Congregation Ohr Tzafon ("Northern Light") started with the dream of establishing a synagogue in northern San Luis Obispo County. Some of the people had belonged to congregations in San Luis Obispo, but many others had no prior synagogue affiliation. There was a strong feeling that the time had arrived for the formation of a North County synagogue.

A get-together was scheduled at City Park in Paso Robles under the big oak tree, in August of 1996 to assess interest. The response was overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic. At first, we all just stared at each other, amazed that 60 or more Jews were interested and actually lived in the North County. Potential members signed up for committees and activities. The first thing we did was to start a school for the Jewish children in our new community. In September 1996, our Torah School was established with 7 students. Class was held at the home of our first principal. As the children studied, parents schmoozed over coffee. We had approximately 15 temple members at that point.

Meetings were held to establish a structural basis for the congregation, to select a name, and to continue organizing. Congregation Ohr Tzafon received its charter on January 28, 1997. Our first Shabbat evening service was held on December 13, 1996, in a spirit of joy and excitement that continues to this day, and which will, we hope, continue far into the future. We met for over a year at Plymouth Congregational Church in Paso Robles, and we are grateful to them for their support. Our rainy day Tu’B' shevat/ New Year of the Trees celebration that year will remain etched in our memories as we honored church members by planting trees in their garden. Before the school year was finished, our student population had doubled and classes were moved to the offices of one of our members.

We have celebrated many Passover seders  together, but our first was unique. The member with the largest home graciously opened it to the entire Jewish community. Members worked together all day in the kitchen, cooking and  sharing stories, and preparing a Passover seder meal for 106 people. Everyone who came brought a dish to share, what a great meal it was! We sat at tables that wound throughout the house, in hallways, in doorways and out to the patios.

In April 1997, we had grown to about 30 members and acquired our first Torah with everyone contributing, even some of the youngest children. Members joined together to build a small Ark. Our first Torah was over 100 years old and had traveled from Turkey to Los Angeles with many stops along the way. The lettering was unique to many of our in-house scholars, in that the style was Middle Eastern Sephardic. The Torah was in fairly good repair, although sections were bandaged and faded. Members lovingly dressed it with silver adornments (rimmonim, breastplate, mantel and yad). We held our first Torah service in the offices where Torah School had been meeting and many more in the Church library. Torah School enrollment doubled again and classes were moved to a private school facility in Atascadero owned by a new member.

On February 28, 1998, we held our first Shabbat Evening Service in our own facility, leased in a storefront building. The dream was being fulfilled. We had established a synagogue in the North County. Members dedicated a sign placed high on our building to show all the North County that the Jewish Community was alive, well and growing. We now had 45 memberships. In 1999, a new handcrafted Ark was completed by one of our members and dedicated.

 
                Our First Location

Congregation Ohr Tzafon was completely lay led , depending on members to lead religious services, teach classes and volunteer their efforts to conduct the business of the synagogue. At 60 members, we decided to affiliate with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) in 2003. Through the URJ, in September 2003, we welcomed our first student rabbi, Stacey Nolish, who led services, adult education and Torah School sessions once each month for two years.   Janice Mehring began serving our congregation as our Cantorial Soloist.

In the summer of 2004, we had raised enough money to purchase a second Torah. This new Torah was written in 1945 and came to us from Russia via England. The Rabbi Sofer who acquired it for us also restored our old Torah. He taught us that the ink used on it contained iron oxide and that was why it had faded to a reddish color. He also pointed out to us that the parchment used on the new Torah had not been processed as the old one had been, so the new Torah retains some of the primitive qualities of the animal parchment from which it is made.

Over the years, we have joyously celebrated lifecycles together. We have had baby namings, children became consecrated, B'nei Mitvah, and confirmed. We have had adult B'nei Mitzvah, conversions ceremonies and other joyous events. We celebrate throughout the year together. Some favorites are the Tashlich picnic at the New Year, Break the Fast, Chanukah Community Candle lighting, Purim Spiels and carnivals, and the annual community camping trip.

We are committed to serving our greater community and have been supporters of El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO), where we provide and serve meals every month. We are regular contributors to the San Luis Obispo Food Bank Coalition.