A Look Through our Archives

Early last month, prominent Canadian Jewish artist Yehouda Chaki z”l passed away at the age of 84. Among the many wonderful contributions to art in Canada, Chaki, a long-time member of our own Shaar community, was behind the design of the two beautiful tapestries sewn by the Sisterhood, depicting scenes from Bereshit, which hang in our building. This week, as we begin another Torah reading cycle on Simchat Torah, we pay tribute to Yehouda Chaki and the two tapestries.

In The Beginning

The first Chaki-designed tapestry “In The Beginning” was unveiled by the Sisterhood in 1982 and took two and a half years to complete. In the fall of that year, at the reception preceding the Slichot services, the Sisterhood sponsored a vernissage of the tapestry as part of the Westmount Arts Festival. This was the first public viewing of the tapestry, and was attended by guests and officials of the City of Westmount along with Sisterhood members who made squares in the tapestry and Yehouda Chaki himself. 

Let There Be Light

In 1992, in time for the Congregation’s 145^th anniversary, the Sisterhood unveiled its second needlepoint tapestry designed by Yehouda Chaki titled, Let There Be Light . This was another great undertaking by members of Sisterhood who each completed squares of the tapestry. The Committee for  this  project was chaired by Mildred B. Lande, C.M., and Carol Koffler.

Further reading on Yehouda Chaki

Brownstein: Chaki was one of Canada's most prominent and prolific artists

Obituary: Yehouda Chaki, 84, expressed both joy and pain in his vibrant paintings

This Fall will mark 75 years since the Rabbi Herman Abramowitz Building (Educational Annex) was formally dedicated. As we gear up for back-to-school we’re looking back on the day the school building was officially opened.

The educational centre was a longtime the goal of Rabbi Herman Abramowitz, who was a strong advocate for Jewish education. In the years leading up to it’s opening, the Shaar’s Westmount building (which had been built just 26 years prior) was already bursting at the seams and the need for additional space for the synagogue’s educational activities was abundantly clear. While World War II did delay progress, by the time the Shaar’s centennial year in 1946-7 the necessary funds were secured.

On October 31, 1948, the building officially opened following a beautiful dedication ceremony during which then Shaar President Moses J. Heillig was presented with a commemorative silver trowel. 

(The trowel reads: Presented to M. J. Heillig, Esq. President of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim on the occasion of the laying of the Corner Stone for the Rabbi Herman Abramowitz Building. Oct. 31^st 1948. 23^rd Day Tishrei 5709)

Unfortunately, Rabbi Abramowitz would not live see the building’s completion as he passed away after a long illness in October 1947. However, his legacy of dedication to Jewish education as the building was dedicated in his name. 

Read the programme from the dedication service

Hi everyone! My name is Molly Lohner and I will be your Archives Assistant this summer. I was born and raised in Montreal and I just graduated from McGill with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Philosophy. This summer I am also working as a tour guide leading the Museum of Jewish Montreal’s Beyond the Bagel food tour, which explores historic and modern Jewish food businesses in the Mile End. As a Montreal Jew, I have always been curious about what life was like for this community in decades past. I feel so lucky to get to investigate this history as part of both of my jobs this summer. 

What will I be doing?

As Archives Assistant, my role is to help the Archivist, Hannah, with various archiving tasks. So far, I have been writing blog posts and going through a box of papers from Rabbi Abramowitz. I am also excited to start helping to curate material for the museum.

What have I found so far?

Rabbi Dr. Herman Abramowitz was the Rabbi of the congregation from 1902 to 1947. He was recruited shortly after he graduated with a doctorate and a rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary, the rabbinical school associated with the Conservative movement. 

I was surprised to find how much material in his box was related to the education programs that took place at the Shaar. He seems to have been very passionate about the Jewish value of educating one’s children and dedicated much of his time to overseeing the afternoon Hebrew school and Sunday religious school. 

I have also been fascinated by the material related to the Rabbi’s chaplaincy work. He was a chaplain for the Jewish Canadian members of the British forces during the First World War; during the Second World War, he chaired the committee that appointed Jewish chaplains for the Canadian forces.

It’s wedding season! As we get ready to celebrate the rush of weddings this summer, let’s look back at some Shaar wedding celebrations from the past century.

The congregation dedicated its current sanctuary in 1922 after leaving its second building on McGill College Avenue. The above image shows the sanctuary decorated for a wedding in the 1920s, making it one of the first weddings held in this building. 

In 1953, in an effort to increase recently married young women’s involvement in the congregation, the president of the Women’s Auxiliary instituted annual bridal teas. All the brides married that year would gather to meet the women of the Auxiliary and the inner family of the synagogue. This image shows a bridal tea hosted by Saidye Bronfman in 1954. The initiative was successful, resulting in many young women joining the Auxiliary.

This invitation and souvenir program are from the golden wedding anniversary of involved members of the congregation Harris Kellert and Esther Matts. Married in 1867, they held their 50^th anniversary at the Montefiore Club in 1917. The event was chaired by Michael Hirsch, who was a prominent philanthropist, lifelong Shaar member, and one of the founders of the Montefiore Club. It also included toasts by Rabbi Dr. Herman Abramowitz, Lyon Cohen, and family members and friends of the couple.

These three benchers celebrate Shaar couples in different ways. The one on the far left is from the wedding of Connie and Charles Solomon. The one on the far right is from the golden anniversary of Lillie and Moe Heillig, also lifelong active members of the congregation. The one in the middle is from the wedding of Miriam Sochet and Rabbi Wilfred Shuchat, the Shaar’s rabbi from 1946 to 1993. You’ll notice that Rabbi Shuchat’s first name was misprinted on his own wedding bencher! As pictured beside these, the couple signed the inside of the bencher with their real names, Will and Miriam.

