26:
428:. The designation states that the Kiever is historically unique because of its distinctive architectural features and because "it was the first synagogue built by Ukrainian Jews who had escaped from Czarist Russia." The building is protected under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since May 14, 1979. It also is subject to a heritage easement agreement with the City since November 17, 1981.
420:
Central Region decided to help preserve the Kiever stating that "the community should have the building not only for its inherent historical value, but also because it would provide a physical environment where youth could identify their roots, to see their parents’ milieu and what motivated previous
404:
Solomon
Langner became the congregation's rabbi in around 1929 and held that position until his death in 1973. He did not, however, receive a salary, and instead "supported himself and his family from donations and compensation that he received for specific services he performed, such as
383:
from which services were led. In accordance with
Orthodox tradition, men sat on the main floor, while women sat above in the gallery. The sanctuary's interior was illuminated by geometric stained-glass windows, featured brass ornamentation and was dominated by a huge hand-carved
362:, and demolished around 1890. The new building, with a capacity for 400 people, was designed by Benjamin Swartz, and financed by a $ 16,000 (today $ 270,000) mortgage. Construction took place between 1924 and 1927, during which services were held in members' homes.
253:, Canada. It was founded by Jewish immigrants from Ukraine in 1912, and formally incorporated in 1914. The congregants were poor working-people, and services were led by members and held in their homes. Two houses were eventually purchased in the
353:
In 1921, a second house was purchased and by 1923, the congregation grew prosperous enough to build a new synagogue on the site of the two houses. The location, at the corner of
Denison Square and Bellevue, was originally the site of
416:
in the 1950s and 1960s, the congregation was declining and experiencing financial difficulties. Unable to afford repairs, it considered selling the building. In 1973, the
Archives Committee of the
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The men, tradesmen for the most part, had little money so they conducted services in the homes of members, and later rented a house on Centre Street to hold services. Not being able to afford a
421:
generations." A restoration committee was established that secured grants and held fundraising events. By 1982, enough money was raised to restore the building and renovate the social hall.
346:
As the congregation grew to 50 members, it raised sufficient funds, in 1917, to purchase a house, with a $ 6,000 mortgage, at 25 Bellevue Avenue. The new location was on the outskirts of
373:, and two opposing main staircases leading up to separate main entrances on the south side. The sanctuary, however, faced the east in accordance with the tradition that Jews face
434:
As of 2011, the congregation's president was David Pinkus, a role he has filled since 1979. His father, Isadore, was one of the synagogue's founders. The Kiever
Synagogue,
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438:(also in Kensington Market), and Shaarei Tzedek are the only historic Orthodox congregations remaining of at least 40 that existed in downtown Toronto in the early 1930s.
1028:
412:
By the time of
Langner's death, the Kiever was in desperate need of repairs. However, due to the Jewish community's migration away from Kensington Market and north up
276:
decided to help preserve it, and in 1979, the Kiever
Synagogue became the first building of Jewish significance to be designated a historical site by the province of
431:
Sheldon
Steinberg served as rabbi from the time of Langner's death until the mid-1990s. More recently, Gedalia Zweig served as part-time rabbi for almost ten years.
1018:
1043:
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41:
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350:, which was becoming a bustling Jewish neighbourhood as immigrants gradually lifted themselves out of the abject poverty of the Ward and moved west.
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299:"—the impoverished immigrant district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada in which most Jews then lived—decided to found a synagogue. It was founded as a
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Herschel Litvak. The congregation was officially incorporated in 1914 as "The First
Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev".
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907:
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In 1979, the Kiever
Synagogue became the first building of Jewish significance to be designated a historical site by the province of
624:
272:
Changing demographics led to a decline in membership in the 1950s and 1960s, and the synagogue building deteriorated. In 1973, the
919:
808:
883:
876:
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was Solomon Langner, who served from around 1929 until his death in 1973. As of 2018, the synagogue president was Adam S. Cohen.
