LAVY BECKER 1905 - 2001

Born in Montreal to Russian immigrant parents, Lavy Becker attended school at Montreal High School and McGill University. He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York where he became a close disciple of Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, founder of the Reconstructionist movement in the United States.

Over his long life, Lavy did many jobs, as Rabbi and Community worker: For five years, Becker worked as congregational rabbi in Long Island and then as a social worker in Jewish community centres. He served for one year in Europe with the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), helping people in German displaced persons camps. Lavy served as president of Allied Jewish Community Services and chair of Small Communities for World Jewish Congress, which made him instrumental in making the first critical links with Cuban Jewry. He also helped preside over centennial celebrations in 1967, was a founder of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, and served as national executive committee chair of Canadian Jewish Congress. Finally, he founded the Orthodox Young Israel Synagogue in 1921 and the Conservative Beth-El in Town of Mount Royal in 1951.

Most important to Dorshei Emet, of course, Lavy founded the Dorshei Emet in Montreal - the Reconstructionist movement's first congregation in Canada. In 1960, Lavy Becker placed an ad in the Montreal Star, inviting people to a meeting to form a Reconstructionist group. The founding members worshipped in a variety of locations. In 1964 they purchased land and in 1966 the habitant-style building was completed. Lavy acted as rabbi until Ron Aigen arrived in 1970, after which he remained in an active role, participating and advising from the sidelines.

Lavy was married twice, to Augusta Shapiro and, after her death, to Anita Greenwood. Lavy and Augusta have two children, Hillel and Donnie, both of whom remain active in the synagogue.

RON AIGEN

Rabbi Ron Aigen joined Dorshei Emet in 1976,direct from the reconstructionist Rabbinical College, brought to us by Lavy. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Rabbi Ron received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Harpur College, SUNY Binghamton and his Masters of Arts in Family and Community Psychology from Temple University.

In addition to his congregational duties, Rabbi Ron was for nine years a part-time chaplain at the Douglas Hospital Psychiatric Centre. He has served as President of the Montreal Board of Rabbis; President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association; and Chair of the Montreal Federation’s Commission on Continuity and Culture. He has served on many other community projects and committees, including, most recently, the founding Committee of the Montreal Jewish Healing Project.

Rabbi Aigen’s publications include two chapters in Bar/Bat Mitzvah Education: A Source Book describing the Dorshei Emet Pre-B’nei Mitzvah and Family Education Program which he developed; Community and the Individual Jew: A Festschrift in Honour of Lavy M. Becker; and Siddur Hadesh Yameinu/ Renew Our Days: A Book of Jewish Prayer and Meditation, and Mahzor Hadesh Yameinu: A Prayer-Cycle for Days of Awe.

Rabbi Aigen is married to Carmela Sela Aigen and the proud father of Razielle, Nadav and Gila.

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