High Holidays 2015

Transcription

High Holidays 2015

Rosh hashanah 2015
tishrei-cheshvan-kislev-tevet 5776
What’s inside
rabbi chaim strauchler........................................ 3
Impact India.............................................................20
rabbi Noah cheses................................................... 5
Calendar – schedule of services..................... 23
rabbi Elliott diamond........................................... 7
miracles and miraculous community.............28
from the executive director’s desk.................. 8
Photo gallery........................................................30
president’s message...............................................9
The Legacy of Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein.....39
The Teshuva Work..................................................15
family news.............................................................47
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Fall 2015
Rabbi chaim
strauchler
From the Rabbi’s Desk
The Individual
and the Team
G
reat sportswriters use the sports they cover to tell stories. A
game is never simply about who has scored more points when
the final buzzer sounds. A game (and for that matter a series
and a season) should be mined for great lessons about human
character, courage in the face of adversity, and careful analysis
of the great issues facing society. From the 1919 Chicago White Sox to Jackie
Robinson and from the 1980 and 1984 Olympics to Bruce / Caitlyn Jenner –
sports is never just about sports.
This year’s NBA Finals has also
been read as a story: a story about two
ways of living life: as an individual
and as part of a team. Through their
reporting, sportswriters have asked
a great existential question, “Do we
pursue greatness alone or in the context
of others?” The characters in this story
are the greatest individual basketball
player of his generation, Lebron James
and this year’s best team the Golden
State Warriors. Injuries to James’ star
teammates meant that he was forced to
lead the Cleveland Cavaliers with many
second tier players. He valiantly led his
Cavaliers to a 2–1 lead in the series
before succumbing to three straight
losses, as the deep bench, quick passing,
and excellent long-range shooting of
the Warriors proved to be too much for
one man to counter.
I did not watch a single game of the
series, but I read up on the reports of
the ebb and flow of the series. Honestly,
I was rooting for LeBron – I was excited
by the great individual performance.
Perhaps it is the American in me, but
I found the narrative of the lone hero
overcoming all odds very compelling.
Thus, I must admit that I was a little
disappointed when the Cavaliers lost.
The reality of team sports means that
a great team will beat a great individual
almost every time.
Is there a lesson that can be drawn
from these games? I believe that there is.
We think about our lives as
individual performances, but so
much of life is, in fact, a team sport.
Liberal philosophy calls attention to
our rights as autonomous individuals.
We think and experience life through
our individual minds. René Descartes
famously expressed this idea, “I think
therefore I am.”
We assume that our success is a
function of our individual decisions
and our individual passion to succeed.
When we commit a crime, the courts
try us as individuals. When we perform
well in business, we bring home
individual bonuses. Yet, there is another
side to this coin. We are the products
of families who instill values into us,
and we in turn invest in others. We
are part of communities and societies
where we work together for the good of
one another. These “teams” allow us to
do more than we can do alone – they
provide networks of support and allow
ideas and culture to spread effectively.
The fact that in the year ahead the likely
candidates for the office of president
of the United States are a Clinton and
a Bush indicates the importance of
“teams.”
What does Judaism say about this?
How does God perceives us? When we
approach our Divine Service, when we
pray and when we repent, do we do so
alone or do we do so as part of a team?
This question is crucial as it relates
to our understanding of reward and
punishment, as well as the afterlife.
Maimonides describes the laws
of repentance with a focus on the
individual:
‫כל המצוות שבתורה…אם עבר אדם על‬
‫אחת מהן…כשיעשה תשובה וישוב מחטאו‬
‫ל ברוך הוא‬-‫חייב להתודות לפני הא‬,
[Regarding] all of the commandments in
the Torah […] if a person transgressed
cont. on page 4
3
cont. from page 3
any of them […] when he repents and
returns from his sin - he is obligated to
confess before God (Laws of Repentance
1:1).
Maimonides proceeds to describe
the process of repentance as a personal
labour devoted to both personal
accountability for past wrong doings
and character development. Yet, when
describing the holiday of Yom Kippur,
Maimonides introduces a very different
concept of repentance.
,‫אף על פי שהתשובה והצעקה יפה לעולם‬
‫בעשרת הימים שבין ראש השנה ויום‬
‫ ומיד היא‬,‫הכפורים היא יפה ביותר‬
;‫ בהמצאו‬,’‫ שנאמר ”דרשו ה‬,‫מתקבלת‬
‫ במה‬.(‫ו‬,‫ בהיותו קרוב” )ישעיהו נה‬,‫קראהו‬
‫כל‬--‫ ביחיד; אבל בצבור‬,‫דברים אמורים‬
‫זמן שעושין תשובה וצועקין בלב שלם הן‬
‫קראנו‬-‫ בכל‬,‫ שנאמר ”כה’ אלקינו‬,‫נענין‬
.(‫ז‬,‫אליו” )דברים ד‬
Even though teshuva and crying out
are desirable all year, on the ten days
between Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur, they are more desirable, and are
immediately received, as it says: “Seek
out G-d and you will find him. Call to
him, and he will be close.” This is talking
about someone who is doing teshuva
alone. But if someone if doing teshuva
as part of a community, anytime that
they do teshuva with a full heart, they
are answered, as it says, [For what great
nation is there, that has God so near to
them,] as the Lord our God whenever we
call to Him (Deuteronomy 4:7) (Laws of
Repentance 2:6)
When it comes to repentance,
an individual can specifically repent
during the Ten Days of Repentance –
yet a community always has the power
to repent. Maimonides’ words may be
understood as multiple individuals
gaining special access to repentance
by pooling their experiences – the
equivalent of a group discount on a
flight. Yet, the context of the verse
that Maimonides uses as his source
indicates something more profound. It
refers to the Jewish people as a whole.
It suggests that there is repentance
not just for an individual but also for
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Fall 2015
the collective itself. We approach God
with two identities. We are individual
souls standing before our Creator, and
we are also the community of Israel
approaching God for forgiveness.
As we go through the period of
the High Holidays, we think about our
own spiritual lives. We think about
our teshuva as individuals. Yet at the
same time, we must also think about
ourselves as part of a team. Team Israel.
Our prayers themselves reflect the
double quality of our repentance. When
we say the prayer Tefillat Zaka before
Kol Nidre we refer to our individual
sins. When we say the many prayers of
vidui, including both Ashamnu and Al
Chet, we refer to ourselves in the plural
not in the singular. We refer to our
faults as a collective, as a community.
This insight is crucial not just for
how we think on the High Holidays
but also for what makes our lives
meaningful every day. Judaism asks
us to balance two paradigms. We are
each responsible for our own decisions
– God created each of us individually
in the image of God. Yet, our identities
contain within them a “membership”
in something beyond ourselves. We
link to ancestors going back thousands
of years – and to spiritual descendants
who will carry on long into the future.
We are part of relationships that make
us sons, daughters, mothers, fathers,
brothers, sisters, friends and spouses.
We are part of a community and part of
a people. Each of these “memberships”
requires something of us. They also
enrich us. We are team members.
As is the case in basketball, being
part of a team means that we can do
things together that we cannot do
alone. Here are some examples:
Sharing the Load: Being part of
a team means that there will be days
when your shot is off and others will
carry the team and you with it.
Contributing with Intangibles:
Being part of a team means that making
an assist or providing a key pick to
free up a teammate for a pass is just as
important as making the shot.
Double Teaming: Being part of a
team means that you can defend against
opponents who are more skilled than
you are by joining together to face the
challenge.
Different Objectives: Being part
of a team means that success is defined
not by how you perform alone, but by
how we perform together.
In an era when so much energy
is invested in personal happiness, this
last insight is crucial. By appreciating
the fact that we are on teams – we
can internalize what makes life really
matter – what makes life meaningful.
This is true for every team that you are
a part of.
Your team is your family. The
performance of this team is not
measured just by individual happiness
– but by an ethos and feeling of joy
when we come together around a Yom
Tov table.
Your team is your community.
We experience this when we join our
voices together as we sing on Rosh
Hashanah and when we grab hold of
each other’s hands and dance together
in large circles on Simchat Torah.
Your team is the Jewish People and
the State of Israel. We sense this when we
speak out in the name of Torah values,
and we stand up as part of a people on
the world stage and speak about human
rights and responsibilities.
As you stand in prayer this Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur pray not
just for yourself but pray also for
your many teammates. When you feel
overwhelmed, listen to the prayers
that your teammates say for you. As
you think about what makes you who
you are, feel just a little more confidant
knowing that you have your teammates’
support.
May the year ahead be one of health
and happiness for you and your teams.
Avital and I wish you a shana tova
u’metuka.
Rabbi Noah
Cheses
Resetting the Table
with Honesty
assistant rabbi
O
ver the course of a regular Shabbat meal, a dining room
table, beautifully set with fine china and sparkling silverware,
naturally shifts from a state of order to disorder. As wine glasses
tip over and challah crumbs accumulate on the white linen, the
previously pristine table inevitably deteriorates and becomes
well-used. The Days of Awe, the High Holidays that are now upon us – from
Rosh Hashanah through Sukkot – provide us with a unique opportunity to
“reset the table”.
After a busy year of doing more,
rushing faster and achieving higher,
the Jewish calendar invites us to slow
down and take time to make a detailed
inventory of our moral lives and to
recalibrate our moral compasses. We
will sit in shul thinking about our lives
and how we can live a little bit better.
Over the summer, I read a book
by Israeli social scientist, Dan Ariely,
entitled The Honest Truth About
Dishonesty. The central thesis asserts
that most people want to gain from
dishonesty, but also want to consider
themselves to be honest. Cheating
habits, therefore, depend on the capacity
to get ahead while still maintaining a
positive image of one’s self. As a result,
most individuals generally cheat just a
little bit here and there -- by rounding
up billable hours, recommending more
expensive treatments and offering selfserving advice – so that they can gain
advantages while still considering
themselves to be pretty good people.
Smart people make rationalizations
– what I did was not that bad because
it was an extenuating circumstance
that will not happen again and the
consequences will probably not hurt
anyone that important – in order to
preserve their self-image. Most people
cheat up to the extent that allows them
to view themselves as reasonably honest
individuals. Relatively few people cheat
aggressively because that requires them
to live with high levels of bad feelings –
like shame or guilt – about themselves.
With this understanding of human
nature, how can we effectively curb our
inherent tendency toward cheating?
An impactful technique is offered
to us in the Machzor, through the
Vidui prayer on Yom Kippur. This
ritual, which loosely translates as
“confession,” requires us to list specific
areas of weakness which we need to
repair. It demands self-confrontation
in the presence of God.
The formula that we use for Vidui
is borrowed from the book of Daniel.
With words that should sound familiar
to us, Daniel confesses his failings:
‫)ד( ואתפללה להי אלקי ואתודה ואמרה‬
‫ל הגדול והנורא שמר הברית‬-‫י הא‬-‫אנא אדנ‬
(‫והחסד לאהביו ולשמרי ונאטח מצותיו )ה‬
‫חטאנו ועוינו הרשענו ומרדנו וסור ממצותך‬
‫וממשפטיך‬
I shall pray to the Lord my God and
confess by saying ‘oh God, great and
awesome God, who stays faithful to
His covenant with those who love Him
and observe His Commandments. We
have sinned, we have gone astray, we
have acted wickedly, we have been
rebellious and have deviated from Your
commandments and laws.
