Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah Congregation of Olney

Ohev Shalom Talmud Torah Congregation of Olney , commonly known as OSTT, is a modern orthodox synagogue located on Georgia Avenue in Olney, Maryland.

History

The OSTT was founded in 1995 by fourteen families in the Olney community, they began by holding services in a small home on Georgia avenue. Started as a branch of Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah Congregation of Washington, D.C. (now National Synagogue), it became independent in 2001–2005.^[1][2] Due to the growing Jewish community, and the growing number of members to the congregation, they found the need to expand in 2004. They began their expansion by demolishing the Rabbi's house which was next to the home used as the synagogue. Construction was carried out from 2004 until it was finished in 2005.

Current activities

The OSTT currently offers many different youth programs focused on supporting young jewish people and teaching them about Jewish history and practices as well as supporting them throughout the different stages of life. They also offer many programs that support adults in various ways.

One of the adult programs they run is known as the OSTT Sisterhood which supports women with many different facets of their lives as well as supporting and running fundraisings and from which the profits go to support their youth programs which continues to enrich their programs with more support and funding.

Currently they offer various youth programs for ages K through 12 and separate the groups often by age and grade, sometimes by gender. "Kiddush" is focused on children under the age of 9 regardless of grade or gender. Currently they offer active youth programs for ages 18 months to high school, and Shabbat groups for children 2 to 11 years old.

Outside of the normal programs they also offer a summer camp for children called JEWel, it is run and staffed by girls on the SEED program (volunteer young women from all over North America.) The camp does not discriminate between any Jewish sects or for Jewish children outside of the Olney congregation.

References

1. ^ "Synagogue History". Ohev Sholom – The National Synagogue. http://www.ostns.org/history.shtml. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 
2. ^ "Ohev Shalom in name only: Ohev Sholom (Washington, D.C.) rift drags on, District Appeals Court sends synagogue factions to religious court". The Jewish Whistleblower. March 17, 2005. http://jewishwhistleblower.blogspot.com/2005/03/ohev-shalom-in-name-only-ohev-sholom.html. Retrieved April 11, 2011. 

Unknown. OSTT Olney OSTT, 2010. Web site. December 16, 2010.

Fink, Eliezer. Celebrating Fifteen Years of communal growth and partnership with the Jewish Family Center. Olney MD: OSTT Olney, 2010. Recurring Pamphlet

External links

OSTT Olney site [1]