Adath Israel Congregation (Toronto)

Adath Israel Congregation is a Conservative synagogue located at 37 Southbourne Avenue in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario. It is one of the largest Conservative Synagogues in Canada, with approximately 1,450 member families. In 2008, the congregation seceded from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and affiliated with the now defunct Canadian Council of Conservative Synagogues.

History
Adath Israel was founded in 1903 by Jewish immigrants from Romania as the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation Adath Israel. New immigrants from Roumania first met in a rental space, later moving to three congregation's first permanent home on Centre Avenue. In 1911 the synagogue dedicated a new building on Bathurst Street near Dundas Street, where Abraham Kelman was the rabbi.

In 1947, Erwin Schild became the rabbi. In the next few years membership grew and a new building was constructed in North York. The formal name was shortened in the 1950s, and in 1957 the new building was officially dedicated.

Pesach Schindler served as director of education from 1956 to 1962.

In 1989 Schild retired and was succeeded as rabbi by Steven Saltzman, who died in September 2014. In 2012 Saltzman advocated allowing non-egalitarian synagogues to remain affiliated with Conservative Judaism.

In 2016, the synagogue’s membership consisted of 1,800 families.

In 2017, as part of a spree of hate mail targeting at least 5 synagogues across Canada, members of the synagogue opened a plain-looking envelope to find a swastika and the words "Jewry must perish". In response, Justin Trudeau tweeted: "Sending my full support to the Canadian Jewish community. These recent acts of hatred & anti-Semitism have no place in our country and we will not tolerate it".

In 2003, David C. Seed was hired as rabbi, and retired in July, 2024, after 21 years of dedicated service.

In 2009, Australian born, Cantor Alex Stein was hired as the congregation’s new senior cantor, following the retirement of Cantor Eli Kirshblum, after 42 years of dedicated service.

In 2015, Moshe Meirovich became Interim Rabbi, following the death of senior rabbi, Steven Saltzman. In March 2018, Adam Cutler became the first Toronto-born rabbi to lead the congregation.

Rabbis Yerach and Nava Meiersdorf were each appointed to the position of Associate Rabbis, beginning July 1, 2024.