In the fall of 1860, a group of disgruntled members of Newark’s B’nai Jershurun met at the Prince Street home of Bernard Hauser and decided to form a new synagogue which would follow more traditional religious practices. The new synagogue was to be called Oheb Shalom, “lovers of peace,” with Rabbi Isaac Schwarz as its first rabbi. Orthodox services were conducted in Hebrew and German on the top floor of a Prince Street dwelling with women occupying the balcony and men wearing high silk hats.

Dues were thirty-six cents.

The congregation’s focus was beyond the recitation of prayers. Its school was staffed with volunteer teachers who were required to be competent and whose principal was highly trained.

In 1866 the shul began to operate a cemetery on a site that still exists on South Orange Avenue in Newark.

In the late 1870’s, the Miriam Frauen Verein, a women’s auxiliary, was formed at the urging of Rabbi Tinter, who had just came to the synagogue. A new brick structure was built by the congregation on the east side of Prince Street, which still stands today and has been designated a state historic landmark. In this building, men and women began to sit together. The congregation gave up German as its official language, adopted the Jastrow Prayer Book and installed an organ, which was used during prayer services led by a professional hazzan. To say the least, Oheb Shalom’s character changed radically from its original concept.

From 1885-1888 the congregation was served by Rabbi Bernard Drachman, who was the last of the European educated German-speaking rabbis. The next rabbi to serve the congregation was Rabbi Wolf Willner, who was responsible for making English the pulpit vernacular; although congregational records indicate that Rabbi Willner spoke in German a few times each year as a special treat for old timers.

In 1890, Rabbi Gluck became rabbi and presided during a period of great expansion in the Prince Street building. He served until 1906, a turning point in the congregation’s history, as it moved toward Conservative Judaism with the arrival of Rabbi Charles I. Hoffman, a member of the first graduating class of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Rabbi Hoffman had strong beliefs about the role of rabbi which was influenced by his long association with his beloved friend, Solomon Schechter.

At this time there was a great fear among Jewish Americans that American Jewish youth would be “turned off” by the practices of Orthodoxy and turn to what was perceived as the radical Reform Movement of those days. Congregations sought a middle ground, a way to build a true American Judaism and conserve the genuine Hebraic tradition by refashioning ritual practice. The membership of Oheb Shalom was now predominately native-born Americans rather than immigrants. Rabbi Hoffman and Dr. Schechter challenged the membership to build new styles, new practices, new rituals “as Jewish as the Torah and as American as apple pie.” The philosophy was popular and the synagogue grew.

Prince Street was now the commercial center of Jewish Newark. The synagogue building was no longer suitable for the congregation. In 1907 the decision was made to move; planning and fund-raising began. A High Street site was purchased and ground breaking and cornerstone laying took place in 1910. Among the speakers at the High Street building dedication in 1911 was Woodrow Wilson, then governor of the state of New Jersey; Solomon Schechter, head of the Jewish Theological Seminary and world leader of Conservative Jewry; and Dr. Solomon Solis-Cohen, renowned leader of the Philadelphia Jewish Community. The excitement and energy that marked the dedication ceremony sparked the creation of the Oheb Shalom Review, a synagogue library was installed; the volunteer Hebrew School principal and teachers gave way to professionals; and a new cantor, Reverend Moses Gann replaced Max Helfere.

On the national scene, Dr. Hoffman along with rabbis of other congregations in the U.S. formed an organization called the United Synagogue of America in 1913. Oheb Shalom was one of its seven charter members. Five years later, Mrs. Hoffman, urged by her friend Matilda Schechter, encouraged the Miriam Auxiliary to move forward also. That group became one of the founders of the National Women’s League for Conservative Judaism. By 1918 Oheb Shalom had firmly established itself as one of the leading US Conservative congregations. The congregation and its programs flourished. At the 1930 annual meeting, in the depths of the Depression, the congregation burned its mortgage. The Lay leaders of the congregation vowed that there would never again be a mortgage placed on the synagogue building. That promise has been honored to this day and subsequent improvements and construction has occurred without the use of mortgage financing.

Rabbi Hoffman decided to retire in 1939. The congregation performed an extensive search, which resulted in Dr. Louis M. Levitsky being called from his pulpit in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to become the next Rabbi. Dr. Levitsky, already an established rabbi, teacher and author, proved to be a dynamic leader; sparking Oheb Shalom to greater service and benefit for its members and the community. Dr. Levitsky and Oheb Shalom were synonymous with adult education. Dr. Levitsky and Cantor Moses Gann made an impressive team.

