Bob Cohen:  I have many fond and distinct memories of my experiences in the Beth Jacob Synagogue.  Here are a few that quickly came to mind. Thirty years and older.

  • Mr. Urbach’s strict Hebrew School in the mid 1960’s.  (Mr. Urbach rewarded his students with bottles of Coke, for good performance!)
  • Alex Fishman’s leadership, confidence, knowledge and teaching in the 60’s, 70’s, and early 80’s.  (He always called me Bobby in a big booming voice.  Alex was my Bar Mitzvah teacher in 1970)
  • The Bregman’s; Ben, Paul and Barry seemed to be a permanent fixture at the lecterns on the South side, at the front of the Shul.
  • As a youth, often I would sit on the other side with Steven Fishman and others.  Alex relied on us to sing Yigdal, Adon Olam, Ein Keloheinu, etc.
  • Max Ilands powerful handshakes!  (As a kid Max was a seriously big strong man with a hand shake like no other.)
  • Frank Blase, Gord Bassest, Nathan Himmel, Murray and Saul Davis, Arnie Kates, and others welcoming and friendly handshakes.
  • At my Bar Mitzvah, the tradition was to sit on the chair to the left of the Aron Kodesh with President Frank Richardson on the chair on the other side.  (Looking out at that large crowd for the full service did nothing to calm my nerves!)
  • The room at the Empire Hotel where many men went for the break on Yom Kippur.  It must have been a fun experience, as I vividly remember it.
  • Purim plays (I always seemed to be Haman).
  • Harry Lewis’s cantorial assistance for Alex Fishman, offering distinctly different types of tunes.
  • Anna Rae Fishman’s beautiful rendition of Ya’aleh as a teenager, on Yom Kippur (the tradition of that melody continues to this day, sung by Ginny Cymbalist)
  • Frank Blase explaining how to make grilled cheese `a la Blase (It’s all about the onion and mustard, Frank explained)
  • Murray Davis calling for attendance at Yahrzeits. (No was not an answer!)
  • Frank Richardson in the President’s address in 1982 talking about the Cymbalist family being of great assistance to him. I did not know them at the time.  Quickly they became new leaders, continuing to this day.
  • The memorial service in the Shul for Alex Fishman, led by Frank Richardson.  A sad and solemn event, at which so many individuals shared great memories.
  • The great and long debate to allow women on the Bimah.  This was a significant change.  Everyone had their say.  It was a respectful debate that we knew would not be easy.
  • Norm Shulman, Jeff Arbus, and Steve Greene’s annual potato latke making team at Hanukah, downstairs in the Shul (you could smell the aroma down the street!)
  • Steve Paiken’s television documentary at the Shul in the late 80’s, highlighting the revival of the SSM Jewish Community, with youth everywhere.
  • My wife, Joyce, calling the Synagogue on her first day in Sault Ste. Marie to start employment here, as she was from Montreal.  Gil Cymbalist answered the phone, calling me with a tip off about this blonde and beautiful woman (there’s a story behind that!) and the rest is history!

Rob Oliphant: I am motivated to do this by the tremendous friendships my parents had with Murray and Claire Davis, Ben and Rose Bregman, Cecily Willinsky, and Loveday Rowe and the whole Cohen family, and a host of others who were sustained by your congregation.  From them I learned about the importance of family, community, and faith.

Ginny Cymbalist: Congregation Beth Jacob has been an integral part of our lives for nearly 50 years, so the memories are many. To name a few…

  • The welcoming people…Frank & Inez Richardson, Arnold & Melita Kates, Alec & Zelda Fishman, Murray & Claire Davis, Frank Blase, Bernie & Rebecca Garshowitz, Nate Himmel, Helen Himmel, Cecily Willinsky, Harry Wynne, Norm & Adele Shulman…and so many more who became and continue to be our family away from family.
  • Our wedding at CBJ. It was only the 2nd of 3 held in the synagogue. Frank Richardson’s sister was the first and Jeff & Juanita Arbus the 3rd.
  • The birth of both of our boys with the challenges of carrying out the Brit Milot which couldn’t have been accomplished without these people.
  • The strong support when the Shulmans, Lines and Cymbalists resurrected the Hebrew school. Melita Kates never missed bringing a treat bag for each child at Simchat Torah.
  • Frank Richardson who said “it’s our duty to educate our children” and was always there for advice and support.
  • Hebrew school
    • 40 years and counting
    • Sharing with fellow teachers Carol, Jeff, Bryna & Juanita when our numbers were large
    • Visiting with Nathan and Helen Himmel
    • Picnics at Bellevue Park plays, Purim carnivals, Tu B’Shevat seders and so much more
    • Shepping Nachas as we watched our wonderful students grow to be amazing adults.
    • The community joy at sharing each of our boy’s Bar Mitzvah.
  • High Holiday Day services which, other than the occasional yahrzeit, were the only services held in the early 1970’s.
    • The joy of being together again
    • The remnants of separate seating still remaining
    • The women’s beautiful hats
  • How the community pulled together to help when Gil’s father, Leonard, passed away two weeks after coming to the Sault and then welcomed his mother, Lore, into the community.
  • Sharing an adult Bat Mitzvah with my “sisters”—Adele Shulman, Carol Line, Sharon Smith, Bryna Copple-Park, Elaine Switzman, Lore Cymbalist, Doe Brown and Juanita Wood-Arbus.
  • Hadassah-Wizo
    • Rummage sales
    • Conventions
    • Meetings
    • Mr. Dressup
    • Dinner raffles
  • The Beth Jacob stag
    • Late nights working, serving and selling Hadassah-WIZO raffle tickets
    • An introduction for our boys into the responsibilities of Jewish adulthood as the willing donated their time and strength
    • Sharing kitchen duties with Claire Davis, Melita Kates, Wendy Kates & Juanita Arbus
  • So many meaningful services
    • High Holy Days led by Alec Fishman with Harry Lewis as cantor
    • Joel Whittstein
    • Abe Goldberg & Harvey Bitterman
    • Paula Baruch
    • Anna Rae Fishman & Gerry Fisher
    • Joel & Toby Yan
    • Shabbat services mostly led by Jeff Arbus
  • And CBJ celebrations—always “family” affairs
    • Latke parties
    • Community seders
    • Purim parties
    • New Year’s parties at Claire & Murray’s
    • Israel’s birthday
    • Sukkah building at Max’s, Jaffit’s, Tova & Erik’s
  • Working with amazing people to write a constitution, build the shul addition and “keep the lights on”
  • Sharing 50 years of joys and sorrows with our CBJ family. Missing those good friends who have moved away and especially those who have passed on.

Sandy Bregman: A fact that you may find interesting .. not sure if there’s still a classroom with the original desks and bookcases. But, I have the brass plaque from the classroom, that was unveiled when my dad (Isaac) and his mother (Sarah) provided the funds for the classroom. I’m named after this grandmother, Sarah. My dad and I took one last visit to the shul, together, before my parents moved to Ottawa in 1981. We walked around and shared our respective and loved memories of Beth Jacob… This walk-around is a cherished memory for me, forever. My dad passed away in 1983 in Ottawa…and my mom in 2016 in Ottawa.