Beth Jacob members’ vote still pending

Beth Abraham Synagogue

On Oct. 13, Beth Abraham Synagogue President David Fuchsman announced that the congregation’s members voted in favor of merging with Beth Jacob Synagogue, with 81 votes for and 20 votes against, well above the two-thirds margin  required to move forward with the project. The Oakwood-based Conservative synagogue’s voting was held over two sessions, on Oct. 3 and 12.

The decision to move forward with the proposed merger is now in the hands of the members of Beth Jacob Synagogue in Harrison Township, which identifies as Traditional.

In a Sept. 27 letter to Beth Jacob congregants, the synagogue’s president, Erv Pavlofsky, wrote that the board has agreed to bring the question of a merger to the full membership for a vote. Pavlofsky says his board has not yet scheduled a date for the vote.

A committee at Beth Jacob is also exploring sustainable models to remain independent.
Both institutions have suffered in recent years from declines in membership, income and donations.

Fuchsman says he hopes Beth Abraham’s vote will resonate with Beth Jacob members.
“I’ve never shied away from saying they’ve got a tougher vote based on the recommendation of the (merger exploration) committee,” Fuchsman says. “At the end of this, when it was to be a Conservative synagogue at our place, that makes it a lot tougher for Beth Jacob and I get that. I hope when push comes to shove, that people can look at not what is given up but what is the opportunity here.”

— Marshall Weiss