Phillip Saperia has spent his professional career in the non-profit sector, including his longest position as executive director of the Coalition of Behavioral Health Agencies. In this role, Phillip worked to get policies passed, lobbied, and coordinated resources to advocate for mental health and substance abuse services. Phillip worked in Jewish politics for the first half of his life and his desire to fulfill his own spiritual needs led him to the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue where he met Ellen Lippmann. They became close friends and when Ellen began her own synagogue, he became super involved. Phillip was the second president of Kolot and also served as treasurer. He is most proud of the spiritual quality of Kolot, the friends and community, and the alignment of social justice with Jewish living and learning. Ellen Lippmann and Lisa Segal officiated the wedding for him and his husband of 48 years. He loves that the community was there for such an important event and his husband, although not Jewish, still lights candles with him every Friday and they partake in various Jewish traditions together. Three words he would use to describe himself are community-participating progressive Jew.

In this interview, Phillip discusses his connection with Kolot Chayeinu as one of the congregation’s earliest members and its second president. Phillip eloquently describes how he expanded his identity as a political member of the Jewish community to become a more spiritual person. He has been an active member of Kolot Chayeinu since 1993 and has built very strong connections with fellow members, including the founder and original rabbi, Ellen Lippman. He helped develop the synagogue’s mission and values statement and raise funds as the Treasurer of the congregation. While Phillip no longer has a leadership position, he admires the work of Kolot’s various working groups and commitment to diversity. Phillip acknowledges the challenge of being a virtual member of the congregation due to the Covid-19 pandemic and his move to New Jersey with his husband.