This Sunday and Monday is Rosh Chodesh Elul, the beginning of the final month on the Jewish calendar. Some years, Elul whispers, inviting us in with tenderness. Other years, it demands, like thunder, startling us awake from a deep slumber. Elul is the season of teshuvah (repentance), the foundational practice of the High Holy Day season, but not in the punitive sense many associate with the...

It has been a hot, dry summer so far. Water levels are low, lawns are brown and crispy. While we are fortunate to live in a place with plentiful access to water, we have all likely noticed that rain has been scarce these last six to eight weeks. In this week’s Torah portion, Eikev, we read the source text of the 2nd paragraph of the Shema prayer. God promises to grant rain in...

This past Shabbat, on the eve of Tisha B’Av, we read from Isaiah and Eicha and asked the aching question: Ayeka—where are we in this difficult moment? I turned my phone on after Shabbat to the horrific videos of Evyatar David brutally starved by Hamas, made to dig his own grave. The prophet Isaiah’s voice echoed even more powerfully: “Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the...

Beth Tzedec Congregation is deeply troubled and bewildered by Prime Minister Carney’s decision to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian State at this time. Doing so before the so‑called preconditions of meaningful reform within the Palestinian Authority, the disarmament of Hamas, and—most critically—the release of all Israeli hostages still languishing in captivity, sends the devastating...

One permanent fixture in the Jewish calendar is that Parashat Devarim is always read on the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av. The most common reason for this occurrence is the linguistic connection with the book of Lamentations as the word “Eichah,” the title of the book, appears in Deuteronomy 1:12. Here, Moses rebukes the Israelites for their past transgressions. He reminds them of their...

HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS?Beth Tzedec Congregation gives FREE membership for those under 40. Join today.Click here>> to confirm your free membership now. Our mission is to inspire members to live meaningful Jewish lives, so we've lowered the barrier for young Jewish adults in Toronto who want to belong to a thriving kehillah like ours. If you are RENEWING your...

My grandparents, Max and Ethel Rosenberg z”l, owned a company called Sable Bay Fur. My older cousins got to work in "the shop" when they were teenagers. I have fond memories of going down to “the shop” and sorting buttons. I can still remember what the factory behind the show room looked like. There were fur pelts everywhere. As a little girl, I was confused how the minks we would see...

This week’s parashah, Pinchas, contains a story that, at first glance, may seem like a legal footnote. But upon closer look, it reveals itself to be one of the most powerful stories of courage, justice, and the evolving nature of Torah. I, of course, am speaking of B’not Tzelophechad, the five daughters of Tzelophechad—Machlah, Noa, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.Their story begins...

Response Letter to PM CarneySIGN THE LETTER — CLICK HERE.The Network of Engaged Canadian Academics (NECA), an ALCCA member organization, is calling on all of us to circulate and amplify an important response letter as broadly as possible. NECA has provided the following explanatory note to accompany the letter and support its distribution across our networks:Titled “A Canadian Path to...

This Shabbat, we read Parashat Balak, which contains one of the most beautiful and surprising blessings in the Torah. The prophet Balaam, hired to curse Israel, instead looks upon their encampment and declares: מַה־טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל "How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places,...

I dedicate this d'var Torah to the Little Minyan, which began 30 years ago, at the initiative of Eileen Silver and Ellen Kachuk Rosenbluth. As with the scouts exploring the Land of Israel, the Little Minyan was born as an act of exploration. עֲלוּ זֶה בַּנֶּגֶב, וַעֲלִיתֶם, אֶת-הָהָר יח  וּרְאִיתֶם אֶת-הָאָרֶץGo up to see the...

Beth Tzedec's Membership Office is Open!Our Jewish community is living through historic times. As we mark Beth Tzedec’s 70th anniversary, we reflect with pride on the strength, spirit, and resilience that have sustained our congregation across generations. We also celebrate a remarkable period of growth — over the past three years, our membership has increased by 40%. Our synagogue truly is...

Generations Membership is Back — And Still FreeWe’re proud to continue offering Beth Tzedec’s Generations Membership — our no-fee membership for those under 40.Since launching in 2022, we’ve built the largest under-40 synagogue community in the world. Why? Because we believe in investing in you, your Jewish journey, your connections, and your place in our kehilla.No...

It is summer and, therefore, wedding season here at Beth Tzedec. Chances are that if you can’t find your spiritual leaders, we are standing under a chuppah as two wonderful individuals become a family. One of the reasons people get married can be found in Bereishit, chapter two. In verse 18 God says לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ, it...

As I was looking at the story of Korach, it struck me that the one verb I would expect to see in this narrative does not appear at all: the Hebrew verb marad (to rebel). After all, we know this narrative as the rebellion of Korach. Nor does the noun Mered (rebel) appear in the story. The troublemakers “congregate” against Moses and Aaron, using the same verb and noun...