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Congregation Schara Tzedeck

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Our Mission. Our Why

Schara Tzedeck is a modern Orthodox congregation dedicated to fostering a warm and inclusive community that enhances the personal, educational, and spiritual growth of our diverse membership through enriching, meaningful Jewish experiences.

We are committed to providing resources for our members to explore and embrace Torah and Jewish life, as well as nurturing educated and socially engaged partners committed to building and growing the local and wider Jewish communities of Greater Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Come and see for yourself!

Our Shul provides daily minyanim, Shabbat and holiday services, visiting scholars, Torah education, classes, and vibrant social, youth and family, and chessed programming.

For more information
please call us at 604-736-7607

Meet our leadership

A note from the Rabbi

Schara Tzedeck is a modern Orthodox congregation dedicated to fostering a warm and inclusive community that enhances the personal, educational, and spiritual growth of our diverse membership through enriching, meaningful Jewish experiences.

We are committed to providing resources for our members to explore and embrace halachic Judaism and ritual practice, as well as nurturing educated and socially engaged partners committed to building and growing the local and wider Jewish communities of Greater Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Rabbi Rosenblatt

Our Team

Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt has been the spiritual leader of Schara Tzedeck since 2003, where he…

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Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt has been the spiritual leader of Schara Tzedeck since 2003, where he has devoted himself with passion and creativity to his mission of making Torah resonate with the experiences of modern life. He draws strongly on his extensive academic and Torah education, as well as his legacy as the grandson of Rabbi Dr. Samuel Rosenblatt and great-grandson of renowned chazzan and composer Yossele Rosenblatt, to turn this vision into reality.

Rabbi Rosenblatt graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry and English literature, and a masters of science in bio-organic chemistry. After completing his secular studies, Rabbi Rosenblatt spent two years in Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel and subsequently received semicha from Yeshiva University in New York. Before taking the helm of Schara Tzedeck, Rabbi Rosenblatt served as the assistant rabbi at Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, New Jersey.

Rabbi Rosenblatt is married to Dr. Cirelle Rosenblatt, a neuropsychologist, and they have five children.

Rabbi Ishay Gottlieb

Rabbi Ishai Gottlieb is an Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Schara Tzedeck.

He comes to our community from Israel, receiving…

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Rabbi Ishay Gottlieb

Rabbi Ishai Gottlieb is an Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Schara Tzedeck.

He comes to our community from Israel, receiving his Rabbinic ordination from Ohr Torah Stone in Efrat Israel.

Rabbi Gottlieb’s specially is in Bible and modernity. His focus is in outreach amongst Jews who are looking for strengthening their Jewish identity and skills. He has volunteered for Tzohar’s Bar Mitzvah program.

Rabbi Gottlieb comes to the Vancouver Jewish community with his five children and wife Einat.

Reverend Joseph Marciano

It is hard to think of Schara Tzedeck without thinking of Joseph Marciano. Originally from Casablanca, Morocco, Joseph has…

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Reverend Joseph Marciano

It is hard to think of Schara Tzedeck without thinking of Joseph Marciano. Originally from Casablanca, Morocco, Joseph has spent more than 30 years as the heart of Schara Tzedeck’s religious services and serving as the link between the synagogue and the Schara Tzedeck Cemetery Board. In addition to general oversight of services and reading Torah, Joseph also acts as the shul’s mashgiach and prepares boys for their bar mitzvah. Over the decades, he has prepared hundreds of bar mitzvah boys for their big day, and is already teaching his second generation of celebrants.

In addition to his roles at the shul, Joseph also serves as funeral director of the Schara Tzedeck Cemetery Board, providing bereavement support and facilitating all aspects of burials for Metro and Greater Vancouver’s Jewish community. Joseph and his wife Simone, who also assists with mashgiach duties, are the proud parents (and in-laws) of four children, and grandparents of eight grandchildren.

Rachael Lewinski

Rachael Lewinski has been a member of the Schara Tzedeck administrative team for the past twelve years.

Born and raised…

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Rachael Lewinski

Rachael Lewinski has been a member of the Schara Tzedeck administrative team for the past twelve years.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Rachael completed a bachelor of administration and certificate of management at York University before pursuing a successful career in New York as an event planner at several well-known Jewish organizations, including National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP), Aish Hatorah, Hillel, and the Young Brooklyn Community Organization.

