Christmas Day is Thursday this year, and with it comes a wave of closures across the Philadelphia region. If you’re planning last-minute errands or outings, knowing what’s open, and what’s not, will save you time and frustration.
Trash and recycling collection will be impacted, with pickups running one day behind schedule all week.
From city services and grocery stores to pharmacies and big-box retailers, here’s your guide to navigating holiday hours in Philadelphia.
City government offices
❌ City of Philadelphia government offices will be closed Dec. 25.
Free Library of Philadelphia
❌ The Free Library will be closed Dec. 25.
Food sites
✅ / ❌ Holidays may impact hours of operation. Visit phila.gov/food to view specific site schedules and call ahead before visiting.
Trash collection
❌ No trash and recycling collections on Christmas Day. Collections will be picked up one day behind the regular schedule all week. To find your trash and recycling collection day, go to phila.gov.
❌ UPS, FedEx, and DHL will be closed Christmas Day. There will be no delivery or pickup services either, except for critical services.
Banks
❌ Most, if not all, banks including TD Bank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Chase Bank, and PNC Bank will be closed on Christmas Day.
Pharmacies
CVS
✅ CVS locations will operate on modified business hours for Christmas Day with most open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call ahead to your local store before visiting or view hours at cvs.com/store-locator/landing.
Walgreens
✅ Walgreens locations will be open but hours have not been announced — check your local store at walgreens.com/storelocator.
Eduard “Teddy” Einstein, a beloved professor and mathematician, was biking home from a haircut when a driver killed him earlier this month.
Einstein, 38, was struck and killed by the 18-year-old driver on Dec. 3 while riding his bicycle on Providence Road in Upper Darby. No charges have been filed in Einstein’s death, according to Upper Darby police, but an investigation is continuing, and police said the driver cooperated with police at the scene of the crash.
The West Philadelphia husband and father of two young children, Charlie and Lorcan, was known for his sharp wit, encouraging students, and scouring cities for the most interesting, and spiciest, foods. Einstein was, above all else, dedicated to his family.
“He didn’t need much more than me and the boys. It was like he was my home, and I was his,” Einstein’s wife, Ruth Fahey, 45, said. ”That’s kind of how we agreed that we would move around the country together as a family, and it was wonderfully freeing.”
Teddy Einstein (left) reading a book to his son while the family cat plays with his arm. Einstein was a devoted husband and father who covered the lion’s share of storytelling and bedtime, but especially cooking, as he was an avid chef who liked trying new recipes, his wife Ruth Fahey said. Einstein was killed on Dec. 3, 2025, while riding his bike in a bike lane when he was hit by a driver on Providence Road in Upper Darby, Pa.
Born in Santa Monica, Calif., Einstein graduated from Harvard-Westlake School before receiving a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Pomona College, a master’s in mathematics from University of California, Santa Barbara, and his Ph.D. from Cornell University. He would go on to hold postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh, where he taught, and most recently completed a three-year teaching term at Swarthmore College.
“He loved mathematics and wrote a first-rate thesis,” said Einstein’s Ph.D. adviser, Jason Manning. “Many mathematicians, even those who write a good thesis, don’t do much after graduate school. But Teddy’s work really accelerated during his postdoc at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and he was doing even more exciting work when he passed.”
His colleagues describe a mathematician working at, to put it simply, the intersection of algebra and geometry. Building on the work of mathematicians before him, including modern geometric breakthroughs in years past, Einstein studied abstract 3D shapes that cannot be visually represented in the real world. Work like that of Einstein and others contributes to a tool chest of solutions that scientists can use to study physics, neuroscience, and more.
“It is a terrible loss, especially to his family,” Manning said. “But also to his part of the mathematics community.”
Teddy Einstein (right) holds his second-born, Lorcan, soon after he was born.
As his term at Swarthmore ended earlier this year, Einstein had been working on research that was seven years in the making, Fahey said. This would help springboard him into the next chapter of his career.
Fahey said the day he was killed, Einstein was biking back from a fresh haircut to impress his potential new employers at Florida Gulf Coast University.
Mr. Einstein’s work ethic matched his appetite for camaraderie. He fed grad students out of his tiny Cornell kitchen and hosted a weekly trivia night. That is where he met Fahey. “He just loved to entertain with food,” she said.
Every week, he cooked for Fahey and the boys, from his prized favorites of Korean short ribs and fried chicken to testing out falafel recipes. A keg of home-brewed beer was always in the house so that Einstein could share his creations with friends. Fahey said his most recent yeast yield is still waiting to be processed.
Maddie Adams-Miller, who took Einstein’s math classes in her freshman year at Swarthmore, said her funny and wise math teacher never wanted to see a student fail.
“I loved talking to my friends from high school and telling them I had ‘Professor Einstein’ for math. Teddy always wore funny T-shirts to class and made a lot of jokes,” said Adams-Miller, now a senior. “When I was taking his course, I was struggling with my confidence and was not performing my best academically. Teddy reached out to me to offer support and genuinely wanted me to succeed in his class.”
Teddy Einstein (left) holds his eldest son, Charlie, while he walks down a flight of steps wearing the usual safety gear that he wore while riding his bike. The precautions Einstein took to bike safely weren’t enough to stop a driver from crashing into him on Providence Road in Upper Darby earlier this month, leaving his wife, Ruth Fahey, and their two sons without a father.
An avid cyclist who biked everywhere and advocated for safer streets, Einstein was killed doing one of the activities he loved most. Philly Bike Action, an advocacy organization that Einstein and his wife frequented and his friend Jacob Russell organizes for, shared that he was hit by the driver while riding in an unprotected bike lane and wearing a helmet and high-visibility clothing.
