History

In The Beginning

It wasn't Atevka, it was Pushelot, a shtetl in Lithuania, but other than that.the story could have come from "Fiddler On The Roof.'' Just after the turn of the century, the first of our founders came to Lexington and encouraged their relatives and friends to join them here. The Orthodox Jewish community then consisted of just 8 or 10 families. They gathered in downtown stores for Minyans. This practice of Davening in the stores still lingered 50 years later with Minyans in Abie Grossman's store on Water Street until it closed in the late 60's. Traditionally, the Odd Fellows hall on West Short Street was rented for the High Holy Days.

It was on Yom Kippur, 1911that the congregation came to a decision to incorporate and find a home of its own. As the story goes, in the middle of the Kol Nidre service, members of the Lodge arrived, forgetting they had rented the hall on their regular meeting night. Our founders were asked to leave. The services were moved to someone' s house and a vow was made then and there, to find a permanent home for the congregation.

Thus it was, on April 25, 1912, Ohavay Zion Synagogue was officially incorporated by David Ades, Sol Kahn, Beryl Kravetz, Nathan Rogers and Joe Rosenberg. Nathan Rogers was the first president.

The Early Synagogue Days

It was Joe Rosenberg who learned of the availability of a church building on West Maxwell Street. The Presbyterian Church was moving to East Maxwell. Ohavay Zion purchased their old building, and at last, in 1914, the congregation had a home.

The newly purchased church building consisted of little more than a sanctuary, and many changes were required before it could be used as a Synagogue. The old organ was removed from the southwest corner of the sanctuary and with the help of many of the: congregants, the building renovated.

For a number of years after the Synagogue was bought there was no full time Rabbi. Although there are no records, it is generally agreed Rabbi Jacob Lowenthal arrived in 1919 to serve as Ohavay Zion's first full time, salaried Rabbi. During the six years he remained in Lexington, Rabbi Lowenthal was Shochet and Mohel as well as Rabbi.

It was about this time that Morris Scherago started a Sunday School and Beryl Kravetz became the second man to serve the congregation as president. Both Sunday School and daily Hebrew School classes held in the basement. As new classes were added, they were placed various sections of the sanctuary.

Since the building consisted of just the sanctuary and the basement, Purim bazaars and Hanukkah parties were held in rented halls over the Water Street produce market, and in rooms over Woolworth's and Skuller's on Main Street.

A few years later, a small house on South Upper Street was bought. With the removal of several walls, it became a Social Hall for the congregation. Hebrew School, Sunday School, and all special functions were held there. Finally, there was a place, small as it was, in addition to the sanctuary, where people could socialize.

Early Rabbis

Rabbis came and went. One who stands out was Rabbi Jacob Danziger, who arrived as a bachelor in 1929, and married Ann Rosenberg before moving on to Huntington, West Virginia three years later. Other early Rabbis were: Rabbi Sofar, Rabbi Aaron, Rabbi Shapo, Rabbi Garfinkle, Rabbi Goldman, Rabbi Klibinsky, Rabbi Lowenthal, and Rabbi Prero, each of whom served about three years. Part of the difficulty of holding a Rabbi was the lack of housing within walking distance of the Synagogue. To solve this problem a house was purchased on Kilmore Court. Rabbi Sivawitz, an exceptional Cantor, and then Rabbi Beckerman lived in this house until it was sold and another, on Preston Court, was purchased. Rabbi William Frankel and Rabbi Albert Pappenheim each lived in the Preston Court house.

For many years, the Synagogue was without a Rabbi. Fortunately, congregants were able to conduct services and perform other duties. In the pioneer days Sol Kahn, Nathan Cantor and Berle Kravetz were Chazzans. Rev. Samuel Krasne served as Chazzan and Scochet, as well as Mohel. Of widespread fame in the Lexington Jewish community Rev. Harry Goller who Davened on holidays and gave sermons in Yiddish when there was no Rabbi available. In addition, Mr. Goller's Kosher Butcher Shop on 4th and Upper Streets provided the Orthodox Jews with meat, poultry and delicatessen for over 40 years. During the war years, before Rabbi Beckerman came, Mr. Goller and Dr. Abe Wikler conducted the services.

