Merger talks heat up at Winnipeg’s two largest shuls

Congregation Etz Chayim MYRON LOVE PHOTO

WINNIPEG — After a couple of years of informal discussions, the prospect of a merger between Winnipeg’s two largest and oldest congregations has moved to a new level. 

Congregation Etz Chayim and Congregation Shaarey Zedek have hired Bob Freedman, newly retired as executive director of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, as a consultant for merger negotiations. Architect John Petersmeyer, who designed the city’s Asper Jewish Community Campus, has been brought on board to help the two shuls, both Conservative, determine if a merger and construction of a new building in south Winnipeg is feasible.

Shaarey Zedek was founded in 1890 and has a membership of about 1,000. The synagogue has been located at its present site in south Winnipeg since 1949.

Etz Chayim, which has just over 500 families, was formed 12 years ago through the merger of the Rosh Pina, Beth Israel and Bnay Abraham congregations. At the time, they were the three largest synagogues in north Winnipeg, whose Jewish population has been in decline for many years. The congregation is based in the former Rosh Pina building. Rosh Pina was founded in 1893, and the building was erected in 1952.

Etz Chayim’s leadership and their predecessors at the Rosh Pina have been musing about joining the Jewish migration to south Winnipeg for many years. Jonathan Buchwald, the congregation’s executive director, said membership has been slowly declining for a while, except for the temporary bump as a result of the merger.

“We are attracting new members, but not enough to replace those who leave or pass away,” he said.

He added that about 60 per cent of Etz Chayim members live in south Winnipeg.

Brent Schacter, Shaarey Zedek’s president, said that while membership and finances are stable for now at his synagogue, a high proportion of members at both shuls are over 70 years of age.

“As our older members die, our financial base is bound to decrease, and we may not be able to maintain the level of ritual and programming that we currently offer,” he said.

“By combining our two congregations, we can offer Winnipeg a strong Conservative congregation with new programming to better engage our young people and other elements of the community.”

Dina Granove, Etz Chayim’s president, said a membership survey last spring showed that only 34 per cent of members live in north Winnipeg. Most of the rest live in south Winnipeg, with the remainder in other parts of the city.

She added that the Etz Chayim building needs a lot of refurbishing.

“We had been considering three options,” she said. “We could stay where we are, relocate somewhere else on our own – but the cost would be prohibitive – or merge with the Shaarey Zedek. We found through discussions that our congregations have more similarities than differences.”

One new factor that has kicked merger talks into higher gear is the prospect of building a new synagogue on property belonging to the Asper Campus. 

Across the field from the campus building is a smaller white structure that belongs to the campus corporation. Up until a year ago, it had been rented out to the provincial government for office space, but it’s been empty for several months and is slated for demolition. That could be the location for the new shul.

Schacter said the most successful Conservative congregations in other North American communities are located near Jewish schools or community centres. 

“The centre of Jewish life in Winnipeg has moved over the past 20 years from the synagogue to the Asper Campus,” he said. “With a location close to the campus, it would be more feasible to have joint programming with the Gray Academy [of Jewish Education] and other agencies on the campus.”

Buchwald said Freedman has been hired for a two-month period and shul leaders are planning to hold a membership meeting later this month to discuss options.

Schacter is suggesting a three- to five-year time frame for a new synagogue proposal to come to fruition.