Religious institution.
Details of Site Location: The northeast corner of University Avenue and Richmond Street.
Boundary History: The synagogue occupied two lots at the corner (Instruments 11135A and 11512A of 1875).
Current Use of Property: A commercial complex and University Avenue.
Historical Description: This most interesting of downtown synagogues was formed out of a mutual aid and burial society by Lithuanian Jews, who had immigrated only to find that a proper Jewish burial place did not exist for them and that Jewish liturgies existed along the lines of cultural differences. At first, the little congregation held regular services in a rented room at York and Richmond, renting larger premises at a nearby Temperance Hall for High Holy Days services. They named their congregation Goel Tzedec, meaning “Righteous Redeemer.” In 1875, they purchased a small Methodist church at University and Elm and by 1883 were attracting new immigrants from Eastern Europe. In due course, the immigrants divided along cultural lines, and the Russian and Galician members split off to form their own congregations. But Goel Tzedec had non-resident members as widely distributed as Bancroft, Marmora, Hamilton, Brantford, and Whitby; these stayed with relatives to attend only the High Holy Days services. As early as 1896, the congregation began planning for the building of a synagogue, partly to hold members from drifting to Holy Blossom on Bond Street. Samuel Weber, a congregant, bought land on Roselawn Avenue for cemetery use and founded the Hebrew Free Burial Society to administer the cemetery on the donated land. The congregation undertook other philanthropic work at the same time. They had hired W.L. Symons as architect and gave him three years to study Jewish ritual before handing over his drawings. The building was to seat 1,200 and was designed to resemble the Roman Catholic Cathedral at Westminster. Supported by huge arches, the great dome had stained-glass panels. The entire building was illuminated by electric light. It was dedicated in February 1907, a year after Weber’s cemetery was opened. 1920 to 1930 was a period of change for Goel Tzedec, as debate raged over acceptable reforms and liberalization. English began to be used, a training course for teachers was introduced, and Sabbath Schools began to be developed. Jewish education, supported by a ladies’ auxiliary, became increasingly important. When University Avenue was widened and converted into a major traffic artery, the congregation was forced to merge with another and sell the property.
Relative Importance: The synagogue is important as a centre welcoming new immi-grants to The Ward, in the history of Jewish education, and as a symbol of now-vanished residents of the downtown area.
Planning Implications: The current building should be plaqued on the exterior so that passers by can learn about the building and community it once served.
Reference Sources: Goad’s Atlas (1884, 1890); Toronto Registry Office; Canadian Jewish Congress Ontario Region Archives.
Acknowledgements: Maps Project.