Beit Tikvah of Ottawa

Beit Tikvah
Basic information
Location	15 Chartwell Avenue Ottawa, Ontario K2G 4K3
Affiliation	Modern Orthodox Judaism
Municipality	Ottawa
Province	Ontario
Year consecrated	1985
Status	Active
Leadership	Rabbi Howard Finkelstein
Website	www.cbto.org
Groundbreaking	September 9, 1984
Completed	1985

Beit Tikvah is a modern orthodox synagogue located in the Nepean district of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, serving the Craig Henry area.

History

The Jewish population of Ottawa grew from 20 families in 1889 to approximately 5,500 in 1961. ^[1]

Beth Shalom

Beth Shalom congregation represents the amalgamation in 1956 of two orthodox congregations, Adath Jeshurun and Agudath Achim. B’nai Jacob congregation amalgamated with Beth Shalom in 1971. The First officials were Rabbi Simon L. Eckstein, Cantor Emeritus, Joseph Rabin, Cantor Hyman Gertler, Ritual Director Jacob Y. Cement, Secretary Louis Slack and President, Bernard M. Alexandor. The congregation commenced with 850 families, with about 150 being singles or widows. A synagogue, designed by Hazelgrove and Lithwick, was inaugurated on Rosh Hashana, 1956. ^[2]

Beit Tikvah

Beit Tikvah was established in 1985 as Beth Shalom West, a satellite synagogue of Beth Shalom, Ottawa located in the Craig Henry area of Ottawa. After a groundbreaking ceremony held on September 9, 1984, construction commenced on land donated by Jack and Irving Aaron.^[3] The synagogue officially opened for Shabbat services on September 11, 1985. Rabbi Gershom Sonnenschein became the first full time rabbi in 1989, followed by Rabbi Howard Finkelstein, on August 8, 1991.^[4]

Jewish Memorial Gardens

As of 1 July 2008, each of the Founding Members: Congregation Machzikei Hadas; Congregation Beth Shalom; Agudath Israel (Ottawa); the Jewish Reform Congregation Temple Israel (Ottawa); Young Israel of Ottawa; Congregation Beit Tikvah of Ottawa transferred to Jewish Memorial Gardens the cemetery lands that they had. ^[5]

References

1. http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/histoires_de_chez_nous-community_memories/pm_v2.php?id=exhibit_home&fl=0&lg=English&ex=00000787 Jewish Community, Ottawa Jewish Archives
2. [Bilsky, Anna, and Valerie Knowles. A Common Thread: A History of the Jews of Ottawa. Renfrew, Ont.: General Store Pub. House, 2009. Print.]
3. Bilsky, Anna, and Valerie Knowles. A Common Thread: A History of the Jews of Ottawa. Renfrew, Ont.: General Store Pub. House, 2009. Print.
4. Beth Shalom West Congregation. "Beth Shalom West Congregation Fonds." Ottawa Jewish Archives. Archives Association of Ontario, 2000. Web. 24 Aug. 2014.
5. Jewish Memorial Gardens