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Publication Mail Agreement No. 40018822 613.244.4444 • www.boydmoving.com 2 September 26, 2016 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM Attracting young families is the major challenge for many Ottawa congregations In 2013, the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin examined the challenges facing Ottawa’s synagogues. Although many challenges remain, there have been signifi cant changes in the years since. Michael Aarenau reports. everal Ottawa congregations were within the community.” facing existential challenges The congregation has put a major focus according to a headline on the on programming for young families and Sfront page of the November 25, developed a policy to welcome interfaith 2013 edition of the Bulletin. In the years families and LGBTQ individuals and since, Ottawa’s two major Conservative families. congregations have amalgamated; the In 2013, Congregation Machzikei fl agship modern Orthodox, Conservative Hadas, Ottawa’s largest modern Orthodox and Reform congregations have intro- congregation, was facing an aging and duced new spiritual leaders; and the declining membership, and Rabbi Reuven largest Chabad congregation has built a Bulka, its charismatic, long-time spiritual new synagogue building. leader, was nearing retirement. HOWARD SANDLER Perhaps the most signifi cant change in Rabbi Bulka joined Machzikei Hadas as Rabbi Reuven Bulka (left) jokes with Rabbi Idan Scher, September 1, 2015, at Rabbi Ottawa’s congregational landscape was a dynamic young rabbi in 1967. Looking Scher’s installation ceremony as the new spiritual leader of Congregation Machzikei Hadas. the amalgamation of two Conservative for a new spiritual leader, the congrega- synagogues – Congregation Beth Shalom tion again turned to another dynamic also serves as director of Judaic studies at enjoying working with Rabbi Garten to and Agudath Israel Congregation – to young clergyman, Rabbi Idan Scher. the Ottawa Jewish Community School – is guide Temple Israel into the future. form Kehillat Beth Israel. Rabbi Scher arrived in Ottawa in 2014 and another modern Orthodox synagogue Although Temple Israel President Patsy After a long period of negotiations, and worked with Rabbi Bulka as associate that hopes to renew itself by attracting Royer said there has been a slight decline a year of transition during which Beth rabbi for one year before being installed more young families. To help accomplish in membership over the past three years, Shalom occupied temporary quarters at as spiritual leader last year. Rabbi Bulka this, Beit Tikvah President Howard Rabbi Morais said he’s noticing a much the Soloway Jewish Community Centre remains involved with Machzikei Hadas Nadler said the shul hopes to soon hire a higher engagement rate amongst congre- following the sale of its Chapel Street as rabbi emeritus. director of programming. gants, with more members turning up for building, the amalgamation became The congregation also hired Rabbi “Like most shuls, we have to become weekly prayer services and shul offi cial on July 1. With more than 800 Michael Goldstein as executive director more modern and more in tune with what programming. family units, Kehillat Beth Israel is both and his wife, Stacy Goldstein, as director the younger generation wants,” he said. Both Royer and Rabbi Morais said they Ottawa’s newest and largest congregation. of family programming (the Goldsteins Three years ago, Temple Israel, Ottawa’s are looking forward to the year-long The congregation’s new spiritual leader were the founding directors of the Glebe only Reform congregation, was also about celebration of Temple Israel’s 50th is Rabbi Eytan Kenter, most recently of Shul, a JET outreach program for young to begin a search for a new spiritual leader anniversary. More than 20 special events Congregation B’nai Torah in Atlanta, professionals). The team has put an as it faced the coming retirement of Rabbi will take place over the next year, begin- Georgia. Other clergy include Cantor emphasis on engaging young families and Steven Garten, who had been at the ning after the High Holidays. Daniel Benlolo, formerly of Beth Shalom, has attracted 30 new family units over the congregation for almost two decades. The only new synagogue building in and native Ottawan Rabbi Deborah Zuker past year. Rabbi Garten retired in 2014 but – like Ottawa in recent years is the Ottawa as director of ritual, education and Rabbi Scher says Machzikei Hadas is Rabbi Bulka at Machzikei Hadas – Torah Centre Chabad (OTC) in outreach. Rabbi Zuker returned to the succeeding because it’s providing remains involved at Temple Israel as rabbi Barrhaven. OTC built and opened its new city earlier this year to assume that “various connection points” for people to emeritus. Rabbi Norman Klein served building in 2014 after operating for position at Agudath Israel. “come and experience their Judaism,” Temple Israel as interim rabbi while it several years in a temporary structure on “Our whole focus and direction has and it’s through this that the synagogue searched for a successor for Rabbi Garten. its property. According to OTC’s director, really changed,” said Kehillat Beth Israel has become more than just a place that That successor was Rabbi S. Robert Rabbi Menachem Mendel Blum, the new Co-President Stuart McCarthy, noting holds prayer services, but rather, a hub Morais, a Toronto native who had served building has helped to facilitate a growth that the vast majority of the congrega- for Jewish community life. as spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel in spurt. tion’s members are older than 50. “We’re Congregation Beit Tikvah in the Craig Jackson, Michigan. He was installed last “Since we opened [the new building] now actively focusing on attracting new Henry area – which has been led for 25 year. two years ago, it’s really taken off,” he families and enhancing our outreach years by Rabbi Howard Finkelstein who Rabbi Morais said he’s been thoroughly See Synagoges on page 3 ROSH HASHANAH Candle lighting First Day – Wishing you all October 2 Shanah Tovah! 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While Chabad Lubavitch is a Chassidic The Glebe Shul, now under the direc- movement, it is also a religious outreach tion of Rabbi Yoey and Smin Shaps, is organization that seeks to appeal to Jews described as Ottawa’s “shul without walls of all denominational backgrounds, and for young professionals.” Rabbi Blum believes OTC is growing The Glebe Shul hosts biweekly Shabbat because membership isn’t required, dinners, weekly Pirkei Avot classes, and making it less daunting for people to holds larger-scale events about once every come in, try it out, and get hooked on six weeks. While Rabbi Shaps said he’s what OTC has to offer. content with their success, he wishes “Our model is a little different …We there was a bigger budget that would invite people to participate in Jewish life allow for a third staff person. and learn and get educated and get “There’s really a lot you can do with this inspired. The membership is a natural ROBIN CHERNICK age group, and there’s a lot of interest, so outgrowth of that, but we really do start Rabbi S. Robert Morais (left) with Rabbi Laurence Kotok of Temple B’rith Kodesh we could do a lot more programming … the other way around from most shuls,” in Rochester, N.Y. (centre) and Rabbi Steven Garten during Rabbi Morais’ installation but we’re somewhat limited based on our he said. weekend at Temple Israel, November 15, 2015. budget and being just two people,” he said. Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn’s Chabad of While several of Ottawa’s congregations Centrepointe also offers a “no member- congregants through providing “various However, with an aging and shrinking have maintained the status quo over the ship required model” and focuses primar- portals of entry” for everyone, which membership, Adath Shalom is yet another past three years, there has been much ily on bringing in unaffi liated Jews by entails a wide array of meaningful Ottawa congregation planning to take change with a merger, a new building and offering Shabbat and holiday services and programs. steps to attract young families to its ranks.