Welcome to the website of Ohev Sholom -- The National Synagogue.

In 1886, during the administration of Grover Cleveland, a group of devout Russian immigrant Jews who had fled the tyrannical rule of Czar Alexander III founded Ohev Sholom Congregation.  Among the founders of Ohev Sholom were Moses Sterman, Nathan Rudderman and Herman Sachs.  The first services were held on the second floor over Myer Fisher's clothing store in the 1100 block of 7th Street N.W.  As Ohev Sholom grew and required more space it moved to 616 Louisiana Avenue N.W. and later to 607 H Street N.W.  On September 9, 1906, Ohev Sholom moved to 500 I Street N.W. where it remained for the next fifty years.

The nucleus of Talmud Torah was a group of twenty-eight families in Southwest Washington who conducted daily minyans together.  They first met in Isaac Levy's clothing store, Levy's Busy Corner, on 4 1/2 Street S.W.  They used a sefer torah that Morris Garfinkle had contributed to the minyan.  The group later met in various members' homes on 4 1/2 Street, M Street, F Street and School Street.  Their last meeting place was in Samuel Kessler's home before they moved to a permanent synagogue at 467 E Street S.W.

Chazan Moshe Yoelson led the services of Talmud Torah from about 1892 through the 1920's.  The shul and life in Southwest Washington form the backdrop for Chazan Yoelson's more famous son, Al Jolson, considered by many the greatest entertainer of his time.

Congregation Talmud Torah stayed on E Street S.W. for almost fifty years until a government redevelopment program forced them to leave Southwest in the early 1950's.  On April 27, 1952 they moved into B'nai Israel's former synagogue at 14th and Emerson and in 1957 the moved once again to The Hebrew Academy at 16th Street and Fort Stevens Drive.

On July 7, 1958 Ohev Sholom and Talmud Torah merged, creating a congregation of six hundred families.  The newly built synagogue of the merged congregation was dedicated on November 27, 1960, and opened its doors as the Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah Congregation.

On November 10, 1994, OSTT purchased a house on Georgia Avenue in Olney, Maryland, for the establishment of a branch synagogue among the young families in that area.  It followed up that purchase with a further purchase a few months later of the adjacent building and ground for a rabbi's residence.  The Olney venture was a reaffirmation of this congregation's belief in the future of traditional Judaism.

In 2001 OSTT approved a transfer of all its Olney properties to a Maryland corporation under local Olney control of its affairs, and in May 2002 conveyed the Main Shul property to a D.C. corporation for local control by those attending and supporting that synagogue. On November 4, 2002, OSTT formally recognized there were two functioning congregations (one in Olney and one in D.C.) and accordingly divided the officers and directors between them.

Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld of Riverdale, New York, became the OSTT rabbi in 2004. His vision was to take the spirit of the synagogue out to the community and to welcome all Jews regardless of their prior Jewish background or training. In 2006 OSTT on 16th Street in Washington was formally reorganized as Ohev Sholom - The National Synagogue ® agreeing with the Olney congregation that it should continue as the separate and independently functioning Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah in Olney.

Among the many innovations undertaken under Rabbi Herzfeld's leadership have been the construction of additional mechitza's down the middle of both the Chapel and the Main Sanctuary of the synagogue; Shabbos services employing the melodies of Shlomo Carlbach; new women's study programs; new programs for the developmentally challenged; elevators (under construction) to accommodate the handicapped; and events downtown to herald major holidays. At the same time new Jewish families are moving into the Shepherd Park neighborhood within walking distance of our synagogue. Membership in the synagogue has steadily grown and continues to grow along with the enthusiastic participation in the many activities of the synagogue.