Daniel demonstrates that the path
towards change begins with brutal
honesty. He goes to a vulnerable place
by publically naming the shortcomings
of the community. Through Vidui he
brings moral flaws from the hidden
domain to the public domain. This
bold gesture enables the issues to be
addressed and reformed.
Rabbi Yosef Soloveitchik explains
(On Repentance) that the very act
of verbalizing what one has done
wrong into clear language deepens the
consciousness of the wrong committed.
Having to put a deficiency into words
cont. on page 6
5
cont. from page 5
further clarifies the exact nature of the
wrongdoing, such that the penitent
becomes equipped to break through
the confusion and rationalizations to
shift the problematic behavior.
Perhaps the most dominant theme
of our Vidui prayer is that of dishonesty.
Almost every one of the sins listed can
be traced back to an act of deception –
whether to ourselves or others. A few
explicit ones include: bagadnu - “we
have betrayed”; he’eviynu - “we have
been too clever”; kizavnu - “we have
created false impressions.”
The form and content of Vidui,
of naming our dishonesty before God
and the community, remind us about
the importance of being honest. Being
more aware of why cheating is wrong is
one of the best ways to limit dishonest
behavior.
Ariely’s research team conducted
an experiment in which he tempted
two groups of students from UCLA
to cheat on a given task without the
possibility of getting caught. He split
450 students in two groups and asked
half of them to try and recite as many
of the Ten Commandments as they
could remember. Then he asked the
other half to remember ten books they
had read in high school. In the group
that was asked to recall books, typical
amounts of moderate cheating were
observed. However, the group that was
asked to recall the Ten Commandments
had no cheating whatsoever. This
result indicated that thinking actively
about right and wrong was enough to
influence human behavior in a more
moral direction.
The mechanism of confession is
specifically designed for resetting our
moral compass and overcoming the
‘what the hell affect.’ Vidui is a ritual
that presents us with the opportunity to
collect ourselves, stop the deterioration
and clean up the messy table. This is
part of what the High Holiday season is
meant to accomplish; it resets the moral
barometer and re-sensitizes us to the
reality that that God cares about our
honesty and wants us to keep working
on building good character, year after
year.
May we use the opportunity of this
time of year to bring ourselves closer to
where we need to be.
Sarah and I wish you a Shana Tova,
a year full of sweetness and overflowing
with smiles.
we’re here to
serve you better!
Did you know that you can now make donations, sponsor
kiddushim / breakfasts, make a payment on your account, etc.
online – right from our website, anytime you want!
Shana
Tova!
T. 905.761.9022
F. 905.761.9023
[email protected]
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6
Fall 2015
Argentina | Australia
Chile | France | Israel
Italy | Portugal
South Africa | Spain
rabbi elliott
diamond
Thank God
for Imperfection
A
nd the wolf will lie down with the lamb, But
the lamb won’t get much sleep.” - Woody Allen
Allen’s humorous comment on the often
quoted prophetic messianic vision points
out just how hard it is to overcome long-established human
tendencies. Idealistic dreams of a better world are good but,
as well all know, the realization is all in the details.
Sometimes the many and often complicated details in
our lives are what seem to command most of our attention.
Health, finances, parents, children, shul politics, friendships
and more are all important elements of modern life that
combine together frequently to test our coping strategies
and our ability to hold on to the dream we have of what
our lives could or should be. But these episodes in our lives
are not inconvenient intrusions or detours that sidetrack us
from the main path.
American philosopher and essayist, John Gardner,
wrote in an essay entitled, “The Road To Self-Renewal”:
The more I see human lives, the more I believe the business
of growing up is much longer drawn out that we pretend. If
we achieve it in our 30s, or even our 40s, we’re doing well.
There’s a myth that learning is for young people. But
as the proverb says, “It’s what you learn after you know it
all that counts.” The middle years are great, great learning
years…
Learn all your life. Learn from your failures. Learn
from your successes. When you hit a spell of trouble ask,
“What is it trying to teach me?” The lessons aren’t always
happy ones, but they keep coming.
Gardner’s point is that all of our experiences are
lessons in waiting, which can help reframe our vision of
a meaningful life. It’s instructive to consider that every
time we return the Sefer Torah to the Aron Kodesh, we ask
Hashem to renew our days as of old: ‫חדש ימינו כקדם‬.
downstairs minyan
The first time the word “kedem” is used in the Torah is
in the context of the Garden of Eden – that most perfect
and pristine place that once was the home of Adam. Gan
Eden is commonly used as a metaphor for wholeness and
perfection. And yet, it is also the site of man’s first sin which
changed the existential direction of his life. Why do we ask
to return to the days of old? Part of that life didn’t turn out
so well.
Gardner writes:
Life is an endless unfolding and, if we wish it to
be, an endless process of self-discovery, an endless and
unpredictable dialogue between our own potentialities and
the life situations in which we find ourselves. By potentialities
I mean not just success as the world measures success, but the
full range of one’s capacities for learning, sensing, wondering,
understanding, loving and aspiring.
The first real and profound life lesson took place in
Gan Eden and through it, man ultimately discovered the
potential of his life in a world of promise and failure. It
wouldn’t be a perfect life or one free of all pain and challenge.
Adam certainly had plenty of that. But it could be a life in
which, even after his fall – or perhaps because of his fall –
he could reimagine and renew himself. The missteps that
he and we sometimes take, hold the lessons from which we
can learn to build our lives with greater strength, insight
and meaning.
Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of man in
the Garden of Eden. It’s also a day to celebrate the gift of
opportunity that each of us has been given. Going back to
“kedem” isn’t so much a dream of living in a perfect world
where lambs and wolves get along. “Kedem” is that place
where “I make mistakes but get up afterward and learn how
be stronger and wiser.”
Rochelle and I and our family wish each of you and
your family a Gmar Chatimah Tova.
Shana Tova to our members, friends
and the entire Jewish community
7
From the Executive Director’s Desk
Nicole toledano
Giving
A
s a shul, we often focus on how to meet our vision of standing for
Torah, the Jewish people and the State of Israel. We are constantly
building a shul community where it all matters. How to ensure that
we have the resources to meet our vision is in how others help us,
and how we help them. The concept of tzedakah always comes to mind.
According to Chabad.org:
Tzedakah – often translated as
charity – is a mainstay of Jewish life.
The sages teach that the world was built
upon kindness. However, tzedakah goes
one step beyond. Literally translated as
“justice” or “righteousness,” tzedakah
tells us that sharing what we have with
others isn’t something special. It’s the
honest and just thing to do.
Tzedakah is not limited to gifts
of money. Sharing time, expertise,
or even a kind smile are all forms of
charity that we can do.
As a shul, tzedakah and charitable
giving keep us going – help fund
programs and services that members
of the shul and the community at
large find invaluable. As a concept,
charitable giving comes from the
heart. As I delved further, I noted a
number of sayings that I think get to
the heart of it:
The life of a man consists not in
seeing visions and dreaming dreams,
but in active charity and willing service.
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
It is not enough to have lived.
We should be determined to live for
something. (Leo Buscaglia)
No person was ever honored for
what he received. Honor has been
the reward for what he gave. (Calvin
Coolidge).
If you haven’t got any charity in
your heart, you have the worst kind of
heart trouble. (Bob Hope)
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up
someone else. (Booker T. Washington)
True charity is the desire to be
useful to others with no thought of
recompense. (Emanuel Swedenborg)
When you cease to make a
contribution, you begin to die.
(Eleanor Roosevelt)
No act of kindness, no matter how
small, is ever wasted. (Aesop)
A person has to have a special
merit to give charity. One can earn
eternal reward for philanthropy. We,
while we are in this world, should not
lose the opportunity when it presents
itself. (Rabbi Schwab, Dean of the
Bais Yaakov of Denver)
As the High Holidays approach,
let’s commit to contribute more
tzedakah. The High Holidays have
many rituals and observances that
form a familiar and meaningful
connection
to
family,
shul
community, history, and friends. As
a congregation and a community,
you are more than the sum of the
parts. Everyone matters.
May you be inscribed and sealed
for a good year.
Let’s make our shul warm and hospitable
We are looking for members who can host young singles, new members, or visitors for Shabbat and
Yom Tov meals. We would like to make sure that every person who comes to our shul has a place to go.
If you are interested, please email or call the shul office.
8
Fall 2015
Joyce Eklove
President’s Message
A
s we reflect on the past, transformative
year, we look towards the New Year
with excitement and enthusiasm. Our
renovations were completed on time and on
budget, with beautiful and elegant results.
For the past few years we focused on fund
raising and renovations, and now we can enjoy the fruits of
our labour. We will continue to make Shaarei Shomayim a
vibrant and inviting centre of Jewish life, providing religious,
educational and social opportunities for our members as
well as the broader Toronto Jewish Community.
Our committees are busy planning for the upcoming
year. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Elliott Malamet and
Chayim Rubin, who will once again join us for High Holiday
Services. I am thrilled to be able to announce that Rabbi
Shlomo Katz will return for the Shabbat Project on Shabbat,
October 24, Parshat Lech Lecha. Please make sure to mark
this date on your calendar.
We remain committed to running exceptional youth
programming. Under the leadership of Jacob Posluns, our
incoming Youth Director, and Noa Bordan, our new Assistant
Youth Leader, the team is hard at work planning creative
and educational programs for the upcoming year. This
past year there were between 50-60 children who attended
programming each Shabbat and I am quite confident that we
can look forward to another wonderful year.
Our Teen Program is also thriving under the leadership
of Koby Spiegel. We are very excited about welcoming Yoni
Hadar and Noa Voss, our Shinshinim from Israel, who will
be working to create closer ties between our members and
Israel.
Building a strong Youth Program is critical, and I want
to thank the Youth Committee co-chairs Bonnie Langer,
Naomi Mansell and Daniella Silver for their dedication and
contributions in making it a success.
I am so excited by the influx of young people to our
shul. The Young Professionals Committee, co-chaired by
Ilana Arje-Goldenthal, Rachel Libman and Sara Lass, has
reached out in a very special way to a large population of our
synagogue. They have created a variety of interesting, timely
and inspiring programs designed to attract a diverse group
of people, focusing on learning, chessed, and social activities.
The YP Committee is also appealing to the singles, couples
and families within our growing YP community. Yasher
Kochachem! I am so proud of what you have accomplished
for our community.
Tim Gofine and Jonathan Parker, co-chairs of Adult
Education, along with Rabbi Strauchler, are in the midst of
setting up new and interesting learning opportunities.
After a very successful first year, the “Where Words
Matter Book Club” will continue to bring to our attention
interesting books for discussion. We can also look forward
to many more daytime events for our Mature Members,
including the very popular “Lunch & Learn” with Rabbi
Strauchler, coordinated by Carol Handelman.
Our goal is to reach out to members of all ages and I again
encourage each one of you to take advantage of the many
activities, both religious and social, that Shaarei Shomayim
offers.
We are in the midst of negotiating a contract with
Menchens Catering, who has received rave reviews during
the year in which they have served as our caterer. As a result
of our lovely building and excellent catering services, our
event bookings are up. Shaarei Shomayim has again become
a very desirable place for Smachot.
The Board has approved the purchase of a beautiful
centre mechitza for the Max and Lil Sharp Sanctuary. This
mechitza will be utilized twelve times during the upcoming
year. I want to thank Judy Laxer for overseeing this project.