The Shaar Archives & Museum Receives Investment to Develop Online Exhibit

The Shaar Hashomayim Archives & Museum is delighted to share—just in time for Canadian Jewish Heritage Month—that we have been chosen as a recipient of an investment from Digital Museums Canada (administered by the Canadian Museum of History) to develop an online exhibit celebrating 100 years of the Shaar in Westmount. Among the many exciting aspects of this project include that it will be bilingual, increase our outreach in the digital sphere, and will boost the profile of our synagogue’s long & fascinating history as the virtual exhibit will be hosted on the "Community Stories" platform run by Digital Museums Canada. You can read the official news release here and read more about the Community Stories platform here.

The Digital Museums Canada (DMC) investment program helps build digital capacity in Canadian museums and heritage, cultural and Indigenous organizations, and gives people living in Canada unique access to diverse stories and experiences. DMC is managed by the Canadian Museum of History, with the financial support of the Government of Canada.

This small ceramic seder plate (c. 1895), with a pale pink rim and blue centre, has a fascinating history. It was originally donated to the Shaar’s museum by Jeanie Rosemarin (the sister-in-law of long-time Shaar music director Prof. Jacob Rosemarin) in 1987, and it was brought over from Eastern Europe by her parents. Aside from its beauty, a mark on the back of the plate gives a major clue to its history… 

On the back is written “Kamennobrod – A.F. Sussman”. With a bit of research, this indicates it was made at the faience (fine tin-glazed pottery) factory in Kamenny Brod (modern-day Ukraine). 

Kamenny Brod only began to develop in the second half of the 19th century—during which time the factory was established. Towards the last quarter of the 1800s, ownership of the factory was taken over by the Sussman family, who developed it into the largest faience factory in the region. This attracted a number of Jews to move to the town. Indeed, the factory quickly became the economic heart of the town, employing much of the local population. 

Under Aizik (A. F.) Sussman's leadership, the factory gained a reputation for its beautiful craftmanship. Sussman brought the factories’ best pieces to international exhibitions such as in Poltava (1895), Odessa (1897), and Kyiv, where they won numerous awards.  

This seder plate may just be a mere snippet of a long history, but it offers a window to the past, and its presence in the Shaar’s museum collection offers a chance to connect with this history. 

The seder plate is currently on display outside of the Shaar’s main office. If you're interested in reading more about Kamenny Brod and its faience factory, an excellent and detailed history is available at the below links: 

Sources:  

https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/kamennyy_Brod/history-faience_factory.htm 

https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/Kamennyy_Brod/KamennyyHistory.pdf 

The Shaar’s tradition of elaborately produced Purimspiels put on by the youth of the synagogue carried on for decades. This week we’re featuring some of the original costume sketches from the Purimspiel of 1954, “Hopalong Haman Rides Again”

This Purimspiel—which was a parody of the 1937 Western Hopalong Rides Again was performed Thursday March 18^th on Erev Purim. 

Among the cast members included Rebecca Mendelson as Esther, Rita Blitt as Vashti, Lorne Mendel as Mordecai, Jeffrey Weissler as Haman, and Jacob Elkin as Ahasuerus. 

The costume sketches which you’ll see below are the original renderings. Each kid was dressed in appropriate ‘cowboy’-themed costumes to go with the theme of the Purimspiel. 

Esther:

Vashti:

Mordecai:

Haman:

King Ahasuerus: 

Towards the end of 2022 the Shaar Hashomayim Museum and Archives received a most fascinating gift: Charles Kaplan (pictured above), reached out to offer the commemorative silver trowel to his grandfather—Past Shaar President Moses Jacob (M. J.) Heillig z”l—on the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone of the Rabbi Herman Abramowitz Educational Annex on October 31, 1948. We were, of course, delighted to reencounter this important artifact of the Shaar’s history. 

The Trowel in Focus

The silver trowel is similar in design to those already in the museum’s possession from other cornerstone-laying occasions in the synagogue’s history. It is engraved with the following message:

Presented to M. J. Heillig, Esq. President of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim on the occasion of the laying of the Corner Stone for the Rabbi Herman Abramowitz Building. Oct. 31^st 1948. 23^rd Day Tishrei 5709. 

At the base of the handle where it meets the silver plate is a small figure of an open Torah scroll. 

Who was M. J. Heillig?

Moses Heillig served as the president of the synagogue from 1947-1956, but these years merely represent a fraction of the many years in service to the Shaar. In fact, Heillig’s years in uninterrupted service to the Synagogue total well over a half century, making him the longest serving member in the history of the synagogue. Beginning when he was merely in his early twenties, he became the secretary of the synagogue and would go on to serve as vice-president, president, honorary president, and as chairman of Cemetery Committee from 1945 for many decades. 

What happened during the cornerstone laying ceremony?

On November 5, 1948, the Canadian Jewish Review reported the following: 

The newly-constructed educational annex, to be known as the Rabbi Herman Abramowitz Building was dedicated and formally opened, the Rabbi and Cantor Nathan Mendelson officiating, with the choir under the direction of Jacob Rosemarin, with Mrs. M. N. Fineberg at the organ. The Ark was opened by Ronald Cape, president of the Junior Congregation, Horace R. Cohen, O.B.E, honorary president of the congregation, presided. Greetings were extended on behalf of Mayor R. P. Adams of Westmount by Alderman G. L. Fowler. The Montreal Protestant School Board was represented by its chairman, W. E. Dunton, and the Westmount Board of School Commissioners by C. H. Savage. The cornerstone was placed by M. J. Heillig, the president, and the formal presentation of the building was made by Max Finestone, chairman of the Building Committee, to Philip Lev, chairman of the Education Committee. The educational director, Samuel L. Leibowitz affixed to the doorpost the traditional mezuzah. Junior congregation simchas Torah Hakofos were conducted at evening and morning services by the officers and cantors, Ronald Cape presided; Arthur [obscured] acted as parnass; David cape as [obscured]; and Morton Schwartz read from the Torah. The Ark was opened by Lewis Batshaw and Leonard Cohen. Participants were: Howard Bacal, Harold Shapiro, Perry Meyer, Bernard Cooper, Joseph Mendel, Mark Shapiro, Mark Bercuvitz, Basil Ballon, Daniel Usher, Arthur Freedman, Jerry Freedman, Jerry Kurland, Harvey smith, Robert Feldstein, Murray Notkin, Haskell Zabitsky, Avrum Bloomstone, Allan Bernfeld, Charles Solomon, Marvin Goldsmith, Bernard Shapiro, Martin Goodman, Harold Scherzer, Ronald Gallay.”

