I’ve been attending the Beth Zion Synagogue on a regular basis since moving into Cote Saint Luc 23 years ago. Before moving into Cote Saint Luc, I attended Beth Zion during the High Holidays with my uncle, David Fischler, and his son, my cousin, Lloyd Fischler.
In July of 2013, my father unfortunately passed away, so I began going to Beth Zion on a daily basis to say Kaddish. It was always my intention to complete the full year of Kaddish. I decided to join the Beth Zion as a full fledged member about 4 months into my mourning period. The basis of my decision to join was the camaraderie, and the welcoming and comforting feeling I received from the members of the congregation. Many people took me under their wing and provided me with mentorship. They are always available to help me or answer any questions I might have. I felt that I was missing something in my life, and turning to the Synagogue has given me a spiritual aspect that I had not felt before. The learning that I have been doing here at the Beth Zion has become a welcome addition to my life.
The members of the Beth Zion are very respectful of one another, and they are very attentive to the needs of others, especially to the newcomers who might not have the same religious background as they do. As a young child, I did not receive a religious education, other than my Bar Mitzvah lessons. My family was more traditional than religious, so attending Beth Zion on a regular basis was a bit of a daunting task, as I was unsure of how I would be received, not knowing all the prayers and the proper order of things. But what I found to be true, is that my fears were unfounded as everyone is more than willing to teach, explain and show me the proper way. The patience that some members have shown me, and the giving of their own personal time to teach me has had a very strong effect on me.
Having been a member for such a short period of time, I have not yet joined in many activities or programs that the Beth Zion has to offer, but it is my hope and intention to become more involved in the Shul, and have my wife, Jill join me. My wife and I are married 31 years, and we have two beautiful daughters, Jessica and Lyndsey. When we moved into Cote Saint Luc, our children were quite young, and they always joined my wife and I at the Beth Zion for the High Holidays.
I would like to say a special thank you to the administrative staff, and the Clergy, especially Rabbi Yitzchok D. Rosenberg for all of his
patience and mentoring, for his wisdom and for his friendship, and to Rabbi Boruch Perton for inviting me to become a member of Beth Zion, and for his invaluable friendship. To Rabbi Sidney Shoham, thank you for making me feel like we’ve been friends forever. As well, I would like to thank Mordechai Spiro for his dedication in teaching me, and for his ongoing friendship.
Peter Dascal
