikvehs - so you can see at a glance what is within walking distance.
Hotels we've marked "mechanical key" offer a manual key by advance request - they're listed first below.
Compares prices across the major booking sites. The booking is made on the external site, not on BooKasher.
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Illustrative photoubeyonroad / UnsplashMorris House Hotel
Shabbat-ready
About 11 min walk to Historic Congregation B'nai Abraham.
Shabbat-observant travellers report a regular mechanical room key. Confirm with the hotel before booking.
Philadelphia Marriott Old City
★★★★
About 12 min walk to Congregation Mikveh Israel.
124USD / night
Short walk to Independence HallNot a certified kosher hotel
Illustrative photoLori Payne / UnsplashIndependence Park Hotel, BW Premier Collection
About 5 min walk to Congregation Mikveh Israel.
Illustrative photoTravel Adventures / StockSnapPenn's View Hotel
About 8 min walk to Congregation Mikveh Israel.
Illustrative photorawpixelWyndham Philadelphia Historic District
About 2 min walk to Congregation Mikveh Israel.
Near a synagogueCheck before you go
Illustrative photorawpixelKimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia
About 4 min walk to Congregation Mikveh Israel.
Near a synagogueCheck before you go
Illustrative photoubeyonroad / UnsplashKimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia
About 27 min walk to Congregation Mikveh Israel.
Check before you go
Plan your trip by dates and party
Stay, car, Shabbat and flights - tailored to a couple, family or group.
Guided Tours & Experiences
Guided tours, entry tickets and experiences in every destination - most with free cancellation, so you can plan ahead and still stay flexible around Shabbat and the chagim.
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The next step of the trip - a car, an airport transfer and a stay, ready to book from here.
Rent a car in Philadelphia
Compare prices across international and local rental companies at your destination - most bookings come with free cancellation.
Both sites compare rental companies - prices sometimes differ, so it's worth checking both.
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Book a private transfer from the airport to your hotel and back - a fixed price agreed in advance (no meter surprises), a driver waiting for you with a sign bearing your name, and no need to haggle or speak the local language.
External link - you'll get a final price quote before confirming.
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Before you fly to Philadelphia
Illustrative photoClaudio Schwarz / UnsplashAttraction tickets
Book ahead in Philadelphia - skip the ticket lines and keep more time for the trip.
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Data from the moment you land - directions to shul, WhatsApp with the Chabad house and table bookings, without hunting for a SIM at the airport.
Recommended- WhatsApp support
- 100 MB free to test at home
- Plans for 130+ countries
Help with installation and setup from anywhere in the world – by WhatsApp, phone or email.
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Mikveh Israel (1740), America's oldest continuous congregation, a few streets from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Mama's Falafel (Keystone-K) is lunch between the sites. A modern Orthodox community within the same radius. Reading Terminal Market: most stalls are not kosher. House of Kosher for groceries. Shabbat in Center City / Society Hill if you want to walk to Mikveh Israel.
Stay in the kosher area of Philadelphia
Philadelphia does not have one obvious Jewish quarter. Lubavitch of Center City (Chabad house listed on the site) is the anchor - book a hotel within walking distance of it rather than picking a random part of Philadelphia.
If you complete your booking there during this same visit, we earn a small referral commission from the partner - at no extra cost to you.
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This is an affiliate link. If you book through it we may earn a small commission - at no extra cost to you - that helps keep the site running.More about PhiladelphiaKosher Grocery Stores · Nearby destinations
Nearby destinations
More places in the region with a Jewish community and kosher food - to add to the trip.
Common questions about Philadelphia
- Where to eat kosher in Philadelphia?
- We list 2 kosher restaurants in Philadelphia, with supervision, address and directions.
- Where to pray in Philadelphia?
- There are 2 synagogues and 1 Chabad houses in Philadelphia, with addresses and prayer times when available.
- Where to stay within walking distance of a synagogue in Philadelphia?
- Hotels and apartments in Philadelphia, with walking-distance-to-shul notes when we have them.
- When is candle lighting in Philadelphia?
- Candle lighting and Havdalah in Philadelphia are calculated for the destination and updated every week.
- Where can I eat on Shabbat in Philadelphia?
- Most kosher restaurants close for Shabbat. Before you travel, ask the Chabad house (Lubavitch of Center City) about Shabbat meals in Philadelphia - many host guests, and all can point you to what the community offers.