“But there will never be a helmet strong enough or a clothing bright enough to make up for dangerous infrastructure. All Philadelphians deserve the freedom to travel without fear of tragedy,” the group said in a statement.
Russell believes safety improvements will not come solely from attempting to change laws or behavior, but rather by changing the road infrastructure, so that even “when mistakes happen, there aren’t tragedies,” he said.
A screenshot, dated July 2024, from Google Maps showing the intersection where Teddy Einstein was killed on Dec. 3, 2025, in Upper Darby, Pa.
Providence Road, where Einstein was hit and where he biked weekly, is considered a dangerous road by local planning commissions, appearing on the Regional High Injury Network map as a thoroughfare where multiple people have died or been seriously injured in vehicle, pedestrian, or bicycle crashes. Delaware County is currently in the process of onboarding most of its townships onto a “Vision Zero” plan to end all traffic fatalities by 2050 — similar to Philadelphia’s own Vision Zero.
The Delaware County Planning Commission said the county does not own the roads, which are overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation or specific municipalities; however, officials are “actively working to obtain additional funding for further safety improvements, and are continuing to work with our partners in our 49 municipalities on either our Vision Zero plan or to help them develop their own,” said Delco spokesperson Michael Connolly.
Fahey said she won’t rest until Providence Road’s lack of safety is addressed and will continue campaigning for safety improvements in Philadelphia.
A GoFundMe has been set up for Fahey to help fund efforts to protect Einstein’s legacy as a teacher and advocate, as well as to invest in campaigns to make streets safer, with an emphasis on the road where Einstein was killed. It has already raised more than $60,000.
In addition to his wife and children, Einstein is survived by his parents, K. Alice Chang and Thomas Einstein, and siblings, Michael Einstein and Lily Einstein. The family encouraged people to donate to Fahey’s GoFundMe to honor Einstein’s legacy.
Rabbi Mendel Mangel spoke Sunday during at an event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.
The lighting of the menorah at Barclay Farms Shopping Center on Sunday was full of symbolism, not only for the holiday, but as Jewish people came together in the wake of a deadly attack on Australians celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.
“Light in the face of darkness is a lot of what Judaism is about,” one attendee said at the 32nd annual Hanukkah event, organized by Chabad Lubavitch of Camden County.
Roughly 100 people gathered on the snowy evening to show their support for those injured and killed earlier that day, while leaders, including Mayor David Fleisher, called for resilience.
“In a day like today, when there’s so much darkness, in the last year, too, and the pain and the suffering, evil, and cruelty — the message is that light can dispel all of that,” said Chabad Rabbi Mendel Mangel.
Santa has been making his way through the township, accompanied by the Cherry Hill Fire Department, and even snow and freezing temperatures couldn’t keep residents from running out of their homes to greet him or pose for photos. “Santa brings the spirit,” one said. The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner joined the big man recently for the beloved tradition.
The township has been awarded an $800,000 grant from the state’s Safe Streets to Transit Program for fiscal 2026. The funds, awarded last week by Gov. Phil Murphy, will support pedestrian improvements along Brace and Kresson Roads. The township isalready working on other roadway improvements for pedestrians. Last month, the county broke ground on a $7.5 million improvement project along Kresson Road between Browning Lane to Cropwell Road that includes upgrades to traffic signals, adding sidewalks and ADA curb ramps, and the installation of dedicated bike lanes.
Cherry Hill-based nonprofit Bancroft, which provides services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has named its next president and CEO. Gregory Passanante, who has held roles at Shriners Children’s Hospital Philadelphia and Wills Eye Hospital, will starton Jan. 7.
Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital is among New Jersey’s 2026 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care, according to a new ranking from U.S. News & World Report released last week.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Science scores statewide in last year’s New Jersey Student Learning Assessments rose above pre-pandemic levels for the first time, according to an NJ.com analysis. In math and English language arts, however, scores remained below pre-pandemic testing levels. At both East and West, students scored below the state average in Algebra I. In Algebra II and Geometry, East students scored above state averages, while West students scored below. Most of the district’s elementary schools scored at or above state averages in two math categories. (NJ.com)
The Courier Post has identified two Cherry Hill East boys basketball players to watch this season: Chris Abreu, the “heart and soul of the Cougars,” and Jamieson Young, who made a splash during his inaugural season last year.
Reminder for families: Winter break begins next week with an early dismissal on Tuesday. Schools are then closed until Jan. 5. See the district’s full calendar here.
🍽️ On our Plate
Chef Greg Vernick is teaming up with fellow Cherry Hill native Meredith Medoway to open his latest restaurant, this one in Kensington. The restaurateur behind Vernick Food & Drink, where Medoway is chef de cuisine, and Vernick Fish is planning to open Emilia in early 2026. The neighborhood trattoria will have a seasonal menu that includes house-made pasta and live-fire cooking.
Several Cherry Hill steakhouses are among the best South Jersey spots to find a great steak, according to the Courier Post. The outlet noted that The Capital Grille is a “classy, upscale” option, as is fellow mall restaurant Eddie V’s Prime Seafood. Steak 38 and The Pub in Pennsauken also made the list.
