Beach Hebrew Institute

Beach Hebrew Institute
Religion
AffiliationConservative Judaism
RiteNusach Ashkenaz
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusSynagogue
LeadershipMoshe Saadon (Cantor)
StatusActive
Location
Location109 Kenilworth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario,
CountryCanada
Beach Hebrew Institute is located in Toronto
Beach Hebrew Institute
Location in Toronto
Geographic coordinates43°40′10″N 79°18′06″W / 43.669323°N 79.301592°W / 43.669323; -79.301592
Architecture
TypeChurch
StyleVernacular
Date established1919 (as a congregation)
Completed
  • 1895 (as a church)
  • 1926 (as a synagogue)
Specifications
Direction of façadeEast
MaterialsBrick
Website
beachhebrewinstitute.ca

The Beach Hebrew Institute, also known as Beth Jacob Congregation (transliterated from Hebrew as "Beit Knesset Beit Ya'akov"), is a Conservative Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in The Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, in Canada. Founded in 1919 as an Orthodox Jewish congregation, the members purchased their current building—a former church—in 1920, and renovated it in 1926.

Following World War II the congregation declined. The members considered selling the building in the 1970s, but a campaign to save it led to its receiving much needed repairs, and the 1982 designation of the building as a site of historical importance by the City of Toronto. An influx of younger, more liberal families, led to the congregation becoming an unaffiliated egalitarian Conservative congregation.