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This building was originally a church, built in 1981. The Ostrovtzer Society (a group of new immigrants from Ostrowiec, Poland bought the church in 1924. They changed the steeple to a dome. The synaogogue was known to have the best acoustics for cantors and many visiting cantors sang there.
Beth Hakenesseth Hagadol Anshei Ostrowce
- Address
- 58 Cecil Street
- Source
- Landmarks
This building was originally a church, built in 1981. The Ostrovtzer Society (a group of new immigrants from Ostrowiec, Poland bought the church in 1924. They changed the steeple to a dome. The synaogogue was known to have the best acoustics for cantors and many visiting cantors sang there.
- Address
- 58 Cecil Street
- Time Period
- 1924-1966
- Scope Note
- This building was originally a church, built in 1981. The Ostrovtzer Society (a group of new immigrants from Ostrowiec, Poland bought the church in 1924. They changed the steeple to a dome. The synaogogue was known to have the best acoustics for cantors and many visiting cantors sang there.
- History
- The building was sold 1966 and is currently used as a community centre for the Chinese community. The founders plaques and a chandelier with stars of David are still in place. The upper floor Ladies gallery was converted to office space and a library.
- Source
- Landmarks
![Former Ostrovtzer Synagogue, exterior, Cecil St., Toronto, [ca. 1978]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, item 2013.|](/media/Digital Assets/2013.jpg?maxheight=1000&maxwidth=1000&watermark=wmk)
![Rabbi Dov Yehuda Schochet, [ca. 1955]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, fonds 18, series 1, item 40.
Photo: Mendly Studios|Rabbi Dov Yehuda Schochet was born on 26 July 1904, in Lithuania. At the age of twenty-five, he was appointed Rabbi of the Orthodox Congregation of Basel, a post that he occupied for seventeen years. In 1947, he was elected Chief Rabbi of The Hague and South Holland and held that position for four years. At the same time, he was principal of the Yeshivah in Leiden. In 1951, his family immigrated to Toronto and he became the spiritual leader of the Ostrovtzer Synagogue until 1959, when he became the spiritual leader of Congregation Moriah. Rabbi Schochet died on 22 September 1974, at the age of 70.](/media/Digital Assets/18-Mendly/Series 1/F18_s1_i40.jpg?maxheight=1000&maxwidth=1000&watermark=wmk)
