Chevra Thilim Linath Hatzedek

1925 - 1957
4299 Clark

(Traduction à venir)

Historic outline

The congregation was established in 1903 and occupied several locations (including what today is 3972 St-Laurent) before settling at 4299 Clark in 1925. In 1957 the synagogue was re-established at Van Horne and DeVimy merging with Pinsker Kinyan Torah Shul in 1960. In 1993 the Van Horne and DeVimy building was converted into a senior residence and the congregations ceased to exist.

Witness to history

Montreal Jewish historian, B.G. Sack wrote a history of the congregation in its 60th anniversary booklet in 1960 and again in the December 1, 1963 edition of the Keneder Adler. The congregation was established by a group of Lithuanian Jewish immigrants in 1903 and under the charter of 1904 established two unique functions, functions the congregation affirmed in its name, Chevra Thilim Linath Hatzedek. The first function, Chevra Thilim (the society of the psalms) denoted their commitment to studying and reading the psalms and the second function, Linath Hatzedek, their commitment to caring for sick members of their congregation. The Hebrew word linath carries the notion of staying over night, as was their obligation to do, in caring for the sick.

Physical description - 4299 Clark

The early locations of this congregation were all rented premises, probably single rooms serving a small prayer minyan (literally count or quorum, a minyan is the smallest congregation permitted to hold public worship and traditionally consists of no fewer than ten men, or boys over the age of thirteen) According to B. G. Sack, the first permanent location of the shul was built on Clark near Marie-Anne in 1924. That this was probably a purpose built structure was confirmed by a Université de Montréal study (2000) that indicated that the building, covering two lots, replaced two former row houses. It was, nevertheless, a simple one-story structure. In the photo from the 60th anniversary booklet, a simple triangular pediment seems to punctuate the entrance. It appears to be a brick structure with some architectural detailing. No iconographic markings are visible.

Written by Sara Tauben

Links

Liens

Traces of the Past

Sources

Tauben, Sara Ferdman. "Aspirations and Adaptations: Immigrant Synagogues of Montreal, 1880s-1945." Masters Thesis. Concordia University, 2004.

Tauben, Sara Ferdman. Traces of the Past: Montreal's Early Synagogues. Montréal: Véhicule Press, 2011.

*Images courtesy of Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee National Archives and Jewish Public Library - JewCan Boxes

Media

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