What are the odds a magazine would hold a short fiction contest receiving more than 300 submissions, and the first and second place winners would be a husband and wife from Chestnut Hill? If the magazine is Philadelphia Stories, those odds are 100%.

In April 2025, Ilene and Jeff Rush were named first place and runner-up, respectively, by Stephanie Feldman, author of the award-winning novel “The Angel of Losses.” Feldman teaches fiction writing at Arcadia University and the University of Pennsylvania. She is also co-editor of the anthology, “Who Will Speak for America,” and was a judge of the short story contest.

“It's been exciting to have these writers share their stories with our magazine,” Trish Rodriguez, editorial director of Philadelphia Stories, told the Local. “While the winners are coincidentally from the Philadelphia area, we've had writers submit from across the United States, and though it's difficult to choose which stories to submit to our contest judge, it's been a joy to read their stories.”

Philadelphia Stories is a free print magazine that usually publishes works by local writers and artists, but according to their website, this contest was open to writers from all 50 states. Five thousand copies of the magazine are distributed each quarter to more than 200 locations throughout the Delaware Valley, including all 54 branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Feldman called Ilene’s piece, “Saints and Shadows,” a “deftly constructed tale of grief set in a fully realized world. The protagonist's journey feels both surprising and inevitable, and builds to an unsentimental and emotionally powerful ending.”

In the story, a tale about finding hope in hopeless situations,a man is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. “It's not based on any specific person I know,” Ilene said, “but on issues I have noticed with friends.” A sickly stray dog and a lizard also play roles in the story. 

Ilene told the Local, “It is a real honor and wonderful to be acknowledged by a magazine whose mission to recognize Philadelphia writers is one I've long admired.” 

Finding home

“I am a long-time fan of Philadelphia Stories, so I was thrilled to be selected,” added Jeff.

Feldman called his story, “Sweet Pentatonics,” a “poignant tale about family, art, and rediscovering what seemed to have been lost.”

The plot follows an elderly woman in a memory care unit who is trying to play the violin. The story explores the question, “If something is not done perfectly, is it worth doing at all?”

“Up until this article, I was always an academic writer,” said Jeff. “My story is about the toll that striving for perfection takes on you. This is an issue with many families and common with immigrant families. I have been obsessed with perfection my whole life. It took me a long time to come to terms with it. ... After this contest, I have gone back to academic writing.”

Jeff worked for 30 years as a professor in the School of Theater, Film, and Media Arts at Temple University before retiring in May 2022. In addition to teaching, he was the director of the bachelor of fine arts program in screenwriting and directing and has been published in major film, literature, and video game journals. However, his piece in Philadelphia Stories was his first foray into fiction.

Ilene Rush grew up in Wallingford, Delaware County. She graduated from Nether-Providence High School and Brandeis University and earned a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Iowa. She taught writing at Penn State University from 1983 to 1990. She has been writing personal essays in Philadelphia-area publications and women's magazines for decades. Rush, who also writes a column for webmd.com twice a month about living with Type 2 diabetes, has a most unusual story about her Chestnut Hill homebuying experience.

Rush was on her way to attend a weekly discussion group of local women when she parked on Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill. (The group has been meeting regularly at Baker Street Bread for six years.) According to Rush, “I saw a house on Abington Avenue and said to myself, ‘This house is for me.’ I wasn't even looking for a house, but I always had a soft spot in my heart for Chestnut Hill, so I guess it was inevitable.”

As it turned out, the house was for sale, and Ilene and Jeff, a native of Elkins Park, wound up buying it at the end of 2019 and moving in by early 2020. 

The Rushes have two sons. Alexander and Noah. They also have a sweet mutt, Augie the Doggie.

For more information, visit philadelphiastories.org. Len Lear can be reached at LenLear@chestnuthilllocal.com.