We express our sincerest gratitude to Mr. Kaplan for his wonderful gift which will be preserved among the history of our synagogue in perpetuity.

Thank you to all those who tuned in on November 27^th for the very well-attended Archives Roadshow (Part Two)! If you were unable to make it, the recording of the event is now available. In this program, you will learn about four Jewish archives in Canada, and about one fascinating item in our own synagogue archives which sheds light on an important part of our synagogue’s history and our contributions to Canadian Jewish history!

Services honouring our congregation’s veterans have long been a part of the Shaar Hashomayim’s traditions. With Remembrance Day nearly upon us, this week we’re featuring two fascinating documents which show how the Shaar marked two services of remembrance, in 1924 and 1945

Armistice Day Prayer, 1924

This prayer pamphlet for Armistice Day was printed in 1924 by the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire (who then was Rabbi Joseph Hertz). It was to be recited on the Shabbat immediately prior to November. 

Click here to see the full pamphlet.

Special Service to Commemorate the Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, 1945

The Battle of Britain, which lasted from July 10th to October 31st, 1940, was one in which Canadians played a large part. This commemorative service was held at the Shaar on its fifth anniversary, on the Shabbat of September 15, 1945. 

How the Shaar has memorialized and celebrated the British Monarch

In early February of 1901, Congregation Shaar Hashomayim held a memorial service for Queen Victoria. This Saturday evening, as we mark one hundred years in our own building, we will be holding our fifth memorial service for a reigning sovereign: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who sat on the throne for most of that century. In a newly mounted display outside of the Chapel, we exhibit how our congregation has celebrated and memorialized momentous occasions for Canada’s monarchs, from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II.

Shaar Hashomayim was founded in 1846—just nine years into Queen Victoria’s reign. Since her passing in 1901, our Congregation has held memorial services upon the death of every Canadian Sovereign. Over the past year, we have shared how the Shaar has marked the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (in honour of her Platinum Jubilee), the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria (185 years since her ascension to the throne in 1837), and the death of King George VI (70 years this year). Yet we have far more materials documenting the Shaar’s respect for the Canadian Monarchy within the synagogue’s archives. In the display you will find materials relating to the reigns of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II. (Of course, the only one missing is King Edward VIII, whose reign lasted under a year).

As you peruse the display you may notice that some of the pamphlets were printed and distributed by the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire (later United Kingdom and the Commonwealth), to whose leadership our own Congregation often looked, as we aligned ourselves with the British tradition. Another interesting paper to note is a letter from the office of the Governor General of Canada, thanking the Congregation for their official sympathies upon the death of King Edward VII in 1910. 

We hope you enjoy the display and welcome your questions and comments!

Contact us at museum@theshaar.org or hsrourzackon@theshaar.org 

Willesden Jewish Cemetery 

Willesden Jewish Cemetery is a Victorian-era cemetery founded in 1873 which has long been considered a prestigious place of burial. Many prominent Jews are buried there, including numerous Chief Rabbis of the British Empire, various members of the Rothschild family, many scholars and scientists, writers, poets, artists, and more.  

Among the many people buried here are three past presidents of the Shaar Hashomayim, all members of the Moss family, who were among the earliest members of the congregation. As I am currently on a trip to London, I took a visit to the cemetery to visit their places of burial. 

Archivist Hannah Srour-Zackon lays a stone on the grave of John E. Moss, Shaar president from 1885 to 1890 

The Moss Family 

When Congregation Shaar Hashomayim was founded in 1846 as a breakaway congregation from Shearith Israel (the Spanish and Portuguese), it consisted of only a handful of families. It took the congregation some time to find its footing. It was only when the prominent Moss family, who had established a successful business, joined the congregation that things began to move in more productive directions. The first generation of the family, brothers David, Edward, and Lawrence Moss, all born in England, were all integral members of the community. Both David and Edward were early presidents of the synagogue. It was David Moss who laid the cornerstone of the first building on St. Constant Street. Through Lawrence Moss died while still in Montreal, his two brothers both eventually returned to London where they remained for the rest of their lives. 

Edward’s son John E. Moss and David’s son Hyam D. Moss (some records refer to him as Hyman) remained and became leaders of the congregation in their own right. John served as president of the congregation from 1885 to 1890 and Hyam as the congregation’s president in 1871 and 1881–4, as well as parnass. Yet eventually this second generation left for England too. 

Why did the Moss family leave? 

Rabbi Shuchat offers a plausible explanation for this in his book The Gate of Heaven: The Story of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Montreal, 1846–1896:  

“This was a pattern followed by many families at the time… Why did they do so? For one thing, many of them regarded England as home and Canada as a temporary sojourn. If they were in a family business, they felt that they had spent enough time in the branch and wanted to return to the home office. Some families thought that their children would have better opportunities for marriage in England. There was also the question of being with family again and possibly being buried close to relatives. Presumably these considerations applied to the Moss family.” (p. 41–2) 

Edward Moss 

Edward Moss was born in London in 1816. He serviced as Shaar President in 1864, and died in 1876, just 11 years after leaving Canada. The front of his tombstone reads:  

Sacred to the Memory Edward Moss Esq. of Inverness Terrace, Hyde Park, who departed this life December 8th 1876 5637, aged 62 years. 

Deeply regretted by his sorrowing widow and children and a large circle of friends. May his soul rest in peace. 

The side of the stone reads: 

This monument was erected by his bereaved widow and children as a tribute of their love to the dear departed. He was a friend to all and his good deeds will follow him for many years. He was a resident of Montreal, Canada and his good works there remain to perpetuate his memory.  

“A good name is better than precious ointment” 

John E. Moss 

Photograph of John E. Moss, date unknown. 

