Shaar Hashomayim celebrates century in Westmount with massive concert – Montreal | 24CA News
One of Montreal’s most historic synagogues is celebrating an necessary anniversary. The Shaar Hashomayim is placing on a significant live performance this week to have a good time its a centesimal yr at its iconic Westmount location.
“It’s just going to be a reunion of people who love making music together and love being together,” mentioned Cantor Gideon Zelermyer, earlier than heading right into a rehearsal.
The gargantuan musical efficiency will embody the Shaar’s personal choir and a 16-piece orchestra.
“Our synagogue choir is the best synagogue choir in the world. And that is a fact, not an opinion,” mentioned Rachel Kohl Finegold, the Shaar Hashomayim’s Associate Rabba,
They don’t wish to unveil the visually-stunning setup but, however it’s certainly grand and elaborate.
Music has lengthy been a significant a part of the establishment’s identification. Cantor Gideon Zelermyer and the Shaar choir have carried out on the United Nations General Assembly, and took dwelling a Grammy in 2017 for his or her participation in Leonard Cohen’s music “You Want it Darker.”
“It was special for the entire community. Each week we have people here who are members of Leonard Cohen’s family, we have people who went to school with him, grade school, high school,” Zelermyer mentioned.
Cohen and his household have shut ties to the synagogue’s historical past.
“Leonard Cohen’s grandfather and great-grandfather were both not only presidents of this community, but builders of this congregation and so much of the Jewish community of Montreal,” mentioned Rabbi Adam Scheier.
The story of the synagogue runs parallel with the story of Jewish folks immigrating to Montreal from Europe.
“In 1846 our congregation was founded, and it moved as it grew from building to building to building, until finally they they built this amazing space,” Scheier defined. “This was, at the time, the crown jewel of the Jewish community of Canada.”
The present constructing grew to become the house of the synagogue in 1922. Bible verses inscribed on the partitions by the unique builders would be the foundation for the live performance.
“That phrase over there says, ‘you shall love the lord your God,” Scheier said, pointing to an inscription in the main sanctuary. “This phrase says ‘love your neighbour as yourself,’” he said pointing to another.
“That’s the steadiness. We wish to be trustworthy stewards of our non secular traditions, and we wish to be inclusive and open and welcoming.”
Shaar Hashomayim prides itself on being inclusive.
“We’re always looking out to think about ‘who can I bring inside? Who can I help feel welcome,’” mentioned Kohl Finegold.
The synagogue has welcomed a number of heads of state and authorities. Both Pierre and Justin Trudeau have spoken from its pulpit. Former Israeli president Shimon Peres as soon as visited too.
“For me, the meaning is also in the small moments, and to think of how many people celebrated their special moments here, how many people sang and danced in this space, how many people mourned their loved ones and shed tears, whether it was sorrow or of joy,” mentioned Scheier, including that these moments are what really provides that means to the area.
The celebration live performance that includes each Grammy and Tony winners goes Thursday night time.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
