Kingston, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Queen Street Synagogue
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2019
1. Queen Street Synagogue Marker
Emigrating from Eastern Europe in the late 1800s, Kingston's Jewish Community grew to 125 persons and three congregations by 1908. When Isaac Cohen committed to building a synagogue, they formed the Beth Israel Congregation. Their first president, Simon Oberndorffer, laid the cornerstone on October 10, 1910. At the centre of Kingston Jewish life, it remained active until 1955, when the current one was constructed on Centre Street.
La communauté juive de Kingston vit le jour à to fin des années 1800 au moment où ses premiers membres arrivèrent d'Europe de I'Est. En 1908, elle comptait déjà 125 personnes et trois congrégations. La congrégation Beth Israel fut fondée lorsqu'Isaac Cohen s'engagea à construire une synagogue dont la première pierre fut posée par son tout premier président, Simon Oberndorffer, le 10 octobre 1910. Pivot de la vie juive à Kingston, elle fut fréquentée jusqu'en 1955, année où la synagogue actuelle fut bâtie sur la rue Centre.
Kingston Remembers / Kingston se
this page online
Erected by City of Kingston.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is October 10, 1910.
Location. 44° 13.968′ N, 76° 29.097′ W. Marker is in Kingston, Ontario. Marker is on Queen Street east of Montreal Street, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located beside the sidewalk, in front of the Springer Memorial Parking Lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 140 Queen Street, Kingston ON K7K 1A7, Canada. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. St. Paul's Churchyard (within shouting distance of this marker); Molly Brant (within shouting distance of this marker); Discover the History of the Anna Lane Site (within shouting distance of this marker); Lower Burial Ground 1783-1863 (within shouting distance of this marker); Bishop Alexander Macdonell (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); Kingston Post Office / Bureau de Poste de Kingston (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); René-Amable Boucher 1735-1812 (approx. 0.4 kilometers away); The First Meeting of the Executive Council of Upper Canada (approx. 0.4 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kingston.
More about this marker. Kingston is independent from the surrounding Frontenac
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2019
2. Marker detail: Queen Street Synagogue
Also see . . . Beth Israel Congregation. Documented Jewish presence in Kingston dates from the middle of the 19th century. Among the earliest arrivals were the brothers Joseph and Abraham Nordheimer who later moved to Toronto. Simon Oberndorffer came to Kingston, via New York, in 1857. He started a cigar factory and became one of the main founders of the Orthodox Beth Israel Congregation in 1908. Beth Israel was first located on Queen Street from 1910 until our new Beth Israel Synagogue was built in 1964 at 116 Centre Street. (Submitted on January 30, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2019
3. Queen Street Synagogue Marker • wide view
(looking west along Queen Street)
(looking west along Queen Street)
Credits. This page was last revised on March 27, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 26, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 179 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 30, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