Voorhees-based Saddlehill Winery recently opened a pop-up kiosk at the Cherry Hill Mall, where it has what director of wine operations and sales Julie Pierre calls a “secondary tasting room.” It will remain open for about three more weeks. (Patch)
🎳 Things to Do
💰 Estates Roadshow Buying Event: Have unwanted goods you think might be valuable? Buyers will assess your goods and make offers on the spot during this five-day event. ⏰ Through Friday, Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍DoubleTree by Hilton Cherry Hill Philadelphia
📚 Teen Winter Lock-In: Kids in sixth through 12th grade can hang out at the library after hours, reading, playing games, and eating pizza. Registration is required. ⏰ Friday, Dec. 19, 4:30-6:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Cherry Hill Public Library
🛍️ Curate Noir Holiday Market Pop-Up Expo: Snag last-minute holiday gifts at this two-day pop-up at the mall that features local small businesses. ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 20, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 21, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Cherry Hill Mall
🛼 A Grinchy Christmas Skate Party: A candy cane limbo and “steal the presents” relay highlight this skate party. ⏰ Tuesday, Dec. 23, 6:30-9 p.m. 💵 $2 admission, $6 skate rental 📍Hot Wheelz
This Erlton Cape Cod-style home packs a lot into a small space. The first floor has an updated kitchen with an island and a dining area adjacent to the living room, as well as a bedroom and full bathroom. There are two bedrooms and another full bathroom upstairs, and a finished basement downstairs. Outside, the home has a patio and covered porch, and there’s a fenced-in yard with two decks and an above-ground pool out back. There’s an open house Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
As Jews around the world celebrate Hanukkah, a deadly attack in Australia has shocked Jewish communities in the Philadelphia region, leading some to increase security at services.
Authorities said two gunmen opened fire at an event on Bondi Beach in Sydney at 6:45 p.m. local time, killing at least 15 people.
Rabbi Yitzchok Kahan of the Chabad in Medford said the attack on a Chabad Hanukkah celebration in Australia was devastating.
Kahan’s son Yosef is studying in and running youth programs in Melbourne, and had communicated with one of the victims shortly before the attack. A yeshiva student who was later shot in the attack had asked Yosef Kahan to deliver menorahs to Melbourne residents, Yitzchok Kahan said.
“The fact that it comes as we Jews are beginning the holiday that conveys just the opposite of what this did — it conveys light. It conveys positivity. It conveys making a difference in a good and kind way,” Yitzchok Kahan said. “So the message we must take from it: not to capitulate to darkness, not to capitulate to hate; rather to strengthen our commitment, our dedication to who we are as Jews.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, said the story of Hanukkah is “a story of resilience and strength in the face of adversity, and one that reminds us to be proud of our faith. Those lessons are so important today.”
Shapiro was the target of an assassination attempt in April, when a man set the governor’s mansion ablaze while Shapiro and his family slept, hours after celebrating Passover. Cody Balmer, who told investigators that he harbored a “hatred” for the governor, pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the attack.
On Sunday, Shapiro urged Pennsylvanians to “pray for the loved ones of those killed and for a full recovery for those injured in Australia and continue to bring light into the world.”
The frigid weather in Cherry Hill did not dissuade some 100 people from coming out to the Barclay Farms Shopping Center for Chabad Lubavitch of Camden County’s 32nd annual Hanukkah celebration with a menorah lighting ceremony, car parade, latkes, hot chocolate, and LED sticks.
Rabbi Mendel Mangel, founder and codirector of the Chabad, addressed the crowd of bundled-up families alongside his son Laizer Mangel and his father, Nissen Mangel, a survivor of the Holocaust who lives in Brooklyn.
“I spent two years beginning my rabbinical ordination in a yeshiva in Sydney, Australia, and I know some of those friends, some of those fellows, [whose] lives were cut short today, no different than it was 2,000 years ago,” he said, referencing the origins of the holiday. “But my friends, we know we never back down in the sight of evil. While they take out the fires of AK-47 we take out the fire of light, of holiness and goodness.”
Cherry Hill Mayor David Fleisher and other local officials joined the event as well.
“Very simply, I want you to know that we will light the menorah as a celebration,” said Fleisher. “Tonight, we will light the menorah with determination, and tonight, we will light the menorah in defiance of hate and in the belief that life will prevail.”
They prayed for the recovery of those injured in Australia.
Rabbi Laizer Mangel helped organize the event, and said it was particularly painful to learn of the attack on another Chabad, which is a Jewish outreach organization with local affiliates around the world.
The audience watches the lighting of 18 ft. menorah by Chabad Lubavitch in Cherry Hill Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025.
Mangel said Cherry Hill police planned to provide additional security for the celebration.
The Cherry Hill Chabad has increased security over time as a result of previous antisemitic attacks, Laizer Mangel said. Its security team met Sunday to discuss taking further steps as a result of the Australia attack, though hadn’t made a final decision on what they would be, he said.
For Jonathan Bloom, 57, a Cherry Hill resident who works in finance, it was an emotional evening that brought him to tears. It was his first time attending the menorah lighting ceremony.
“There’s not a lot of Jewish people in the world, so it’s important that I show strength,” Bloom said.
Danielle Margulis, 42, a financial planner in Mount Laurel, brought her 6-year old daughter Raya to participate in the car parade for a third year in a row. They had already planned to attend, but following the Sydney events, she felt it was “even more important” to show youth “that you have to persevere,” she said.
“Light in the face of darkness is a lot of what Judaism is about,” Margulis added.
Mendel Mangel founded the Chabad Lubavitch of Camden County in 1993, shortly after he studied in Sydney in the late 1980s. One of the victims in the shooting was the son-in-law of a close mentor.
“It’s very, very painful, but you know, I’m sure I hold hands with people around the entire world — Jews, non-Jews alike — who are disgusted by this kind of evil, this absolute hatred for no reason,” said Mendel Mangel. “In a day like today, when there’s so much darkness, in the last year, too, and the pain and the suffering, evil, and cruelty — the message is that light can dispel all of that.