The Sisterhood and Brotherhood have always played
very important roles in our synagogue and I am thrilled that
they are both organizing great events, under the leadership
of Katy Korman and Michael Bernstein, respectively. We can
look forward to several interesting and varied programs in
the coming year.
Key to the success of Shaarei Shomayim is our clergy.
Rabbi Chaim Strauchler, Rabbi Noah Cheses, Rabbi
Elliot Diamond, Cantor Zvi Katzman, Ralph Levine and
Rabbi David Ely Grundland work as a great team, and
their commitment to our community is truly remarkable.
cont. on page 10
9
cont. from page 9
In addition to leading services, they
are there to share our joys, to act as
our teachers and be our companions
in times of need. I feel very privileged
to be surrounded by such wonderful
Klei Kodesh.
I want to express appreciation to
the Senior Officers who have been a
wonderful source of strength for me, in
addition to providing great, thoughtful
leadership to the shul. They include,
David Ulmer, Lori Disenhouse, Brian
Cantor, Judy Laxer, Irving Benmergui
and Benny Osher. As well, I would like
to acknowledge a very committed and
involved Board of Directors chaired by
Lori Disenhouse.
10
Fall 2015
At this time of year, things are
extremely busy for our office staff and
I want to thank Nicole Toledano, our
Executive Director, Miriam Price,
Jennifer Alexandroff, Lejla Petrela
and Joven Pinol for their support and
hard work in preparing for the High
Holidays.
I am constantly impressed by the
number of people who volunteer in our
shul. The dedication and hours devoted
to making our synagogue a better place
is impressive. I thank each and every
one of you for your contributions, as
we could never accomplish what we do
without your help.
As we approach the Yamim
Noraim, for many of us it is a time of
reflection. I encourage you to more
actively participate in making Shaarei
Shomayim the very best it can be.
There is much to accomplish during
the coming year and if you have the
interest and the time to contribute,
please be in touch with me.
On behalf of Arthur and myself,
let me wish each of you the very best
for the New Year. May it be a year of
peace, good health, happiness, growth
and success. Shana Tova and Gmar
Chatima Tova.
Shaarei Shomayim
Sisterhood
A
nother year comes; another year goes. It is hard
to believe that the summer is winding down and
we will soon be preparing for the Yamim Tovim.
After a long absence, the Sisterhood has been
rejuvenated with the help of Amanda Salem, Avis Osher,
Beth Singer, Brenda Lass, Carol Handelman, Francine
Goldrich, Jackie Zimmerman, Lily Steinberg, Nanci Turk,
Naomi Gardin, Raquel Milgrom Benmergui, Ruth Podeswa
and Yvonne Goldberg. With their input, this year’s initiatives
were a great success. I want to thank each one of you for your
amazing dedication.
In May, the Sisterhood held their Gala Dinner, “Ladies
Who Lead”. Women of all ages came to honour Rebbetzins
Avital Strauchler, Rochelle Diamond, and Sarah Cheses.
Each one of these women is truly a “Lady Who Leads.”
katy korman
No event is a success on its own. I want to thank Judy
Roth, Daniella Silver and the Tribute Committee they put
together. It was a great journey working with both of you.
With Judy and Daniella’s help, we were able to raise enough
money to furnish the Bride’s Room, help sponsor the Impact
India trip and to support “Peace of Mind.”
Most of all I want to thank all of you who attended
the events. Your support and participation keep the New
Sisterhood going. With your help, we will continue to put
on new and exciting programs which speak to the wonderful
women in our community.
As the New Year approaches, we think about the past
and look forward to the future. On behalf of the Sisterhood,
I wish all of you a very healthy and happy New Year.
Let’s Shake it Up!
After the Sukkah goes up, be sure you’re equipped with the tools of the trade!
Tom Moos will again be offering for sale top-of-the line:
Lulavim and Etrogim Sets (Arba Minim) along with Hoshanot for Hoshanah Rabba
FULL LULAV AND ETROG SETS
Shaarei Shomayim
Entry through North Doors off of the parking lot
Lower Level Social Hall A
Thursday September 24, 2015
4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
HOSHANOT
Shaarei Shomayim
Main Floor Foyer, just outside Main Sanctuary
Sunday October 4, 2015
7:15 am - 7:45 am
Please pre-order. No sales or pick-up of Hoshanot after 7:45 am on October 4, 2015.
Avoid disappointment! Place your orders in advance.
Contact Tom Moos: phone 416-789-3865 or email [email protected].
PLEASE TRY TO BRING EXACT CHANGE. PAYMENT MAY BE MADE EITHER BY CASH OR CHEQUE ONLY.
11
T
Religious Committee
Update
Hyim Bessin and Larry Zimmerman
he Religious Committee has met regularly
throughout the year to discuss matters pertaining
to religious policy in our shul. Over the last few
months, the Religious Committee has focused
on discussing, editing, and finalizing a number of policy
documents. We first finalized and passed an updated Bat
Mitzvah policy document at our meeting in March, followed
by an updated Bar Mitzvah policy document in April,
followed by initial discussions about an updated Gabbai
policy document in June. We will finalize this document at
our next meeting.
The Shul’s new Kashrut policy document was drafted by
Rabbi Strauchler in consultation with kashrut professionals
and with input from our Executive and from the Religious
Committee. As the last paragraph of the kashrut policy
document emphasizes, we all need to take responsibility for
setting and maintaining a high standard of kashrut in the
shul and to serve as extra eyes and ears for our Rabbis and
Mashgiach.
The High Holiday sub-committee has already begun
planning for the upcoming Yamim Noraim, and our work
will continue throughout the summer. We wish to thank our
Clergy and Nicole Toledano and her staff for their work on
behalf of the Shul.
If you have any questions or suggestions about the
Committee’s work, please feel free to contact us anytime. We
will be pleased to hear from you! Shana Tova!
For 60 years we’ve been
wishing our clients and
friends a Happy New Year.
Shana Tova!
416-510-1177
www.paisleymanor.com
12
Fall 2015
This year, Shaarei Shomayim, through the leadership of our Israel Action Committee was privileged
to host the Peace of Mind program. Peace of Mind is a unique program developed by the Israel
Centre for the Treatment of Psycho-Trauma. It paves the way back to civilian life for young men
and women who have served three or more years in high-risk combat units in the Israel Defense
Forces. Members of our community hosted a unit of Golani’s elite Egoz brigade in their homes, and
the soldiers were immersed in both therapy and community events during their stay. It is indeed an
honour to give back to those men and women who have given so much of themselves not only to
their country, but also to all the Jews in the Diaspora.
We had the opportunity to meet and interact with the soldiers at a Lag B’Omer BBQ on May 6.
It was a beautiful afternoon in which we opened up our new patio for the first time – there were
games and activities for the kids as well as great food and camaraderie.
Thank you to Malka Lewittes, Beth Singer, and David Ulmer and the many other volunteers who
made this event happen.
13
T
his Erev Rosh Hashanah, the
shemita year will come to a
close and all debts between
Jews will be cancelled.
The law of freeing debts at shemita’s
conclusion – shemitat kesafim - involves
three things:
1.The absolution of all debts created
during the previous seven years.
2.The prohibition against demanding
repayment of such loans.
3.The prohibition against refusing to
lend money because of these laws.
Shemitat kesafim applies both in
Israel and outside of Israel. The Sefer
HaChinuch writes that the purpose
behind shemitat kesafim is to help us
develop the attributes of generosity
and kindness – realizing that all wealth
comes from God.
Two thousand years ago, the great
sage Hillel observed that many people
refused to loan money before a shemita
year, because they feared that it would
not be repaid. As a result, the poor who
required these loans suffered. Hillel
instituted a legal procedure known
as pruzbul, which transferred debts
to a Jewish court. Shemitat kesafim
applies to all loans made between Jews,
but not to loans held by a court. By
following this procedure, a loan can be
collected even after the shemita year.
Hillel’s enactment benefited the rich
by securing their loans and helped
the poor by enabling them to borrow
money even as shemita approached.
Pruzbul
For those who hold debts against a
fellow Jew which they wish to collect,
a pruzbul must be written before Rosh
Hashanah, this year. The process for
writing a pruzbul is straightforward.
The creditor signs the declaration below
announcing his intention to collect the
debts due him by assigning the debts to
the court. The declaration is then signed
by the judges who form the court. One
pruzbul can cover all one’s loans, even
those made to different people.
At Shaarei Shomayim, on Erev
Rosh Hashanah, we will have pruzbul
forms available, and we will convene a
court to conduct the pruzbul procedure.
Please familiarize yourself with the
pruzbul form below in advance.
In the presence of the undersigned three judges (dayanim), duly constituting a Bet Din, there appeared
before us ________________________ who declared before us as follows:
“I hereby turn over to you judges Rabbi Chaim Strauchler, Rabbi Elliott Diamond, Rabbi Noah Cheses, in this
place – Toronto – all of the debts owed to me, whether or not the debts are evidenced in writing, so that I
may collect these debts at any time that I desire.”
We the undersigned Bet Din heard the declaration of the above described person and have empowered
such person to avoid having his or her debts canceled by shemita and he or she may therefore collect all his
or her debts by virtue of this pruzbul in accordance with the special enactment of Hillel and our sages.
In witness whereof, we hereby affix our signatures this 29th day of Elul, 5775 here in Toronto.
Signed: ____________________, dayan
Signed: ____________________, dayan
Signed: ____________________, dayan
14
Fall 2015
Dr. Elliott Malamet
The Teshuva Work
R
osh Hashanah and Yom Kippur do not
waste their time with lesser themes; they
are focused on life and death. What is the
meaning of our lives; how do we live in the
shadow of mortality every second on earth,
whether we are aware of it or not? (Whether
we allow ourselves to be aware of it or not is actually part
of the repentance work). From a secular perspective,
no one sums up the dilemma better than Ernest Becker,
the American anthropologist, in his well-known book,
The Denial of Death:
Man is literally split in two: he has an awareness of his
own splendid uniqueness in that he sticks out of nature with
a towering majesty, and yet he goes back into the ground a
few feet in order to blindly and dumbly rot and disappear
forever. It is a terrifying dilemma to be in and to have to live
with. The lower animals ...merely act and move reflexively
as they are driven by their instincts. They live in a world
without time, pulsating, as it were, in a state of dumb
being... Knowledge of death is reflective and conceptual, and
animals are spared it. They live and they disappear with the
same thoughtlessness: a few minutes of fear, a few seconds of
anguish, and it is over. But to live a whole lifetime with the
fate of death haunting one’s dreams and even the most sunfilled days – that’s something else...What does it mean to be a
self-conscious animal? It means to know that one is food for
worms.
There are several possible reactions to this news of our
always impending death. We can crawl away and attempt
to block these facts, and simply distract ourselves as best
we can. There has never been more opportunity for such
distraction given the level of technological influence in our
lives, our time, our thoughts, as Nicholas Carr reminds us
in his book, The Shallows:
In 2000, the average amount of time we could stay focused
on one task without our mind wandering to something new
was 12 seconds. Today, it’s eight seconds. The information age
may be literally rewiring our brains.
