By Karen Vance
Enquirer contributor

Workers leave the new Northern Hills Synagogue Thursday. (Michael Snyder photo)

DEERFIELD TWP. - The congregation of Warren County's first synagogue hopes to be in its new Deerfield Township home by the end of this month.

The Northern Hills Synagogue, Congregation B'nai Avraham, is relocating from 715 Fleming Road in Springfield Township to 5714 Fields Ertel Road. It has been using Yavneh Day School's chapel, offices in a Blue Ash office park and classrooms at the Jewish Vocational and Jewish Family services since selling its facility Jan. 15.

"It's been a real good showing of support from the community for this move," said Steve Karmel, a member of the synagogue since 1988.

The Conservative Jewish congregation, founded in 1960, has been making plans to relocate to follow population shifts and a decline to about 170 households. The new building will be about 21,000 square feet and include a 300-seat sanctuary, a 300-seat social hall, classrooms, offices, a media center and youth lounge. It will cost the congregation about $3.5 million, said Marty Ackerman, the relocation chairman.

"Many of our members were nervous at first, but everybody who has been out there is now seeing it come to fruition," Ackerman said. "There's a growing anticipation."

The synagogue has scheduled a dedication weekend March 19-21 and a scholar-in-residence weekend April 16-18.

Meanwhile, the church that bought the congregation's previous building, From the Heart Church Ministries of Cincinnati, is enjoying a permanent home, said Pastor Brenda K. White.

The church, which has its national headquarters in Temple Hills, Md., near Washington, has been in Cincinnati for two years and was previously meeting in a hotel.

"We were ecstatic to find a place, and to find a place in such excellent condition in a central location," White said.

The 300-member church has active ministries for marriage enrichment, fellowship for men, women and teens and wants to begin a Christian reading school.

"One of the greatest things we can do is build an educational ministry that focuses on growing Christ," said White, who shares in operating duties with her husband, Virgil L. White Jr.

For more information about Northern Hills Synagogue, call 931-6038.

A schedule for dedication weekend has not yet been set.

And for more information about From the Heart, call 531-5433. Sunday services are at 10:45 a.m. with Bible study at 7 p.m. Tuesday.