“I would add how proud I am of our community to come out and celebrate. It’s very impressive to see that we all get together and hold hands and support each other, and generations support each other. We’ve overcome hardships in the past, and we will overcome hardships again.”
An 18 ft. menorah is lighted for Hanukkah by Chabad Lubavitch in Cherry Hill Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement he was horrified by the attack, adding that antisemitism is a growing global problem that must be condemned forcefully and unequivocally.
Murphy said that while there were no specific threats to New Jersey at this time, “out of an abundance of caution, we are boosting security at synagogues and community Hanukkah celebrations throughout the state.”
Murphy directed state officials to meet Sunday with rabbis concerned about the safety and security of their houses of worship.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia said in a statement it and other Jewish federations were “on full alert” for holiday celebrations in their communities, and working with local law enforcement.
“We will use every tool at our disposal to make sure our communities are safe and that our lights burn all the brighter,” the statement read.
In Montgomery County, Chabad of Penn Wynne planned a menorah lighting Sunday at the Penn Wynne Library.
“Darkness does not win by force — it loses when light appears,” said Rabbi Moshe Brennan.
A Philadelphia city police spokesperson said the department is actively monitoring the situation after the Australia attack, and maintaining communication with law enforcement partners.
“We will continue to be vigilant in safeguarding our local Jewish places of worship to ensure the safety of all community members,” the spokesperson said, adding that there is no known connection to Philadelphia with the attack.
Staff writer Gillian McGoldrick contributed to this report.
Bancroft, a South Jersey nonprofit provider of services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has hired Gregory Passanante to succeed Toni Pergolin as president and CEO.
Passanante, who will be the 10th president in the organization’s 143-year history, is scheduled to start Jan. 7.
Since 2023, Passanante has been northeast market administrator for Shriners Children’s Hospital Philadelphia. Before that, he was chief nursing officer at Wills Eye Hospital.
Passanante will take over a Cherry-Hill-based organization that is in solid financial condition, especially compared to 2004 when Pergolin arrived as chief financial officer and had to worry about making payroll because the organization was so weak financially.
In the 12 months that ended June 30, the nonprofit had operating income of $13 million on $284 million in revenue, according to its audited financial statement. Bancroft had 1,642 clients and employed 2,853 people on a full-time basis at the end of the fiscal year.
David Ascalon’s sculpture, called “Totem,” is located near the entrance to the Cherry Hill Public Library.
The Cherry Hill Public Library brims with more than just books. It also houses an impressive collection of art, both within and outside its walls. One such work, an 8-foot-tall bronze statue, has long caught the eye of township resident David Jastrow.
His daughters even came up with a nickname for it: The “mixed-up elephant.”
Wondering about its meaning, Jastrow reached out to Curious Cherry Hill, where Inquirer reporters set out to answer reader questions from around town.
This week, The Inquirer’s Henry Savage found out how the abstract piece came to reside near the library’s entrance and how its creator wants it to be interpreted.
Gerald S. Yashinsky, a 51-year-old Cherry Hill man, died after being hit by a car Monday night when crossing Haddonfield Road near Yale Avenue. The driver is cooperating with investigators.
The cost of collecting and disposing trash for Cherry Hill will jump $1.4 million in January. Mayor Dave Fleisher said the township has accounted for the increase — about $12.4 million over the next five years — in its proposed municipal budget for 2026. Residents can share their thoughts on the budget at council’s next scheduled meeting on Dec. 22. (South Jersey Media)
The former Fulton Bank at 1460 Route 70 East could becomea Dunkin’. On Monday, the township’s Planning Board will consider variance requests from South Jersey Management, LLC to convert the former 2,300-square-foot bank into a 2,100-square-foot coffee shop. Changes call for removing the existing drive-through and making the western driveway along Frontage Road into an entrance only.
The AMC Cherry Hill 24 will be one of 500 movie theaters across the U.S. and Canada screening the finale of Stranger Things on New Year’s Eve as it makes its global debut. Fans can reserve seats now for screenings of the feature-length finale.
A Powerball ticket purchased at the Wegmans on Route 70 for last Saturday’s jackpot matched four of the five white balls called, meaning whoever purchased the ticket won $50,000. (Patch)
The Plaza at Cherry Hill has undergone several changes recently, including the opening of swimming lesson chain Big Blue Swim School and thrift store Savers, as well as the relocation of Pure Hockey. The shifts come as part of the shopping center undergoes a makeover. (42 Freeway)
New Jersey officials have declared a drought warning for many parts of the state, including Camden County, which has experienced about four inches below average precipitation over the past 90 days and is down six inches for the past year.
Cherry Hill East and West’s girls basketball teams both have a number of Big North Conference stat leaders returning to their rosters this year.Kirsten Gibson of West had the second-most points per game in the conference last year, according to NJ.com data. Her teammates Jizel Dowling and Lilly Legato will also return. East’s Dylan Kratchman, who averaged 11 points per game, will sport the Cougar colors again, along with Maya Morgan, Michelle Le, Jessie Atlas, and Lily Shubach.
Reminder for families: There are early dismissals for preschool, elementary, and middle schools today and tomorrow as parent/teacher conferences continue. There’s a districtwide early dismissal Friday. See the district’s full calendar here.
🍽️ On our Plate
Indian restaurant Bombay Express is opening at its new location at 219 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd. tomorrow. The eatery, known for its traditional and vegan halal dishes, as well as its naan tacos, closed its Marlton storefront in late October. Its new spot will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Italian restaurant Caffe Aldo Lamberti is hosting Christmas carolers during dinner service this Sunday and again next weekend. Students from East will perform this Sunday and next Friday, while students from West will sing tunes next Saturday and Sunday. Caroling will take place from about 6 to 9 p.m. each night.