John E. Moss was born in Montreal around 1843 and left for London in 1890 where he died in 1902. The years of his presidency were fruitful. It was under his leadership that the construction of the McGill College building was completed and the synagogue officially adopted the Shaar Hashomayim name. As Rabbi Shuchat writes in his book:  

“At a meeting just prior to the consecration, John Moss, the president, offered this interpretation of the new name: ‘Only a year ago many of us thought it was only a dream and would never be carried out. But I am glad to be able to say to you to-day that if a dream it was, it was not unlike the vision of our Father Jacob who saw a ladder the summit which reached the Gate of Heaven. So we in our fond dream have been permitted to create the ladder of progress which will bring us up to the House of God which by the way will be designated, Shaar Hashomayim, the Gate of Heaven.’” (p. 40) 

The tombstone of John Edward Moss reads: 

In Loving Memory of John Edward Moss. Of 35 Winden Gardens W., late of Montreal, Canada, who departed this life May 25th 1902, 5662, aged 57 years. Deeply mourned by his sorrowing widow and children. May his Soul rest in Peace.  

Hyam David Moss 

Photograph of Hyam (Hyman) David Moss in the interior of the McGill College Synagogue. Hyam D. Moss was born in Montreal c. 1845 and served as the congregation’s treasurer and parnass, and later president in 1871 and 1881–4. P

The tombstone of Hyam David Moss reads: 

In Loving Memory of our dear father Hyam David Moss, of 73 Queensborough Terrace W., formerly of Montreal Canada. Died October 21st 1914, aged 69. “Mark the innocent man and behold the upright, for the latter end of that man is peace.” [Psalm 37:37] 

Sources: 

1. https://www.willesdenjewishcemetery.org.uk/ 

2.The Gate of Heaven: The Story of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Montreal, 1846–1896 by Rabbi Wilfred Shuchat 

Got any questions? Contact me at hsrourzackon@theshaar.org or museum@theshaar.org  

A few weeks ago, we wrote about a time capsule which was dislodged from the 1967 cornerstone of the building. This week, some 55 years later, we’re sharing in greater detail just what that time capsule contains. 

Canada, Montreal, and the Shaar in 1967

1967 was a monumental year for Canada, Montreal, Jewish Canadians, Israel, and the Shaar. Canada was marking its centennial; Montreal was at the centre of the worlds’ stage as the host of Expo 67 (at which the Shaar’ Rabbi Shuchat created the Pavilion of Judaism); and Israel had just won the 6-day war.

Meanwhile, Montreal’s Jewish community and, as a result, the Shaar’s membership, was greatly expanding. It became evident that the Shaar would need to expand to accommodate the increase in congregants. The congregation launched a campaign entitled “Progress Through Expansion” to raise funds for the expansion and, on October 1, 1967, the cornerstone was laid.

So what’s in the time capsule?

  The time capsule contains a diverse array of documents. The first are materials that provide context about Canada in 1967 and Jews in 1967. This includes a few pamphlets and papers relating to Canada’s centennial and Expo 67, and a time magazine issue about the 6-day war.

Declaration by the Canadian Interfaith Conference.

Souvenir booklet from Expo 67’s Pavilion of Judaism

The rest of the documents in the time capsule all relate to the Shaar. This includes the printed New Years Announcements from 1967, the program for the laying of the cornerstone, a photograph of the Shaar building prior to the expansion, and the text of the sermon delivered by Rabbi Shuchat on the occasion of the laying of the cornerstone, tantalizingly entitled “The To-Morrow of the Shaar,” in which he reflects on the history of the Shaar and the future of the Shaar moving forward as they expand. 

Most fascinating above all, however, are three letters from the Synagogue’s then-President Dr. Harry Ballon, the synagogue’s Parnass Jules Roos, and from Rabbi Shuchat. In Rabbi Shuchat’s letter he begins “To the Rabbi and President of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim many years hence-shalom!” He then details what to find in the time capsule and ends with the following reflection: “We are far from living in a world of peace. The Jewish People after the terrible destruction of the Nazi Period 1933-1945 are making spiritual and national progress everywhere except in Soviet Russia.”

Link to full documents in the time capsule

This year countries across the commonwealth are celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years since her ascension to the throne in 1952.

As a synagogue with deep ties to the English tradition, the Shaar has always taken pride as a congregation in the British Empire. During the war years, many of Rabbi Abramowitz’s sermons express gratitude to the British monarchy for the stability they have provided for Jewish communities across the Empire.

Previously we shared how the congregation marked the death of Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI. This week will mark 69 years since Her Majesty’s coronation which was held the following year on June 2nd, 1953. In honour of the occasion, the Shaar held a special service on the shabbat before the coronation on May 30th, 1953: “Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth”.

The service pamphlet was arranged, printed, and distributed by the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire. The special service consisted of psalms and prayers recited in honour of Her Majesty and concluded with a jubilant recitation of God Save the Queen (printed in both English and Hebrew).

READ THE PAMPHLET

Earlier this week we marked Yom Hashoah in commemoration of the Holocaust. It is a common misconception that the world did not know of its horrors until after the fact, but Jewish communities worldwide were constantly sounding the alarm. Among the Shaar Hashomayim’s archives includes a number of sermons given by Rabbi Herman Abramowitz. Recently rediscovered among his papers is a chilling sermon delivered on Yom Kippur in 1941 entitled “The Jewish Tragedy,” in which he addresses the tragedies already wrought upon Europe’s Jews and those which were still ongoing. When speaking about Jews living in Nazi-occupied territories, he writes: “To-day they are no longer heard from; and are as if completely blotted out.” The sermon is powerful and moving, as Rabbi Abramowitz urges the Jewish community to “strengthen the spirit of Jewish loyalty everywhere, as an answer to the challenge of our enemies.”

In the immediate aftermath of the war, “Holocaust” was one of many terms circulating in reference to the destruction of European Jewry. In those early post-war years, survivors were often referred to as the ‘surviving remnant.’ When the war was finally over, the Shaar held a special service of thanksgiving upon the end of the hostilities, part of the program included a “prayer for the remnant of Israel who survived the Nazi atrocities.” 

