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II.
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
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In
1894, Rabbi Solomon Philo, formerly of the Victoria congregation
and now of Congregation Emanu-El, Vancouver, described the
religious setup of the community:
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congregation counts some 22 families, and we held services
in a Hall as we have no Synagogue yet; but our services
are strictly Reform....Also, an Orthodox congregation
is here, which was established two years ago; but now
counts only 10-12 members all Russians. |
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Cited in C. Leonoff, Pioneers, Pedlars and Prayer
Shawls, p. 127
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B'nai
Yehuda Synagogue, SE corner Heatley St. and Pender
Ave., Vancouver, c. 1912 JHS
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At this point, the religious practices of the well-heeled
members of the community were fairly acculturated, utilizing
more English and shorter services. The Russian Jews were more
traditional, praying in Hebrew and removing little from the
traditional liturgy. Zebulon
Franks, a merchant and son of an orthodox rabbi in Russia,
brought the Russian group together in 1887. Originally, they
prayed in his home. Within two years, they had their own Sefer
Torah* and in 1892, a Congregation, Agudas Achim (Gathering
of Brethren), is mentioned in the Vancouver press. |
Ironically, it was not the upper class reform Congregation
Emanu-El that proved viable-although it was active into the
1910s-but the congregations established by the more numerous
eastern European Jewish immigrants. The Agudas Achim continued
into the first decade of the twentieth century as B'nai Yehudah
(Children of Judah). Years of growth for B'nai Yehudah meant
that in the 1910s they could purchase land and build a small
synagogue. The spiritual leader of the congregation-and probably
of the whole eastern European Jewish community-was David
Belasoff (1907-1918).
By 1917, their needs exceeded the building's ability to hold
them. Re-incorporating as Schara Tzedeck (Gates of Righteousness),
the congregation met in various larger venues until they were
able to construct their own synagogue at Pender and Heatley.
Many of those who had belonged to the former reform Congregation
Emanu-El now joined Schara Tzedeck. The building was dedicated
in 1921. For much of this period, the most prominent figure
in the orthodox community was Rabbi
Nathan Pastinsky (1918-1948). At various times, he was
joined in rabbinical duties by other rabbis, the most notable
among them, Rabbi J. L. Zlotnick, who served between 1934
and 1938.
By the 1930s, a number of the second generation, particularly
children of eastern European immigrants, wanted religious
services that reflected their more North American sensibilities.
They were inclined towards conservative Judaism, whose precepts
were more flexible in adapting Jewish law to the times. In
1925 a group met in various locations with the aim "to hire
an English speaking rabbi". In 1932, they incorporated as
the conservative congregation, Beth Israel. Their first rabbi
was Ben-Zion Wachsolder, who stayed for one year and was replaced
by the first Canadian-born rabbi in the community, Samuel
Cass, who remained at Beth Israel until 1941.
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Section
1
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Section
2
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Section
3
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Section
4
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Where
Did We Come From?
Where Did We Go?
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Making
a Living
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Integration/Rejection
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Building
a Community
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