Congregation Shaar Hashomayim

{{Infobox religious building

| building_name = Congregation Shaar Hashomayim

| native_name = {{Script/Hebrew|קהילת שער השמים}}

| native_name_lang = he

| image = Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Jan 03 2023.jpg

| caption = The synagogue in 2023

| location = 450 Kensington Avenue
Westmount, Quebec, Canada

| coordinates = {{coord |45.4849|N|73.5982|W|type:landmark_region:CA-QC|display=inline}}

| established = {{start date and age|1846}}

| religious_affiliation = Traditional Judaism

| rite = Ashkenazi

| functional_status = Active

| leadership = Rabbi Adam Scheier,
Cantor Gideon Zelermyer

| website = {{URL|shaarhashomayim.org}}

| year_completed = {{start date|1922|09|17}}

| architect =

| capacity = 1,800 (main sanctuary), 260 (chapel){{cite web|url=http://www.shaarhashomayim.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=56 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415192029/http://www.shaarhashomayim.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=56|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 15, 2013|title=Facilities and Rentals |year=2012|publisher=Congregation Shaar Hashomayim }}

}}

File:Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Oct 28 2022.jpg]]

File:Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Nov 07 2022 (1).jpg

Congregation Shaar Hashomayim ({{Langx|he|קְהִילַת שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם}}) is an Ashkenazi synagogue in Westmount, Quebec. Incorporated in 1846, it is the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in Canada and the largest traditional synagogue in Canada.{{cite web|url=http://www.shaarhashomayim.org/index.php|title=Congregation Shaar Hashomayim |year=2012 |publisher=Congregation Shaar Hashomayim |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002110133/http://www.shaarhashomayim.org/index.php |archive-date= October 2, 2008|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.shaarhashomayim.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32|title=History of the Congregation|last=Shuchat|first=Wilfred|author-link=Wilfred Shuchat|publisher=Congregation Shaar Hashomayim |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526123832/http://www.shaarhashomayim.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32|archive-date=May 26, 2012|url-status=dead}}

History

File:Synagogue Shaar Hashomayim.jpg]]

Congregation Shaar Hashomayim was founded by a group of English, German and Polish Jews, who had previously attended the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue.{{cite book|title=The Gate of Heaven: The Story of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim of Montreal, 1846–1997 |first=Wilfred |last=Shuchat|author-link=Wilfred Shuchat|location=Montreal|publisher=McGill–Queen's University Press|isbn=0-7735-2089-9 |year=2000 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PWuH05fuO9wC}} The Congregation originally rented space on Saint James Street (now Rue Saint-Jacques). The first synagogue was built on Saint Constant Street (now Rue de Bullion) in the Mile End in 1859. A new synagogue was built on McGill College Avenue between 1885 and 1886 at a cost of $40,000.

In 1920, the Congregation purchased land on Kensington Avenue in Westmount. The cornerstone was laid by president Lyon Cohen in 1921, and the synagogue was dedicated on September 17, 1922. Herman Abramowitz served as rabbi from 1902 to 1947 and he was joined by rabbi Arthur Saul Super between 1933 and 1936.[https://www.jta.org/archive/arthur-saul-super-dead-at-71 Arthur Saul Super Dead at 71] Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 31 July 1979 Wilfred Shuchat then served as rabbi from 1948 to 1993.{{cite web|url=https://www.shaarhashomayim.org/history|title=History|publisher=Congregation Shaar Hashomayim|access-date=November 7, 2018|archive-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107224906/https://www.shaarhashomayim.org/history|url-status=dead}}

In 2013, Shaar Hashomayim became one of the first synagogues in North America to hire a Maharat.{{cite web|url=https://www.shaarhashomayim.org/style-of-worship|title=How We Worship|publisher=Congregation Shaar Hashomayim|access-date=May 17, 2023}}

Traditions

Shaar Hashomayim is one of the few remaining synagogues in the world to maintain, on a weekly basis, the traditions of the Choral Synagogues of Europe. The early by-laws of the synagogue in fact prescribed that the prayers be read according to the practices and traditions of the Great Synagogue of London; the Congregation established an all-male choir in 1887. A hazzan, accompanied by an all-male choir, lead services every Shabbat and on Jewish holidays.

The members of the clergy of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim are robed for every Shabbat, Festival and High Holy Day service, with the Cantor and Ritual Director wearing traditional cantorial hats. Clergy and officers wear morning suits, with the President, parnass and other congregational officers seated on the bimah wearing top hats. On Festivals, tailcoats replace the morning coats. Male congregants typically wear business attire and women are required to cover their shoulders.

Choir

Shaar Hashomayim's choir performed on Leonard Cohen's Grammy and Juno Award-winning album You Want It Darker. Together with Cantor Gideon Zelermyer, the Choir provided the backing vocals for "You Want It Darker" as well as "It Seemed the Better Way". They performed the album's title track and Cohen's "Tower of Song" at the 2017 Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen concert, in collaboration with Willie Nelson, Céline Dion, Peter Gabriel, and Chris Martin.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/watch-tower-of-song-a-memorial-tribute-to-leonard-cohen-on-wednesday-january-3-on-cbc-1.4467590 |title=Watch Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen on Wednesday, January 3 on CBC |work=CBC Arts |date=December 29, 2017}} The Choir also appeared on Cohen's posthumous album Thanks for the Dance, performing backing vocals for "Puppets".

Notable members

Charles Bronfman, businessman
Joe Cohen, trial lawyer and member of Quebec's Legislative Assembly
Leonard Cohen, singer-songwriter{{Cite web|first=Lorne|last=Shapiro|date=December 8, 2017|title=From synagogue to Bell Centre: A chorister's Leonard Cohen adventure|url=https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/music/from-synagogue-to-bell-centre-a-choristers-leonard-cohen-adventure|access-date=February 2, 2021|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|language=en-CA}}
Lyon Cohen, businessman{{cite web|url=http://imjm.ca/location/1080|website=Museum of Jewish Montreal|title=Lyon Cohen - Freedman Company |first=Richard |last=Kreitner|access-date=November 10, 2018}}
Sheila Finestone, Member of Parliament and Senator{{cite web|first=Rosalind|last=Karby|url=https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/finestone-sheila|title=Sheila Finestone|website=Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia|date=February 27, 2009|publisher=Jewish Women's Archive |access-date=November 15, 2020}}
Maxwell M. Kalman, architect{{cite web|url=http://imjm.ca/location/1577|title=Max Kalman - Residence|website=Museum of Jewish Montreal|access-date=November 15, 2020}}
Victoria Kaspi, astrophysicist{{cite web|title=Mazal Tov to our member, Victoria Kaspi, on being the first female awarded the Gerhard Herzberg Gold Medal!|url=https://www.facebook.com/SHAAR.HASHOMAYIM/posts/979838722053214|author=Congregation Shaar Hashomayim |date=February 16, 2016|via=Facebook}}
Leo Kolber, Senator{{cite news|title=Former senator Leo Kolber dies at 90 after Alzheimer's battle|first=Aaron|last=Derfel|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|date=January 10, 2020|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/former-senator-leo-kolber-dies-at-90-after-alzheimers-battle|access-date=November 15, 2020}}
Marvin Kwitko, ophthalmologist
Sam Steinberg, businessman

Congregation Shaar Hashomayim

History

Traditions

Choir

Notable members

References

Further reading