An article in The Globe and Mail last year puts it even
more starkly:
My BlackBerry lay on the table beside me, its e-mail
alert flashing with false urgency. And I often spiraled into the
Internet’s vortex...somehow winding up at a viral video about
a Brazilian cyclist who is sideswiped by a speeding truck and
lands, miraculously, on a mattress. How I got there, I couldn’t
say. According to my browser’s Web history, I checked out a
science book on Amazon, then hopped to the latest news about
the missing Flight 370. Along the way, the headline “You
won’t believe what happens to this cyclist” proved irresistible
– which was precisely the point. Software companies and app
developers are desperate to grab our attention... Never has
our gaze been so carefully measured or so highly coveted. But
if our attention is so valuable – a finite resource in a land
of perpetual interruption – then why do we give it away so
carelessly? There is growing scientific evidence that sprinting
through the day in a state of super-charged distraction takes a
serious toll on our mental and physical health. “We have been
seduced by distraction,” says psychologist Daniel Goleman,
the author of Focus: the Hidden Driver of Excellence. “We are
being pulled away from paying attention to the things that
enrich our lives.” (Erin Anderssen, “Digital overload: How
we are Seduced by Distraction”. Toronto Globe and Mail,
03/29/14).
Perhaps more than anything else, the Yamim Noraim
are an attempt to stop and refocus. Where am I in my life
and how are my most important relationships going? And
perhaps the first step in trying to answer these questions
is to give ourselves a bit more time to breathe, to think, to
really be present in our lives. These are things that “cannot
be rushed” as Professor David Levy of the Information
School of the University of Washington, advises:
Of course, everything can’t speed up. You can’t speed up
the time needed to be intimate with one another. Thinking is
not an activity you can speed up. It needs time to muse and
reflect, and some of the things we need to do in order to think,
like walk, or read deeply, or even take naps, simply don’t fit
into this globalizing idea of more-faster-better.
This Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the first teshuva,
the first “return”, must be to ourselves. If we are able to
make that trip, we may find God waiting for us when we
arrive.
15
Young Professionals
Committee Report
T
hroughout
the
past
year, Shaarei Shomayim
renewed and expanded its
programming for Young
Professionals (singles, couples and
families between the ages of 20-40).
Our committee created diverse, quality
programming aimed at building
a feeling of community for Young
Professionals in our shul and as an entry
point into our community for dozens
of unaffiliated Young Professionals
around Toronto.
Beginning
with
a
kickoff
barbecue, we launched a full season
of dynamic and varied programming,
featuring monthly meat kiddushes,
seasonal Shabbat luncheons, holiday
programming, chessed activities,
and intimate learning programs.
These programs offered something
for everyone. Program highlights
from this year included teaming
up with the Chessed Committee to
prepare and deliver mishloach manot
packages; a festive beer tasting event
in the shul’s sukkah; and the “Living
Room Learning Series” in individual
members’ homes which explored such
topics as the intersection of technology
and Shabbat, practical kashrut and
a niddah refresher. We recently held
a mystery Shabbat meal where hosts
were paired up with unknown guests
to further encourage community
building.
We already have many exciting
programs planned for 2015-16.
We would like to thank the current,
past and future members of the Young
Professionals Committee for their
hard work and dedication, and the
shul leadership for their unwavering
support.
YP Committee: Sara Lass, Ilana ArjeGoldenthal, Rachel Libman, Avital Strauchler,
Jessica Handelman, Yael Jakubovic, Danny
Rende, Rabbi Noah Cheses, Arielle Farber,
Daniella Greenspan, Naomi Peleg, Zvi Glustein,
Bailey Roth, Sarah Brown and Eli Javasky.
Join our Shaarei Shomayim Young
Professionals’ Facebook group and sign
up for our YP newsletters to stay upto-date about our program offerings for
2015-2016.
do you receive rabbi
strauchler’s weekly torah
for your life emails?
If not, please contact the shul office to be included in the
email list. Or you can visit our Shaarei Shomayim website
at www.shomayim.org and click on “join email list”.
16
Fall 2015
17
Wishing you good health, happiness & peace
18
Fall 2015
Dear Shaarei Shomayim Volunteers:
richmond
kosher bakery
On April 28, 2015 you and your team sorted 5,228 pounds of food. All of that
food, in addition to the food and funds you raised in your offices, allowed us
to support the thousands of families who access our food banks to help feed
their families. THANK YOU!
You were a great group and your enthusiasm and positive spirit helped make
our time together both productive and fun. You did a phenomenal job. These
are not just boxes of food but packages of joy and happiness for those who
deserve exactly what we have at our dining tables.
We hope to see you again next year for a food sorting session.
Specializing in •
Organic Breads
Gluten Free Products
Sugar Free Products
Wedding Cakes
Special Occasion Cakes
Picture Cakes
•
On behalf of the our clients and all of us at North York Harvest Food Bank
thank you for joining with us to ‘Fill More than an Empty Plate’.
With warmest regards,
Fawad Iqbal, Fundraising Assistant
Tel: 416-635-7771 Ext. 60
Fax: 416-635-5599
Shana Tova
U’Metuka
To all our friends
and customers
May the best of
the past year
be the worst of
the coming year
4119 BAthurst Street
Toronto
647-776-5995
19
impact india
20
Fall 2015
Special to the Canadian Jewish News - august 6, 2015
Impact India: Giving beyond the Jewish community
Rabbi Noah Cheses
B
etween a Jew’s bar or bat mitzvah
and his or her wedding day, there
are no planned life-cycle events.
During these crucial years of identity
formation, let’s say from ages 12
to 25, Judaism lacks those special,
personalized rituals designed to anchor
a Jewish teenager or young adult in the
chain of our tradition.
In the beginning of May, I embarked
on a 12-day service and learning trip
to India with 20 Jewish university
students and four staff members.
My synagogue, Shaarei Shomayim
Congregation in Toronto, under the
leadership of Rabbi Chaim Strauchler,
was the lead partner in this initiative,
along with Ve’ahavta, Hillel of Toronto,
JLIC (Jewish Learning Initiative on
Campus) and Project TEN.
The goal of the trip was to impact
40 underprivileged children from
the Colaba slums in Mumbai
through an enrichment camp. It was
a transformative experience that
compelled all of us to think deeply
about who we are, what we would be
willing to stand up for and what the
world needs from us. These bursts of
clarity were informed by the Jewish
texts that we studied daily and the
intensive reflection circles with which
we concluded every evening.
Sometimes it takes going across the
globe, to a totally foreign place, far
away from home and the comforts of
daily routines, to experience moments
that help shape identity.
I am so proud that an Orthodox
synagogue championed a global tikkun
olam initiative that allowed observant
participants to be comfortable. It was
not simple, but strictly kosher food
was always available. We made time
for optional daily prayers and Shabbat
was observed with honour. It is so
important to show the young members
of our community that being observant
does not need to restrict, limit or inhibit
certain opportunities, but can actually
enhance them.
Project Gabriel, our Indian partners on
the ground, told us that our enrichment
program gave these underprivileged
children an incredible boost of selfconfidence and enhanced their ability to
work with their peers in a group setting.
These are small things that can make
significant differences.
We served seriously and we learned
seriously. We studied and grappled with
Jewish texts and brought their values to
life. We connected our hands and feet to
our sacred tradition.
One session we organized focused on
how to prioritize giving tzedakah dollars.
We tasked the group with determining
how to dole out 10,000 rupees (about
$200) to charity: Should it go to help
the victims of the earthquake in Nepal?
To the Jewish community centre in
Mumbai? To a group that provides
education to kids in the slums? We
provided a source sheet with Jewish texts
and asked the participants to allocate the
money based on Jewish values. This led
to a heated debate and conversation that
lasted hours.
The Midrash teaches that Abraham
began his relationship with the Creator
by traveling: Rabbi Isaac compared
Abraham’s journey to a man traveling
from place to place until he sees a palace
in flames. He wonders: “Is it possible that
this palace lacks a caretaker?” The master
of the palace replied: “I am in charge of
the palace” (Genesis Rabba 39:1).
The palace represents the beautiful
world, full of order and structure, while
the flames signify the chaos and disorder
Members of Shaarei Shomayim with
Rabbi Cheses at the Gateway to India
that threaten the beauty. Abraham
discovers God in the order and disorder
of the world around him. Our India
trip was an Abrahamic experience for
many of the participants.
On the last evening before we
headed to the airport, we sat in a circle
and each of us wrote an appreciation to
every other member of the group. On
the plane ride home, I opened up my
appreciation sheet and read some of
the comments.
Without sharing personal details,
here are a few comments:
“Rabbi, thank you for showing me
that it is possible to explore the beauty
and diversity of this planet without
compromising Torah and Jewish law.”
“Thank you for allowing me to feel
compassion for total strangers.”
“Thank you, Rabbi, for helping me
realize what my specific passions are.”
“Thank you for inspiring me to feel
that I can make a small but significant
change in this crazy big world of ours.”
Reading those notes, I felt truly
validated in my decision to become a
rabbi.
21
R
osh Hashanah offers us
the time to reflect to see
how we want to move
ourselves forward. With
a new year upon us, we
strive to become better, improving
ourselves in the process. At Netivot
HaTorah Day School, we are excited
to share in this experience with all
our children, parents, educators, and
families. Looking forward to the start
of the new school year has similarities
with Rosh Hashanah. We awaken
to new teachers, new friends, new
experiences, each helping us to grow.
The three tenets upon which Netivot is
guided: Torah, Israel and Derech Eretz,
continue to be the integral components
upon which we build each day. Respect
and sensitivity for others, core values
as we head into the Yamim Nora’im,
continue to be encouraged throughout
our children’s daily lives.
The emphasis on our commitment
to Torah study, observance of mitzvot,
with Hebrew immersion beginning in
Junior Kindergarten, help connect us
with our laws and traditions. Religious
Zionism is the cornerstone of our
Netivot HaTorah
Day School
identification with the land, the state
and the people of Medinat Yisrael.
At the South Campus of Netivot,
housed
in
Shaarei
Shomayim
Synagogue, we are committed
to creating a warm and intimate
educational environment based on the
school’s philosophy and ideals. With
the addition of our successful Gan
Katan Pre-Nursery (for two year old
children), this campus bustles with the
activity of children from Pre-Nursery
through First Grade.
Our teachers are excited to meet
their new students, looking forward to
learning with the children.
At Netivot, we recognize the diverse
needs of our student population, as
each educator strives to educate the
whole child. Every child is considered
in terms of his / her development
including his / her academic, religious,
social and emotional development.
Professional development continues
to reflect best current practices in
education. Arts are a key method in
bringing across our environment to
our students. Understanding and using
technology is a requirement for the 21st
century learner.
As we focus on the new year,
the Netivot community is excited to
welcome our new Head of School,
Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman. This year,
we also eagerly welcome Ms. Sarah
Loewenthal, our new Director of Gan
Netivot. With new faces and ideas, there
is an excitement towards the future.
May the year 5776 be a wonderful
one for you, your families, the Netivot
community, the Shaarei Shomayim
community, and all of Klal Yisrael.
Please look to our ad (page 2) for all
our contact information. We welcome
prospective families at any time, and
we look forward to meeting you.
Netivot’s South Campus Open
House is Wednesday November 7, at
7:30. Netivot’s North Campus Open
House is Wednesday November 14,
at 7:30.
All of us at Netivot HaTorah Day
School wish you and your families, the
best for the coming New Year. L’Shana
Tova Techatevu! May it be a year of
peace for Israel and Klal Yisrael.
!‫לשנה טובה תכתבו‬
Compliments of
GESMA PRINTING
905-764-6017
[email protected]
22
Fall 2015
27
Rabbi chaim
strauchler
S
Miracles and
Miraculous Community
Grand Re-opening - Chanukat Habayit | delivered may 9, 2015 – Shabbat Parshat emor
eptember 1, 2011 – Rosh Chodesh Elul shortly before midnight.
