The Sons of Jacob Synagogue is getting an exterior facelift courtesy of a local businessman who is not even part of its membership.
Back in May, Tom Richardson saw some photos of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue and after speaking to a member, he decided to start a GoFundme page to help raise money to pay for renovations of the exterior of the building on the corner of McIntyre Street West and Cassells Street in North Bay.
The GoFundme raised just over $8500 for the cause and on Monday, Richardson applied the first new coat.
"7 a.m. seemed like a good time to put up a few colour samples on the Synagogue," said Richardson on social media Monday.
"I am excited to start picking at this project and will update throughout the process."
Richardson says the paint job that will include brick prep work should be completed within a four or five-day span.
See related: Businessman looking to renovate local synagogue
The Sons of Jacob Synagogue is the oldest synagogue north of Toronto still in use as a place of worship.
According to the synagogue site, it was built in 1913 as a grocery store, then transitioned into a hardware store and later a furniture store.
The first services in this building as a synagogue were held in 1925, the year North Bay was incorporated as a city.