In 1940, Cantor Gann retired and was replaced by Cantor Edgar Mills. Cantor Gann had eliminated operatic and symphonic music from the repertory, replacing it with standard Jewish liturgical music, a foundation which was built upon by Cantor Mills who added modern liturgy. This fresh and innovative approach established the basis for today’s congregational service.

Newark began to change and the Jews of Newark slowly but surely moved to the western suburbs of Essex County. The leaders of the congregation realized that if the Synagogue was to survive, it was necessary to move out of Newark. In rapid order, the property on Scotland Road was purchased and plans for a new building were prepared. Fund-raising became a major project with the slogan “No fanfare, no pressure, no mortgage.”

This low key approach resulted in raising the one million dollars needed. As plans progressed, the center of attention became not the building itself, nor how the money was to be raised. Instead it was how to save the magnificent silver birch tree which stands in front of the building. It was realized that if the architects’ plans were reversed, the tree could remain in place. Our Sanctuary today, instead of facing east, in accord with tradition, faces west. Dr. Levitsky’s said that G-d would certainly approve our facing the building in the wrong direction since it was done to save one of His magnificent creations. As a result, the Synagogue adopted a tree-like symbol as a logo in celebration of the whole matter.

Our building shows its devotion to tradition even in the structure itself. The inscription above the Ark in the main sanctuary that reads: “Know before whom you stand” is the same as on the Ark on High Street; the inscription on one side of the Ark in the original Schechner Chapel was the one which was carved in stone on the outside of the High Street building; the Eternal Light in the Schechner Chapel was from the original Prince Street building; the doors of the Ark in the Schechner Chapel were from the Ark in the High Street building; the cornerstone from High Street was transferred to a place of honor in the Scotland Road building. Unable to remove the stained glass windows, a designer made replicas of the memorial tablets on those windows and had them installed as they are today in Founders Hall.

Rabbi Levitsky retired in 1972 and was succeeded by Rabbi Alexander Shapiro, who served for twenty years until his death. His leadership at Oheb Shalom was marked by adherence to tradition, responsiveness to change and outreach to the community at large. His work brought a new local consciousness to the congregation including caring for the homeless and hungry, providing access for the physically disabled and opening hearts to our religious brethren. It was during this time that Oheb Shalom established the first kosher food pantry. He, like his two immediate predecessors, served as president of the Rabbinical Assembly.

Rabbi Shapiro was succeeded in the pulpit by Rabbi Lawrence Troster, who led the congregation from 1993 through 1998.

Following the retirement of Cantor Mills in 1978, Cantor Henry Rosenblum served the congregation until 1987. During his tenure, he formed the Oheb Shalom Chorale, introduced eastern European traditional music into the service, expanded congregational participation in the service, promoted the concept of a family service, organized miniconcerts in people’s homes and continued to build upon the musical heritage begun by his predecessors. When Cantor Rosenblum left, Oheb Shalom continued in its progressive tradition and offered Cantor Erica Lippitz the opportunity for her first full-time pulpit.

Cantor Lippitz, who was a member of the first graduating class from the Jewish Theological Seminary in which women were invested as cantors, has brought our musical heritage to a new plateau, with her total involvement in congregational life. Cantor Lippitz has expanded the work of the Oheb Shalom Chorale, encouraged and enabled fuller participation in the service for all ages, even created a new family service siddur and introduced the guitar to Kabbalat Shabbat service. Her beautiful musical concerts are inspirational and have received national recognition. As Cantor Lippitz completes her 23rd year of leadership, the congregation’s love for her and its respect for her talent continues to grow.

In 1998 Rabbi Mark Cooper became Rabbi of the congregation. He is the 5th rabbi to serve the congregation since 1907, a remarkable record for any congregation in the United States.

Rabbi Cooper has sparked our Oheb Shalom family with his love of family and has brought new spirit to our midst. It was also apparent to everyone that our fifty plus year old structure was in desperate need of repair and upgrade. The Renaissance Campaign was born in 1999; the committee members dreamt about what a new Oheb Shalom needed to be to carry us into the future. The plan recognized at long last that Dr. Levitsky’s spin of the building was a permanent idea; so a proper main entrance was constructed on the eastern side of the building. The Schechner Chapel was relocated on the main level of the building so it was adjacent to the main sanctuary. The relocation of the chapel created new space on the lower level that became class space, meeting space and an expanded play area for our nursery school and many other changes. The net result was the creation of a new structure that is completely handicapped accessible. In accord with tradition, all of the items were paid by donations from the members and the tradition of no mortgage continues to live.

Our “new look” is evident in all that has taken place these past few years… new programs for all age groups and rewarding experiences are coming into place. Members attend programs with nachas and pride. There is a definite feeling of accomplishment afoot. As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, the membership truly feels we shall go from strength to strength with one generation following another.