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painted on the walls of the social hall, which was in the basement. The building and sanctuary remain largely unchanged today.
958:
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366:
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797:
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974:"Jews of the old shul; Only three of the many small Orthodox congregations in downtown Jewish neighbourhoods remain"
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46:
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The Kiever Synagogue dates to 1912 when a group of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine who had settled in "
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In 2019 prominent fiddlers played within the synagogue to help raise $ 100,000 for roofing repairs.
317:, then on Centre Street, but had left in a dispute over burial rites and formed a new congregation,
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1007:
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978:
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Secret Toronto: The Unique Guidebook to Toronto's Hidden Sites, Sounds & Tastes
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751:
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style, the building's exterior featured twin domed red-brick towers crowned with
717:
525:
associate the house with John Denison's son, Lt. Colonel George Taylor Denison.
866:
Kiever Synagogue (The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev)
406:
388:, acquired in 1931. In 1934–35 paintings of biblical animals and signs of the
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area, and in their place construction was completed on the current twin-domed
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Kiever Synagogue, Ontario Places of Worship Inventory, Ontario Heritage Trust
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358:, the house built in 1815 by the area's first British settler Captain
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280:. By 1982 sufficient funds had been raised to restore the building.
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284:
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650:"The Kiever – The Synagogue Today", Ontario Jewish Archives
235:
The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev
19:
The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev
996:
809:""Annual mission to Israel adds Greece to the itinerary""
223:
392:
were added to the gallery, and murals of Jerusalem and
481:"The Kiever – Early History", Ontario Jewish Archives
687:
685:
582:"The Kiever – Architecture", Ontario Jewish Archives
261:
building in 1927. The building was once the site of
800:, Kiever Synagogue website. Accessed July 23, 2011.
792:, Kiever Synagogue website. Accessed July 23, 2011.
612:"The Kiever – Restoration", Ontario Jewish Archives
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625:"Heritage Property Detail, Address: 28 Denison Sq"
597:"The Kiever – Religion", Ontario Jewish Archives
677:"President's message", Kiever Synagogue website
556:
554:
552:
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537:
535:
533:
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629:City of Toronto Heritage Property Search Site
377:while praying. The pews surrounded a central
283:The congregation's first and longest-tenured
8:
313:). Some of the families had been members of
959:"Kiever shul launches bid for new members"
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495:
493:
491:
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24:
15:
1059:Romanesque Revival architecture in Canada
1024:Designated heritage properties in Ontario
703:
691:
305:by Jewish immigrants originally from the
1029:Jewish organizations established in 1914
877:Toronto's First Synagogues – The Kiever
868:, Ontario Places of Worship Inventory,
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607:
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476:
474:
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592:
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7:
1019:Modern Orthodox synagogues in Canada
560:
541:
518:
1044:Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Toronto
768:Toronto, the City of Neighbourhoods
502:"History", Kiever Synagogue website
982:, September 23, 2006, p. L10.
944:"The Kiever – The Synagogue Today"
523:Belle Vue, Ontario Jewish Archives
514:
14:
1079:20th-century synagogues in Canada
676:
1074:Russian-Jewish culture in Canada
898:, "The Kiever – Early History",
522:
501:
754:, 2004. ISBN Davidson, Hilary.
661:
334:were led by members, including
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1054:1927 establishments in Ontario
1034:1914 establishments in Ontario
1:
649:
459:
1064:Byzantine Revival synagogues
1049:Synagogues completed in 1927
884:"The Kiever – Early History"
704:Silverstein (September 2006)
611:
480:
409:, marriages, and funerals".
908:"The Kiever – Architecture"
879:, Ontario Jewish Archives.
692:Silverstein (February 2006)
596:
581:
309:of the Russian Empire (now
1095:
950:, Ontario Jewish Archives.
948:Toronto's First Synagogues
938:, Ontario Jewish Archives.
936:Toronto's First Synagogues
932:"The Kiever – Restoration"
926:, Ontario Jewish Archives.