The Expansion Of The 40s & 50s

By 1940, when A. R . Prero was Rabbi major changes in the size of the Synagogue structure were becoming critical to our survival. It was obvious that the house on South Upper Street was inadequate for our needs. As was true in our earliest days, functions were being held in various locations around the city. Rabbi Prero promoted a rather ambitious plan for adding an auditorium. I.A. Paritz, the building chairman and Ben Herman, president of the congregation, headed the project. David Lieverman, an architect, volunteered the plans. Had it not been for 11 men in this congregation who signed personal notes, work would not have been undertaken before World War II, and the new addition may not have become a reality, certainly not until the end of the war. Those men were: Harry Gordon, Ben Herman, Nathan Herman, Ben Levy, Joe Levy, Max Munich, Erwin Neuman, I.A. Partiz, Joe Rosenberg. David Shraberg and Morris Wides. With the help of the Ladies Auxiliary, who assumed the responsibility of furnishing the kitchen, and the young people' s group, who furnished the lounge in the basement, the building was completed and ready for dedication in November of 1941.

A beautifully landscaped walkway along the west side of the sanctuary led to double doors that served as the main entrance to the new addition. During the same time that the auditorium was being built, the sanctuary was given a facelift. It was then that the porches were removed from the two entrances and rounded concrete steps were put in their place. At last, we had converted the originally isolated sanctuary into an integrated complex that would meet the social, as well as the religious needs of the congregation for the foreseeable future.

Congregational presidents during this period included Erwin Neuman, Nathan Herman, Ed Greenfield, Eddie Kessler, Seymour Moskoswitz and Sam Block. Mr. Greenfield had retired, and he and his wife Betty devoted themselves almost full time to the Synagogue. It was during his presidency, in 1948, that the Sanctuary was again redecorated. At the same time, David Ades had the pulpit rebuilt in memory of his parents and sister, and benches were purchased to replace the seats.

Although it had been discussed many times the board could not reach a decision on whether to buy the adjoining lot facing Maxwell Street in front of the auditorium. Suddenly it was learned the property had been sold and construction was imminent. Unable to assemble the board in time, Mr. Greenfield personally negotiated the purchase of the property from the new owner. The area became a playground for the children after a brick wall that the Joe Rosenberg family constructed along Maxwell Street enclosed it.

In 1957, the house on Preston Court was sold and Rabbi Stanley Wagner became the first Rabbi to receive a housing allowance so he could obtain a home of his choice.

During his stay, Rabbi Wagner organized a nursery school. Mrs. Max Munich provided the funds in memory of her husband. David Ades completely equipped the nursery school in memory of his wife, Sarah.

It was about this time that the Joe Rosenberg family dedicated a library in memory of Joe and Mary Rosenberg. It began in a small room next to the kitchen. From this humble beginning, Ohavay Zion has assembled a collection of books and artifacts that is the envy of congregations many times our size. This impressive feat was accomplished almost single- handedly through the personal effort and dedication of Bernice Herman, our first and only librarian. In addition, during this period, Eddie Stein led a campaign to air condition the sanctuary. The timing was perfect. Our first air-conditioned High Holiday services were during an exceptionally hot spell in the early 60's.

The Rabbi Schwab Era

With the arrival of Rabbi Bernard Schwab in 1962, Ohavay Zion had a Rabbi who demonstrated a long-term commitment to the congregation. During his 23 years of service, the congregation assumed a more Orthodox nature in keeping with his personal practices. Teaching young children was Rabbi Schwab's main focus during his tenure and he devoted an enormous amount of energy toward this end. Rabbi Schwab's success with his Bar / Bat Mitzvah training was becoming a legend in the area. Having a Rabbi for more than a few years added stability to Ohavay Zion that we had not known before.

