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In February 2002, the Burquest board of directors
adopted the name Congregation Sha’arei Mizrah to cover
the ritual aspects of the Burquest Jewish Community Association,
following consultations with the community and with Rabbi
Yosef Wosk from Vancouver.
Many of our members who participate in our ritual activities have long wished
to establish an identity under a traditional Hebrew congregational name. In
2001, the ritual committee, in an article in the Chai Times, requested
feedback from the community on several potential names. After further
discussions within the community over the summer and early fall, the ritual
committee brought forward some suggestions to the Burquest board of
directors and, at a recent meeting, the board approved "Sha’arei Mizrah"—the
Eastern Gate—as the congregational name for the ritual component of our
association.
Anyone who has tried to name a child knows that choosing a name is often not
a simple process. Names are complex things that carry with them many levels
of significance and utility. In the first place, names must be distinctive. For example Beth Shalom (House of Peace) would be a poor choice
for us, with Or Shalom (Light of
Peace) and Temple Sholom already in
Vancouver. Usually congregational names are
selected from passages in the Torah or our
prayers, because they have both religious
significance and meaning for the community. The
names of many local congregations reflect this: Beth
Israel, Beth Tikvah (House of Hope), Beth Hamidrash
(House of the Teachings, or Interpretation), Eitz
Chaim (Tree of Life), Har-El (Mountain of G-d, reflecting
their position on the North Shore), Schara Tzedeck
(Gate of Holiness), and Shaarey Tefilah (Gate of
Prayer). Sha’arei Mizrah, the Eastern
Gate, has a straightforward meaning,
describing our geographical position in the Jewish Community
of the Lower Mainland, since we serve the
eastern suburbs. One might also hear in this name a reference
to an eastern gate in Jerusalem or the ancient Temple
itself. One might also recall the morning view from
Coquitlam, summer sun rises over Golden Ears, for those
fortunate enough to have been here at that quiet time
of day and year.
The building owned and run by Burquest will continue to
be called the Burquest Jewish Community Centre. There are no plans to establish a
separate administrative structure for the
congregation, although this could occur in
the future. Activities separate from ritual events, including the
school, book club, adult classes and so on, will
retain their current names and identities as Burquest sponsored
activities.
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