| BIAV History |
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Kansas City’s Orthodox synagogue, Beth Israel Abraham & Voliner, dates back to 1890, when minyan meetings were held in the Hammerslough Building at Fifth & Main Streets. The group that gathered was called Etz Chaim (Tree of Life), and in 1894 it founded the Tefereth Israel Congregation. The congregation moved in 1905 to Admiral Boulevard and Tracy. For many years, the southwest corner of 35th Street and the Paseo was the home of the city’s only mechitzah synagogue. While there, the synagogue merged with Beth Abraham. In 1959, the congregation moved to 83rd and Holmes. In 1960 it merged with Voliner Anshei Sefard to become Congregation Beth Israel Abraham and Voliner. In the 1980’s, it became evident that the Missouri community was becoming smaller and that young, traditional families wanted to create a Torah community in Kansas, nearer to the Hebrew Academy and other amenities. BIAV opened a branch in an Overland Park office building in 1987. It then purchased the Overland Park Baptist Temple and set out to convert the structure to a home for Torah Judaism, which it moved into in 1994. In Overland Park, BIAV assembled a congregation of young families with small children. A parking place for strollers became important, and more Bar and Bat Mitzvahs were held in 1999 than in the entire previous decade. It remains the only Orthodox synagogue in the state of Kansas. BIAV hopes it can expand its Overland Park home to welcome all of those who choose to worship and dwell with the congregation. |