Fonds F2551 - Beth Israel Congregation fonds

Founded as a singular Jewish community in Kingston in 1908, Beth Israel Orthodox Congregation was so named on October 9, 1910, when Simon Oberndorffer laid the cornerstone for Kingston's first synagogue building. The shul was located at 148 Queen Street and adopted the name. Beth Israel Orthodox congregation members are served through a variety of programs and events, such as adult education, a Talmud Torah School, Jewish community events, and regular Friday evening and Saturday services. Most significantly, Beth Israel gives people the opportunity to share life cycle events and to feel part of a vibrant Kingston Jewish community. While established as an Orthodox congregation, in 2012, Beth Israel adopted the ritual of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in its egalitarian form allowing every member of the “Kehilla” (congregation) to participate fully and equally in all religious practices.
Its mission is as follows: "The Beth Israel Congregation is committed to meeting the religious, educational, social and cultural needs of our members in a warm, welcoming, and supportive atmosphere. Beth Israel is a house of worship and also a meeting place for the wider Jewish community in Southeast Ontario."