NEWARK - Members of Wells Cathedral Church of God in Christ here and Congregation Oheb Shalom, now of South Orange, took 30 minutes to hold their joint "Walk of Ages" May 23.

Some 200 worshippers and friends left the Greater Newark Conservancy headquarters at 95 Prince St. shortly after 10 a.m. and mostly walked south on Dr. M.L. King, Jr. Boulevard to Wells Cathedral at 672 King Blvd. Wells Pastor Hersey Taylor and Oheb Shalom Rabbi Mark Cooper then held an interfaith service - including a reading of the congregation's torah for the first time here since 1958.

The walk is part of Oheb Shalom's 150th anniversary. Oheb, as one of Newark's "three trunk synagogues," was founded in a Prince Street house before occupying its first temple on the block 1884-1911.

Oheb stayed at 672 King Blvd. before moving to its present 170 Scotland Rd., S.O. edifice in 1958. The move allowed Wells to buy the former temple.

The ecumenical walk and service was also staged to benefit the conservancy, Lighthouse Community Services and the Community Soup Kitchen of Orange. The conservancy sees to reuse 95 Prince St. for a presentation hall. The kitchen, formerly at the First Presbyterian Church of Orange, has been on hiatus since March 28 until it finds a new home.