Cherry Hill is home to three of the 99 greatest restaurants in New Jersey, according to NJ.com. The outlet ranked Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is known for its soup dumplings, the top restaurant in town, coming in at No. 42. It’s followed by Sichuan joint Han Dynasty at No. 81, and Korean barbecue eatery Dolsot House at No. 94.
🎳 Things to Do
⛸️ Skate and Decorate: Hit the ice at the Winterfest Ice Skating Rink and decorate holiday cookies. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, noon-4 p.m. 💵 Cookie decorating is free, skating admission is $6-$9 📍 Cooper River Park
🕎 Menorah Motorcade: Now in its 16th year, cars adorned with menorahs will parade from Chabad in Cherry Hill to Barclay Farm Shopping Center, where the giant menorah will be lit. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, parade starts at 4 p.m., giant menorah lighting is at 5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Chabad of Camden and Burlington Counties
The kitchen on the first floor has been recently updated.
Located on a corner lot, the first-floor unit of this duplex was recently renovated, including new flooring, lighting, and paint. It features two bedrooms, a kitchen with black and white cabinetry, a living room, an updated full bathroom, and a bonus room. It also has exclusive access to the basement and the front porch. The second floor is currently occupied by long-term tenants, providing passive income for a new owner.
Is your home a Haven? The Inquirer is seeking homeowners and renters for a weekly feature on how people make their houses, apartments, and condos into homes they love. Email details and a few photos to properties@inquirer.com.
🗞️ What other Cherry Hill residents are reading this week:
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Taking his daughters to the Cherry Hill Public Library was a weekend ritual for David Jastrow, andone intricate sculpture out front always gave his family pause.
“For whatever reason, that sculpture always caught the attention of my daughters. When they were younger, they used to call it the ‘mixed-up elephant,’ which I always thought was funny,” said Jastrow, 51, a township resident who still frequents the library to pick up biographies and mystery novels.
The Cherry Hill Public Library hasupward of 50 works of art inside its halls, in addition to numerous sculptures outside, including the “mixed-up elephant” on the front lawn.That spurred Jastrow to write in to Curious Cherry Hill, The Inquirer’s forum for answering your questions.
“It’s a very abstract piece of artwork. You can kind of see the trunk coming out at one part,” Jastrow said. “I thought maybe it was designed with the elephant in mind in some way, but I doubt it.”
And Jastrow would be right. “Totem” is an 8-foot-tall bronze sculpture that twists into an elaborate structure reaching toward the sky. Sitting to the left of the library’s main entrance since 2009, visitors can’t help but try to decipher its meaning.
Eric Ascalon, the son of award-winning sculptor and stained-glass artist David Ascalon, who crafted “Totem,” said that the different interpretations are exactly what his father intended.
“The sculpture just came from a natural place within his psyche,” Eric Ascalon said. “He feels abstract art is put out there by the artist, but it’s designed to be interpreted in any whatever it means to the viewer.”
Sculpture often takes long periods of time to conceptualize and design. In David Ascalon’s abstract work, he would swiftly sketch a design on a loose piece of paper and lock that design in. Despite a quick conceptualization, the statue took months to build.
David Ascalon, center, the creator of the 8-foot-tall bronze sculpture, “Totem,” installing the statue outside of the Cherry Hill Public Library in 2009. The sculpture stands today at the library, enticing visitors to interpret its abstract form.
“I would say ‘Totem’ is kind of a reflection of his subconscious and just his creative spirit,” Eric Ascalon said.
For David Ascalon, dipping his toes into abstract art was a way to clear his mind from the painstakingly detailed work of his stained-glass windows, saidhis son, who worked alongside his father and the rest of the family at their now-closed West Berlin firm, Ascalon Studios.
After forming Ascalon Studios in 1977, with his father, Maurice, David Ascalon would go on to craft some of the finest stained-glass windows in synagogues and public spaces across the region. His work can be seen in the stained-glass windows in nearby Temple Beth Shalom, and all the way in Harrisburg, where his 15-foot Holocaust Memorial overlooks the Susquehanna River.
It’s not only Ascalon’s work that draws people into Cherry Hill’s library, either.
Walking up to the three-acre property, guests are greeted by what looks like a real couple reading the newspaper on the library lawn — perhaps unusual in 2025 — but step a little closer, and see that they’re not human, but a hyperrealistic sculpture of a man and woman lounging in the grass.
Another abstract sculpture, created in memory of Valerie Porter, a Cherry Hill resident who loved to read but died unexpectedly in 1966 after a neurological condition, sits outside the library. David Ascalon helped restore it in 2016.
Fred Adelson, sculpture committee, Laverne Mann, director of Library, artist David Ascalon of Cherry Hill and Sally Callaghan also of sculpture committee, left to right, outside the Cherry Hill Library.
Inside, several walls are adorned with public art, many created by Cherry Hill residents. Downstairs is a year-round art gallery that promotes a new local artist every month, said library director Tierney Miller.
Such works amount to small glints in human creativity, something that the library continually fosters through its programming, said Miller.
The monthly showcase is so popular among local artists that the gallery space is booked years in advance, “2026 is already full, and we’re booking for 2027 now,” Miller said.
While only Cherry Hill residents can get a free library card — there are paid options for others — anyone can attend its free events.