I was awoken by a phone call, “Firetrucks are outside your shul,
Rabbi.” That was the voice of a neighbour. I sleepily trudged to 470
Glencairn. I walked through the side door in front of what used
to be called room 29 – and found myself stepping into water that
was nearly a foot deep. I called the Executive Director and the President. We
gathered the Sefrei Torah from the chapel and the books from the lower shelves
of the library. Thinking back to that moment of panic and frustration, who
could have imagined this day?
This day is a miracle.
I look around this room and I see GREAT people; I see
people who do great things. Thank you – each and every one
of you – for what you have done to make this day possible.
We are a “we” of many “I’s”.
Look around – look at this space – look at how beautiful
it is. But also look at the people – look at how beautiful they
are. Look at the person to your right and the person to your
left. Look at them and realize how important they are in what
makes us a community. Look at them and understand their
part in this day.
These people are miracles.
A short story about one small miracle – one small person:
Her name is Nesiah, and she was born a little over two weeks
ago. On Thursday, we named her in the Weinbaum Beit
Midrash. After davening, I asked her father Avi about the
name. He explained that her name Nesiah comes from the
word Nes – meaning miracle. As he spoke, I waited to hear
about difficulty conceiving or perhaps a medical miracle
during a difficult delivery. Avi continued, “My wife, Dana,
thinks it is a miracle that she convinced me to have a third
child.”
We use the term miracle in funny ways. When something
wonderful happens, we see God’s hand in it – and we call it
a miracle. Some would refer to the creation of the Modern
28
Fall 2015
State of Israel – and its not simply surviving – but thriving
as a miracle. Some will call it a miracle when the Toronto
Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup next year. (Look, I’m your
rabbi – I’m supposed to encourage you to hope.) Whether
it is the success of an elite Egoz commando unit in its fight
for Israel’s safety in the south of Lebanon – or the actions of
hockey players on a sheet of ice at the ACC – these are simply
human actions. All these things happen through natural
human effort. Yet, we appreciate God’s hand in the actions
of human hands. We are the ones who recognize the nissim –
the miracles – that surround us.
In our parsha, we read of the commandment / mitzvah to
sanctify God’s name even to the point of giving up our lives.
Velo techalilu et shem kadshi – venikdashti betoch bnei
yisrael – ani hashem mikadishchem
You shall not desecrate My holy name, rather I should
be sanctified among the children of Israel, I am God who
sanctifies you.
Our sages derive from here the requirement to submit
to martyrdom rather than to compromise our foundational
commitments. Rashi comments on this verse:
When a person submits to martyrdom, he should do
so expecting to die – because anyone who submits himself
cont. on page 29
cont. from page 28
expecting a miracle – a miracle will not
be performed for him…” yimsor atzmo
al menat lamut – do not expect miracles.
My question for you this morning:
Why should it matter why a person
gives up her life? Why does Judaism
question a saint who sacrifices her life
for her beliefs? Did she do it expecting
a miracle or expecting to die? Who
cares? Why must we examine her
intentions?
I will share with you an answer
that is deep and important – because
it speaks not just to the rare moment
of martyrdom but to how we live every
day. It speaks not just to moments of
tragedy but also to moments of joy –
like this one.
You see, Rashi teaches us how
God operates in our lives. God does
not work where we demand Him – he
works where we do not expect Him.
God can be seen at a distance – when
we are able to step back and appreciate
the whole.
I have spoken often about why we
chose the colour blue to represent our
shul when we developed the “Where It
All Matters” concept. I mentioned the
Ramban – and his explanation for the
techelet – the blue string worn on the
corner of our tzitzit. Why was blue the
colour chosen for this mitzvah? Look
at any small amount of air. Does it
have any colour? No – it is clear. Yet,
look at the sky. When seen from a great
distance, the million bits of air are blue.
We can see in this an attribute of the
divine. God is able to hold together
many diverse elements to form a great
whole – we appreciate this in the colour
blue. You will not see blue and you
will not see God if you examine every
bit of air. Yet, you might see blue, and
you might see God if you look at the
heavens from afar.
When we are in the moment,
when we cut through the air charging
through a difficult day, we must not
expect miracles. At those times, we
must give of ourselves – even to the
point of death. This is what Rashi
means when he says yimsor atzmo al
menat lamut. We must put ourselves
into the world and fight the world’s
fight. We must fight for our values
– and sanctify God’s name by doing
mitzvot – by doing what is right. Yet,
when we step back and look at what has
happened, it is then that we can witness
the miracles that God has performed.
The soldiers who defend Israel do
this, and we too do this. We do this
when we come home after a long day,
and rush to a food bank to sort food
for the needy. We do this when we sit
down with our grandchildren before
Yom Tov and show them how we write
tzedakah checks. We do this when we
“As we enjoy the
miracle of this moment,
we know that more
miracles might yet be
seen in the blue horizon
before us.”
open up a Chumash with our children
on a long Shabbat afternoon, and
recreate the great conversations that
have powered our people through time.
These are small acts of mesirat nefesh –
of pushing ourselves. We don’t do them
for miracles – but taken together they
can become miraculous.
Four years ago, many would have
said that the likelihood of Shaarei
Shomayim reaching this day were
about as likely as… I don’t know…
the Leafs winning the Cup. Yet, we are
here – and it is a miracle. It is a miracle
that we see God’s hand in – yet, it is
also a miracle that required people to
be moser et nafsham. Joyce will go into
greater detail about who some of those
specific people are – but I want to say
that each of you is a part of that miracle
– each of you was moser nefesh – each of
you is a part of the majestic blue that we
wear upon the corner of our tallit, that
reflects the sea, that reflects the sky, and
that reflects the Divine Throne. You
each have within you a piece of Shaarei
Shomayim blue.
I believe that this is what Rashi
is telling us about the meaning of
venikdashti – we must first give
ourselves up. We cannot enter the battles
of life demanding God’s miraculous
intervention – we must instead fight
with all that we have – even to the point
of death. We must fight for our values,
for our dreams, and for our people.
As we enjoy the miracle of this
moment, we know that more miracles
might yet be seen in the blue horizon
before us. Shaarei Shomayim’s best
days still stand before us. However, we
will not reach those days by expecting
miracles. We will reach them only
by being moser nefesh – by giving of
ourselves – in the moment. We have a
beautiful synagogue – now – what are
we going to do with it? Will we use it
as a tower from which to broadcast
eternal values – the importance of
family, the value of loving kindness, the
wisdom of Torah? Will we use at as a
field hospital to care for those who are
hurting and alone – to gather in the
weak, the widow and the orphan and
to give them strength? Will we use it
as starship with which to voyage and
explore the great social ills of our day
– anti-Semitism, racism, poverty, and
greed, and boldly take them on?
The choice is ours to make. In
retrospect, we may see the years that
stand before us as being filled with
miracles. Yet, now – we must dedicate
ourselves – we must be moser nefesh al
menat lamut – we must give of ourselves
to sanctify God – to be mekadesh shem
shomayim. I can’t wait to make those
choices with you. I can’t wait to be
moser nefesh with you.
29
30
Fall 2015
31
photos courtesy of naomi gardin
32
Fall 2015
33
high tea at shaarei shomayim
34
Fall 2015
an “Afternoon at the Rink”
at Scotia Bank Pond,
sponsored by the Shaarei
Shomayim Brotherhood
35
private tour at the AGO to view
Memory Unearthed: The Lodz Ghetto – photographs by Henryk Ross
Thank you to karen Durbin for initiating this program
36
Fall 2015
Shaarei Shomayim YYPs attend a Para Pan Am Basket Ball Game
where it all matters
pray and learn
a discussion-based shabbat service with dr. elliott malamet
Come join us on October 31, 2015 • November 21, 2015 • January 16, 2016
for a stimulating and insightful alternative prayer service.
Dr. Malamet is the founder of Torah in Motion and a global consultant on Jewish education.
Contact Nicole Toledano at 416-789-3213 or visit www.shomayim.org for more information.
470 glencarin avenue | toronto on m5n 1v8 | 416.789.3213
www.shomayim.org
37
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38
Fall 2015
Special to the Canadian Jewish News - May 12, 2015
guest voice
The legacy of Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein
Rabbi Chaim Strauchler
A
great rabbi was walking into
the beit midrash, the study hall,
when he heard a pay phone ring near
the entryway. He stopped to answer
the phone, and heard the voice of a
young woman on the other end. The
rabbi asked how he could be of help.
She requested that he retrieve her
boyfriend from the study hall, and
the great rabbi – the academy head –
obligingly sought out the young man
in the study hall and informed him
that he had received a phone call.
Stunned that his rosh yeshiva had
taken time out of his busy schedule
for this phone call, the young man
sheepishly went outside and picked up
the receiver. His girlfriend said hello,
and asked him, “Who was the nice
man named Aharon who spoke to me
on the phone?”
Indeed, who was this great scholar
and saint, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein?
Stories like this one have been
spreading through Israeli and North
American Jewish media in the weeks
since Rabbi Lichtenstein passed away
at the end of April. These stories
rarely describe his stunning erudition,
deep faith and masterful scholarship.
Instead they portray a person of fine
character and humble demeanour.
Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein was
born in Paris in 1933. He escaped with
his family to the United States before
World War II, where he studied in
Yeshiva Chaim Berlin under Rabbi
Yitchok Hutner and later under Rabbi
Ahron Soloveichik and his brother
Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik at
Yeshiva University.
From a young age, Rabbi Lichtenstein
was recognized as both a genius and
an amazingly diligent student, as he
Rabbi Strauchler speaking at a remembrance ceremony held at Shaarei Shomayim
for Rabbi Lichtenstein
quickly grew to prominence within the
modern Orthodox community. After
earning a PhD in English literature
from Harvard University in 1957, Rabbi
Lichtenstein served as a rosh yeshiva at
Yeshiva University. In 1971, he answered
the call of Rabbi Yehuda Amital to
join him at the helm of Yeshivat Har
Etzion, near Jerusalem. There, he taught
and mentored thousands of students,
authored hundreds of publications, and
became the standard bearer for a vision
of Judaism that engaged the complexities
of modern life while remaining firmly
rooted in Torah. Last year, Rabbi
Lichtenstein received the Israel Prize,
Israel’s highest civilian honour, for Jewish
religious literature.
But back to the stories.
One year during tikkun layl shavuot –
the all-night study session to celebrate the
giving of the Torah – Rabbi Lichtenstein
disappeared from the beit midrash. The
students continued their learning, when
suddenly they heard the voice of their
teacher. They looked around but could
not see him. No one knew where his
voice was coming from. They students
searched out and eventually found Rabbi
Lichtenstein in the balcony, delivering a
personal class to his daughter, Estee.
Here’s another: A young Rabbi
Lichtenstein was once playing
basketball with his students when he
suddenly stopped the game and said
that he would not play anymore. The
boys, he argued, were not playing
ethically. When one of them asked
what ethics has to do with basketball,
he explained that if everyone did not
put their heart into the game – working
hard on defence and offence – then
they were compromising on how the
game should be played.
These stories, and many more like
them, tell us something important
about Rabbi Lichtenstein, and about
the Torah and the Jewish People. They
reveal that such fine personalities still
walk this earth. They expose a Torah
that is still capable of honing a man’s
character and generating unique
human goodness. The stories show
us that the genes and the culture that
produced men like Rabbi Akiva still
operate among us.