924:Toronto's First Synagogues
914:, Ontario Jewish Archives.
912:Toronto's First Synagogues
902:, Ontario Jewish Archives.
900:Toronto's First Synagogues
890:, Ontario Jewish Archives.
888:Toronto's First Synagogues
785:Kiever Synagogue website.
1069:Ukrainian-Jewish diaspora
872:. Accessed July 23, 2011.
221:
68:Adam S. Cohen (President)
23:
772:McClelland & Stewart
418:Canadian Jewish Congress
274:Canadian Jewish Congress
920:"The Kiever – Religion"
124:43.653837°N 79.402960°W
47:Modern Orthodox Judaism
972:Silverstein, Barbara.
957:Silverstein, Barbara.
870:Ontario Heritage Trust
748:Frommer's Toronto 2005
247:Modern Orthodox Jewish
102:Geographic coordinates
1014:Synagogues in Toronto
798:"President's message"
360:George Taylor Denison
263:George Taylor Denison
129:43.653837; -79.402960
1039:Ashkenazi synagogues
967:, February 17, 2006.
964:Canadian Jewish News
319:Chevra Rodfei Sholem
89:25 Bellevue Avenue /
840:, January 24, 2008.
718:"Local News Kiever"
400:Decline and revival
180:Direction of façade
120: /
837:The Jewish Tribune
766:Harris, Marjorie.
746:Davidson, Hilary.
665:, January 24, 2008
663:The Jewish Tribune
342:Synagogue building
328:, services in the
91:28 Denison Square,
859:978-1-55022-494-8
845:Mitchell, Scott.
780:978-0-7710-3988-1
760:978-0-7645-7530-3
716:Warmington, Joe.
631:. City of Toronto
367:Byzantine Revival
348:Kensington Market
259:Byzantine Revival
255:Kensington Market
232:
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161:Byzantine Revival
96:, Ontario, Canada
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997:Official website
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814:. Archived from
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365:Designed in the
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239:Kiever Synagogue
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821:on 2011-09-19
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521:, p. 224 and
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302:landsmanshaft
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291:Early history
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249:synagogue in
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979:Toronto Star
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823:. Retrieved
816:the original
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747:
725:. Retrieved
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635:December 14,
633:. Retrieved
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436:Anshei Minsk
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146:Architect(s)
140:Architecture
722:Toronto Sun
243:Kiever Shul
127: /
42:Affiliation
1008:Categories
825:2011-07-24
739:References
407:bris milot
224:kievershul
115:79°24′11″W
112:43°39′14″N
65:Leadership
896:Belle Vue
851:ECW Press
832:(2.29 MB)
790:"History"
752:Frommer's
727:March 23,
706:, p. L10.
563:, p. 224.
544:, p. 161.
517:, p. 89.
386:Torah ark
375:Jerusalem
356:Belle Vue
212:Red brick
208:Materials
167:Completed
853:, 2002.
774:, 1984.
331:shtiebel
297:The Ward
267:Bellevue
265:'s home
188:Capacity
86:Location
81:Location
36:Religion
667:, p. 8.
426:Ontario
311:Ukraine
278:Ontario
245:, is a
217:Website
94:Toronto
857:
830:
778:
758:
390:zodiac
336:Cantor
76:Active
73:Status
819:(PDF)
812:(PDF)
445:Notes
380:bimah
326:rabbi
285:rabbi
183:South
156:Style
855:ISBN
776:ISBN
756:ISBN
729:2020
637:2016
513:See
226:.com
197:Dome
170:1927
54:Rite
241:or
199:(s)
191:400
1010::
976:,
961:,
946:,
934:,
922:,
910:,
886:,
849:,
834:.
770:,
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720:.
684:^
627:.
604:^
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488:^
467:^
452:^
321:.
269:.
828:.
731:.
694:.
679:.
652:.
639:.
614:.
599:.
584:.
504:.
483:.
462:.
202:2
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
