On April 27, Beth Abraham Synagogue’s board overwhelmingly adopted a resolution to pursue moving the congregation from its current building at Salem Avenue and Cornell Drive to a location south of downtown Dayton.

This will make the Conservative synagogue the final Jewish institution to announce its plans to leave the formerly Jewish neighborhood of Dayton View.

The process that led to the decision began more than a year ago with Beth Abraham’s strategic planning committee, chaired by Ellen Leffak.

In December, the committee reported to the board on the costs related to renovating the current building versus those required to move the synagogue.

Beth Abraham held a congregational meeting for input in January as well as an open board meeting in March.

According to synagogue President Susie Katz, the board has attempted to involve members in every step of the process.

“We’re trying to do it the right way,” she said, “to keep it as open as it can be.”

Katz said the timing of the move will depend on how quickly the congregation can find the right property.

The resolution states that the new building should be located within the area of “Schantz Avenue to the south, the Montgomery County Fairgrounds to the north, Brown Street to the east, and Patterson Boulevard to the west.”

If Beth Abraham is not able to find a property within those boundaries, Katz said the synagogue will look at Dorothy Lane as its southern border.

“We have a substantial number of congregants in Vandalia and Englewood. We want to be respectful of that.”

Beth Abraham has more than 400 membership units.

Its current building opened in 1949. Katz said that 60 percent of members who attend services on a weekly basis are from the north suburbs.

The only other Jewish institution still based in Dayton View is the Dayton Mikveh Society, which earlier this year announced plans to move to the campus of Beth Jacob Congregation in Harrison Township.

According to Jewish Federation figures, Jewish households are now evenly scattered among Dayton’s north and south suburbs.

Beth Abraham’s board is now forming committees to oversee the sale of the current building, the purchase of a new property, architecture and construction, as well as a capital campaign.

“The congregation has been incredibly supportive of the process. It is the right time. It’s an emotional time for all of us. But we know that Beth Abraham is more than a building.”