12 — THE BULLETIN — Thursday. October 11.1979
%
VICTORIA — A large-scale campaign has been launched here to raise funds to restore completely the exterior and interior of Congregation Emanuel to its original splendor in 1863.
One of the earliest institutions incorporated by the Legislative Council of B.C., Congregation Emanuel is, 115 years later, the third oldest surviving and continuously used synagogue in all of North America. It is the oldest standing synagogue on the West Coast of North America and the oldest synagogue still in use in Canada.
Additionally, it is British Columbia's oldest house of worship in continuous service.
Dr. Martin Levin, chairman of the Committee for Restoration of Canada's Oldest Synagogue, stated that the restoration would serve as a magnet, drawing visitors to Victoria from across Canada and the United
MOVING TRANSFER LTD.
Moving • Transfer Storage
Crane Service
Rates
Big or Small Jobs
2060 W. 10th Van.
732-9898
States. The Congregation is also planning to build a Cultural Centre adjacent to the synagogue, half of which would be devoted to a museum and archive for Western Canadian Jewish history.
The project has been pledged support from leading politicians, from Canadian Jewish Congress and from distinguished Jewish Canadians.
Honorary patrons include: The Honorable William R. Bennett, Premier of B.C.; the Honorable Allan McKinnon, Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs; the Honorable Hugh A. Curtis, Minister, Ministry of the Provincial Secretary and Government Services; Charles Barber and Gordon Hanson, Victoria ML As; Alan Klenman, president, Jewish Historical Society of B.C.; Arthur Fouks QC.
Honorary Patron Victoria Mayor Michael Young stated: **The restoration of Congregation Emanuel will be a dramatic achievement of national significance both historically and culturally, most worthy of community support".
Another honorary patron. Rabbi Dr. W. Gunther Plaut, president, Canadian Jewish Congress, pomted out that the restoration of the synagogue is of great significance to B.C., as well as to the national patrimony of Canadian Jewry.
The history of the congregation began in faU 1858 when the tiny Jewish community of Victoria organized High Holy Day services. Soon plans were afoot to build their synagogue. A parcel of land was acquired at the comer of Blanshard
CP Hotels l<
Tiberias Plaza
Canadian Pacific Hotels
On the Sea of Galilee RO.Box 375,Tiberias, Israel For reservations please call (067)92233-Telex 663
For reservat.ons phone: USA 1-800-621-8336. Illinois 1-800-972-8089. Mex.co City 905-531-0838. Canada 1-800-268-9411. Quebec A Ottawa 1-800-268-9420. Toronto 416-361-1400. UK 01-930-8852/3. Germany 0611-770-721.
EARLIEST EXISTING PHOTOGRAPH of Temple Emanuel, taken in the 1870s, shows exterior of the synagogue. The original synagogue interior is seen in picture below.
and Pandora, and a building committee undertook to raise funds for building,
A ceremony on June 2, 1863, marked the laying of the comer-stone, and on Nov. 3, 1863, the building committee chairman reported the synagogue completed. This new Temple of Congregation Emanuel was acclaimed at the dedication ceremony as **the first synagogue in Her Majesty's Pacific Possessions**.
In addition, it was Victoria's second house of worship as well as the third synagogue to be built in what was soon to be the new Canadian nation.
Jew and Christian alike took part the cornerstone ceremonies of 1863 which became a gala event for the entire populace. The, British-Colonist of June 3, 1863 devoted a large part of its issue to a report of the ceremony, concluding:
"Thus terminated an eventful day in the history of the, Jews in Vancouver Island, and it must be a source of infinite gratification to that body, that the ceremonies of this day, partaking as they did of a purely denominational character, were participated in by all classes of our community with a hearty goodwill
m
and brotherly feeling, evidencing in
acts more powerful than words the
high esteem in which they are held by
the fellow townsmen of the city of
Victoria". The synagogue is considered to be
unquestioned architectural sister of
classical European synagogue
design. It is the only West Coast
example of this design, which is to be
found elsewhere in the treasured
synagogues of a few Eastern cities
and in Europe.
Three or four decades ago, two major changes were made in the synagogue building which involved a significant aesthetic transformation but constituted minimal structural innovation or amendments:
The exterior of the synagogue ^building was covered with a coat of stucco, including almost all windows and doors; and a false ceiling was installed, destroying the original balconies that were in place and obscuring the skylight and upper windows.
Total cost projected now of restoration of the synagogue, both exterior and interior, is $250,000.
The British Columbia Heritage Trust has provided^ a grant of $50,000 for the exterior restoration. This is the largest single amount the
Heritage Trust has ever awarded, and it must be matched by funds raised by the congregation.
The exterior will cost $100,000. The interior and the roof will cost $150,000, making the total of $250,000.
Dr. Levin stated: "Our problem is that Congregation Emanuel is very small, with less than 100 memberships and simply does not possess the resources to undertake the project on its own. Any amount will be appreciated and larger donations will be commemorated in a Tree of Life plaque to be mounted in the restored synagogue."
Cheques are being received by: Congregation Emanuel Restoration Fund, 1461 Blanshard St., Victoria, B.C. V8W 2J3. Tax receipts will be sent.
Dr. Levin added that he would be pleased to discuss over the telephone or in person any details of the project. A prepared 10-minute slide-tape presentation describing the Synagogue and the restoration can be forwarded to interested persons.
Members of the restoration committee include: Harry Brown, Neil Gold, Michael Goldberg, Ben Levinson, Gene Miller, Felix Reuben.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
mm
-J--5-' --My