Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

2004 - Now in our 15th Year - 2019

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First Jewish Congregation in Canada West

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted April, 2004

This building is Holy Blossom Temple on Bathurst Street just south of Eglinton. Here's what the Ontario Heritage Trust plaque near the main entrance has to say:

Coordinates: 43.69824 -79.42502

Click here for a larger map

In 1849 the Trustees of the Toronto Hebrew Congregation purchased a site in Toronto from the Hon. John Beverley Robinson for the first Jewish cemetery west of Montreal. Regular religious services were not held in Canada West until 1856 when seventeen Jewish families from England and Continental Europe formed a congregation in Toronto. This group, after acquiring the cemetery in 1858, became known as the "Toronto Hebrew Congregation-Holy Blossom". They held services in a building on the southeast corner of Yonge and Richmond Streets until the construction of their first synagogue in 1876 at 25 Richmond Street East. In 1897 they moved to 115 Bond Street and in 1938 to the present site.

More Firsts
First Banding of a Bird
First External Cardiac Pacemaker, 1950
First Fire Hall
First Grey Cup Game
First Municipal Building
First Theatrical Performance
The First Unitarian Congregation in Canada West 1845
First Women's College Hospital

More
Religious Buildings

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