first synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations to be granted arms by the Canadian heraldic authority. Congregation Machzikei Hadas declined by about one-third over the past 15 years, said Jonah Rabinovitch, president of Ottawa's oldest Orthodox congregation to about 300 families. Rabbi Idan Scher was chosen to be next spiritual leader of Congregation Machzikei Hadas in 2014. Jewish Memorial Gardens As of 1 July 2008, each of the Founding Members: Congregation Machzikei Hadas; Congregation Beth Shalom; Agudath Israel (Ottawa); the Jewish Reform Congregation Temple Israel (Ottawa); Young Israel of Ottawa; Congregation Beit Tikvah of Ottawa transferred to Jewish Memorial Gardens the cemetery lands that they had. Programming Machzikei Hadas has provided for the community through youth, seniors, educational, and public awareness programs. The synagogue has hosted or co-hosted human rights day gatherings, an information evening for potential bone marrow transplant donors, and All-Candidates meetings. The synagogue launched and maintains the community Eruv. In the period leading up to the referendum, Congregation Machzikei Hadas served as the base for Clergy for a United Canada, which amassed 6,000 signatures from clergy across Canada calling on Canada to remain together. Machzikei Hadas – Name There are several other Orthodox synagogues around the world with the same name including the Spitalfields Great Synagogue in London, Antwerp, Brussels, Edgware, Manchester, New York City, Copenhagen, Machzikei Hadas – Young Israel of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Ottawa, some of which are part of an Orthodox congregation, like the Orthodox congregation in Geneva, which also carries this name. The name is derived from the eponymous umbrella organisation that was conceived by the then Rebbe of Belz, Rabbi Joshua Rokeach who was a son of Rabbi Shalom Rokeach of Belz in Galicia, Eastern Poland. Its first leader was a founding member of this august Rabbinic council, Rabbi Shimon Sofer, Chief Rabbi of Krakow. After being decimated by wars (World War I & World War II), it was built anew in Israel by the present Rebbe of Belz, Yissachar Dov Rokeach. People who emigrated from Poland started synagogues wherever they arrived and named them "Machzikei Hadas", after the organised community life they left behind in their home towns. The name was also used for the new movement's mouthpiece "Kol Machzike Hadas", which appeared until the outbreak of World War I. History Here is a list of places where there was a presence of a branch of Machzikei Hadas, at least until