Pinkas Hazahav (The Golden Ledger) of Cincinnati’s Orthodox Community

caption:
The “Ohev Shalom – Anshei Russia” synagogue
 
It was founded in the year 5641 (1880-81). At first they rented a room in Spencer House, near the river. They soon moved to Judge and Central streets. After some years they purchased a building on Court St. and built a Mikveh [ritual bath] there as well. In the year 5656 (1895-96) they purchased land in Price Hill to be used for a cemetery. In the year 5666 (1905-06) they acquired the synagogue known as the “Fruma Shul” (the “Orthodox Synagogue”) on Richmond and Mount Streets, a large, aesthetically pleasing, imposing structure. In the year 5685 (1924-25) they built a Taharah house [where the body is cleansed prior to burial] near the cemetery. They paid just twenty-five thousand shekel [i.e. dollars] for the synagogue on Richmond St. – the building is worth fifty. At this point the synagogue is mortgage free, and they will, on occasion, lend monetary aid to other synagogues. Rabbi Sender Lifshitz and Rabbi Joseph Meir Levin of blessed memory both served there as rabbis. [Rabbi Levin] was the second person to be buried in the synagogue cemetery.
 
The following served as presidents: the late Mssrs. Gissman, Petlitz, Wolpo, and B. Weiner, and – in distinguishing between the dead and those still living among us – Mr. Moshe Stolberg, Chaim Nuer, Ben Karp, Tzvi Weitzman, Joe Ginsberg, Tzvi Dov Friedman, [] Levitz, and – its current president – Mr. Feitel Dov Fryman and vice president, B. Niedelman.
 
Its rabbi is currently the gaon (scholarly genius) Rabbi Eliezer Silver, rabbi of the Igud Hakehiloth (association of congregations) of Cincinnati. A bimah was also erected in the middle of the synagogue [one of the distinctive features of an orthodox synagogue Rabbi Silver was adamant about].
 
 
In the year 5695 (1934-35) the Ohev Shalom and Tifereth Zion synagogues joined together under the single name “Ohev Shalom”. One building is on Richmond and Mount streets and the second on Burnett Street.
 
Its [current] president is Mr. Gittman.