(By Our Montreal Correspondent)
The Montreal School Question in the form it is now after the decision of the Privy Council is being discussed in Jewish circles, although no definite announcement of proposed action has been made by any of the leaders. It is interesting to note that in the East End of the city, the Jewish pupils number from 90 to 100 per cent in the Protestant schools. The total number of Jewish children attending the Protestant schools constitute about 33 to 35 per cent of the total school population in Montreal.
It seems likely that the school question will be postponed until the next session of the Quebec Legislative and that, in the meantime, the Protestant Board of School Commissioners will be asked not to take any steps until the Provincial Government will have studied every aspect of the question upon representation of a Jewish committee.
In the meantime the Talmud Torahs are continuing their work. The Jewish People’s Schools, a sort of parothial schools, opened this month a class of the first year, in which the exact curriculum of the public school for the first year will be combined with the regular Jewish program. The public school side of the course will be supervised by the Protestant Board of School Commissioners, on the request of the Jewish People’s School Board. The Peretz Schule is also doing splendid work in Jewish education. The United Talmud Torahs are extending their scope of work. A site for a new building has been bought and a campaign is being conducted to raise a quarter of a million dollars. Sir Mortimer Davis has promised $50,000 if the objective is reached by the Jewish community.
The first Canadian synagogue was built in 1777 upon a plot of land belonging to David David, adjoining the present Court House. A tablet erected by the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society marks the site today. The “Shearith Israel” synagogue today is one of the many synagogues in Montreal. With a population of about eighty thousand Jews in Greater Montreal, the city has some fifteen synagogues, the greater number of which, however, are smaller congregations. Among the more important congregations is the “Shearith Israel,” now situated on Stanley Street, whose members include direct descendants of those early Canadian Jewish pioneers. In recent times the late Clarence I. de Sola was Parnass of the congregation and members of the de Sola family have been spiritual leaders of the synagogue from time to time. Today, although the congregation is not as large as some of the others in the city, it still includes men prominent in Jewish life here. Israel I. Goldenstein is the president of the synagogue and A. L. Kaplansky is the treasurer. The spiritual leader is the Rev. Isaac De La Penha.
The largest synagogue in Canada and the most influential in Montreal is the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue, occupying a cathedral-like building on Kensington Avenue, in Westmount. The present building was dedicated on September 17, 1922, and the entire plot of land and the building cost over one-half million dollars. The synagogue houses about fifteen hundred worshippers and it is the opinion of the present president of the congregation, Lyon Cohen, that the congregation is steadily increasing. The Shaar Hashomayim is the center for various communal and cultural activities, including religious schools, classes in Hebrew, Jewish history and religion, young people’s society, girl guide and boy scout organizations, women’s auxiliary, a parents’ association and other activities.
The spiritual leader is, and has been for the past twenty-six years, Dr. Herman Abramowitz, at one time President of the United Synagogue of America. Dr. Abramowitz’s activities are manifold and he takes a leading part in cultural and communal life of Montreal. He is also interested in general activities outside of purely Jewish life, and is a life Governor of the Montreal General Hospital. He is also an active Zionist, being a member of the National Council of the Zionist Organization of Canada. The officers of the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue are: President, Lyon Cohen, who is a leading figure in the city’s communal and philanthropic work and also the honorary vice-president of the Canadian Zionist Organization; Vice-President, Joseph Levinson, Sr.; Treasurer, Jacob Keller; Parnass, Tobias Glickman; Hon. Secretary, A. Saul Cohen. The trustees are: M. J. Heillig, Samuel Hart, Samuel Wener, A. Rudolph, A. Lesser, A. M. Vineberg, A. J. Alexander, and I. Lande.