Read “The Jewish Tragedy” by Rabbi Abramowitz here

Program for the Service of Thanksgiving Upon the Occasion of Cessation of Hostilities in Europe 

Though Purim has passed, we’re still going through our recently rediscovered treasure trove of Purim pictures! To wrap-up our Purim content for this year, featured this week is the cast photograph from the 1938 Purimspiel entitled “The Rise and Fall of the Hamantash.”

Click on photo to enlarge

Photograph donated by Marjorie Kirsch

The following was written about the Purimspiel in the March 25, 1938, edition of the Shaar’s bulletin:

SCHOOL CELEBRATES PURIM

Over 400 pupils and parents came together last Sunday morning for the Purim Celebration of our Religious School. The celebration took place in the Synagogue Auditorium.

The gathering was made welcome by Dr. H. Abramowitz, who spoke a few words of Purim greeting. It was announced that the total of Shalach Monos Baskets sent out by the School had been increased to thirty-three. The Women’s Auxiliary Society, and a small local social group were thanked for adding their contributions to the baskets.

“The Fall and Rise of the Hamantash”, a Purim Operetta in two acts, under the direction of Mr. S. Lerner, featured the celebration. The characters of the Book of Esther were portrayed by Horace Baittle, Meta Levin, Leslie Brodkin, Harold Finestone and Anita Elkin. The Hamantash was Peter Bronfman.

Others who participated were Sybil Freedman, Zipporah Batshaw, David Marshall, Judith Marshall, Billy Levy, Katherine Silver, Charles Bronfman, Edward Bronfman, Trevor Fineberg, Burril Fine, Donald Kirk, Allan Kirsch, Edgar Leibovich, David Robinson, Natalie Raginsky, Carmel Schwartz, Herbert Siblin, Lillian Brown, Florence Gersovitz, Beatrice Kirsch, Marguerite Kirsch, Naomi Pressman, Merle Rosenthal, Phyllis Sabbath, Vivian Zacks, Ronald Burg, Sidney Aronson, Barbara Flanders, Jerrold Fineberg, Eugene Gordon, Paul Gordon, Reva Leibovich, Edward Levinson, Shirley Levitt, Seymour Pressman, Renee Raginsky, Judith Rothbart, Eli Solomon, Fred Solomon, Alvin Shiller, Martin Taub, Arthur Victor. 

The music was provided by Mrs. M. N. Fineberg. Victor Goldbloom was Stage Manager.

Special thanks are due to Mrs. Philip Levy, who assisted with the make-up and costuming; to the Hebrew Ladies Sewing Society, who kindly lent a hand in making the costumes; and also to Mr. T. Price and his assistant, Mr. Bert Lovering, for cheerful co-operation.

The celebration concluded with the Purim Treat distributed to the pupils of the School by our Women’s Auxiliary Society. 

Hava narishah - rash, rash, rash! Purim is less than two weeks away! This week we’re featuring some of the beautiful megillot and groggers from the Shaar’s museum collection.

This remarkable megillah (c. 1830), written on parchment made of sheepskin, originates from Oran, Algeria, which had a large Jewish community. This was gifted to the Shaar by Gordon L. Echenberg.

There are a few megillot in the collection which are encased in some beautiful silver cases. Pictured above is one of these megillot, made in Eastern Europe in the mid 19^th-Century. Gifted to the Shaar by Mr. Harold Lande, 1991.

This megillah, with a silver filigree case, encrusted with turquoise and garnets, was made in the early 19^th Century in the Middle East. Particularly impressive is the scroll itself, handwritten on parchment, and illustrated with blue peacocks, musical instruments, and mythical figures. The scroll was made around 1920 in Palestine. Gifted to the Shaar by Mrs. Max Y. Klein, Mrs. Gerald Weiner, and Mrs. Kenneth Shere in memory of their mother Edith Rosen, October 8, 1977.

Groggers

While many groggers we use these days are typically made of either metal or plastic, this was not always the case! In our collection, we have two wood groggers, and another made of silver. The grogger featured at the top of this photograph was made in Poland in the early 20^th century. The other wood grogger (oak) at the bottom, was made in 1850. This one was gifted to the Shaar by the Guttman family in honour of Joseph Guttman’s birthday, 1985. It was initially purchased in Ripon, England at an antique fair. The silver grogger in the middle, made in the United States between 1920 and 1930, was a gift of Michael Lax in memory of his father, Dr. Sam Lax (April 14, 1980). This grogger is also quite ornately decorated.

The grogger depicts two instances in megillat esther where Haman is humiliated or bested by the Jews whom he sought to eradicate. One side depicts the scene in which Haman is made to lead Mordechai on the king’s horse, declaring to all that this is what is done to one whom the king wants to honour. The other side depicts Haman hanging on the gallows.

For the past few months, it has been our pleasure to share some fascinating items and papers in the Shaar’s archival and museum collection. This week we’re pulling back the curtain for a “behind-the-scenes” of the archive work and to answer your burning archive questions.

Get to know our archivist!

I’m Hannah Srour—the face behind many of the articles you have read. I am a born-and-raised Ottawa Jew, and I have my BA from McGill in Jewish Studies and English Literature, and a Master of Information with a focus in archives from the University of the Toronto. I am deeply passionate about Canadian Jewish history and Jewish community archives, and especially with connecting people with the wonderful histories of Canadian Jewry. When I’m not at the Shaar, I volunteer with the Association for Jewish Libraries in various capacities, including on their annual Jewish fiction award committee! Aside from sharing with you the fascinating history of the Shaar each week, I do a number of other things in the archives as well…

What is an archivist and what do they do?

An archivist works to collect, preserve, organize, and help provide access to primary material of enduring value (the specifics of ‘enduring value’ are up for debate and vary in different contexts). Items of any form can be of enduring value, including clothing! For the Shaar, material of ‘enduring value,’ means the synagogue’s historical papers and artifacts. A typical day for me is balanced between (1) organizing and taking inventory of our papers, (2) digitizing, and (3) promoting the collection. 

What kind of items and papers do we have in the collection?