In 1962 plans were made to build a classroom / office / library / lobby addition to our Synagogue. Shelly Derer was the chairman of this effort. He was joined by Leon Cooper, President, Julian Bloomfield, and Sig Benjamin. Jimmy Frankel was the architect but it was Mrs. Sam Godhelf who, with her daily inspections, saw to it that the construction was done properly. The building was dedicated in 1964, our 50th anniversary on Maxwell Street. Now, for a while, we had enough room for our Nursery School, Hebrew School, and Sunday School. The Rosenberg wall on Maxwell Street, which had to be torn down for the addition, was re-erected on Upper Street to enclose a beautiful garden area. The two lots behind the Synagogue were purchased earlier for parking, so now it was possible to park in our lot and enter the Shul through the garden.

Rabbi Schwab died in 1985 after a long and debilitating illness. Shortly before he died, Rabbi Schwab was made Rabbi Emeritus. The congregation - especially by the children, who knew no other Rabbi, sorely missed him.

The New Beginning

With the passing of Rabbi Schwab, Ohavay Zion was at a crossroads. The close-knit, interrelated families that formed the core of the Synagogue for the first fifty years were joined by a growing membership from all parts of the world and from all walks of life. In this background, the board made two far-reaching decisions; all members of the Synagogue would be integrated into all aspects of its religious activity, and we would look for a site on which to build a new facility. The first decision was a definite change of direction, and the first move from Orthodoxy since the founders instituted mixed seating nearly 75 years before. Rabbi Uriel Smith was hired in August of 1985. Rabbi Smith, through his sensitivity and careful planning, was the key factor in the successful transition to full religious participation for our members. Plans to build a new Synagogue had been made many times in the past 35 years. This time, under the leadership of Michael Ades and Steve Caller, it progressed beyond the planning stage. They made it seem deceptively simple. In truth, it was a result of the almost unanimous emotional support of the membership and an amazingly successful voluntary fund raising effort. Within two years of the decision to build, the Torahs were transferred from Maxwell Street to our new building on Edgewater Court. The procession, on May 10 of 1987, was a highlight of our recent history. A final Shacharis service was held in the old sanctuary, Sidney Gall, Charlie Rosenberg, Arthur Herman and Louis Ades removed the Torahs from the Ark. The Ner Tamid (Eternal Light) was turned off by Liz Levy. Accompanied by 75 singing, dancing congregants, the Torahs were carried to the new Ohavay Zion. Alan Stein, the Synagogue president, placed the first Torah in the new Ark. Susan and Jill Caller, Sheila Dekosky, Norman Grossman and Sue Ezrine brought the others to the Ark.

Barbara Cohen, our first Bat Mitzvah in the new sanctuary turned on the Ner Tamid. Mezzuzahs were placed on the doors, prayers recited, songs sung and Ohavay Zion began its second seventy-five years. Eric Slaton was hired as Rabbi in August, 1988. With a new Synagogue and a young, energetic Rabbi to lead us, we faced the future with joy and confidence.

Rabbi Sharon Cohen, who joined the Ohavay Zion Synagogue family in August 2000, is dedicated to helping all members of OZS find a comfortable place within the Synagogue family. Whether on the bima, teaching our youngsters, or working with adult education, Rabbi Cohen brings with her a warm spirit and sense of enthusiasm for Jewish learning and growth. She seeks to provide a listening ear and a “warm hug” of support to those in need.

As a Conservative rabbi, Rabbi Cohen is dedicated to upholding the principles of Conservative Judaism-of conserving Tradition even as we creatively respond to the demands and innovations of the modern world. Under Rabbi Cohen's leadership, OZS continues to be a congregation rooted in history, but always reaching for the future.

Epilogue

The handful of closely related families from Pushelot established a legacy in 1912 for those who followed. The success of their effort is witnessed by the second, third and fourth generations of their families still on the rolls of Ohavay Zion. It is our task now to strengthen this legacy and pass it on to our generations. G-d grant that we will be as successful.

Founders