the naming of our Chapel in honour of Rabbi Avraham & Leona z”l ...

Beth Tikvah thanks the
members of the
Chapel Naming Committee
and the
Programme Participants
the naming of our Chapel in honour of
Rabbi Avraham & Leona z”l Feder
Sunday, September 18, 2011

Dear Friends,
What is this space that we are naming today? The English dictionary leaves us with
insufficient terminology. Indeed, Judaism does not know from chapels and sanctuaries.
We have batei midrash and batei k'nesset, spaces designated for study, prayer and
learning. They are not defined by the decorations that are inside them, but by what the
people inside them are doing.
This insight explains for us exactly why it is so fitting that we name this chapel in
honour of our Rabbi Emeritus and Senior Scholar Avraham Feder. For hundreds of Jews, he
continues to serve as a guiding light and inspiration for their observance of traditional Judaism.
I am thrilled to have a space in this building that will serve as an everlasting tribute to this
great man's contribution to our heritage and to our people.
So many people worked to plan this event and they also deserve to be honoured today.
Their energy and leadership is a testament to the great esteem in which they hold their
rabbi and teacher. I thank them for their commitment to our synagogue and to its future,
May we together only grow in Torah and good deeds,
Rabbi Jarrod Grover
Dear Friends,
✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡ ✡
In April 2008, we paid tribute to Rabbi Avraham Feder and celebrated his many years of
dedicated service to Beth Tikvah. Our hope three years ago will soon become a reality.
From the early days in 1967, when we studied and prayed with him in a portable chapel
in our parking lot, we will, B'ezrat Hashem, now have the opportunity to study and pray
with our founding Rabbi in the beautiful Rabbi Avraham and Leona Feder Chapel.
Our Chapel evolved into this lovely Bet Tefillah and Bet Midrash through the
dedication of many Beth Tikvah families. It is entirely appropriate that this Chapel, which is so
dear to all of us, should become an expression of our ongoing love and high regard for Rabbi
Avraham Feder and his dear Leona z”l. May it be God's will that we can continue to study, pray,
and sing with Rabbi Feder for many years to come.
To all the volunteers who worked so diligently to prepare this important event in the history
of Beth Tikvah, todah rabbah. May you all be strengthened in your work for the benefit of
the Jewish community.
B'Shalom, U'Vraha,
Maurice Kulik
President Beth Tikvah Synagogue
The history of our Aron Kodesh is connected to the history of the
Jewish families that migrated to Kirkland Lake, Ontario as early as 1914.
In the 1920’s the Jewish community built a permanent synagogue,
the Kirkland Lake Synagogue—Adath Israel. They acquired the Aron
Kodesh of Eastern European design, its lamps, railings, pews and
reader’s desk, from the disbanded Ukrainishe Shul in Montreal.
In the 1970’s the Kirkland Lake Synagogue disbanded. Fred and
Beverly Schaeffer acquired the Aron Kodesh, all of its furnishings, the Ner
Tamid and the Parochet. They generously donated these impressive Jew-
ish artifacts to Beth Tikvah Synagogue. The dedication ceremony was
held Erev Selichot 1980, in memory of Isadore Kaplan, father of Beverly
Schaeffer and Erich Schaeffer, father of Fred Schaeffer.

