John Mahrer, an immigrant from Prague, opened a brewery in
Nanaimo, a coal mining centre and port that is located north of
Victoria on Vancouver Island. When the brewery amalgamated with
the Union Brewery in 1891, Mahrer became its manager and master
brewer. Mahrer was on the Nanaimo City Council for eight years
and belonged to several charitable organizations as well as the
city's band. John and Louise Mahrer's home and the Nanaimo Opera
House, which John built, were the centres of Nanaimo's cultural
life at the time. A decorative shield is placed over the mantle,
symbolizing the breastplate of the High Priest of the Temple in
Jerusalem. Evelyn Toban donated this ornament to Congregation
Schara Tzedeck in honour of the ninetieth birthday of Harry
Toban. As Schara Tzedeck's president in the 1940's, Harry Toban
led the synagogue's move from Heatley Street in Vancouver's East
End neighbourhood of Strathcona to Oak street in Fairview
neighbourhood, South Vancouver. A special menorah with eight
lights (plus an ad