The city at the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau Rivers was initially called Bytown. Later, it became Ottawa, and in 1857, Queen Victoria selected it as the capital of Canada. Ottawa Ski takes readers on a virtual tour of Jewish history, highlighting the growth and expansion of the community in Ottawa.
Jewish Settlement
According to the 1851 census, there were no Jews in Bytown. The development of the community only began in the second half of the 19th century. Jews primarily settled in the “Lower Town” area—specifically, the Rideau-Vanier district in central Ottawa, the city’s oldest neighborhood. This area includes the commercial district of ByWard Market, historically home to French-Canadian and Irish residents.
The largest increase in the Jewish population in Canada occurred between 1850 and 1939, largely due to the rise of antisemitism. Between 1901 and 1911, the Jewish population of Ottawa doubled. The city’s first Jewish immigrants included:
- Moses Bilski, a Lithuanian native considered one of Ottawa’s first Jewish settlers. He established a home in Lower Town in 1867, opening a pawnshop and a jewelry store on Rideau Street. Moses was the founder of Ottawa’s first synagogue, Adath Jeshurun.
- Aaron Rosenthal, a German immigrant who later settled in Ottawa with his wife, Bertha Rosenthal. They were well-known philanthropists. Aaron ran a jewelry business on Sparks Street, Ottawa’s main pedestrian thoroughfare since 1967. Bertha was a volunteer in Jewish women’s organizations and eventually founded and presided over the Ottawa Ladies Hebrew Benevolent society.
- Franklin Burkholder, a furrier and tailor who later became president of FD Burkholder Ltd., Furriers and Ladies’ Tailors.
Census records show the gradual increase of Ottawa’s Jewish population:
- 1861: 6 Jews
- 1871: No data available
- 1881: 20 Jews, half of whom were members of the families of John Dover (a trader) and Aaron Rosenthal (a jeweler and silversmith)
- 1891: 46 Jews
- 2001: Approximately 13,500 Jews in Ottawa
Adath Jeshurun
With the support of Moses Bilski and John Dover, the first organized congregation in Ottawa was established. In 1892, Adath Jeshurun became the first Jewish synagogue in the city, with construction completed in 1895. Just ten years later, it relocated to a new building, with Reverend Jacob Mirsky serving as its first religious leader. Businessman A.J. Freiman served as congregation president for 26 years (1904–1930).
Another Jewish congregation, Agudath Achim, was founded in 1902. Worship services were held in private homes until 1912, when the city’s second synagogue was constructed.
Ottawa’s Orthodox Jewish immigrants later established Machzikei Hadas in 1906. The synagogue changed locations multiple times. From 1967 onward, its spiritual leader was Rabbi Reuven Bulka.
The Jewish Quarter
Between the 1920s and 1940s, Jews accounted for 2% of Ottawa’s total population, but they made up 70% of Lower Town’s residents. Several factors attracted Jewish settlers to this area, including affordable business licenses and the ability to observe Shabbat without financial hardship.
During World War I and World War II, Jewish merchants dominated ByWard Market. Many Jewish-owned manufacturing businesses flourished, and street vendors even rented sidewalk space at the market. The area became the heart of the Jewish quarter:
- Clothing vendors operated on William Street.
- Kosher meat shops were located on the western and eastern sides of ByWard Market.
- Dairy factories were concentrated on the western side of the quarter.
- A Jewish bakery, Rideau Bakery, was situated at the corner of Rideau and Nelson Streets.
Jewish Religious Life After the 1960s
As Ottawa’s Jewish population grew, Orthodox Jewish communities became concentrated in the city’s west end. In 1980, a new synagogue was consecrated.
In 1966, the Temple Israel congregation was founded. Five years later, the congregation acquired its own building, after initially conducting services in a public school. The synagogue was reconstructed in 1975 after a devastating fire.
In 1976, a cemetery was consecrated for the New Jewish Community. Ottawa’s first Jewish cemetery was established in 1893. Each synagogue had its own burial society until 1918, when these groups merged to form the Ottawa Chevra Kadisha. In 1953, the community acquired a dedicated synagogue building, which was consecrated in 1957 as the Jewish Memorial Chapel.
Jewish Education
Jewish education in Ottawa is served by several institutions:
- Hillel Academy (founded in 1949), a school offering education from preschool through eighth grade.
- Cheder Rambam School and Torah Academy, both Orthodox Jewish preschools.
- Ottawa Talmud Torah, Ottawa Modern Jewish School, Temple Israel, and Star of David—Jewish schools that provide afternoon programs.
- Torah Institute of Ottawa (founded in 1982), the first Jewish school in Ottawa, which also serves as a secondary school for boys.
- Yitzhak Rabin High School.
- Akiva Evening High School.
Ottawa: A Home for Jewish Life
Despite a complex and sometimes challenging history, Ottawa has become a welcoming home for Jewish immigrants. The city provided a safe and prosperous environment for the community, enabling them to contribute significantly to trade, commerce, and other sectors.
Today, the number of Jews in Ottawa continues to grow, along with the number of Jewish community organizations, schools, synagogues, and Chabad centres. Ottawa has truly become a home for the Jewish people.
