In the mid-1950’s, the northwestward migration of the Baltimore Jewish community from the Lower Park Heights and Forest Park neighborhoods created the need for new congregations.  As residents of the first development in the area, Ranchleigh, Bernie Rosenthal and Leon Albin and others were instrumental in forming Greenspring Valley Synagogue and Center which later assumed the Hebrew name of Ner Tamid.  Early High Holiday services were held in buildings of the National Guard base which then occupied the southeast corner of Greenspring and Smith Avenues. For a home of the new Synagogue, the first in the area, several cottages were purchased along the east side of Lincoln Avenue as well as later purchases of cottages to the rear to expand the congregation’s footprint to Pimlico Road to the east.  Ultimately, most of the cottages were demolished and buildings, housing a sanctuary, auditorium, classrooms and offices were constructed in the early 1960’s. The explosion of new housing in the area attracted an influx of many more Jewish families to the neighborhood.

In addition, in the mid-1960’s, the Quantico Avenue Synagogue , being in an area from which Jewish families were leaving, merged with Ner Tamid.  Shortly before the merger, its Rabbi, Rabbi Herschel Leibowitz became Ner Tamid’s first full time Rabbi. Previously, Rabbi George Taschman was a part time Rabbi supplementing his position as a military chaplain at Edgewood Arsenal in Harford County.  By the late 1960’s Ner Tamid had become one of the largest Orthodox congregations in the Baltimore area.

In the mid 1980’s, Rabbi Leibowitz retired after leading the Congregation for more than 25 years.  After a widespread Rabbinic search, Rabbi Chaim Landau was offered and accepted the pulpit of Ner Tamid, coming from his prior position in Charleston, West Virginia.

During Rabbi Landau’s tenure of 25 years, there were considerable changes in both the Congregation and the surrounding Jewish Community along the Greenspring Avenue corridor. The neighborhood absorbed a steady and significant influx of observant families. This new generation also was more likely to send their children to Jewish Day Schools rather than local public schools. Thus, the need for afternoon Hebrew Schools diminished. As a result, Ner Tamid closed its once overflowing afternoon Hebrew School and two floors of empty classrooms remained behind. This situation was an opportunity for fledgling institutions to have a location to start. Etz Chaim, Rambam, Rabbi Slanger’s Yeshiva and Bina Institute all had their origins in these classrooms.

To fulfill another need of the community, Ner Tamid, with the indefatigable enthusiasm of Noa Goldman, began the first Montessori Nursery School in this space and evolved into an enormous success.

In 2013, Ner Tamid hired its third rabbi, Rabbi Yisrael Motzen. To read more about Rabbi Motzen, please click on the link.