Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

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The Kiever Synagogue 1927

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted May, 2009

At 25 Bellevue Avenue, across from Bellevue Square Park, is this 2008 Heritage Toronto plaque. Here's what it tells us:

Coordinates: 43.653861 -79.402957

This synagogue was designed by Jewish architect Benjamin Swartz for a small congregation of Orthodox Jewish immigrants who had fled oppression in Kiever Gubernia, a Russian province in the Ukraine. The congregation, formally named The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev, began meeting in 1912 in "The Ward" east of University Avenue. By 1917 its synagogue, relocated to a house on this site, had become a social, religious, and educational centre for its members. This building was constructed ten years later. Its architecture blends Romanesque and Byzantine styles, and features twin domed towers crowned by the Star of David. According to tradition, its intimate sanctuary faces east towards Jerusalem, and doors for men and women lead to separate seating within. Restored since the 1980s, the Kiever is now one of a few historic synagogues still in this area long after this neighbourhood ceased to be the centre of Toronto's Jewish community.

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> Posted March 10, 2010
My cousins and I are working on our family tree, and it's taking a lot of research. I came upon this page when I googled "Russian Congregation Cemetary Toronto". I have a death certificate of someone who may be a family member, and it said that the place of burial is the Russian Congregation Cemetary. The undertaker was a C. Goodman, and the person was buried there in 1934. Does anyone have any information at all about this cemetary. Does anyone know where it is? I really don't know what I'm looking for, but if anyone can be of any help at all, I'd appreciate it.
Thank you, Francee Olch

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