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Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of Montreal
Former Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue on Stanley Street (in use 1890–1947)
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Sect	Spanish and Portuguese
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue
Governing body	Orthodox Union
Status	Active
Location
Location	4894 Avenue Saint-Kevin, Snowdon, Montreal, Quebec
Country	Canada
Location in Montreal
Geographic coordinates	45°29′23″N 73°37′56″W / 45.489802°N 73.632098°W / 45.489802; -73.632098
Architecture
Architect(s)	Charles T. Ballard
Type	Synagogue
Date established	1768; 256 years ago (1768)
Completed	1947
Website
thespanish.org

The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of Montreal, also known as Shearith Israel, is an Orthodox synagogue, located at 4894 Avenue Saint-Kevin in Snowdon, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The synagogue is the oldest Jewish congregation in Canada. The congregation traces its history from 1760 and was formally established in 1768. It is affiliated with the Orthodox Union.

Architecture

The Congregation first assembled in a room or hall on St. James Street. By 1777 the community felt itself able to erect and support a synagogue. Lazarus David had died in 1776 but on August 14, 1777 his widow, Phoebe, sold for 1200 French livres part of David's property to three of the congregation's leading members, Samuel Judah, Simon Levy and Andrew Hays, recently married to her daughter Abigail (Branny). The building, completed the following year, stood behind a low stone wall, had a high red roof, and was located at the junction of Little St. James and Notre Dame Streets, a site now partially occupied by the Palais de justice.

The congregation's second building, also the second synagogue built in Quebec, was constructed on Chenneville Street in 1838. The Judeo-Egyptian style temple-like building had a front of cut stone, adorned with a portico with two columns. This was the only formal place for Jewish worship in Montreal until 1846. Charles T. Ballard, architect, designed a new and larger synagogue for the Spanish and Portuguese Congregation on Stanley Street in the Egyptian Revival style of architecture in 1887–1890.

The congregation has been housed in its fourth premises in Snowdon, part of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, since 1947.

In the sanctuary, Torah is read to the congregation from the bimah and the Torah scrolls are stored in the aron kodesh on the east wall. The congregation faces towards the east, and Jerusalem, in praying. The ornamentation features symbols such as Stars of David, signs of the zodiac and natural forms.

Rabbinic leadership

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2023)

• Jacob Raphael Cohen (1784–1811)
• Abraham de Sola (1846–1882)
• Meldola de Sola (1882–1918)
• Raphael Melamed (?–?)
• M. Hadad (?–?)
• Joseph Corcos (1922–1925)
• Charles Bender (1928–1940)
• Solomon Frank (1947–1982)
• Howard S. Joseph (1970–2009)
• Shachar Orenstein (2009–?)
• Avi Finegold (2017–2018)

See also

• Spanish and Portuguese Jews
• Oldest synagogues in the world
• Oldest synagogues in Canada

References

1. Ülgen, Övgü (2022-12-20). "Language, Religion and Difference: North African and Turkish Jewish Identity Formation Vis-À-Vis Ashkenazim in Canada". Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes. 34: 132. doi:10.25071/1916-0925.40295.
2. History of the Corporation of Spanish and Portuguese Jews "Shearith Israel" of Montreal, Canada. Montreal. 1918.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
3. "Dictionary of Architects in Canada". Retrieved November 16, 2011.
4. "Synagogues". Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
5. "Howard Joseph". Remembering.ca. Montreal Gazette. 13 August 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.

External links

Media related to Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of Montreal at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Abraham de Sola-Evelyn Miller Fonds McGill University Library & Archives.

v t e   Synagogues in Canada
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By movement Conservative Beth Shalom, Edmonton Shaare Zedek, Montreal Beth El, Newfoundland Shaar Shalom, Novia Scotia Temple Sons of Israel, Nova Scotia Adath Shalom, Ottawa B'nai Israel, St Catherines Shaar Hashomayim, Sudbury Adath Israel, Toronto Beach Hebrew Institute, Toronto Beth Tzedec, Toronto Beth Israel, Vancouver Emanu-El, Victoria Shaarey Zedek, Winnipeg Humanistic Oraynu, Toronto Orthodox Beth Ora, Alberta Beth Israel, Kingston Bagg Street, Montreal Spanish and Portuguese, Montreal Young Israel, Ottawa House of Israel, Quebec Anshei Minsk, Toronto Beth Jacob V'Anshei Drildz, Toronto Knesseth Israel, Toronto Shaarei Tzedec, Toronto Tiferet Israel, Toronto Shaarey Zedek, Windsor Modern Orthodox Beth Israel, Edmonton Beth Israel, Halifax Adath Israel, Montreal Beth Tikvah, Montreal Beit Tikvah, Ottawa Machzikei Hadas, Ottawa Beth Ora, Saint Laurent Beth Avraham Yoseph, Toronto Kiever, Toronto Shaarei Shomayim, Toronto Shaarei Torah, Toronto Schara Tzedeck, Vancouver Reconstructionist Dorshei Emet, Montreal Or Haneshamah, Ottawa Reform Beth Ora, Edmonton Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, Montreal Temple Israel, Ottawa City Shul, Toronto Holy Blossom, Toronto Unaffiliated Beth Tikvah, Toronto First Narayever, Toronto Habonim, Toronto Stashover-Slipia, Toronto Yet to be classified Maghen Abraham, Montreal Closed Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
History Category

• 18th-century synagogues in Canada
• Orthodox Judaism in Montreal
• Orthodox synagogues in Canada
• Portuguese-Canadian culture
• Portuguese-Jewish diaspora
• Religious organizations established in 1768
• Spanish-Canadian culture
• Synagogues in Montreal
• Sephardi Jewish culture in Canada
• Sephardi synagogues
• Spanish-Jewish diaspora
• 1768 establishments in the British Empire
• Synagogues completed in 1947
• 20th-century synagogues in Canada