14

It was after I was born that the Jewish community in Kirkland Lake decided to build a synagogue. Mr. Alter Scott, the elder of the Scott family and his son Rubin did a lot of work on that?

15

Building of the Synagogue
3 July 2003

16

When the first synagogue was built actually, the design of the first synagogue was pretty well up to Mr. Scott, Mr. Alter Scott, and he built the synagogue. He was used to building little houses and places that he rented in Kirkland Lake and he had carpenters and so forth who were used to working for him, but the plans were his. And so the first synagogue actually had, it was a long narrow room, about twenty feet by thirty feet and at one end of it there was a balcony. You had to climb up, there were stairs, like, it was a high ceiling, and there was a balcony, and there was a room up there for probably about fifteen or twenty women to sit, and that was full and uh, it lasted for quite a long time. Now Mr. Scott I think designed that first synagogue and modeled it more or less after the synagogue he knew in Russia. Joe Scott, his son, actually acted as more or less his foreman, you know and uh, and sort of got people to, you know, the carpenters who built the place were not Jewish. There was only one Jewish carpenter in town at that time. But, but they built this place according to the specifications.

17

Later, as the numbers dwindled, the women moved to the main floor and were separated from the men by a curtain. The intention of this system was that there would be no distractions for the worshippers. However, as one individual has said, there generally were still plenty of men talking and gossiping amongst themselves.

18

The Jewish community grew quickly and numbered approximately 125 families by the end of the 1930's.

19

Congregation evolves
6 July 2003

20

And the Jewish community in Kirkland Lake, as it started in its early days, in its early formation, was modeled after what their little synagogues were like back in Russia and they certainly did not want prayer books that were both English and Hebrew, not at first. They were all in Hebrew. Then gradually they began to add on books that were in both languages, you know, and there was an index. And then if you had a rabbi that could speak English he could tell you what page you were on in English, you know, or whatever. So those things came later, but at first they didn't

21

During the 1930's, a Hebrew school, or chedar, was established within the synagogue.

22

The children were taught to read and write in Hebrew and Yiddish, studying after attending their regular classes in public school. The traditions of the Jewish faith were kept alive.

23

Going to Cheder
23 February 2004

24

I remember going to a Jewish school going from the Central School through the back over the hill to the Synagogue and I did that every day for five days a week.

25

We all had to go to Hebrew School
24 August 1983
Adath Israel Synagogue, Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada

26

C. McChesney: Was there a Hebrew school available?

M. Goldstein: Oh yes, we all went to Hebrew School when we were kids. I do not know how much we learned but we went to Hebrew school. We learned about religion, anyway, even if we did not learn to speak Hebrew.

27

Class photograph for the Hebrew school 1952 and 1953
1952
Adath Israel Synagogue, Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Photograph courtesy of Eddie Duke