In an era such as our own, when so
much cynicism surrounds authority
figures, these stories are essential. They
teach us that great men can still be
good men.
39
40
Fall 2015
Jacob Posluns
youth director
M
Youth Matters
y name is Jacob Posluns and I am very excited
to be Shaarei Shomayim’s Youth Director for the
5776 - (2015/16) year.
I am really looking forward to seeing all of our regular
attendees return in September, as well as welcoming new
participants who are giving our wide-ranging curriculum
a try. We offer varied programs for children ages two and
up, and all shul youth are welcome to join us in their age
appropriate group.
To help ensure that the Shaarei Shomayim Youth Program
has another super year, I am joined by a very talented and
enthusiastic team: Noa Borden, our Assistant Youth Director,
Debra Posluns, Head of the Preschool Program, Noa Voss
and Yoni Hadar our Israeli ‘Shinshinim’, and of course our
devoted team of Youth Leaders. We all work together under
the guidance of Rabbi Strauchler, Rabbi Cheses, and the
Youth Committee to create a positive experience for each
child. Our Youth Leadership team enjoys seeing the smiling
faces of our youth as they learn a new game, win a prize,
master a mitzvah, or make a new friend while learning about
the weekly parsha or davening together during ‘Tefillah
Time’ with us!
Because at Shaarei Shomayim: Your Youth = Our Future.
Many of our youth leaders started as young participants
in our programs not so very long ago. We appreciate the
opportunity to grow together with your family as we all
focus on strengthening Jewish values and leadership for all
of our young participants.
We have been very busy getting our Fall Youth Events
Calendar ready for you. Here are some highlights:
We are pleased to offer...
• After school classes in art, sports and science
• Fun and educational Shabbat and Yom Tov
programming featuring the outstanding “Jewnior
Games”
• Saturday night parent-child learning and pizza party
• Shabbat afternoon Bnei Akiva SNIF program
• Plus many special events such as the youth kiddush
luncheon on Rosh Hashanah, the annual Sukkah Hop,
movie nights, special Havdalah service at Baycrest
(m’Ner l’Ner), and Chanukah and Purim fun!
I look forward to greeting all our families at the many
different upcoming events, which will start with our KickOff on Shabbat Ki Tavo, September 5, followed by a Welcome
BBQ on September 7.
I will keep you posted about all upcoming events through
our weekly ‘Youth Matters’ email blasts. This is a great way
for you to keep track of the youth schedule, and we often
include trivia questions or challenges for your kids there too,
so please share it with them.
If you don’t already receive the ‘Youth Matters’ weekly
email update, let me know at [email protected]. You
can also use this email address to contact me if you have any
questions, comments, concerns or ideas during the year.
More about Shabbat Ki Tavo – September 5: this will be
our exciting youth program kick-off Shabbat! Parshat Ki Tavo
discusses the mitzvah of ‫ והלכת בדרכיו‬which is the mitzvah
of emulating the ways of Hashem. This is very relevant,
going into Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and as we start
off the year together. It is important that our youth directors
and leaders build an environment where every child in our
program is helped to be the best they can possibly be.
These are some things that we have in mind as we embark
on our new year together at Shaarei Shomayim.
As always, I can’t wait to see everyone in shul during the
months of Elul and Tishrei. I know together we will have an
amazing time mastering mitzvot! Remember, you put the
YOU in YOUth.
B’ezrat Hashem, this is shaping up to be a SWEET youth
year. Best wishes from me and the entire Youth Leadership
team for a Shanah Tova!
41
Dear Friends,
Our experience in the Shaarei Shomayim congregation during our Sabbatical enriched
tremendously our spiritual and social life in Toronto. The strong commitment of the
community to Judaism and Israel is unique and inspiring. The reciting of the prayer for Israel
and the IDF in Shabbat by all members, and the touching words of R’ Straucher and R’ Chesses
concerning Israel were heartening and encouraging. The warm welcome that we had from
the President, Mrs. Joyce Elkove and the Hachnasat Ocrhim that we experienced by numerous
families in the community is an expression of the special bonds between the community and
visitors from Israel. It was a privilege to be a part of you during our stay. Thank you all, and
best wishes for the upcoming High Holidays. L’ Shana Tova Tikatevu ve’ Techatemu.
Liora and Yona Amitai
Jerusalem
42
Fall 2015
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A
t Reena’s recent Annual General Meeting held before an
audience of over 140 people including Dr. Helena Jaczek,
Minister of Community and Social Services, outgoing
Reena Board Chair Helen Vale, and incoming Chair
Lorne Sossin; UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s Robin
Gofine received the Morris Baker Ish Tzadik Award for her work with
the disabled and commitment to inclusion.
The Morris Baker Ish Tzaddick Award was established in memory
of Morris Baker, to honour a worthy individual or individuals who
have made an outstanding commitment to the enhancement of life for
people with developmental disabilities.
“This year it is my pleasure to present this award to my friend and
colleague Robin Gofine, whose caring dedication and generosity to
people with special needs is an inspiration to us all,” said Bryan Keshen,
President and CEO, Reena, while presenting the award to Gofine.
“Robin is a true role model. In her professional role at UJA Federation
as Vice President, Strategic Planning, she has made accessibility and
inclusion a forefront issue. Robin has, and continues to advocate for
inclusive and accessible programs and services. In her volunteer work
with schools and synagogues, Robin continues that effort and ensures
that the doors are open and systems change. Robin does not just
advocate in the public forum but I have seen Robin acknowledge and
engage the person before acknowledging the disability. Robin you are
Isha tzadiakah, a person of justice, exemplifying the best in seeking to
make the world more righteous.”
“This award represents the collective efforts of many champions of
inclusion within the Jewish community of Toronto,” said Gofine. “I am
very proud to be part of a community that prioritizes the inclusion of
people with disabilities and their families in all aspects of Jewish life”.
“We are proud that Robin’s efforts in support of people with special
needs in the Jewish community have been recognized,” said Morris
Zbar, President and CEO, UJA Federation. “She has been a tireless
advocate both within UJA Federation and in the community-at-large
for a truly inclusive community. Her leadership is an example to us all.”
43
44
Fall 2015
Wishing you and your family a Healthy,
Prosperous and Happy New Year!
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SUSAN YOUNG
sales representative
416.875.7042
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45
file:///Users/Marty/Desktop/Marty's%20Pickles%20Pictures/Sharei%20Shomayim.svg
46
Fall 2015
1/1
Family News
from february 22, 2015
rosh hashanah 2015
We wish Mazal Tov to the following:
to july 25, 2015
Births
BARBIE COHEN on the birth of a grandson,
Jesse Harper, born to Melissa and Josh
Sobel. Ecstatic great grandfather is RALPH
ETIGSON. Thrilled family are Shoshana and
Sheldon Hauer, Ashley and Joshy, MELANIE
AND DAVID GREEN.
EVAN GOLDENTHAL AND ILANA ARJEGOLDENTHAL on the birth of a daughter,
Leore Cesia. Proud grandparents are GEORGE
and CHARLENE ARJE, and Ruth Parker.
Ecstatic uncles and aunts are ELI AND TAMAR
LECHTMAN, DANIELLE ARJE, and Josh
Goldenthal and Shely Polak. Proud great
grandmothers are Shoshana Samuels and
Madeline Rosen.
JULIUS (JJ) AND RAIZY KUHL on the birth
of their son, Sidney. Proud grandparents are
George and Vivienne Kuhl, and Ruchie and
Avrumi Melohn. Excited great grandparents
are Mr. and Mrs. Koneig.
NELLY AND SIMHA MENDELSOHN and Ken
and Moyra Sherman of Waterloo on the
birth of a grandson, Seth Yaakov, born to
Daniel and Jessica Mendelsohn of Vancouver.
Excited aunts and uncles are Sammy and
Jennifer Mendelsohn, Elan Mendelsohn and
Aubrey Sherman. Thrilled big cousin is Nathan
Mendelsohn.
RABBI NOAH AND SARAH CHESES on the
birth of a daughter, Orly Sivan. Ecstatic siblings
are Adina and Natan. Thrilled grandparents
are Aryeh and Nechama Cheses, and Phil and
Julie Weinerman.
FAROKH AND DALYA HAKIMI and Isy
and Ariela Schiller on the birth of twin
grandchildren, a boy, Aiden, and a girl,
Gabriella, born to Isaac Hakimi and Tamar
Schiller Hakimi. Proud big brother is Matan.
AVI HOCHMAN AND RIVKA JAKUBOVIC
on the birth of a baby boy, Zev Michael.
Thrilled grandparents are Dr. Henry and Holly
Jakubovic, and Louis and Susan Hochman.
Great grandparents are Helen Jakubovic,
Frieda Tabak, and Milton and Goldie
Yudkowitz.
STEPHEN AND MELANIE KATZ on the birth of
a son, Chananya Yaakov. Proud grandparents
are SAMY OUANOUNOU AND BARBARA
OUANOUNOU, and Karl and Penny Katz. Proud
great grandparents are Lisa Ouanounou,
Frances Friedman and Joan Soloway.
RALPH AND VICKY LEVINE on the birth of
their first great grandchild, Zevi, born to
Chanie and Efraim Fink of Far Rockaway,
New York. Proud grandparents are Deena and
Shmuli Schwebel, and Esti and Beryl Fink of
Brooklyn, New York.
JASON AND RAQUEL GOLDBERG on the
birth of a daughter, Liora. Special Mazal Tov to
grandparents, Joseph and Sharon Penkower,
Kaplan, and Eric and Gloria Goldberg. Very
special Mazal Tov to great grandparents
William and Dina Tenenbaum. Excited big
siblings are Ezra and Aviva.
JASON AND SHARON LEVY on the birth of a
daughter, Nava Lifsha. Excited sister is Yael.
Proud grandparents are RICHARD AND RENA
LEVY, and Zev and Agi Kaufman.
JOSHUA AND MEREDITH LANDY on the birth
of a son, Joseph Milton (Yosef Matan). Proud
grandparents are JANICE AND KEITH LANDY
and Jane and Robert Herman. Excited aunts
and uncles are ZVI AND MICHELLE SHAVIM,
Ted Herman and Melissa Herman.
ILAN AND STEPHANIE ULMER and Harper,
Poppy and Monty, on the birth of a boy,
Morrison Moses. Thrilled family are: great
grandmother Luba Tamari, grandparents
JOHN AND LORI ULMER, and Marsha Goldberg
and all the aunts, uncles and cousins.
AVI AND SARA FELD on the birth of a son,
Natanel. Proud grandparents are Mendy and
Ahuva Feld and Dov and Malka Asher. Mazal
Tov to all the excited aunts and uncles.
LONNI AND SAM ZEIFMAN on the birth of
twin grandsons, Yonatan Uziel and Ezra Mayer.
Proud parents are Ben and Abby Feferman.
Congratulations to the other grandparents,
Norm Feferman and Fara Heidary, Ellaine
Feferman and Leo Turkel, and to great
grandmother, Bernice Caplan.
GERRY AND PHILLIS HOLLINGER on the birth
of a granddaughter, Zosha Frida. Proud parents
are Avrum Hollinger and Ninat Friedland.
JOSEF AND FAYE WEISMAN and Boris and
Rita Shtulberg on the birth of a granddaughter,
Nessa Alex, born to Avi and Dana Weisman.
