Congregation Beth Israel (Vancouver)
Congregation Beth Israel is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue located at 4350 Oak Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. A place of worship in Greater Vancouver, it was founded in 1925, but did not formally incorporate until 1932. Its first rabbi was Ben Zion Bokser, hired that year. He was succeeded the following year by Samuel Cass (1933–1941). Other rabbis included David Kogen (1946–1955), Bert Woythaler (1956–1963), and Wilfred Solomon, who served for decades starting in 1964.
The congregation worshiped at the Jewish Community Center in Fairview until 1948, when it opened its current building at 4350 Oak Street. By the end of 1960s, it was the largest Jewish congregation in Vancouver, and by the 1990s, it was Canada's largest Conservative congregation west of Winnipeg. Charles Feinberg was rabbi from 1998 to 2006, and he was succeeded that year by Jonathan Infeld.
As of 2010, Beth Israel had over 700 member families. The current rabbi is Jonathan Infeld, and the cantor is Lawrence Szenes-Strauss.
Read more about Congregation Beth Israel (Vancouver): Early History, Early Rabbis and Leaders, Oak Street Building, Events Since 1990, See Also
Famous quotes containing the words congregation, beth and/or israel:
“re-enact at the vestry-glass
Each pulpit gesture in deft dumb-show
That had moved the congregation so.”
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)
“Where beth they biforen us weren,”
—Unknown. Ubi Sunt Qui ante Nos Fuerunt? (L. 1)
“Do you not see that so long as society says woman has not brains enough to be a doctor, lawyer or minister, but has plenty to be a teacher, every man of you who condescends to teach, tacitly admits before all Israel and the sun that he has no more brains than a woman?”
—Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906)