- (330) 744-5001
- office@ohevbethsholom.org
- 1119 Elm Street, Youngstown, Ohio 44505
Effective Date: January 1, 2025
Last Updated: March 28, 2026
Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom (“the Congregation,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our members, donors, volunteers, visitors, and all individuals who interact with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your information when you engage with our congregation, website, programs, and services.
By participating in our programs, using our website, or providing us with your personal information, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. Please read this document carefully.
– Full name, address, phone number, and email address
– Date of birth and family composition (for membership records)
– Jewish lifecycle event information (b’nai mitzvah, weddings, funerals, conversions)
– Financial information, including payment card or bank account details for dues, donations, or event fees
– Yahrzeit names and dates submitted for memorial observances
– Emergency contact information
– Dietary restrictions and accessibility needs for events
– Correspondence and communications with clergy or staff
When you visit our website or digital platforms, we may automatically collect:
– IP address and general geographic location
– Browser type, operating system, and device information
– Pages visited, time spent, and links clicked
– Referring URLs and search terms
We may receive information from:
– Payment processors (e.g., credit card transaction confirmations)
– Synagogue management software platforms used for member administration
– Social media platforms, if you interact with our official accounts
– Other Jewish communal organizations, with your knowledge and consent
We use personal information for the following legitimate purposes:
– Maintaining membership records and processing dues and donations
– Coordinating High Holiday seating, lifecycle events, and religious programming
– Sending prayer books, holiday mailings, and congregational publications
– Preparing yahrzeit notices and memorial observances
– Administering religious school enrollment and youth programs
– Sending newsletters, event announcements, and Shabbat information
– Notifying you of important congregational updates or policy changes
– Responding to your inquiries and requests
– Providing spiritual care and pastoral outreach
– Processing membership dues, High Holiday appeals, and donations
– Issuing tax acknowledgment letters for charitable contributions
– Managing scholarship funds and financial assistance programs
– Maintaining emergency contact records for programs and events
– Complying with applicable federal, state, and local laws
– Protecting the safety and security of our clergy, staff, and congregants
Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for commercial purposes. We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:
– With trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website, processing payments, or managing congregational databases, under strict confidentiality agreements
– With the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), or affiliated Jewish organizations, as required for institutional affiliation
– With funeral homes, cemeteries, or officiants in connection with lifecycle events, at your direction
– With legal authorities when required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of our community
– With your explicit written consent for any other purpose
Member directories, when published, are shared only within the congregation and require member opt-in. We will never publish your personal information in a member directory without your express permission.
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, maintain our religious and historical records, and comply with legal obligations. Specifically:
– Active member records are maintained throughout the duration of your membership
– Lifecycle event records (b’nai mitzvah, conversions, marriages, funerals) are maintained permanently as part of our congregational archives
– Financial records, including donation acknowledgments, are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years in accordance with IRS requirements
– Yahrzeit records are maintained indefinitely
– Website usage data is retained for up to twelve (12) months
When personal information is no longer needed, we securely destroy or anonymize it in accordance with applicable law.
We take the security of your personal information seriously. We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:
– Encryption of financial data and sensitive records
– Password-protected access to membership management systems
– Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis among clergy and staff
– Secure deletion of physical documents containing personal information
No method of data transmission or storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights, we will notify you as required by applicable law.
We respect your rights regarding your personal information. Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:
– Access the personal information we hold about you
– Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
– Request deletion of your personal information, subject to our need to maintain required records
– Opt out of receiving non-essential communications (e.g., marketing emails) at any time
– Withdraw consent for any processing that is based solely on your consent
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our office using the information in Section 10 below. We will respond to your request within thirty (30) days.
Please note that certain records (such as lifecycle event archives and financial donation records) must be retained to fulfill our religious, legal, and institutional obligations and cannot be deleted upon request.
We are committed to protecting the privacy of children. We collect information about minors only in connection with enrollment in religious school, youth groups, or other programs, and only with parental or guardian consent.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 through our website without verifiable parental consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately and we will promptly delete it.
Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience. These may include:
– Essential cookies necessary for website functionality
– Analytics cookies that help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g., Google Analytics)
– Preference cookies that remember your settings
You may configure your browser to decline cookies. Please note that disabling cookies may affect certain features of our website. We do not use cookies for advertising or third-party tracking purposes.
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, or partner organizations. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact:
Email: office@ohevbethsholom.org
Phone: (330) 744-5001
We are committed to resolving any complaints or concerns about our privacy practices promptly and in good faith.
We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. When we make material changes, we will:
– Post the updated policy on our website with a revised “Last Updated” date
– Provide notice in our congregation’s newsletter or by email to current members
Your continued engagement with the Congregation following notice of changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.
This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Ohio and federal law, including but not limited to the Internal Revenue Code (for charitable records) and applicable state privacy regulations. Congregation Ohev Beth Sholom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization.
