The theme of the first year of my Rabbinic Leadership Fellowship with the Shalom Hartman Institute is Jewish Peoplehood. Muchofour discussions centered on boundaries, who is in, who is out; how those boundaries began to shift at the beginning of this century and how the tragic events of October 7 brought many of them crashing down.We surveyed classical and contemporary sources searching for...

As I wrap up my month in Israel, I want to share with you two moments from this past week when Bilam’s accidental blessing of the Jewish people, “Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yakov - How good are your tents” came to life.Reb Steve and I joined hundreds of people in the Takhana Rishona on Sunday. The old Jerusalem train station was transformed into an open-air cultural centre, including incredible...

“When the Canaanite king of Arad… learned that Israel was coming… he engaged Israel in battle and took some of them captive.” (Numbers 21:1) This week’s Torah reading, Hukkat, discusses the Israelites’ journey through enemy territory as they prepared to enter the land of Israel. They wage war against those nations who do not permit them to pass through their land. The...

Chevre,It’s sometimes hard to believe that I have been learning at the Hartman Institute now for two weeks?! The Rabbinic Leadership Initiative Fellowship is intense. This summer’s themes are Jewish Peoplehood and Israel Today and Tomorrow. The days are long and the learning intense, but the scholarship is top notch, challenging, and inspiring. I feel especially blessed to be learning with a...

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 that we use for our...

Beth Tzedec Announces the Promotion of Brian Dias to the Role of Director, Property ServicesI am pleased to announce the promotion of Beth Tzedec’s long-time Property Manager, Brian Dias, to the position of Director, Property Services.In this role, Brian’s oversight of our physical plant will formally extend beyond the synagogue facility at 1700 Bathurst to include our houses and beautiful...

Voluntary Donation Options on Your StatementEach year, there are a number of voluntary contributions that we encourage members to make to support important programs and organizations:Beth Tzedec SisterhoodBeth Tzedec Men's ClubFamily Engagement FundUSCJTo learn more about each of these tax-receiptable opportunities, please click visit https://bit.ly/voluntary-contributions-2024.

Beth Tzedec Bulletin - Summer EditionThe latest edition of the Beth Tzedec Bulletin is available for download. Let's celebrate, learn, pray and connect as a community with the many opportunities offered throughout our quarterly catalogue of programs, events and articles.Don't miss any of the news and opportunities, including:Beth Tzedec Israel Experience Trip (page 2);High Holy...

Learn the Dates The first anniversary of my mother’s death was two weeks ago today. Her first yahrzeit begins this Sunday at sundown. A few years ago, I attended a free seminar about grief and loss. While the session was open to the public, many in attendance were folks who work in “people-facing” fields—teachers, guidance counselors, doctors, nurses and clergy—hoping to...

Beth Tzedec is proud to partner with groups and projects that support our values. When you make your annual membership contribution, we encourage you to consider supporting these important organizations and initiatives.MEN'S CLUB: $36.00The Beth Tzedec Men's Club is committed to supporting our community, sponsoring exciting programs, courses, initiatives and celebrating holiday...

A major portion of Parashat Beha’alotkha devotes itself to the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness dictated by the movement of the Clouds of Glory hovering above the Tabernacle to guide and protect the Israelites along the way. Chapter 11 covers the departure from Mount Sinai, the first stage of the march being a three-day journey to Taberah in the wilderness of Paran. The...

Dear Jewish Community in the GTA,Antisemitism is UnacceptableAs Christian ministers in the Greater Toronto Area, we are deeply troubled by the recent events of hatred and mistreatment towards the Jewish community. We want to express our deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of antisemitism in its various forms. We believe that every person, including the Jewish community should be treated...

Dear Friends,  A few years back, a friend and colleague Rabbi Daniel Greyber wrote a rabbinic responsa, about the community’s obligations to provide comfort to an individual whose shiva is canceled by the festival. This is how his teshuvah/responsa began:  It is established halakhah that if an individual suffers a loss and the burial takes place in the days before a...

This summer, I am completing a 400-hour unit of clinical pastoral education, or spiritual care, as the Chesed Intern at Beth Tzedec. In this role, I have the privilege of offering my presence to members of our community. We spend our visits together getting to know each other, and I listen to the stories, often full of both struggles and triumphs, of the unique lives of each person. At the...

Parashat Bechukotai provides the capstone covenant to the Book of Leviticus. Having shared so many rules and laws, the book ends with God sharing what rewards the people will receive should they adhere, and what curses and difficulties they will encounter if they don’t. The curses section is much longer and more detailed than the blessings section. Perhaps this is because our behaviour...