Thrilled siblings are Roey and Lev.
YOSEF KRINKSKY on the birth of a grandson,
Yonatan, born to Devora and Meir Davis of
Monsey, NY. Ecstatic siblings are Rivka and
Binyomin.
JAY AND ALIZA STOCHINSKY on the birth
of a son, Yehuda Lev, and a daughter, Chana
Bayla Sora. Excited grandparents are Sheldon
and Barbara Derrick, and Abe Stone. Mazal
Tov also to aunts, uncles and cousins: Chad
and Atara Derrick and Family, Sam and
Lori Stochinsky and Family and to Tamir
Stochinsky. Ecstatic great grandmother is
Ethel Manel of Montreal.
ANDREW NEUMAN on the birth of his
granddaughter, Aliza Esther, born to David
and Rachel Fryman. Proud great grandmother
is Clara Neuman.
BERL AND REBECCA NADLER, and Jeff and
Rhonda Avner on the birth of a granddaughter,
Rose Frances, born to Tova and Seth Avner
of New York. Excited great grandparents are
Doris Nadler, Hart and Clare Rotenberg, and
Sidney and Shirley Godis.
ZVI AND NAOMI GLUSTEIN on the birth of a
daughter Sari Floryn. Excited older brother is
Ilan. Ecstatic grandparents are Joy and Moti
Yunger, Resa and Alan Litwack, and Arieh
Glustein. Thrilled great grandparents are:
Noreen and Cyril Lax, Mena Glustein, Yehuda
Masher, and Zoli Yunger.
STANLEY AND ELLEN MARKIN, Irwin
Schweitzer and Kathi Kovacs on the birth of
a grandson, Eitan Shalom, born to Joel and
Leah Markin. Proud brother is Eliezer Baruch.
Excited great grandparents are Harry and
Libby Kraft.
CAROL KRAVETSKY on the birth of a great
grandson, Dovid Eliezer, born to Aryeh Yehuda
and Freidy Tewel. Ecstatic grandparents are
Sheri Kravetsky, and Rabbi Chaim Tzvi and
Libbi Kakon. Mazal Tov to all the siblings.
LOUIS ZEIFMAN and the late Dorothy
Zeifman z”l on the birth of a great grandson,
Shlomo, born to Amanda and Menashe
Benedict of Philadelphia. Excited siblings are
Tamar Bracha, Hadassah and Chana Leeba.
MOSHE AND BRENDA BESSIN and Ralph and
Vita Engel on the birth of a granddaughter,
Serena, born to Avi and Atara Bessin. Excited
siblings are Uriel and Eliana. Proud great
grandfather is RALPH FROMER. Thrilled
aunts and uncles are HYIM BESSIN, MIRIAM
BESSIN, Aura and Eli Woznica, and great aunt,
BEVERLEY FROMER.
bar / bat mitzvah
MINDY GREEN on the Bar Mitzvah of her
great grandson, Chaim Filler, son of Shira and
Yitzhak Filler of Montreal.
GARY AND JUDY NEINSTEIN on the Bat
Mitzvah in Israel of their granddaughter,
Charly Neinstein. Thrilled parents are Jeff and
Michelle Neinstein and siblings Aja and Billy.
LORRAINE HANSER on the Bar Mitzvah of
her grandson, Adam Hanser, son of Jon and
Sari Hanser. Proud siblings are Jordan and
Samantha Hanser.
47
RALPH AND VICKY LEVINE on the Bat
Mitzvah of their granddaughter, Chanale.
Proud parents are Avromi and Chaya Laya
Kaplan. Excited siblings are Zevi, Ari, Dovi and
Reena.
MARTIN AND GAYLE SABLE and Josif and
Genya Krivyan on the Bar Mitzvah of their
grandson, Jack, son of Josh and Simona
Sable. Ecstatic sister is Julia.
FRED AND TAMMY PARKER on the Bar
Mitzvah of their son, NATAN SHMUEL.
Thrilled siblings are Rachel and Koby. Proud
grandparents are Leonard and Sandy Sitcoff,
and Helen Parker.
MARLON HERSHKOP and Robin Shugar
on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, JOSEPH.
Ecstatic siblings are Daniel, Shira, and Noah.
Proud grandparents are Sabina Hershkop, and
Gerald and Lena Shugar.
IAN AND TOBE TWEYMAN on the Bar Mitzvah
of their grandson, Matthew Lipman, son of
Karen Lipman and Aubrey Lipman. Thrilled
siblings are Samuel and Hannah. Ecstatic great
grandparents are Jack and Edith Tweyman.
SOL AND TAUBE ZEIFMAN on the Bar Mitzvah
of their grandson, Ethan Glickman, son of
Jennifer & Robert Glickman, who was called
to the Torah on Shabbat April 25. Ecstatic
sister is Sophie.
ATTA AND HENRY ZIELENIEC on the Bar
Mitzvah of their grandson, Amiel Shmuel.
Proud parents and siblings are Simcha and
Aviva Zieleniec, Moshe, Chavi and Sarena.
IRWIN AND ROZ WOODROW on the occasion
of the Bat Mitzvahs of their granddaughters,
Aviva, daughter of proud parents Spencer
and Sharon of Israel, and Leeba, daughter of
proud parents Scott and Devorah.
MICHAEL AND CAROLE TYLMAN on the
Bar Mitzvah of their son, ROBBIE. Proud
grandparents are MICHAL TYLMAN, ANDREW
TYLMAN AND JENNIFER SWIMMER, and
Helen and Lloyd Freeman of Montreal. Excited
siblings are Sam and Craig.
RICHARD MAISEL AND SUZY TYLMAN on the
Bar Mitzvah of their son, BENJAMIN MAISEL.
Proud grandparents are ANDREW TYLMAN
AND JENNIFER SWIMMER, MIHAL TYLMAN,
and Julius and Elizabeth Maisel. Proud siblings
are Joshua and Amy.
DAVID BRONFMAN and Rachelle Bronfman
on the Bar Mitzvah of their son, HERSCHEL
ISRAEL. Proud siblings are Shannah and Lyla.
Excited grandmother is Eleanor Yanover.
JOSEPH AND LINDA FRIED on the Bat Mitzvah
of their granddaughter, Tamar Horowitz,
daughter of Moshe and Michal Horowitz of
New York. Excited siblings are Aryeh, Yonatan
and Shmuel.
48
Fall 2015
IRVING BENMERGUI AND RAQUEL MILGROM
on the Bat Mitzvah of their daughter, LIORA.
Excited siblings are Naomi and Audrey. Proud
grandmother is Zitta Milgrom.
PAUL BROWN and Carol Brown on the Bar
Mitzvah of their grandson, Yehoshua Barron,
son of Danny and Bayla Barron in Beit
Shemesh, Israel. Proud older siblings are Uriel,
Akiva, Tehila and Meira.
engagements
ANDREW NEUMAN and Jeff and Rozy Plant
on the engagement of ANNA NEUMAN to
ERIC PLANT. Proud grandmother is Clara
Neuman.
ELLEN WARNER AND JEFF LIPTON on the
engagement of their son EIRAN to ROCKY
(Rochelle) LIPSKY, daughter of Doctors Roz
Feder and Marvin Lipsky. Proud siblings are
Saar, Yossi, Nechama, Miriam and Michael.
Excited grandparents are Sam Warner and
Ella Lipsky.
GOLDA BROWN AND HARRY KRAKOWSKY
on the engagement of their son YONAH to
JANA DANZIGER, daughter of Gayle Danziger
and David Danziger. Proud siblings are AnnaRachel Krakowsky and Marshall Haber, and
Hayley Danziger. Thrilled niece is Shirley Haber.
Excited grandparents are AL G. BROWN and
Shirley Brown z”l, Paula Krakowsky and Joe
Krakowsky z”l, Rene Skurka and Fred Skurka z”l,
Percy Danziger z”l and Gertie Danziger.
JEFF AND LYDIA GOLDFARB on the
engagement of their son, JONATHAN to
RIVKY BRENER, daughter of Rabbi Meir and
Chaya Leah Brener of Mexico City. Excited
siblings are Michael and Eric Goldfarb. Proud
grandparents are ELFRIEDA VALE, and Stan
and Sue Goldfarb.
BRENDA AND BRIAN LASS on the engagement
of their daughter MELISSSA to ROSS, son of
Paul and Michal Linker of Morristown, New
Jersey. Proud grandparents are CYNTHIA
GASNER, Mervin and Myrna Lass, and Shaul
and Elisheva Kilion of Long Island NY. Excited
siblings are SARA AND JORDAN LASS, Shira
Lass, and Wallis Linker.
PETER AND ADRIANNE KLEMENSBERG
on the engagement of their daughter, AVA
to NAPHTALI SILVERMAN, son of Murray
and Susan Silverman of Thornhill. Proud
grandparents are Edit Galfi and Dr. Harry and
Helen Cohen.
CAROL KRAVETSKY on the engagement of her
granddaughter, Atara Rose Tewel, daughter
of Sheri Kravetsky, to Yaakov Anhang, son
of Shlomo Zalman and Yocheved Anhang of
Toronto. Mazal Tov to all the siblings.
BARRY AND GILDA WALTMAN on the
engagement of their son, BRIAN to KIM
LICHTMAN, daughter of Howard and Riki
Lichtman. Proud grandparents are Toby
Waltman and Chana Kwinta. Excited siblings
are Jeremy and Shauna Bornstein, Ari and
Laura Levin, JORDAN WALTMAN, and Kyle
Lichtman.
marriages
CLIFF AND KATY KORMAN on the marriage
of their son, NOAL to JACKLYN WEISZ,
daughter of Irma Weisz and Sam Skurecki and
Ami Weisz. Thrilled brother and sister-in-law
are Aaron and Lara Korman.
ROZ FINE on the occasion of her son,
BRETT’s marriage (son of Alan Fine) to KATIE,
daughter of Ellie and John Wright. Mazal Tov
to the entire extended family on this very
special milestone.
BERL AND REBECCA NADLER on the recent
marriage of their daughter, BATYA to MATT
ALBERT, son of Steven and Brenda Albert
of East Brunswick, New Jersey. Mazal Tov to
the grandparents Doris Nadler, and Hart and
Clare Rotenberg, and siblings Ariella, Hillel
and Tova, and Tova and Seth.
HARVEY AND YETTA BRENMAN on the
recent marriage of their granddaughter,
Shayna, daughter of Hersh and Pam Brenman,
to Tzvi, son of Simi and Mille Grosman. Proud
grandparents are Annette and Jack Day,
Elayne Isenberg, and Imre and Ann Grosman.
LORRAINE HANSER on the marriage of
her grandson, Dale Abrams, son of Kim and
Jon Abrams, to Falyn Waltman, daughter of
Elyse and Danny Waltman. Proud siblings are
Jesse and Shani, Lee, Ryan, Ahron and Sarah
Abrams, Adam and Samara Waltman, and
Eryn and Andrew Sturgel.
ROSLYN BERGER on the marriage of her
grandson, Jacob Batist, son of Susan and
Bruce Batist, to Jillian Taras daughter of
Sherri and David Taras. Excited siblings are
Noah, Judah and Aiden Batist, and Adam
and Jennifer Taras. Proud grandparents from
Montreal are Phil and Gert Batist, Eli and Judy
Cohen, and Elca Taras.