Beth Tikvah Chapel Donors
Chapel ~ donated by Milton & Gilda Rusonik
Aron Kodesh ~ donated by Fred & Beverly Schaeffer
Chapel Relocation ~ donated by Harold & Rona Shapiro
Chapel Renovation ~ donated by the Children & Grandchildren
of Fred & Beverly Schaeffer
Chapel Enhancements
The Mandel and Norris Families
Friends and Family of Stephen Norris z”l
Andrew and Rose Braude & Family
Manny and Sharon Tward
Minda and Garry z”l Tward
Howard and Renee Tward
Roy and Ronna Birnboim
Terry and Ruth Kaufman
Chapel Doors ~ Members of Beth Tikvah
in honour of Morris Bitterman
A special thank you to our member Jack Steiner
for his beautiful Chapel door designs
Rabbi Avraham Feder, founding Rabbi
and Cantor, now Rabbi Emeritus and Senior
Scholar, served for fifteen years as spiritual leader
of Beth Tikvah Synagogue. In 1981 Rabbi Feder
made aliyah to Israel but his ongoing involvement
with prayer and study at Beth Tikvah continued
with frequent concerts, his Rabbi Emeritus Lecture
Series, and of course his annual leadership of the
alternate High Holiday Services.
Rabbi Feder holds Masters Degrees in
Sacred Music and Hebrew Literature from the
Jewish Theological Seminary where he received
his Rabbinic Ordination, as well as a Ph.D in
Philosophy of Education from the University of
Toronto.
Rabbi Feder is also Rabbi Emeritus of Bet
Knesset Moreshet Yisrael in Jerusalem. He has taught at Bar Ilan University and was
formerly in charge of the Rabbinic Track at the Schechter Institute of Judaic Studies. He
is the author of numerous books, essays and articles on Judaism, Zionism, Moral Values
and Aesthetic. His two volume “Torah Through a Zionist Vision” was published in 2008
and his much anticipated “Feder Tzaki Stories” will be launched this fall.
Rabbi Feder was married to the late Leona Posner z”l Feder , who shared his
dedication and commitment to the highest standards of Jewish life. Leona was an invalu-
able source of strength to her husband and a contributor to his career. She gifted both
her husband and Beth Tikvah’s congregants with her inestimable wisdom and insights
whenever and wherever she saw the need.
In appreciation of their dedication to Beth Tikvah Synagogue,
we proudly and with love name our chapel
“Rabbi Avraham and Leona Feder Chapel”

Beth Tikvah Gratefully Acknowledges the Generous
Donors to the Youth & Young Families Campaign
Murray & Rona Armel
Emile & Barbara Aufgang
Marlene Axmith
Hannah Bellack & Norman Levine z”l
Allan & Freda Brender
Martin & Fran Caplan
Robert Feldgaier
Gerda Frieberg
Morris & Rosalind Goodman
Ben Gottlieb
Harvey & Shirley Anne Haber
Joseph & Angela Houpt
Kenneth & Rita Karp
Murray Kroach
Roy & Ronna Birnboim
Morris Justein
Lois Michaels
Fred & Beverly Schaeffer
Helen & Phillip z”l Daniels
Helen Stollar
Robert & Marilyn Cohen
Norman & Linda Picov
Fred & Marsha Rosen
Clifford & Rhoda Waxman
Shelly & Sharon Wiggins
Sarah Brickman
Lee & Edith Cantor
Morley Goldberg & Marcia Schnoor
Stephen & Merle Goldman
Sam & Esther Helfenbaum
Norman & Simone Stern
Ken & Tsipora Krupat
Maurice & Renée Kulik
Jerry & Millie Lev
Eleanor & Oscar z”l Markovitz
Richard & Sheila Rodney
Milton & Gilda Rusonik
Lionel & Betty Sharpe
Isaac & Belle Silverstein
Martin & Elaine Sone
Gersh & Sheila Sone
Mark & Reva Waldman
Ron & Jackie Weintraub
Michael & Cynthia Wyman
Gerald & Sheila Ziedenberg
Rabbi Jarrod Grover ~ Master of Ceremonies
Shacharit Service in Sanctuary
At the conclusion of the Shacharit Service
the congregation will adjourn to the Foyer
Welcome……………………...……….Rabbi Jarrod Grover
Invocation…………………..…….……….Rabbi Howard Markose
The Beth Tikvah Chapel: From Kirkland Lake to Toronto, A Living History
Rabbi Jarrod Grover
Remembering Leona z''l Feder ~ Wife, Partner, Helpmate
Bracha Feder
Songs of Celebration
Chazan Tibor Kovari & The Beth Tikvah Choir Conducted by
Klara Bagley
A Tribute to Our Honouree ~ Rabbi Emeritus Avraham Feder, PhD
Merle Goldman
Naming Ceremony of the Rabbi Avraham and Leona Feder Chapel
Maurice Kulik & Harvey Haber
Response
Rabbi Emeritus Avraham Feder, PhD
Closing Remarks
Rabbi Jarrod Grover
Hatikvah
Celebratory Kiddush in the Social Hall