Congregation Shaare Zion

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Congregation Shaare Zion

regation Shaare Zion, is an Orthodox

Orthodox Judaism

Orthodox Judaism is a Jewish denominations of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict constructionist and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmudic texts and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim....
Sephardi

Sephardic Judaism

Sephardic Judaism is the practice of Judaism as observed by the Sephardi Jews and Mizrahi Jews, so far as it is peculiar to themselves and not shared with other Jewish groups such as the Ashkenazi Jews....
synagogue located at 2030 Ocean Parkway

Ocean Parkway (Brooklyn)

Ocean Parkway is a broad boulevard and associated neighborhood in the west central portion of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City....
in Brooklyn, New York. One of the largest Orthodox Jewish congregations in New York, it has an estimated 1,000 worshipers who attend its services, fridays and saturdays for the Sabbath. The original congregation was started in the 1940s

1940s

The 1940s decade, known as the forties, ran from 1940 to 1949....
as a local minyan

Minyan

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History

Congregation Shaare Zion, is an Orthodox

Orthodox Judaism

Sephardic Judaism

Ocean Parkway (Brooklyn)

1940s

The 1940s decade, known as the forties, ran from 1940 to 1949....
as a local minyan

Minyan

A minyan in Judaism refers to the quorum required for certain Mitzvahs. The traditional minyan for most cases consists of ten men, which continues to be the position with Orthodox Judaism....
, by several prominent Syrian Jewish families in a residential home located on Ocean Parkway. In 1957, the residence was sold and construction commenced on a new large edifice that would eventually encompass a growing community. Completed in 1960, the structure includes a dome

Dome

A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
that can seat over 400 worshipers. Throughout the years, the decorative ornate chairs in the dome has had its seating reupholstered, and its individual wood

Wood

Wood is an organic material; in the strict sense wood is produced as secondary xylem in the stems of woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs, etc....
trim renewed numerous times. Between the late 1980s

1980s

The 1980s or the Eighties or the 80s or the years between the 70s and the 90s, was the decade that ran from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 1989....
and early 1990s

1990s

The 1990s or Nineties was the decade that ran from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 1999. During this time, the widespread adoption of personal computers, the Internet, and the increased economic productivity led to the equity market booms around the world, and caused an influx of wealth to the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia....
, the committee members planned out and undertook the purchase and subsequent renovation of a neighboring home, known simply as the Annex Building; to be used as another expansion area for daily prayers and learning. Erected in the rear section of the property, was a banquet hall used for Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and other social functions. Popularly known as the Social Hall, this facility was also used on the Sabbath

Sabbath

In Christianity, the Sabbath is generally a weekly religious day of rest as ordained by one of the Ten Commandments#Christian understanding . The practice is derived from Judaism, the parent religion of Christianity; shabbat meaning "the [day of] rest" and entailing a ceasing or resting from labor....
as an additional space for prayers. In 1996, extensive renovations took place in this area of the building. The hall was demolished, and a new more modern banquet hall was built in its place. Additionally, a new synagogue

Synagogue

A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer.Synagogues usually have a large hall for prayer , smaller rooms for study and sometimes a social hall and offices....
known as Bnei Shaare Zion capable of seating upwards of 250 worshipers, a Bet midrash with dual use as a prayer space on an upper level, and a secondary synagogue along with several meeting rooms on a lower level were built as well. During the 2000s, restoration work was carried out on the dome's circular roof after forty years of continuous exposure to the outside elements.

Internal Politics

Born in Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its List of Israeli cities in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if Positions on Jerusalem East Jerusalem is included....
in 1900, the late Rabbi Jacob S. Kassin, was brought in to lead the congregation from its humble beginnings as the new chief Rabbi of the community. The Rabbi was instrumental in establishing several binding edicts during his tenure; such as the Conversion to Judaism

Conversion to Judaism

Conversion to Judaism is a formal act undertaken by a gentile person who wishes to be recognised as a full member of the Jewish community. A Jewish religious conversion is both a religious act and an expression of association with the Jewish people....
proclamation. His son-in-law, the late Rabbi Baruch Ben Haim born in Jerusalem in 1921, also dutifully served a leadership role for the synagogue and the community. Rabbi Ben Haim is credited with innumerable contributions to the synagogue, such as the founding of the Shaare Zion Torah Center, where many congregants spend their time learning Torah. The Rabbi's son, Rabbi Saul J. Kassin originally served as a consulting rabbi along with Rabbi Abraham Hecht

Abraham Hecht

Abraham Hecht born on April 5, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York; is an American Orthodox Judaism rabbi affiliated with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, and is president of the Rabbinical Alliance of America - Igud HaRabanim....
. Rabbi Hecht had served the Sephardic community for over fifty years; directing the large minyan in the dome, offering study classes in Jewish Law, as well as scheduling and attending social receptions such as Bar Mitzvahs, along with officiating countless wedding ceremonies. However, due to controversial views regarding the Arab–Israeli conflict

Arab–Israeli conflict

The Arab?Israeli conflict spans roughly one century of political tensions and open hostilities, though Israel itself only was established in 1948....
, Rabbi Hecht resigned his position under political pressure. Currently, Rabbi Saul J. Kassin leads the congregation along with the Syrian Jewish community in general, as its new chief Rabbi.

Community

Not only used as a temple of worship, the congregation also functions as an educational center for the community. The Shaare Zion Torah Center was established to educate the community in subjects of Jewish Law and Torah

Torah

The term "Torah" , or Five Books of Moses or Pentateuch, refers to the entirety of Judaism's founding Halakha and ethical religious texts....
. Morning and evening study classes are given by influential Rabbis on a daily basis.

Leadership

Saul J. Kassin, Rabbi
Yaakov Ben Haim, Rabbi
David Maslaton, Rabbi
Meyer Yedid, Rabbi
Raymond Haber, Rabbi
Moshe Laniado, Rabbi
Raymond Beyda, Rabbi
Isaac M. Franco, President
Edward Farhi, Cantor
David Shiro, Cantor