The collection includes correspondence, photographs, audio recordings, films, administrative documents, museum artifacts, bulletins, social programs, etc. A large portion of our archival collection consists of Rabbi Wilfred Shuchat’s papers which cover his many years and activities with the Shaar, beginning in the 1940s. We also have some papers of Rabbi Abramowitz, including some of his handwritten sermons. On the museum side, we have a beautiful collection of Judaica with items from all over the world, some of which are directly part of the Shaar’s history.

What items are you looking to collect right now?

We’re always interested in hearing about any materials related to the history of the Shaar! At this time, we are especially interested in the following things: 

• Any photographs of Purim at the Shaar
• Photographs, programs, or film recordings of the Shaar Players youth productions

How do I get in touch to find out if my papers could form part of the collection, or if I have any questions about the archives and museum? 

Please email us at museum@theshaar.org, and myself or Claire Berger will be happy to answer your questions!

What is the connection between Parashat Terumah and the Shaar’s Building? In this week’s parshah (Terumah) G-d provides the instructions for the construction of the Mishkan, the temporary and portable sanctuary that the Jews carried with them while wandering in the desert. Eventually the Jewish people would work to building a permanent sanctuary that became the Beit Hamikdash. Though perhaps less epic by comparison, the Shaar too has through the years carried out construction projects in the goal of establishing our own sanctuary. This week we will be featuring some photographs, documents, and drawings from some of those plans from across the years, beginning in 1885. 

Program cover from the Shaar’s 110^th anniversary in 1957, which includes drawings of old building on McGill College, the Sanctuary built in 1922 where we still are today, and the Rabbi Herman Abramowitz Building opened in 1948.

McGill College, 1885

This is the program cover from the laying of the corner stone for the McGill College synagogue building in 1885. Pictured also is the trowel that was presented to John E. Moss, then President of the congregation, who subsequently lay the cornerstone himself. At this time the Shaar was still being officially referred to as the “English, German & Polish Synagogue.” It was not until the dedication of the building a year later in 1886 that Rev. Elias Friedlander, then the rabbi of the congregation, declared the synagogue would hence be known as Congregation Shaar Hashomayim.

Cote St. Antoine and Kensington Avenue, 1922

This program and invitation are from the dedication of the new synagogue building on Cote St. Antoine on September 17, 1922. On that day there was a procession from the old building on McGill College to carry the Torah scrolls to the new building. This was followed by beautiful dedication service which concluded with the singing of Hatikvah and God Save the King. If you had a good look at the year, you’ll have noticed that this year will mark 100 years in Westmount! 

 “Progress Through Expansion” Shaar Building Extension/Expansion

In this building the congregation has expanded and grown over the years. The Rabbi Herman Abramowitz building was erected in 1948 as an educational annex. In the 1960s the building was expanded once again to meet the demands of a growing congregation, during which whole new wings and rooms were added, including the new entrance lobby, the social halls, meeting rooms, kiddush rooms, and more. These images are renderings of what the proposed additions would like as part of the 1965 campaign to raise funds for the expansion project.

Link to “Order of Proceedings of the Laying of the Cornerstone of the English, German and Polish Synagogue”

Link to “Progress Through Expansion”

The Shaar’s museum holds many fascinating Judaica items in its collection, including a number of books. This week we are featuring three beautiful books, all printed or composed around the late 18th and early 19th centuries, that are a part of our museum collections.

Siddur Safah Berurah

This gorgeous siddur, donated to the Shaar in 1988, was printed in Rödelheim in 1825 by the prolific German publisher, printer, and exegete Wolf Heidenheim (whose signature is printed on the title page). Heidenheim was born in 1757, and in 1799 established his printing house in Rödelheim, where it continued to operate for many years, including beyond his death in 1832. Besides this siddur, Wolf Heidenheim published numerous other editions of Jewish and Hebrew texts, including some with his own commentaries.

This edition seems to have been bound and engraved to be presented to a specific person: the front of the siddur features a silver medallion symbol of a family lion and the hands of the Kohanim, and the back has a silver medallion with the initials of the bride to whom this siddur was presented. The contents of the siddur itself are printed in Hebrew, Yiddish, and German and, as seen on the page adjacent to the title page, include some beautiful and detailed decorative engravings.

Handwritten Yemenite book of Haftorah / Haftorot

In this photograph are pictured two beautiful Hebrew books originating in Yemen. The larger of the two is a handwritten Yemenite book (Hebrew and Targum) of the Prophetic readings (Haftorah) composed in the early 19th century. Little else is unfortunately known about this beautiful manuscript book.

Siddur Kol-Bo

The smaller book is the Kol-Bo siddur (all inclusive, i.e., daily and holiday prayers all in one), composed circa 1750, which is bound in leather. This was gifted to the Shaar by Rabbi Charles Bender in honour of Mr. Allan Bronfman in 1968. The book is handwritten on vellum in Hebrew and Aramaic by a scribe whose name is not legible, though is inscribed in the book is, “the devoted, dedicated, and spirited Gabbay Tzedakah (Wardens of Charity) at Lisbon,” indicating the involvement of a person who collected and managed tzedakah funds.

Though things may be a bit more closed again these days, the Shaar’s archives are still open and at work. While January 2022 is looking a lot like January 2021, it is also looking a lot like September 1904! For our first item of 2022, we’re featuring an unusual (but incredibly familiar item) that was rediscovered some months ago in our collections – two cards certifying vaccination protection from around 1904 that allowed the card-carrier passage onto ships and any subsequent railroad travel in Canada. 

The back of both read “Keep this card to avoid detention at quarantine and on railroads in Canada.” These may have been issued as a response to ongoing smallpox outbreaks in the United States. The signature of the certifying medical professional on both is visible. It is unclear at this time how the Shaar came to be in possession of these fascinating documents. Though from over 100 years ago, these vaccination passes are similar to our own vaccine passports today. Things that seem new and novel, such measures that encourage vaccination, may not be so novel after all! 

As we start the new year, we at the archives want to know, what kind of items would you like to see and what kind of stories from the Shaar’s collections do you want to hear?

Continuing from last week, this week we’re featuring chanukiyot from around the world in the Shaar’s museum collection.