Rachael’s exuberance and sunny personality make her the ideal fit for her diverse responsibilities at Schara Tzedeck. She plans the shul’s special and signature programming, including the successful Shabbat and holidays In-a-Box programs; LinkYID program, which connects newcomers to Vancouver with Schara Tzedeck mentors and potential employers in the business community and engaging with the shul community in a variety of capacities.

Rachael and her husband, Ariel have three children, Yaakov, Sophie, and Hannah.

Anna Herman

Anna joins us from Israel, with over a decade of administrative and operational management experience.

After serving in Israel Defense Forces,…

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Anna Herman

Anna joins us from Israel, with over a decade of administrative and operational management experience.

After serving in Israel Defense Forces, Anna graduated with Architectural Practical Engineering and Interior Design Diploma from Ort Braude and studied Social Sciences – with an emphasis on Management at Open University in Israel.
Prior to her moving to Canada, Anna worked as Executive Director at a private college and as Senior Office Manager at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd in Israel.

In Canada, Anna graduated with a Professional Bookkeeper Certificate from Langara College.

Working in tandem with our Executive Director, Anna had spent the last 5 years as the administrative backbone for Schara Tzedeck.

Anna and her husband Eitan are the parents of two children, Netanel and Liam.

Gavi Beigel

A non-profit professional, Gavi Beigel brings a diverse background to his role at Schara Tzedeck. Following years of working in…

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Gavi Beigel

A non-profit professional, Gavi Beigel brings a diverse background to his role at Schara Tzedeck. Following years of working in fine dining restaurants as a classically trained chef, Gavi, always a fan of the arts and seeing the need for caring and passionate professionals joined the Vancouver Opera as a fundraiser. Within a short time, Gavi discovered a knack for development, marketing, and information system management and was quickly promoted to Ticket Centre operations, where he worked overseeing the box office, working with the marketing and development teams in building promotional and fundraising campaigns.

In 2018, following the tragedy at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA, Gavi was moved to put his skills to work within the Jewish community, and started working for the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver (JFGV) as a member of their campaign team. And, in June 2021 Gavi joined Schara Tzedeck’s administrative team. Gavi loves being a part of Schara Tzedeck and admits one of the perks of the position is his short walk to minyan.

Meisheilour Pascua

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Jen Pascua

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Grace Chen

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115 years and counting…

1907
1911
1917
1920
1945
1948
1957
1963
1968
1972
1982
1987
1989
1993
1994
2002
2007
2012
2015
2017
2019
2020
2022
Synagogue logo

1907

Our synagogue began in 1907 as B’nai Yehuda, serving the needs of Vancouver’s Orthodox community of mostly immigrant shopkeepers and artisans from Eastern Europe. The congregation’s first rabbi, H. Valenski stayed only one year and was replaced in 1908 by Rabbi David Belasoff, a Russian immigrant from Winnipeg who became Vancouver’s first full-time Orthodox rabbi.

Synagogue logo

1911

In 1911, B’nai Yehuda built its first synagogue, a 200-seat wooden building located at 510 Heatley Avenue in the Strathcona neighbourhood, the then-heart of Jewish Vancouver. The synagogue was the first Jewish community-owned building in the city, and its dedication on November 19, 1911, drew local and provincial dignitaries to a Jewish event for the first time.

Synagogue logo

1917

B’nai Yehuda was officially incorporated in the name Schara Tzedeck (Gates of Righteousness) on June 14, 1917, and in 1918 the congregation welcomed a new spiritual leader, Rabbi Nathan Mayer Pastinsky.

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1920

In July of 1920, Schara Tzedeck began construction on a new synagogue at Heatley Avenue and Pender Street. The new building, known as the “Heatley Street” synagogue, was completed in September 1921. It had capacity for 600 worshippers, and featured a beautiful custom-made oak aron Kodesh and bima commissioned from a local mill, J. Hanbury & Co.

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1945

Schara Tzedeck’s current site at the corner of Oak Street and 19th Avenue was purchased on September 13, 1945.

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1948

Official opening of new Oak st. synagogue, It was considered at the time to be the most modern and largest synagogue west of Montreal. The original aron kodesh and bima from Heatley Street were moved to the new building. Lifecycle celebrations included:
First wedding Joseph Segal z”l and Rosalie Wosk, first Bar Mitzvah Isidore Wolfe z”l. Both future presidents of Schara Tzedeck.

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1957

In 1957, the congregation acquired the property immediately to the north of the synagogue for the purpose of accommodating offices, classrooms, a large auditorium, and other facilities.