The sculpture “Totem” by David Ascalon. It was installed in 2009 on the grounds of the newly opened Cherry Hill Public Library.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
“You don’t have to like the fact that merit pay was in there,” Hibbs said of his contract at the board’s most recent meeting. But, he said, he is legally entitled to the payment on top of his $215,000 annual base salary because he met the goals listed in his contract.
And he is not the only South Jersey superintendent who has negotiated merit pay or other bonuses as part of a contract. The measure is a little-known way for New Jersey superintendents to earn higher salaries.
About 54 of the state’s 600 public school chiefs, or about 9%, had perks negotiated in their contracts in the 2023-24 school year, according to data from the New Jersey Department of Education.
Here’s what to know about the practice of giving merit pay to New Jersey superintendents:
How many superintendents get merit pay and how much is it?
In South Jersey, at least eight of nearly 100superintendents had merit or bonus pay provisions in their contracts in the 2023-24 school year, the most recent available state data obtained under the Open Public Records Act. The information may be incomplete because it is compiled from self-reporting by districts, and some superintendents have left their jobs since the data were compiled.
Among the districts offering merit pay are: Barrington, Black Horse Pike Regional, Clayton, Salem County Vocational, Washington Township in Gloucester County, Woodlynne, and West Deptford. Merchantville had it also, but that superintendent has since left the position.
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How much money do superintendents make in bonus pay?
An Inquirer analysis of state data found that bonus compensation packages ranged from $2,000 to $56,989 for the 2023-24 school year.
They included additional pay granted for meeting performance goals or obtaining a doctorate, orlongevity bonuses for years of service.
The districts with the most lucrative merit packages were in North Jersey: $56,989 in Bergen County Vocational; $43,272 in Hudson, and $36,489 in Union.
Clayton Superintendent Nikolaos Koutsogiannis, in his ninth year as schools chief, received $4,350 in longevity pay. He joined the district in 2008 as a principal and is one of the longest-serving superintendents in Gloucester County.
“I enjoy my job here,” Koutsogiannis said. “They wanted to keep me here. I was more than willing to stay.”
The Barrington, Black Horse Pike Regional, Salem County Vocational, and West Deptford superintendents did not respond to numerous email messages.
Some South Jersey districtswhere superintendents are among the highest-paid in the region do not offer merit pay, including Winslow, Lenape Regional, Burlington City, Mount Laurel and Cherry Hill.
Because of the cap, dozens of superintendents left the state for higher salaries elsewhere and districts had difficulty recruiting educators. Others negotiated merit pay and bonuses to boost their earnings.
Gov. Phil Murphy speaks with members of the media after meeting with Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill at the governor’s office in Trenton last month.
Superintendent salaries can vary, as boards negotiate contracts based on experience, district size, and other factors.
The New Jersey Department of Education must approve contracts,including merit pay provisions and goals. Executive county school superintendents review contracts for each district.
Purnell said his association, which provides guidance to more than 600 New Jersey school boards, generally steers them away from considering merit pay. Longevity pay, however, is encouraged as an incentive to keep quality superintendents, he said.
Many superintendents are less interested in pursuing additional goals because merit pay is not factored into pensions, Purnell said.
When merit pay is in a contract, the board and the superintendent establish merit goals at the beginning of the school year. At the end of the year, the superintendent must submit evidence that the goals were met. The executive county superintendent must sign off on the request before any bonuses are paid.
The state specifies quantitative and qualitative goals that may be included in merit pay. It also sets the value of each goal, a percentage of the superintendent’s base salary.
Based on a district’s needs, merit pay may be given for meeting goals such as reducing chronic absenteeism, increasing student achievement, setting up learning academies, or establishing a foundation.
Hibbs’ goals approved by the board include completing Google training presentations, taking online professional development courses, and beefing up security.
In September, records show, the executive county superintendent approved $9,072 in merit pay for Barrington Superintendent Anthony Arcodia for meeting two goals — improved parent communication and overhauling the parent-student handbook.
Barrington school board president Mark Correa said Arcodia waived his right to merit pay for the 2025-26 school year because of the district’s belt-tightening. He will be eligible for merit pay in future years, he said.
The district “believes in rewarding our high-achieving, long-serving superintendent when possible,” Correa wrote in an email this week.
Some school chiefs get a stipend for holding an additional administrative position, such as serving as superintendent and a school principal, typically in smaller districts.
What are the drawbacks of merit pay?
Purnell said merit goals can muddy the waters for districts because superintendents could become so focused on those goals that they lose sight of the overall strategic plan.
“The question would be why do you need to receive merit pay when it’s your responsibility to provide a thorough and efficient education,” Purnell said. “You don’t want the goal to become more important than the best interest of all children.”
“Student outcomes are the result of a whole system and are heavily influenced by factors outside one leader’s control,” Campbell said. “If a district uses merit pay at all, I recommend it be a small slice of compensation.”
West Deptford Superintendent Brian Gismondi poses for a portrait outside the West Deptford Child Development Center in West Deptford earlier this year.
How common is merit pay nationwide?
Merit pay does exist in other states.Earlier this year, the state-appointed superintendent for the Houston Independent School District received a $173,660 bonus based on his annual performance evaluation, which credited him with boosting standardized test scores. His annual base salary is $462,000.
Nationwide, the median salary for a school superintendent was $156,000 for the 2023-24 school year, according to the School Superintendents Association. The group does not track merit pay.
The median superintendent salary among 91 South Jersey school districts was $176,088 for the 2024-25 school year, an Inquirer analysis found.
In Philadelphia, Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. recently received a contract extension that will keep him in the nation’s eighth-largest school district through 2030. He is paid $367,710. He does not get merit pay.
Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony B. Watlington, Sr.
What’s happening with merit pay in Washington Township?
