By Howard Roger and Susan Cohen, Archives Committee Members

Shavuot and Confirmation was the first festival we celebrated at our building on Bathurst in 1938. It was uniquely a three-fold celebration: the receiving of the law at Sinai, the accomplishments of our students who had concluded the program of Jewish study necessary to be a Confirmand, and the completion of our new building. We have in our archives the printed program for the services that day, and a silent film that includes approximately three minutes of the ceremony.

The film, now converted to digital format, shows the Confirmands, 16 in all, walking in slow procession up the sanctuary’s centre aisle, the girls in white robes carrying floral bouquets, and the boys following in black robes.

The music of that beautiful procession was Mendelssohn’s graceful Prelude in G. [watch and listen here] It rang out from our organ, hidden behind a choir screen above the bimah, and was played by Holy Blossom’s new organist and choir director, Erich Schaeffer. A refugee from Europe, Schaeffer had arrived in time to plan the music for the synagogue’s opening weekend in May. His musical choices emphasized a classical choral sound, reflective of the liberal German synagogue tradition.

Each of the Confirmands then took part in leading the service, reciting prayers, reading the Torah and Haftorah portions, or addressing the congregation.

After the Torah service, in a moment of elegant drama, the Confirmands ascend the bimah, and the girls, one by one, approach the Ark filling it with their bouquets. Charles Draimin, President of the congregation, presents each Confirmand with a book and a diploma.

“Build Me a House!” was the theme of the Confirmands’ addresses, many drawing attention to an architectural feature of the building which incorporated religious symbolism. One of the features explained (which we seldom see today) was “The Call to Worship.” It is the terrazzo floor immediately inside the Bathurst Street doors. The design inlaid on the floor portrays two hands held as when pronouncing the priestly blessing and the words “Blessed be ye who come in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 118).

The Archives Committee receives inquiries regularly. We invite you to contact us about this or other areas of interest at [email protected]. We are always interested in learning and sharing more about our remarkable history. We also encourage you to examine the archival displays in the Schwartz-Reisman Atrium.