Bnai Jacob then and now

Nowadays, it's a private French school on Fairmount Street in Mile End. But back in the day, it was the bustling B'Nai Jacob Synagogue at the very heart of Jewish life in Montreal. Here are a couple of old pictures from May of 1940, when 20 Jewish servicemen were granted a religious rest day to pay a holiday visit.

"In Synagogue when Prayer for the King is being read."


Here's what the building looks like now. And this is the original story, from the Canadian Jewish Chronicle, May 31, 1940.

Men in Uniform at Shevouth Service At B'nai Jacob Synagogue
Jewish Soldiers Guests At B'Nai Jacob Synagogue

A number of Jewish soldiers were the guests of the B'nai Jacob Congregation at the services held there Thursday (Feast of Weeks).

Permission for a Religious rest day has been obtained through the efforts of Colonel Abbey. Because the request had come rather late, instructions had been given to only one unit, and therefore only 20 men of the known 100 on the lst were able to take advantage of the rest day.

Seating accommodation and talithim was provided by Mr. A. Raginsky, Sr., president of the congregation. After the services, the soldiers were provided with Kiddush. Cantor Kapoff-Kagen and his choir officiated at the services.

Rabbi Jesse Schwartz, executive director of the Zionist Organization of Canada, delivered the sermon, which was concluded with a victory prayer for the Allied armies.

Accompanying the unit of soldiers were Col. Philip Abbey, Captain Vineberg H.M. Caiserman, and H. Wolofsky.