Cleveland, OH – Coming to a synagogue near you – natural gas drilling?
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Several local synagogues have allowed the Pep Drilling Company to drill for natural gas wells on their property and will reap the benefits if and when the wells produce.
Park Synagogue East and B’nai Jeshurun both have wells on their Pepper Pike premises; another well exists at Bet Olam Cemetery in Beachwood. That last well is the product of an agreement with four synagogues that all share in the profits: B’nai Jeshurun Congregation, Young Israel/ Oer Chodosh, Ohed Zedek-Taylor Road Synagogue, and Zemach Zedek Congregation. Gas travels into the main Dominion line and is metered.
Park Synagogue executive director Kenneth Anthony says drilling on synagogue property is a win-win situation. “The companies that propose drilling wells pay for all of your expenses. Should the well come up dry, they cap it, and you wouldn’t even know it’s there.”
If there is gas, Park will receive a 15% share of the profits from whatever the new well produces at its property in Pepper Pike; it is now receiving a one-quarter share of that 15% at Bet Olam Cemetery. Pep Drilling Company gets the remaining 85%. In addition, Park receives either free gas or the monetary equivalent for as long as the drilling continues on its property. The well at the cemetery is producing approximately $31,000 worth of natural gas per month, says Anthony.
The state of Ohio issues permits for wells. The new well at Park Synagogue East was completed within the last couple of weeks, but the synagogue won’t see regular production and income for about 90 days, says Anthony.
There are no plans currently to drill more wells at Park, in part because at least 20 acres are needed to drill. The synagogue would need to form a partnership agreement with one or more entities, similar to the agreement at Bet Olam. But with the success the congregation has seen thus far, Anthony is certainly not ruling out the possibility.
B’nai Jeshurun Congregation had a drill erected Dec. 5, which stayed up for almost two weeks to create a well. Money the congregation receives for any natural gas the well produces will be put into a reserve fund to supplement the operating budget, says executive director Ralph Rosenthal. Although Rosenthal says the decision to drill produced no controversy with the synagogue’s board of directors, the biggest concern was ensuring the land would be returned to the same condition it was in prior to drilling. Based on results at other sites drilled by Pep, the synagogue is satisfied it will be.
Negotiations are in process to drill for natural gas at The Temple-Tifereth Israel in Beachwood. “We are hopeful about moving forward early next year,” says Bob Allenick, executive director. “Like all other nonprofits, we’re trying to take advantage of every opportunity to keep the organization financially strong for our congregants and the community we serve.”
I won’t call these ‘shuls’. Most of the congregations are either Conservative or Reform; while other than B’nei Yeshurun the cemetary is Orthodox, Park is a large Conservative congregation.
ahsach gershtlach mit boondlach could help the cause. as a matter of fact al gore wants 2 curb leyl shishi cholent as an effort 2 save the ozone layer
green shul
Yes, #1 , I also am incensed when I read descriptions of these vile reform and conservative places as “shuls.”
Words express concepts. When we use words incorrectly, we blur concepts and distinctions and draw ourselves and others into sloppy concepualization and thinking.
actually funny it seems the reform corporations and little mom and pop chassidishe shacharis get togethers are getting together for some gelt! and besides i agree reform should not be called shuls
Part of becoming energy inderpendet is for out countreis security. The yidden need this security more then enyone else. This move therfore actualy helps the jews from future attacks from oil rich countreis
Could an (orthodox) shule allow work to be done on their property on Shabbos that provides the shule income/profit?
You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
Rabbi Weiss is a heligie yid, and there is no need to lash out against him because you have a difference of religious lifestyle than him.
Do you not remember anything that happened over the last month will Klal Yisroel? The Toldos Aharon Rav has urged for unity, and should all do the same.
The beauty of Chabad is they don’t judge you for having a different religious lifestyle than them; you could all learn a lesson from them.
ENOUGH ALREADY !! ENOUGH !! ENOUGH !!! enough !!
A yid is a yid ! Frum, Frei, orthodox, conservative, litvish, chasidish.
Hitler, Yimach shemo, didnt discriminate. Are we any worse??
We are ALL bnei avrom, yitzchok, yaakov, Stop dividing us.
And we want to know why there are tzoros and moshiach didnt come yet ! geesh!
What a deeply offensive remark! Park and B’nai Jeshurun are indeed shuls and the term can also be used for Tifereth Israel (though they do not use the term as often, members of Conservative shuls routinely use the word shul to describe them).
I spoke to Rabbi Bensasoon personaly (Rav of the Taylor Road Shul). The drilling is on their property but OUTSIDE of the Bais Oalm!