About Shaarei Zion

A warm and vibrant synagogue community in Toronto.

Our History

The Jewish Bukharian Community of Toronto (JBCT) was formally inaugurated in April of 2003 to serve the needs of the growing Jewish Bukharian community in the Greater Toronto Area. It evolved from, and was built on, the groundwork laid down by the Centre of Bukharian Jews — a committee established in 1998 to unite the community and preserve Bukharian culture amid the difficulties of immigration.

Initially working alongside the Jewish Russian Community Centre, by 2003 — with the help of an international institution called Shaarei Zion — the community welcomed the arrival of a Bukharian Rabbi from Israel. Moving to its own premises at the Sephardic Kehilla Centre, the JBCT was officially established.

“Preserving the beautiful customs of the Bukharian people, maintaining a pride in our culture, educating the younger generation, uniting the community and absorbing new immigrants into the fold.”

A warm and vibrant synagogue community in Toronto, serving the community with daily prayer services, Torah classes, and community events.

From meaningful Shabbat experiences to engaging youth programming, we are dedicated to building a vibrant Jewish home for families of all backgrounds. Our doors are always open to anyone seeking a place of prayer, learning, and community.

Our Leadership

Rabbi Yakov Malaib

Community Rabbi, Toronto Since 2003

Rabbi Yakov Malaib was born in Samarkand in 1978. In 1989, he immigrated to Israel with his family. He studied at Beit Shaarei Zion in Tel Aviv and later continued his Torah education at Yeshivat Shaarei Zion in Bnei Brak. In 1998, he married his wife, Orit. Rabbi Malaib pursued advanced Rabbinical studies at the Shaarei Zion Kollel in Bnei Brak, including a rabbinical ordination track. In 2003, he received semicha (rabbinical ordination) as a Community Rabbi for the Diaspora from the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar. In August 2003, Rabbi Malaib was appointed by the Shaarei Zion institutions, under the leadership of Rabbi Shmuel Elishayov, to serve as the rabbi of the Bukharian Jewish community in Toronto. On Rosh Hashanah 2003, the first Bukharian synagogue in Toronto was established at the Kehila Centre. In 2011, an additional synagogue was opened in North Toronto, in Richmond Hill. In 2018, a Bukharian-Sephardic synagogue was built in North Toronto. Rabbi Malaib continues to lead vibrant and meaningful community initiatives serving the Jewish communities of Toronto. These include early childhood education, Torah classes, seminars, and Shabbat retreats, as well as bar mitzvah preparation and classes for grooms and brides.

Rabbi Aaron Bengio

Rabbi, Certified Sofer & Shochet

Rabbi Aaron Bengio was born in Ceuta, Spain, and raised in Gibraltar, where his family relocated to provide him with the opportunity to attend Jewish schools. After completing high school, he continued his Torah studies at Gateshead Yeshiva Gedolah, followed by Hechal Hatorah in Yerushalayim, and Kollel Aish Hachaim. Rabbi Bengio then graduated from the Center for Kehilla Development (CKD), a five-year post-Kollel program founded by Rabbi Leib Kelemen. This program is designed to equip young Torah scholars with the tools to inspire and guide communities worldwide. Throughout his studies at CKD, Rabbi Bengio deepened his knowledge of Halacha under the mentorship of many esteemed Rabbis, including Rav Osher Weiss. He also studied the topics of child education, marital harmony and self-development under the tutelage of Rabbi Kelemen. Rabbi Bengio holds semicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, and is a certified Sofer and Shochet. He currently serves as a Rabbi for the Jewish Bukharian community of Toronto, where he enjoys giving Shiurim and helping every Jew connect at their level.