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The Jewish Community Takes Great Pride In Their Contribution To Calgary.Jewish synagogues in Calgary are proud of their city’s contribution to an important chapter in the history book of Jewish life in Canada. Calgary was home to the first permanent settler of this particular religious persuasion, and was the site of it's first organization.
In 1888, fur trader Jacob Lynn Diamond left the Vilna area and arrived in Calgary to take up residence.
He and his wife Rachel were instrumental in organizing and strengthening their faith-based community, allowing their East Calgary home to serve as a makeshift center, synagogue, and funeral chapel.
Alberta’s first synagogue was consecrated in 1912, and the congregation understandably chose to name itself “House of Jacob.”
Growth led to the formation of numerous independent organizations, causing the House of Jacob membership to dwindle considerably by the 1950’s.
Eventually the synagogue fell victim to urban renewal, but the new synagogue on 12th Street and 12th Avenue SW attracted new, young members and re-energized the aging congregation.
In its present location at 1613 92nd Avenue SW (Jerusalem Road), Congregation House of Jacob-Mikveh Israel continues this tradition of serving the Orthodox community of Calgary.
Under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Zev Friedman, the synagogue offers daily and Shabbat services, commemorations for all important occasions, hospital visits to Jewish patients, Shabbat hospitality arrangements for guests, and religious education for adults, youths, and the sisterhood.
Through its website , visitors can learn more about the synagogue and e-mail any questions to Rabbi Friedman.
House of Jacob’s commitment to providing strong educational foundation to the Jewish youth led to the creation of Akiva Academy in 1960.
The Academy educates children from preschool through junior high school.
As a spiritual leader in Judaism’s Conservative movement, Beth Tzedec Congregation at 1325 Glenmore Trail SW serves worshipers through the guidance of Rabbi Jordan Ofseyer and Cantor Hazzam Alex Stein.
Special functions such as Coffee and Current Events, Sisterhood Study Day, and Bingo games are held throughout the year, and schedules and details are available at the website.
Beth Tzedec leads yearly post-commemoration services for the Calgary Jewish Community Centre’s Holocaust Education and Remembrance Committee.
The synagogue’s website also presents a link to the site of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, where visitors can get information and news about the Conservative Jewish community. For those who are seeking a Jewish Reform congregation, Temple B’nai Tikvah at 900 47th Avenue SW provides a welcoming spiritual facility and religious services under the leadership of Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman.
B’nai Tikvah began as a small group of Calgary families in 1979 and grew to become the second largest Reform congregation in western Canada, with more than 280 families as members.
In 2003 the temple acquired its present building in Calgary’s residential Britannica area.
The temple has a similar history of growth in the educational realm, beginning its classes as small gatherings led by volunteers in their homes and progressing to classes taught by professional educators in various locations.
In September 2005 the school settled into its synagogue space, where a full staff of teaching professionals conduct classes for children from three years old to post-B’nai Mitzvah age.
Whether your Jewish observance is Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform, there’s a place for you in one of Calgary’s Jewish synagogues. Your spiritual well being will be enhanced when your financial well being improves, which makes me suggest that you consider what's coming next. Everyone knows that online shopping is accelerating at an enormous pace. In the USA alone sales are expected to top $200 Billion in 2007! Just about anyone you know is buying something on line these days. Does it not make sense to buy on your own mall with millions of products in well over 1000 stores? Of course it does!....and look at the benefits you get:
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There is nothing to loose and rebates to be received on your own family purchases, while you are supporting a very worthwhile charity.
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Picture shows the first synagogue on 325-5th Ave SE which was built in 1911 and demolished in 1968.
Photo courtesy of the Calgary Library.