JOHN AND HELEN PETO on the marriage of
their daughter, KATHY to YONI WEITZNER,
son of Leora and Dov Weitzner. Excited
siblings are David & Bracha Peto, and Elinor
Weitzner.
JACOB POSLUNS our new Youth Director, and
DEBRA VATENMAKHER on their marriage.
Proud parents are Richard and Cathy Posluns
and Gary and Deena Vatenmakher. Excited
grandmothers are Nancy Posluns and Brukha
Vatenmakher.
RISA AND LOUIS VANDERSLUIS and Glenda
and Philip Solomon on the marriage of
their children, YONA and ADAM. Proud
grandparents are Helen Parker, Esther and
Ed Vandersluis, and Aaron Solomon. Excited
siblings are Daniel, Jonathan, Avi and Maddie,
and Eli Vandersluis, Marc and Sara Solomon,
and Meagan and Ben Wachtel.
RICHARD AND IRINA KAY on the marriage
of their son, GREG to DEENA ROGOZINSKY,
daughter of Eddy and Danielle Rogozinsky.
Excited siblings are JEFFREY and SERENA
KAY, Jamie, Janie, Joelle and David
Rogozinsky, Jessica and Yoni Lieberman.
Excited grandparents are Abe and Barbra
Rogozinsky, Raphael Rouimi and Simone
Benarroch, Judith Kay, Pierre Milman and
Milcah Milman.
anniversaries and birthdays
BERNIE AND ANNA KLEINBERG on their
wedding anniversary.
BERNARD AND LILLIAN COOPER who are
celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.
RALPH WINTROB on his 85th birthday!
HENRY ZIELENIEC on his 70th birthday!
special announcements
Yashar Koach to Canada National Chidon
HaTanach contestants ZEV BELL, ELIYAHU
FREUDENSTEIN, NATAN PARKER, JACOB
RINGEL, MICHAEL ROBERTS, and ZAHAVAH
ZARNETT-KLEIN, who competed in Montreal
among over 100 students from across Canada.
A special Mazal Tov to ZAHAVAH who was the
3rd-place winner, and to ELIYAHU for placing 4th,
among the top five final-round contestants in
the Grade 5-6 Hebrew division.
Mazal Tov to DANIELLA SILVER on the launching
of her new cookbook, The Silver Platter.
condolences to
LILY MENCELES, and Andrew and Judy
Menceles on the passing of their husband,
father and father-in-law, PAUL MENCELES z”l.
RICKY AND DIANNA ZAUDERER, Johnny
and Helene Zauderer and their families on
the passing of their mother, mother-in-law,
grandmother and great-grandmother, Erika
Zauderer z”l.
BARRY AND NELLY ZAGDANSKI, Ian and Sara
Zagdanski, Felicia and David Posluns, and
Debbie and Hart Cohen on the passing of their
mother and mother-in-law, Johanna Klein z”l.
HOWARD AND NICOLE SCHWARTZ, Rochelle
and Vernon Balaban, and Debbie and Richard
Posner on the passing of their mother and
mother-in-law, LILLIAN SCHWARTZ z”l.
Sylvia Starkman, JOSEPH STARKMAN AND
MELISSA JOSEPH, Miriam Starkman, Hannah
and Roman Ken, REBECCA, DANIELLE, and
NATHAN STARKMAN on the passing of their
husband, father and father-in-law, brother
and grandfather, Henry Starkman z”l.
Mazal Tov to DR. KUSIEL PERLMAN on being
honoured by Sick Kids Hospital upon his
retirement.
IAN AND HEATHER RINGEL, Lorraine Ringel
and Jacob Ringel on the passing of their father,
father-in-law, husband and grandfather, Abe
Ringel z”l.
Mazal Tov to ADAM son of ANNE BURGER,
brother of TOREIGH and ETHAN on becoming
a CPA.
Panzer family on the passing of their mother,
mother-in-law and sister, BAYLA PANZER z”l.
Mazal Tov to the following members who are
recipients of UJA Federation’s Annual Volunteer
awards. The recognition pays homage to
these rare individuals and acknowledges our
community’s most respected, talented and
committed volunteers – the engine that truly
drives Jewish Toronto:
CHARLENE ARJE – Volunteer of the Year for
Shaarei Shomayim. This marks my 10th year
of involvement at Shaarei Shomayim, where
I am the beneficiary of a community where
people practice their Judaism with pride. I feel
blessed with our caring and capable clergy
and involved membership.
ARIEL ZAUDERER – Volunteer of the Year for
Zareinu.
SARI ROSENBLUM – Volunteer of the Year for
Emunah Toronto.
YAEL WOLYNETZ JAKUBOVIC – Volunteer of
the Year for Canadian Friends of Yad Sarah.
SHANA DALE – Volunteer of the Year for
Netivot HaTorah.
STEPHEN ALTBAUM on receiving the UJA’s
Professional Advisory Committee Award.
Vivienne and Martin Applebaum, Marilyn
Ouellette, Samara Applebaum and Mackenzie
Ouellet on the passing of their mother, motherin-law and grandmother, RITA KUGLER z”l.
ERIKA TANNENBAUM, Stephen Tannenbaum,
Denyse Tannenbaum and David Horwitz, and
Renee Tannenbaum on the passing of their
husband, father and father-in-law, LOUIS
TANNENBAUM z”l.
ELLEN AND GEORGE FANTUS, Marilyn and
Henry Leighton and Mark Poznansky and
Alona Feldman on the passing of their father
and father-in-law, Eric Poznansky z”l.
AURELIA AND MICKEY OSTRO and Elinor and
Eyal Goshen on the passing of their mother
and mother-in-law, Aviva Malatzky z”l.
BLIMA AND STEPHEN DREEZER and Sid and
Elaine Milech on the passing of their brother
and brother-in-law, Harvey Milech z”l.
STEVEN ALBIN AND DONNA MARGLES,
Ruthy and Joseph Rudner, Janet and Stanley
Zeliger and, Sara Albin and Colin Smith on the
passing of their mother and mother-in-law,
Esther Albin z”l.
JONATHAN VANDERSLUIS on receiving
the UJA’s Community Connect Leadership
Award.
49
professionally we serve
specializing in pre-arrangements
905-881-6003 | www.steeles.org
professionally we care
50
Fall 2015
JOIN US!
Open
Houses
Posluns
Education
Centre
18 Neptune Dr.
(Bathurst & Wilson)
•SUNDAY•
OCTOBER 18th
[10:00 AM]
At Associated you will discover:
• A community school welcoming families
from all backgrounds
• Innovative approaches to
literacy, technology, the arts and
meeting individual needs
Associated
Cedarvale
1445 Eglinton Ave. W.
(Beth Sholom Synagogue)
•SUNDAY•
OCTOBER 18th
[3:00 PM]
Kamin
Education
Centre
300 Atkinson Ave.
(Bathurst & Centre, Thornhill)
•TUESDAY•
OCTOBER 27th
[7:30 PM]
ASK US
ABOUT :
• Free
Busing
•Financial
Assistance
for JK & SK
TO RSVP OR BOOK
A PERSONAL TOUR:
Pearl Greenspan
[email protected]
905-889-3998 x 508
VIEW
our e-brochure at www.ThisIsAssociated.com
5776 | July 2015
Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto – OPEN HOUSEtishrei-cheshvan-kislev-tevet
AD | Adath Israel – 7.5”w x 10.25”h
51
Dates to Remember
Sept. 5 (Motzel Shabbat)
470 Glencairn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5N 1V8
Telephone (416) 789-3213 • Fax (416) 789-1728
www.shomayim.org • E-mail [email protected]
OFFICE HOURS
Monday - Thursday..............................................8:30am - 5:00pm
Friday......................................................................... 8:30am - 2:00pm
Shabbat, Sunday.........................................................................Closed
WHO’S WHO
Rabbi...........................................................................Chaim Strauchler
Assistant Rabbi............................................................... Noah Cheses
Shamash / Baal Koreh..................................................Ralph Levine
Cantor.................................................................................. Zvi Katzman
Rabbi, Downstairs Minyan..................................... Elliott Diamond
President............................................................................Joyce Eklove
Executive Director................................................... Nicole Toledano
Youth Director...............................................................Jacob Posluns
Bulletin Contributor...............................................Lawrence Savlov
Sept. 7
Sept. 13
Selichot and Kumzitz
Labour Day. Welcome BBQ for Shinshinim
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Sept. 14-15
Rosh Hashanah
Sept. 16
Tzom Gedaliah
Sept. 22
Erev Yom Kippur
Sept. 23
Yom Kippur
Sept. 24Sale of Lulavim and Etrogim at Shaarei Shomayim
Sept. 27Erev Sukkot
Sept. 28-29Sukkot
Sept. 30-Oct. 3Chol HaMoed Sukkot
Oct. 4Hoshanah Rabbah
Oct. 5Shemini Atzeret
Oct. 6Simchat Torah
DONATIONS
Capital Fund.........................................................................$18 and up
Library Fund.........................................................................$18 and up
Philip Zucker Torah Fund.................................................$18 and up
Phillip Wintrob Youth Fund............................................$18 and up
Rabbi’s Charity Fund.........................................................$18 and up
Volunteer Appreciation Fund........................................$18 and up
Beit Medrash Book Fund................................................$36 and up
Chessed Fund......................................................................$36 and up
Memorial Plaques..........................................................................$400
Tree of Life: Leaf.......................................................................... $1,800
Tree of Life: Stone...................................................................... $5,400
SPONSORSHIPS
Regular Shabbat Kiddush.........................................................$780*
Shabbat Mevorchim Kiddush.................................................$1,100*
Downstairs Minyan Kiddush.......................................................$275
Hashkama Minyan Kiddush.......................................................$200
Seudah Shlishit...............................................................................$200
Teen Minyan Kiddush...................................................................$200
Chessed Fund Sponsor a Meal.................................................... $72
Flowers for the Sanctuary.............................call for more details
Youth Kiddush....................................................................................$54
Weekday Breakfast: per day........................................................ $72
Weekday Breakfast: per week.................................................. $250
*Partial sponsorships available........................... starting at $195
To make a donation or arrange for a sponsorship, please call
the shul office or go to www.shomayim.org. Tax receipts will
be issued.
ENDOWMENTS
Endowment funds can be set up to suit your individual
requirements. For further information, please contact the
shul office.
Oct. 20The Shabbat Project Cholent Cook-off
Oct. 21Cholent Tasting and Winner’s Announcement
Oct. 23-24Shabbat Project with Shlomo Katz
Oct. 31Holocaust Education Week presents Dr. Elliott Malamet
interviews Rabbi Nechemia Polen:
Out of the Holy Fire: The Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto
and the Post-War Rebirth of His Work
Nov. 1End of Daylight Savings Time
set clocks back one hour at 2:00am
Nov. 2Medical Halacha with Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner:
Minors and Medicine: Who Decides?
Nov. 8Lecture: Lara Bloom Speaks about
Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS)
Nov. 9Holocaust Education Week closing Night Program
Nov. 15Nishmat Health and Halacha Day for Women
Nov. 21-22Torah in Motion Annual Conference: Renewing Our Spirit
dec. 6-14Chanukah
dec. 12MiNer L’Ner program
dec. 22
Fast of the 10th of Tevet
Bnei Mitzvah Programs 5776
We look forward to great bar and bat mitzvah
programs again this year. If you are interested in
participating, please contact Rabbi Strauchler at
[email protected].

High Holidays 2015

Transcription

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