Beth Israel Synagogue (Edmonton)
| Beth Israel | |
|---|---|
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| Basic information | |
| Location | 131 Wolf Willow Road NW Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5T 7T7 |
| Geographic coordinates | 53°30′17″N 113°36′45″W / 53.504585°N 113.612586°WCoordinates: 53°30′17″N 113°36′45″W / 53.504585°N 113.612586°W |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Country | Canada |
| Status | Active |
| Leadership | Rabbi: Daniel Friedman. |
| Website | familyshul |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Manasc/Isaac Architects |
| General contractor | Rescom Inc. |
| Groundbreaking | 1999 |
| Completed | 2000 |
| Construction cost | $5.4 million ($7.18 million in 2017 dollars) |
Beth Israel Synagogue (Hebrew: בית ישראל) is a Modern Orthodox synagogue located at 131 Wolf Willow Road NW in the Oleskiw neighbourhood in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1906 as the Edmonton Hebrew Association, it is the city's oldest synagogue.
Beth Israel's (and Edmonton's) first rabbi was Hyman Goldstick, recruited from Toronto in 1906; he was later elected mayor of Edson, Alberta. The congregation's Hebrew school, founded in 1907, would share space with the congregation until 1925, and later became Canada's first Jewish day school.
Over the years, the congregation has occupied three different buildings; in 1912 it moved into its first building on 95th Street. It moved into its second building, on 113th Street, in 1952, and moved into its current location in 2000.
Long-serving rabbis include A. Pinksy (1912–1933) and Abraham Postone (1941–1955). Current serving rabbinic team is Rabbi Daniel and Rabbanit Batya Friedman (2002–Present).
Edmonton had only sixteen Jews living in it in 1901, but the Jewish population grew rapidly as a result of immigration from Eastern Europe, and in-migration from small towns and Jewish agricultural colonies in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In 1906, Edmonton's Jews, in concert with Jews in Calgary, began recruiting in eastern Canada for a rabbi to organize their communities. Hyman Goldstick arrived from Toronto in August to take on the role. Born in Latvia in 1882, Goldstick was Edmonton's first rabbi, and also served as Calgary's rabbi. He was also the Edmonton community's mohel (circumciser), and ritual slaughterer (subsequent rabbis would, for decades, also fill all three roles). On September 16, 1906, the Edmonton Jewish community founded the Edmonton Hebrew Association. Its role was to provide for all Edmonton's Jewish needs, including Jewish education, circumcision, prayer services, kosher meat, and burial.High Holiday services were held in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows hall.
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