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1963

Groundbreaking for the Schara Tzedeck Hebrew School.

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1968

First NCSY chapter. Pinchas “Pinky” Bak z”l arrival. Birth of Youth programming at Schara Tzedeck.

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1972

Major renovation of Chapel (Beit Midrash) and Social Hall.

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1982

Reverend Joseph Mariano joins Schara Tzedeck.

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1987

On Yom Hashoah, April 26, 1987, in the presence of 1,300 members of the community, the Holocaust Memorial and monument at the Schara Tzedeck cemetery in New Westminster was unveiled.

Synagogue logo

1989

Beautiful stained-glass windows by noted Israeli artist Ami Shamir donated by Morris J and Dena Wosk.

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1993

Chazzan Yaacov Orzech joins Schara Tzedeck.

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1994

Dedication of Chapel (Beit Midrash) presided over by Rabbi Yisroel Meir Lau zt”l Chief Rabbi of Israel.

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2002

Mikvah renovations.

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2007

100th anniversary of the Shul.

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2012

Commencement of Hodie Kahn’s presidency, the first woman president in the history of our Shul.

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2015

Debut of Schara Tzedeck’s new men’s choir.

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2017

Visit from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z”l Chief Rabbi of UK.

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2019

Dedication of a Shoah Wall, acknowledging the contribution of Eastern European Holocaust survivors to the vitality of our Shul.

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2020

Schara Tzedeck launches the in-a-Box program for Shabbat and Holidays in response to the worldwide pandemic.

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2022

Congregation Schara Tzedeck to celebrate its 115th anniversary.

1911 – first wedding
1911 - first wedding
Rabbi Belasoff 1910 with his family
1907-1911 -Rabbi Belasoff 1910 with his Family
1911 Building
1911 Building
1917 – Rabbi Nathan Pastinsky
Rabbi Nathan Pastinsky
1920 Fred Silber
1920 Fred Silber
1920 – old building
1920- old building
2017 110 Years Book
2017 110 Years Book
1945 – construction
1945 - construction
1945 – Groundbreaking
1945 - Groundbreaking
1948 Weddings – Segal
1948 Weddings - Segal
Schara Tzedeck
North wing school construction
North wing school construction
1957
1957
1959-Schara Tzedeck Hebrew School
1959-Schara Tzedeck Hebrew School
1966 -Choir
1966 -Choir
1966 – Torah Study II
1966 - Torah Study II
Perel double wedding
Perel double wedding
Robert Krell Bar Mitzvah
Robert Krell Bar Mitzvah
1968 Pinky Bak
1968 Pinky Bak
1994 – chapel
1994- chapel
2015 music choirs
2015-music-choirs
Reverend Marciano blowing shofar
Reverend Marciano blowing shofar
2014 – the Great Challah Bake
2014 - the Great Challah Bake
100 year celebration
100 year celebration
Maccabeats
Maccabeats
In a Box program starts during pandemic
In a Box program starts during pandemic
2020 Pandemic Purim Drive-Thru
2020 Pandemic Purim Drive-Thru
Praying outside during the pandemic
Praying outside during the pandemic
Kids on Purim
Kids on Purim
Rabbi Sacks z_l in the Main Sanctuary
Rabbi Sacks z_l in the Main Sanctuary
Stained Glass Dedication
Stained Glass Dedication
1911 - first wedding
1907-1911 -Rabbi Belasoff 1910 with his Family
1911 Building
Rabbi Nathan Pastinsky
1920 Fred Silber
1920- old building
2017 110 Years Book
1945 - construction
1945 - Groundbreaking
1948 Weddings - Segal
North wing school construction
1957
1959-Schara Tzedeck Hebrew School
1966 -Choir
1966 - Torah Study II
Perel double wedding
Robert Krell Bar Mitzvah
1968 Pinky Bak
1994- chapel
2015-music-choirs
Reverend Marciano blowing shofar
2014 - the Great Challah Bake
100 year celebration
Maccabeats
In a Box program starts during pandemic
2020 Pandemic Purim Drive-Thru
Praying outside during the pandemic
Kids on Purim
Rabbi Sacks z_l in the Main Sanctuary
Stained Glass Dedication

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CONGREGATION SCHARA TZEDECK

3476 Oak Street,
Vancouver, BC V6H 2L8

T: 604-736-7607
F: 604-730-1621

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