ZION

Rabbi Lionel Moses

Rabbi Lionel Moses was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1977. He holds a BSc in Chemistry and an MA in Near Eastern Languages, both from the University of Toronto and a second MA in Jewish Literature from JTS. He is currently a Rabbinic Fellow of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. In 2002, Rabbi Moses was awarded a Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa) by the Jewish Theological Seminary. He has served pulpits in Alabama, New York, and California. He came to Shaare Zion Congregation in August 1995 with his wife Dr. Joyce Rappaport and their three sons, Zev, Jeremy and Ezra. In his free time, he enjoys reading, listening to music, taking walks in the city, exercising, going to the theatre and concerts and volunteering on several committees of the Rabbinical Assembly.

Cantor Shmuel Levin

Shmuel trained in Tel-Aviv at both the Yeshiva and the Conservatory of Music. He received his Cantorial training at the Tel Aviv Institute for the Cantorial Art. He has previously worked as a Cantor in synagogues in Israel, South Africa and Germany. He joined Shaare Zion Congregation in July 2010 with his wife Gittit and their daughter Shira-Lee, born in 2000. In his free time, Shmuel enjoys spending time with his family, listening to classical music, composing music, studying and spending time outdoors.

Ritual Director Asher Tannenbaum

Asher studied at the Bar Ilan University and has degrees from both Concordia and McGill Universities. Before joining Shaare Zion Congregation in 2004, Asher was the Ritual Director at Congregation Beth David in Toronto. He married his wife Heather in 1997 and they have two children, Benjamin, born in 2001, and Madelyn, born in 2007. In his free time, Asher enjoys spending time with his family and working on his golf game.

Choir Director Shimon Radu

Shimon has studied piano performance and composition at the American Conservatory of Music in Paris, the Bucharest Academy of Music, and the Université du Québec à Montreal. He has been a member of the Union of Romanian Composers since 1999.

Before joining us in 2008, Shimon put his phenomenal piano skills to use performing in Japan, Germany, Austria and France. It was during these performances that he met his wife Lia. Their daughter Havah was born in 2005 in Montreal. In addition to working at Shaare Zion Congregation, Shimon teaches music full-time at Pierre Elliott Trudeau elementary school. In his free time, Shimon enjoys travelling and fishing.

Shaare Zion Congregation Choir

Shaare Zion Congregation’s choir was started by Samson Rosmarin in 1947. Lou Burko took over the duties of Choir Director in September 1963. The all-male choir sang choral compositions and accompanied Cantor Solomon Gisser during services. Mr. Burko, Cantor Gisser and the Shaare Zion Congregation Choir staged several concerts accompanied by a symphony orchestra over the years. In 1983, women's voices were added to the choir. In 1999, the Shaare Zion Congregation Choir recorded The Music of Shaare Zion, with Eric Moses, a former Cantor of Shaare Zion Congregation. The Shaare Zion Congregation Choir has performed in many concerts throughout the years with Cantors Gideon Zelermyer, Boaz Davidoff and other musical guests.

The choir now totals over 20 singers, who sing on many Shabbat morning services as well as for High Holydays and Festivals. They enjoy singing with Cantor Shmuel Levin and exploring new musical directions under the leadership of Shimon Radu.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is composed of members of the congregation. They are entrusted with the administration of the affairs of the Congregation, such as managing the business and property of the synagogue, engaging clergy and coordinating activities through its committees and auxiliary organizations. Click here to see additional information about our Board Of Trustees

Shaare Zion Lions

The Lions are Shaare Zion's baseball team and they compete in the Montreal Synagogue Baseball League. They play all summer long against other Montreal synagogues. Come out and see them! Click HERE to see the Shaare Zion Lion's schedule for this year and more about the ream.