It is a game we all played as children to teach the parts of the body and to demonstrate movement. We laugh and revel in the performance of the child who has no limitations. The new parent cannot imagine anything less than a “perfect” child, however unrealistic that may be. As we age, we all face challenges that require attention, be they visual, auditory, physical or otherwise; if you...

In answer to the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, Beth Tzedec Congregation has established the Syrian Refugee Program. This new fund will help us to provide food, shelter and support to a Syrian family being resettled in Toronto, and is offered as part of a larger Toronto, JIAS and international initiative. Donations can be made through the Synagogue office by calling 416-781-3511 or...

I want to devote this column almost exclusively  to soliciting your comments on our proposed renovation plans for the Sanctuary so that I may receive your feedback. [In my September 2015 Bulletin article on page 5] are two renderings of what we are considering. As I reported in the Bulletin this past February, we propose raising the Sanctuary floor to the level of the foyer, thereby...

Mahzor Lev ShalemThis year, as Beth Tzedec mark's its 60th anniversary, we introduce Maẖzor Lev Shalem, a completely updated prayer book for the High Holy Days.After an extensive examination of a variety of new prayer books, and with the recommendation of our klei kodesh (clergy), our Ritual Committee and Board of Governors enthusiastically endorsed Maẖzor Lev Shalem (A Whole Heart) to...

This summer, I witnessed the bringing together of long separated art and spirit to restore a whole heart,לב שלם (lev shalem). I thought of the different paths our personal yearning for wholeness and healing may take: in the beauty of sea, sky and snow; the solitude of meditation; the activity of family celebration; exquisite moments of song and prayer. Just before the Fast of Av,...

As part of a highlight event for Beth Tzedec Congregation's 60th Anniversary celebrations, Cantor Simon Spiro is compiling old photos and/or footage from member weddings, bar mitzvahs or other special events that took place at the synagogue. If you have items that could be included, please contact Cantor Spiro.

Strategic Planning Focus Groups are now being scheduled to be held during the summer beginning in the last week of June. Share your vision of Beth Tzedec's future. We are looking for members interested in participating in a small-group structured conversation led by our facilitator, Christine Govern. Sessions will be held outside of Beth Tzedec and will last up to two...

The Voices of Tomorrow Children's Choir is for kids who like to sing and have fun. This musical group sings with Cantor Simon Spiro and the Beth Tzedec Singers at several holiday services and performs in concerts at Beth Tzedec and in the community. It's a wonderful experience for children—and their parents enjoy it, too!For information about joining the Voices of Tomorrow, please contact...

Beth Tzedec’s Mishpacha program: Toddlers, Tunes and Treats (for children ages 1 to 3 with a parent, grandparent or caregiver) is now open for registration for the Fall and Winter sessions. Classes will be held on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., led by Tobie Seligman. Come play, sing and create arts & crafts around a different theme each week. To...

Some ideas to help make Shavuot a fun time in your home!Crafts, recipes and discussions can go a long way to helping make Shavuot more meaningful for the whole family.Help your family recognize that Shavuot is coming. We count the Omer—the days between Passover and Shavuot. Make a family Omer counting chart and count it together at dinner time. On Shavuot, it is customary to eat dairy...

I am not a fluent Hebrew speaker. Even with a career in Jewish education, a Master’s degree in Bible, a year spent living in Israel, eight other visits and thousands of hours in Hebrew class in elementary school, high school and university, I have not mastered the Hebrew language.  Sure, I can get by with the Hebrew I do know. I can hold my own in a conversation with an Israeli, I can...

Riding the TTC, one cannot help but notice the plethora of advertisements for Continuing Education. In a recent subway ride, my entire car was plastered with banners boasting of a particular university’s 88 certificate programs and over 1,500 courses, seminars and workshops—all aimed at mature students.While the rest of the world is seemingly catching up, our tradition has...

There is a lot to enjoy in the summer. Aliza and I love to stay home. We spend hours puttering in our garden and begin every day with a cup of tea on our deck as we literally stop to smell the roses. It’s interesting to note that in Judaism, there is a special blessing for when you smell roses (different from the brakhot for fragrant herbs, different from that of aromatic fruits,...

As I write this column, Beth Tzedec is preparing to host Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. His topic for his address to the Congregation on Shabbat, April 25 is The Next Great Jewish Paradigm Shift: Creating Intentional Communities. In my inaugural Bulletin column, written at the time we rejoined USCJ last summer and very much informed by our...

In the road to character, David Brooks sets out to recover what he describes as “a vast moral vocabulary and set of moral tools, developed over centuries and handed down from generation to generation." To reclaim that moral vocabulary and path of life, he consciously adopts a religious vocabulary and vector. He notes, “We don’t live for happiness, we live for holiness. Day to day we...