In Washington Township,Hibbs has the most lucrative merit package in South Jersey. He received $25,000 in bonus pay for the 2023-24 school year, according to district records obtained by The Inquirer under the state’s Open Public Records Act.
Hibbs has asked the board several times to approve $27,319 in merit pay for the 2024-25 school year, indicating he had met four of the five goals approved by the board. His contract allows an annual merit bonus of up to 14.99% of his salary, the maximum permitted by the state.
The request has been rejected by the board, failing to get five votes needed. The dispute is expected to lead to another legal showdown between Hibbs and the board.
During a heated exchange at a board meeting last month, Hibbs accused the board of retribution. He was suspended for five months earlier this year over an ethics complaint. A judge ordered his return and Hibbs was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
“My merit pay that was 100% approved and achieved has been consistently voted down by certain members,” Hibbs said at a recent school board meeting.
Hibbs was hired in 2023 with an annual base salary of $215,000, making him among the highest-paid superintendents in South Jersey. His contract runs through 2027.
Staff writer Kristen A. Graham contributed to this article.
A former Cherry Hill East principal has denied allegations made against him by a former assistant principal.
Former Cherry Hill High School East Principal Daniel Finkle has denied claims that he engaged in discriminatory behavior or retaliated against former assistant principal David Francis-Maurer, who filed a lawsuit earlier this year after his contract was not renewed. Francis-Maurer claimed that Finkle and other officials discriminated against him based on his religion and sexual orientation.
But in court documents filed last month, Finkle’s legal representatives said Francis-Maurer was fired for job performance.
They allege that Francis-Maurer was unresponsive to feedback, unwilling to collaborate with colleagues, and that he failed to complete mandatory performance reviews of employees, The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner reports.
Clara H. Barton Elementary School is among the schools expected to see overcrowding in the next few years.
Five of Cherry Hill’s 12 elementary schools are expected to exceed capacity in the coming years, and to head off overcrowding, the district has begun looking at “balancing” them.
By the 2028-29 school year, the district projects it will be short about 337 seats,and is considering a number of solutions, including reassigning students to less-crowded schools or converting an administration building.
A committee is working to present a preliminary rebalancing plan to the school board in January or February, with a final plan expected by June or July.
Two former farmhouses near the intersection of Springdale and Evesham Roads will soon be torn down to create a preserved open space. The township purchased the 22.54-acre former Holly Ravine dairy farm last year for $3.87 million after residents raised concerns about it being used as a senior care complex. Now the township is getting closer to seeing its plan for “passive use” and “agricultural use consistent with the farm’s legacy” come to life, according to 70 and 73.
The Inquirer recently analyzed U.S. Geological Survey data and found that the South Branch Pennsauken Creek at Cherry Hill is among the most flood-prone waterways in the region. It most recently flooded in December 2023, when the water reached a maximum high of 9.5 feet.
Work continues on the 252-unit Hampton Square apartment building between Hampton Road and Cuthbert Boulevard at the former site of an industrial complex. Hampton Square will have one- and two-bedroom units and is expected to open early next year. (Courier Post)
A little update on Dick’s House of Sport at the Cherry Hill Mall: Foundation work is underway and the mall’s owner, PREIT, is estimating that the 120,000-square-foot store is still on target to open sometime in 2026, though a firm opening date hasn’t been set. (The Sun)
Cherry Hill of Subaru helped surprise a 10-year-old South Jersey boy battling cancer by teaming up with nonprofit Make-A-Wish New Jersey to send him on a trip to the Florida Keys this month. Fox29 captured the surprise.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Cherry Hill schools ranged widely in how they compared to others throughout the state based on the New Jersey Department of Education’s School Performance Report for the 2023-24 school year. Sharp Elementary landed in the 95th percentile, the highest of any school in the district, while Paine Elementary came in at the lowest, in the 26th percentile. (NJ.com)
Preschool, elementary, and middle school students will have early dismissals next week for parent/teacher conferences, which kick off Monday and run through Thursday. Next Friday, there’s a district-wide early dismissal.
🍽️ On our Plate
A new sushi and hibachi spot has taken over the former Cindy’s Chinese Cuisine and is now open at Plaza 38 Shopping Center on Route 38. Sushi House Hibachi & Teriyaki serves its namesake dishes, as well as dumplings, noodles, and bowls. (Courier Post)
The G.B.M.F. Challenge at the Kibitz Room is among BestofNJ.com’s top 10 favorite food challenges in the Garden State. Diners who take on the challenge get 30 minutes to eat the massive corned beef, pastrami, turkey, roast beef, and brisket sandwich that the restaurant estimates can feed three to four. Those who can finish it get the $100 sandwich for free and are added to the “Wall of Fame.”
🎳 Things to Do
🛼 TayLena Skate Night: Skate to Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez tunes all night. There will also be a glam station. ⏰ Friday, Dec. 5, 6:30-9 p.m. 💵 $14 admission, plus $6 skate rental 📍 Hot Wheelz
💎 Gently Used Jewelry and Accessory Sale: Shop everything from second-hand jewelry to scarves to handbags at this library fundraiser. ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Cherry Hill Library
❄️ Winter Festival: This year’s winter festival includes a craft market to shop for gifts, a beer garden, fire pits, ice carving demonstrations, food, and live performances. It will be held rain or shine and is free to attend. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 7, noon-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Croft Farm
🎤 Steve Cofield and Sweet: The classic R&B band will perform an array of tunes from Motown to neo-soul. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 7, 4-7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Vera
The condo has an open-concept living and dining area.
