The negotiating committees of the Joint Task Force between Congregation Ohev Sholom and Congregation Beth Shalom have reached an agreement for consolidating the two Conservative synagogues, according to an email update sent by Jason Krakow, president of Beth Shalom.
The congregations each will hold congregational meetings on June 26, 2022. Beth Shalom is integrating its vote about the consolidation into its Annual Meeting at 10 a.m. in Goldsmith Hall, and Ohev Sholom will hold its meeting that evening over Zoom.
“The respective congregational negotiating committees have done exceptional work in developing an agreement that is fair to both congregations,” Krakow wrote. “The decision regarding approval or disapproval is now up to the members.”
The two synagogues would merge into one that would be housed at the current Beth Shalom building, located at 14200 Lamar Ave. in Overland Park. Ohev Sholom “sold its building and will be vacating the building imminently,” Krakow wrote. The synagogue was at 5311 W. 75th St. in Prairie Village.
Krakow and past Ohev Sholom President Larry Gordon announced the preliminary merger discussions in July 2021. Beth Shalom will install Dr. Ann Karty as its new president during its Annual Meeting, and Ohev Sholom’s current president is Mike Silverman.
Both Conservative synagogues have deep roots in the community. Beth Shalom was established in 1915 and has history dating back to 1878. Ohev Sholom is the oldest operating Jewish congregation in Kansas, and can trace its origins to 1877. Krakow described the merger of these two historic congregations as “an emotional event” in the email update.
The two congregations had discussed mergers in 2009, but no resolution was agreed upon. Despite this, both have been joining together for morning minyans for several years, and past Ohev Sholom Rabbi Scott White told The Chronicle in July 2021 that there is “virtually no distinction in terms of religious philosophy” between the two congregations.
“The Clergy, staff, officers, and I join with the leadership of Ohev Sholom and the dedicated members of the Joint Task Force in our fervent belief that approval of the agreement is in the best interests of the memberships going forward,” Krakow wrote. He urges the congregation of Beth Shalom to vote for and support the consolidation agreement.
The Chronicle will provide further reporting as the consolidation process continues to develop.
