A local landlord is looking to help spruce up the Sons of Jacob Synagogue. Tom Richardson has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to offset the cost of supplies like paint and scaffolding.
“Each time I drive by the unique Synagogue building, I want to be able to paint it,” he says.
Richardson also says he’ll be donating his time and experience to the project with other volunteers including his friend Mike Foisy offering to do brickwork.
“I know there is some repair there. I’d like to expand the paint project to include some nice lighting, possibly a nice logo for the synagogue,” he says. “I’d like to end this project by leaving the synagogue with a donation towards their ultimate goal.”
Renovation plans have been in the works for a few years now.
The GoFundMe goal is $10,000 with over $6,100 raised as of Friday morning.
Richardson says he’d like to get work on the project in late August or early September.
According to the Sons of Jacob website, it’s the oldest synagogue north of Toronto still in use as a place of worship.
After being built in 1913 and used as a grocery store, a hardware store and later a furniture store, the first services as a synagogue were held in 1925.
Here is a link to the fundraiser: gofundme.com/f/help-me-paint-the-north-bay-synagogue.com/