The only reform synagogue in Montreal is the Temple Emanu-El, which was organized in 1882 and for over forty years was the only reform congregation in the Province of Quebec. Last December the Temple House was formally dedicated and L. H. Jacobs, one of the founders of the Temple, was among the speakers. Among the more prominent members of this congregation are Sir Mortimer Davis, the well-known Canadian philanthropist, and Mark Workman, another philanthropist of note. Sir Mortimer served for some years as the vice president of the congregation. In 1917 the knighthood was conferred upon him, the first time such an honor was conferred on a Canadian-born Jew. Mark Workman was at one time the Treasurer of the Temple. The present spiritual leader is Rabbi Harry J. Stern.
With the gradual development of the north-end of the city, the need of a big synagogue in the north-end was strongly felt several years ago and resulted in the building of the present B’nai Jacob Synagogue, which also serves as a Community Center. The president of this synagogue is G. Salomon, a member of the National Council of the Zionist Organization of Canada.
Although a great number of the synagogues serve as community centers for the gathering of young people, Montreal is now assured of a modern equipped Young Men’s Hebrew Association through the generosity of Sir Mortimer Davis, who is defraying the cost of a site of land, construction of an up-to-date “Y” building and the equipment of same. The site for the proposed new “Y” has already been bought and it is expected that ground will be broken this Spring. Plans are being perfected and it is announced that the new “Y” will contain the latest in modern equipment.
Social service work among the Jewish community in Montreal is directed by the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, which includes about fourteen constituent societies. The last Federation Campaign held in December brought in $252,499.77, which exceeded the objective by $2,499.77. The greatest item in the budget will probably be for the Family Welfare Department. This Spring will see the building of a new Home for the Aged by Federation. Ground for the building was broken last November A Government subsidy of $50,000 has been obtained and the Jewish community will provide the difference, the building cost being about $125,000.
The prospect of a Jewish Hospital in Montreal seems brighter with the resolution of loan syndicates in the city to impose a hospital tax on their members and raise approximately $150,000 towards the proposed hospital. It is estimated that it would cost about one-half million dollars to build and equip an adequate modern hospital of about 150 beds. With the likely contribution of $100,000 by the Provincial Government and the merger of funds with the Montreal Hebrew Maternity Hospital which occupies very unsuitable quarters at present, some $350,000 will still have to be raised. Montreal needs a first-class general Jewish hospital. There is at present a recognized shortage of about 2,000 hospital beds in the City of Montreal and the realization of a new Jewish hospital would not only help to relieve the present hospital congestion but also provide an institution where Jewish nurses could train and take their place in the hospital work of the community. Among those taking an active part in this work are S. W. Jacobs, K.C., M.P.; David Kirsch, H. Wolofsky, Lyon Cohen, I. Lande, M. M. Sperber, K.C.. C. B. Fainer, Allan Bronfman, Louis Salomon, J. Levinson, Sr., Nathan Gordon, K.C.. H. R. Cohen, Morris Goodman and Solomon iVneberg.
A factor which in recent years is playing an important and vital role in Jewish communal life here is Zionism. It is significant that last year the Canadian Zionist Organization raised the highest total for a single year. And on March 18th the Organization will launch in Montreal a United Palestine Appeal for one-half million dollars for the Keren Hayesod and the Jewish National Fund.
The only two Jewish members of the Quebec Legislative Assembly are Montrealers, Peter Bercovitch, K.C., and Joseph Cohen, K.C., the latter having made his maiden speech in the House only two weeks ago. Mr. Cohen is an active Zonist. The two Jewish members in the Federal Parliament are S. W. Jacobs, K.C., a Montrealer, and A. A. Heaps, from Winnipeg. Both Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Heaps are keenly interested in the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society, both being Honorary Presidents of the society. The JIA is now conducting a campaign for ten thousand new members.
Montreal has two Jewish aldermen, Alderman Joseph Schubert and Alderman Louis Rubenstein.
Among the other institutions and organizations that play an important role in Jewish communal life here are: The Montreal Hadassa Organization, the Local Council of Jewish Women, The Neighborhood House. Montreal Young Judaea, and the B’nai B’rith.
The Jewish graduates of McGill University have pledged themselves to provide $5,000 annually for the Semitic Department at McGill. Of the seventy students enrolled in the Department since October, 50 are Jewish.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
