Canada's Last Small Town Synagogue

When it comes to being small, few rival historic Beth Ezekiel. In fact, Owen Sound is by far the smallest community in Canada still to have an active synagogue. While urbanization, changing demographics, and attrition have claimed other synagogues, Beth Ezekiel remains steadfast as a unique example of Canada's early Jewish settlement.

Jewish life
beyond the GTA

Beth Ezekiel offers the warmth and charm of a home-town shul with the energy and vitality of a progressive congregation. Our membership runs educational programs, holds services, puts on social events, and hosts festival celebrations throughout the year. If you're Jewish and live in the area, thinking of moving here, or just visiting – please get in touch!

Warm and
friendly

We are a liberal egalitarian congregation. Our services follow a traditional structure and employ a Canadian-written Reconstructionist prayerbook, which emphasizes humanism and spirituality. A retired rabbi leads services on a volunteer basis. Services are in English and Hebrew with plenty of transliteration. The atmosphere is always warm and friendly.

Something
for everyone

Beth Ezekiel offers a full schedule of events, from Shabbat services to High Holiday programs, social gatherings, and festival celebrations. We get together once or twice a month in person, and we meet on Zoom for such popular programs as Kibbitz Klub, and Jewish Learning. Our private Facebook group keeps us in touch and up to date with Jewish life in Owen Sound.

Inclusive
and welcoming

We are a diverse group of Jews who value our culture and enjoy the familiarity of a common background. We are religious and secular; we are gay and straight; we are mixed marriages and blended families. We come together to celebrate what we have in common. We pray together, we eat together, and we have fun together.

If you're Jewish and live in the area,
thinking of moving here, or just visiting
– please, get in touch. 

Our challenge

Beth Ezekiel stands alone in Southwestern Ontario as the centre of Jewish life, culture, and religion. We are more than two hours from the nearest synagogue, and we serve an area larger than Prince Edward Island. We bear an enormous responsibility to keep Judaism alive and accessible in our catchment area, and provide life-cycle support from cradle to grave. For more than 120 years the Owen Sound Jewish community has offered a place to feel Jewish despite our relative isolation from the mainstream. It is this self determination that bonds us together and keeps us close.

Our goals

• Achieve financial sustainability
  
• Promote Jewish cultural identity
• Foster social networking
• Facilitate religious practice
• Deliver educational programs
• Administer a local Jewish burial ground
• Fulfill Jewish life-cycle needs
• Represent Judaism to our neighbours

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Please contact us for more information.