This bronze oil chanukiah from Morcco (c. 1860), though corroded over time, is still a remarkable piece. The back depicts the Tree of Life and the lions of Judah along with other motifs of Moroccan folk art. Unlike the chanukiyot we commonly use today, this chanukiah has a hook on the back and was meant to hang from the wall. 

An early Bezalel chanukiah made in 1915. Written on the back is the following: “Made in Palestine at the art workshop of Sharar Betzalel, Jerusalem, P.O.B. 729.” The ornate design depicts biblical imagery of a lion and deer in front of palm trees. The centre shows the high priest (Kohen Ha-Gadol) lighting the menorah in the temple, assisted by a young boy carrying two jars of oil. At the top is written: “Ha-neirot hallalu kadosh hem.” Gift of Mrs. Esther G. Heller in memory of her parents, Adela and Maurice Goldenberg (parents of Senator Carl Goldenberg).

A silver and alloy handcrafted chanukiah made in Canada, between 1915-1925. The back shows two lions holding a crown.

This absolutely stunning chanukiah from Poland (c. 19^th C) is made of German silver. The back plate is made of brass and depicts two lions around a menorah. This chanukiah interestingly has two shamushim. The company that made this chanukiah was a Warsaw-based silver foundry called the “Brothers Henneberg” which was founded in the mid-19^th century. Gift from wedding of Mrs. Jeanne (Lazare) Rosemarin. Donated to the Shaar in January 1987. 

A chanukiah from East India (19^th C.) Brass engraved, crude pattern on surface. Gift of Mrs. Morris Gelber, 1986

Behind every item is a wealth of stories. As we commemorate the 83^rd anniversary of Kristallnacht on November 9–10, and as part of ongoing commemorations for Holocaust Education Month in Canada, this week we’re telling the story of one such object in Shaar Hashomayim’s collection. It is an account of a beautiful menorah emblem and of the man who gifted it to the Shaar: Rabbi Dr. David Weiss (1876–1966), the last Chief Rabbi of Danzig, who escaped to Montreal shortly before the Nazis occupied Danzig in 1939. The menorah is reminder of the persecution Jews faced in the wake of Nazi terror, of the lost Jewish community of Danzig, and of a bond between it and our own community in Montreal.

This emblem, made of brass, was once displayed upon the rabbinical chair at the Danzig synagogue which Rabbi Weiss served. On the branches, Tehillim 67:2 is inscribed: “May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He cause His face to shine to us, Selah.” Along the stem is written: “Hand-crafted by the young man Avigdor and the young man Tzvi, for the sake of the soul of their upright father, Yehuda Leib ben Akiva Cleiman, of blessed memory.” And the following is written at the base: “A gift from Israel Lifshitz, 1883, for the sake of the Rebbetzin Mrs. Robris (1850) and Joseph Chaim, may he live a long life.” 

Rabbi David Weiss

Photo courtesy of the Montreal Gazette (January, 21, 1966, p. 23)

Rabbi Dr. David Weiss was born in Galicia in 1875 or 1876, and studied at the Universities of Berlin and Bern. In 1920 he took up his first rabbinical post in Danzig. At the time, Danzig had the special status as a Free City following World War I. As a result, the city saw a mass influx of Jews from Eastern Europe seeking refuge. This greatly increased the Jewish population and intensified the need for more religious and rabbinic services. Prior to the War, under 3,000 Jews lived in Danzig; by 1923 there were over 7,000, reaching a peak of around 12,000 by 1937. As the strain of supporting this largely refugee Jewish community became too big for then-Chief Rabbi Dr. Robert Kaelter, Rabbi Weiss assumed much of the burden of his work. During his next years in Danzig, Rabbi Weiss operated primarily at the Orthodox New Synagogue in Langfuhr. 

Clockwise from Right: (1) The Choir of the New Synagogue in Langfuhr, Danzig, 1928, photo ID 121591, courtesy of The Oster Visual Documentation Center, Beit Hatfutsot, courtesy of Abraham Sherman. (2) The rear exterior of the New Synagogue. (3) The front of the New Synagogue, courtesy of JewishGen

While the horrific pogrom of Kristallnacht largely took place on the 9^th and 10^th of November, 1938, Danzig was beset with anti-Jewish riots from the 12^th to the 14^th, during which four synagogues in the city were near-totally destroyed, including Rabbi Weiss’s New Synagogue (the building was later restored and as of 2007 has primarily operated as a music school, with some use by the Jewish community). The Jewish community of Danzig quickly organized itself and emigrated en masse. Many of the community’s Judaica and other memorabilia were rescued and brought to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York in the summer of 1939. By the end of the year, merely 1,600 Jews remained. Rabbi Weiss was one of the last Jews to escape the city before the Nazi invasion; he delivered his final sermon to his congregation on May 25^th, 1939 (the text of which is below). As he left, he saved one item from the synagogue: the emblem of a menorah which adorned the rabbi’s chair.

Rabbi Weiss in Montreal

Rabbi David Weiss arrived in Montreal in 1939, via St. Albans, Vermont. While he never took another pulpit position, he continued his humanitarian and aid work until his retirement at age 85, working as a hospital chaplain for the Baron de Hirsch Institute and as part of the Jewish Chaplains’ Service of the Montreal Federation of Jewish Community Services. Though he learned little English or French in his time here, he faithfully served the European Jewish immigrant community, many of whom still could not speak the local languages.

He passed away on January 18^th, 1966. His obituary, which ran the following month in the Canadian Jewish Review, reads: 

“Rabbi Weiss had always had an interest in all those requiring solace, encouragement, and help, whether they were orphans, hospital patients, or prisoners. At the age of sixty-five years, when others think of retiring, he embarked on a new voluntary career of visiting systematically the Montreal hospitals providing a service not existing at that time. In fair and foul weather, Dr. Weiss would travel throughout the city and went as far as the Military Hospital in Ste. Anne de Bellevue to visit the sick.” 

Rabbi Weiss is buried next to his wife Hortense, who predeceased him on March 23^rd, 1960, in the Shaar Hashomayim Cemetery on Mount Royal.