Located in the Mediterranean-inspired and gated Centura community, this two-bedroom condo has undergone updates to its original woodwork, kitchen cabinetry, flooring, and walls. It features an open-concept living and dining area that is anchored by a stone fireplace, and a primary suite with a walk-in closet. It also has a balcony, two reserved garage spaces, and access to the communal pool and tennis courts.
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This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
A former Cherry Hill principal claims he did not engage in discriminatory behavior or retaliate against a former employee following a lawsuit filed earlier this year against administrators in the South Jersey school district.
In court documents filed last month, legal counsel for Daniel Finkle, the former principal of Cherry Hill High School East, denies claims made by former assistant principal David Francis-Maurer, who sued the school district and Finkle in September over alleged discrimination and retaliation.
Francis-Maurer’s lawsuit claims that top Cherry Hill officials, including Finkle and Superintendent Kwame Morton, “unlawfully conspired with each other” to subject Francis-Maurer to ”retaliatory conduct” and “severe, pervasive, and continuing instances of discrimination” based on his sexual orientation and religion (Francis-Maurer is gay and practices Judaism). Francis-Maurer also claims that administrators skirted student drug testing and mental health protocols. At the crux of Francis-Maurer’s lawsuit is the allegation that he was wrongfully terminated in May for blowing the whistle on Finkle’s behavior.
Legal counsel for Finkle says Francis-Maurer’s job performance, not whistleblowing, led to his firing.
According to filings from Finkle’s attorneys, Francis-Maurer was argumentative and made “egregious errors” as assistant principal. Specifically, they contend, Francis-Maurer was allegedly unresponsive to feedback and unwilling to collaborate with colleagues, and he failed to complete mandatory performance reviews of employees.
Finkle served as the principal of Cherry Hill High School East from August 2024 through his resignation in September. He was set to become principal of Hightstown High School in the East Windsor Regional School District this fall until the district rescinded its offer.
Francis-Maurer, called “DFM” by students, was hired in 2023 as an assistant principal at East. His termination in May was met with protest in the community, including a student-led walkout and a contentious public meeting in which students implored the school board to retain Francis-Maurer, calling him a “rare talent” who advocated for their needs. He is currently serving as assistant principal of Central High School in North Philadelphia.
Court filings by Finkle and the district dispute Francis-Maurer’s telling of numerous events over the course of the 2024-25 school year.
In Francis-Maurer’s lawsuit, he alleges that Finkle told him to “leave his identities ‘at the door,’” referring to Francis-Maurer’s being gay and practicing Judaism.
Finkle, who is also openly gay and Jewish, rebuts this, saying that “the insinuation that [Francis-Maurer] could not express this same identity is ludicrous.” Rather, Finkle says, he was explaining that when he walks through the school doors, he “does not assert any other identity than a high school principal” as his job is to “be there for every student regardless of their beliefs.” When Francis-Maurer asked if he was required to take the same approach, Finkle says he “told him no” but said that it has been effective, which Finkle described as an act of mentorship.
Francis-Maurer’s lawsuit claims that Finkle appeared in a video “trivializing” and “mocking” gender identity. Finkle was featured in a video published by the student government association lip-syncing to a sound bite that stated, “My pronouns are U.S.A.” Francis-Maurer says that parents complained to him about the video, and that when he confronted Finkle, the principal was “dismissive” and brushed him off.
In Finkle’s telling, he was “ignorant at the time” and didn’t know the sound bite was “anti-trans.” As soon as he was made aware of the video’s connotations, Finkle says, he immediately asked the student to take it down, which he did. Finkle says he then emailed the school’s Gay Straight Alliance adviser to take ownership of the incident and express that it was “never his intention to make any group feel marginalized.”
Finkle also pushed back against Francis-Maurer’s characterization of his handling of sensitive student issues.
Francis-Maurer claims that when a student who appeared to be under the influence was referred for drug testing, testing protocols were skirted, and that Finkle said, “I know the student doesn’t take drugs.”
According to Finkle’s court filings, a teacher’s suspicion that a student might be under the influence is not enough to constitute required drug testing. That particular student was not tested for drugs because a parent refused the test, the filing claims.
Francis-Maurer’s lawsuit also claims that after a student reported suicidal thoughts to a club adviser, the adviser texted the student continuously for five days without a response. Francis-Maurer says he raised concerns that an adviser was texting with a student from a personal phone, but “no disciplinary action was taken.”
Finkle, on the other hand, says that the student’s parent was immediately contacted and that Finkle met with the club adviser to explain that he could not use his personal cell phone to contact students. Finkle was informed that the adviser did not have a school email and worked with the district technology team to get him one. Finkle states that Francis-Maurer, who was then the supervisor of the club, “should have been more aware of the situation and addressed it before an issue arose.”
Francis-Maurer says that “the very next day” after he submitted a detailed complaint to top administrators about Finkle, outlining those concerns, Francis-Maurer was rated “partially effective” on parts of his performance review for the first time and was later placed on a performance improvement plan, despite a successful track record.
In a separate filing, attorneys for the district say this did not happen on “the very next day.” Rather, they say, Francis-Maurer submitted his complaint on Feb. 24 and the district submitted his performance evaluation on March 17.
Attorneys for Francis-Maurer describe his work as successful, citing an outpouring of support after his contract was not renewed. In Finkle’s characterization, however, Francis-Maurer would “argue incessantly” when told to complete a task and made “egregious errors” in his failure to properly evaluate employees.
Francis-Maurer’s conduct “demonstrated a lack of alignment with District and building priorities and an unwillingness to fully support the collective vision of the administrative team at High School East,” court filings from Finkle’s legal counsel claim.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
