By Mena Shupack — Tribune Correspondent
The Consul General of Israel, Ya’acov Brosh attended the gala evening honouring the past presidents and current senior officers held last week to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Shaarei Shomayim. The banquet hall was packed.
Rabbi Moshe Shulman, the spiritual leader of Shaarei Shomayim, said he is very proud to be the spiritual leader of the congregation. “The history of this Synagogue is the history of courageous leadership.” Shulman said. “It is the story of what can be accomplished in Jewish spiritual life when lay and clergy work together with a common vision of our future. And over the past three-quarters of a century it has been a story of tremendous success.”
The Congregation, founded on McKay Street in 1928, moved north to establish the Hillcrest Congregation in 1931, holding services first at St. Clair — Robina Hall and then at the Talmud Torah on Christie Street. The name Shaarei Shomayim was chosen in 1934. With a growing Congregation Shaarei Shomayim purchased land at 840 St. Clair Ave W. Shaarei Shomayim was the first shul in Toronto to build a Talmud Torah building.
With the Jewish population moving farther north, the current 2.5-acre site on Glencairn Avenue was acquired and the first sod was turned in 1964. During the gala evening, Ted and Alma Waldman (senior members of the congregation) introduced three Past Presidents, Samuel J. Sable (1956-59), Dr. Bernard Green (1983-85), and Michael D. Goldrich (1996-98) who addressed the audience sharing their memories. Fourteen past presidents attended, each receiving a beautiful plaque in appreciation. In total, Shaarei Shomayim has 26 past presidents. Current President Samuel S. Moskowitz held a minute of silence to honour those leaders who are no longer with us.
A beautiful Souvenir Book called It’s our home — it’s where we belong was produced, containing greetings, messages, a brief history of the shul, member and clergy profiles, activities including the Retreats and memories.
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