READ RABBI DAVID WEISS' SERMON

Other Sources

1. https://ajr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/1966_june.pdf
2. https://newspapers.lib.sfu.ca/mcc-cjr-747/page-3
3. https://dbs.anumuseum.org.il/skn/en/c6/e121591/Photos/The_Choir_of_the_New_Synagogue_in_Langfuhr_Danzig_
4. https://www.jewishgen.org/danzig/gallery.php?g=nlgf

With Remembrance Day coming up soon on November 11th, over the next few weeks the archives will feature some interesting and relevant highlights from our collections!

Rabbi Herman Abramowitz and Jewish Chaplaincy Services During World War II

Congregation Shaar Hashomayim’s spiritual leader from 1903 to 1947, Rabbi Dr. Herman Abramowitz, served as chaplain to Canadian Jewish soldiers during World War I. Some rediscovered documents in the Congregation’s archives now shed some light on Rabbi Abramowitz’s service on the Canadian Jewish Congress’s Religious Welfare Committee during the Second World War.

As chairman, he oversaw the religious needs of Jewish Canadian soldiers and, above all, selected Jewish chaplains for the Canadian Armed Forces. The Committee faced some distinct challenges. For one, the Committee was at first uncertain where Jewish chaplains would sit in the overall chaplaincy structure of the army. Another issue the Committee addressed at its formation in 1942 was the structure of chaplaincy appointments: where chaplains should be placed, and the expected time commitment of the position. The geographic vastness of Canada and the large number of Canadian soldiers overseas complicated matters. After much deliberation, the proposed solution was to install multiple part-time chaplains across the country (and some full-time chaplains), and appoint Rabbis Samuel Cass (later the director of Hillel at McGill until 1967) and Gershon Levi (the Shaar’s then educational director) as the senior-level full-time Jewish chaplains at home and overseas.

The Committee met on a regular basis to discuss the matter of these appointments, the work of individual chaplains, and any concerns that arose, such as the publication and distribution of religious materials for Jewish soldiers and the accessibility of kosher food.

Rabbi Abramowitz and his colleagues maintained a regular correspondence with the Committee’s sister organization in the United States—the Jewish Welfare Board’s Committee on Religious Activities, chaired by David de Sola Pool—which oversaw the appointment of Jewish chaplains for the American Armed Forces. Rabbi Abramowitz also kept Jewish Theological Seminary chancellor Dr. Louis Finkelstein informed on the activities of the Committee and sought, at times, his recommendations for chaplains. In one particularly notable letter, Dr. Finkelstein and Rabbi Abramowitz discuss the potential appointment of Rabbi Shuchat to a chaplaincy role. Regrettably, 24-year-old Rabbi Shuchat was two years younger than the minimum age (26) to serve as a chaplain.

For a more in-depth look into the activities of Rabbi Abramowitz and the Religious Welfare Committee during World War II, see the excerpts below.

CLICK TO READ THE EXCERPTS

As we head into Sukkot, amid the rush to put up and decorate their sukkahs, many Jews will also be pulling out their etrog boxes. Since the etrog must be in near-perfect condition and is rendered unusable on the holiday if damaged, these boxes prove useful in maintaining the beautiful condition of the fruit.  Their designs range from simple to intricate, signifying and enhancing the beauty of the etrog itself, as a form of ḥiddur mitzvah (‘beautification of a mitzvah’). The Shaar Hashomayim Museum collection contains a number of elegant historical and contemporary etrog boxes. 

Etrog Box: Silver (800), gilt lined, patterned and pomegranate design on top. Galicia, Austria (southeastern Poland and western Ukraine), c. 1890. Purchased 1987. Photograph by Daniel Zackon. 

Etrog Box: Origin unknown. Gift of Mrs. Freda Cohen in memory of Ann Bronfman, May 28, 1981. Photograph by Daniel Zackon. 

Etrog Box: Heavy silver (800), filigree, shape of peacock or mythical bird. The stomach opens to permit the etrog to be placed inside. Middle East, late 19th C. Donated by estate of Gertrude Lande Denbow, 1980. Photograph by Daniel Zackon. 

These three etrog boxes, each made of silver, show an interesting range in etrog holder design. While the origin of one of the boxes is unknown, the others were produced in different parts of the Jewish world—Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The first box is designed to appear as an etrog itself, as seen in the gilded pattern and the pitom (stem) at the top. The second box, which has a more common design, resembles a jewelry box, indicating the great value of the contents it is intended to protect. Especially unique, though, is the peacock design, which is a common motif in Jewish art. The craftsmanship is complicated and intricate: the bird is largely filigreed—a notably difficult and delicate form of metalwork which is lace-like in its appearance. This, of course, renders the box partially transparent. When an etrog is placed in this box, the sophisticated design would surround the fruit—making it appear like a crown jewel!  

Chag sameach! 

Get in touch with us! Claire Berger and Hannah Srour at museum@theshaar.org  

Over the winter of 2021, Rabbi Shuchat’s file cabinets were brought out of storage and slowly the task of sifting through Rabbi Herman Abramowitz and Rabbi Wilfred Shuchat files began. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, I worked alone, passionate about preserving the Shaar’s rich history, however I quickly realized that this project would require a professional archivist. As restrictions eased and with the support of a Canada Summer Jobs, we were delighted to welcome Hannah Srour,  a recent graduate of the Master of Information program at the University of Toronto, where she concentrated in Archives & Library Science. 

Since joining the Shaar at the end of June, she along with my guidance and the volunteer help of Aviya Scheier and Kinneret Finegold  have uncovered many exciting finds among Rabbi Shuchat's papers, including personal letters from Abraham Heschel, A. M. Klein, and Chaim Potok, records about Leonard Cohen's youth involvement at the synagogue, and various materials related to the Pavilion of Judaism at Expo '67 to name but a few.

Follow us in the Shaar’s enewsletter as we continue to share our discoveries and ask for your help in piecing together more of our Shaar’s history. 

Claire Berger - museum@theshaar.org

Back to top