The driving force behind the formation of a congregation began with Rachmiel Nadell who was one of the first very successful merchants to settle in St. Catharines. Rachmiel, not unlike many patriarchs in those days, had a large family. One of this sons was in need of bar mitzvah training and Rachmiel needed to take him to Hamilton where he could get his training. The International border was not safe because the Canadian and / or American government was always rewriting the requirements for entrance visas going both ways. So Rachmiel was looking to Hamilton, but realized in short order that he was going to hard-pressed to take his son once a week or twice a month to Hamilton in this days, a real shlep. So the few families looked for someone to come to St. Catharines who was prepared to teach and prepare boys for bar mitzvah but also lead services. They lured Jacob Cooperman who had been in Boston with his already large family and lost his wife. He was looking to move and had remarried by this time. St. Catharines was calling. Just how the shidduch was made is lost to posterity, but Jacob came to St. Catharines and was soon a very successful merchant who helped secure the land for the synagogue too built on. A lot to happen in 2 years.
In the picture above, Jacob is shown in he middle on the bottom row, with the members of the executive of the synagogue around him. In the picture below, the congregation was bestowing Jacob with an honourary membership, the certificate of which hangs at the back of the synagogue to this day. Presenting him with the honour was the president of the synagogue at the time, David Katzman.
