Last Tuesday, the judge in the Derek Chauvin trial read aloud the decisions of the jury. Chauvin was found guilty on three charges for the murder and manslaughter of George Floyd. Millions of people across North America celebrated the verdict and breathed a sigh of relief. In this case of blatant police violence, in this …
In Jewish practice, brachot/blessings give us the language to express joy and gratitude. Brachot also function as the spiritual technology for lifting experiences, mundane as well as sublime experiences, into elevated moments of consciousness and wonder. Particular experiences are assigned their particular blessings to root us where we are, directly linked with the action we …
Miriam’s Cup: What’s the Blessing for the Covid Vaccine? Read More »
The Danforth Multifaith Commons was born in 2020, when three faith communities – East End United Regional Ministry, the Danforth Jewish Circle, and Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation – joined in a long-term partnership. This partnership formalized many years of multifaith collaboration among our congregations and other faith communities, including an annual solidarity walk on the Danforth. …
We Are Excited to Be a Founding Partner in the Danforth Multifaith Commons Read More »
30 March 202117 Nisan 5781 וכל המרבה לספר ביציאת מצרים הרי זה משובח And the more one expounds on and interprets the storyof the Exodus from Mitzrayim, the more elevated it is. Dear DJC Member, You’re receiving this letter almost exactly a year since the first lockdown. You may agree, it’s been quite a rollercoaster, with …
These two weeks in the month of Nissan prior to Pesach are a time of preparation. Here are some ways you can prepare for a liberating Pesach for yourself and others: *Clean out your chametz – foods made from the 5 grains: wheat, barley, spelt, rye, and oats. You can donate food, give it to neighbours …
Brandeis University’s Center for Modern Jewish Studies has released a study of Interfaith families in Greater Toronto. The project was initiated by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto with the desire to understand the needs and experiences of interfaith families. I have the pleasure of participating in UJA’s Interfaith Working Group, along with a thoughtful and …
Miriam’s Cup: Interfaith Families in Toronto – A Brandeis Study Read More »
We have all been there; having a job that you never seem to get around to doing. For a while, one of mine has been washing the DJC’s tallitot, and with time to spare now, I decided to start. I realized they would need to be done by hand as the tzitzit (fringes) would get …
As I listened to Amanda Gorman perform her powerful poem at Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration, I remembered and re-remembered this statement – “artists are the new rabbis.” These were the words of Kendell Pinkney, a theatre artist and rabbinical student who moderated the recent panel, ‘Art and Artists On Being Black and Jewish,’ assembled by Fenster …
I was walking with a dear friend in High Park right after a beautiful snowfall. Tree branches held ribbons of snow along their leafless lengths. The cedars and spruces wore the snow more thickly among their needles. The ground was so soft, muffling the sounds of traffic and voices and our footsteps. We followed a …
Miriam’s Cup: Learning From Trees – What Will Get Us Through the Winter Read More »
Some of us have asked, “How big a donation should I give to the DJC over and above my Membership fees?” There are so many variables that a simple straightforward answer is not possible. We hear a Jewish voice saying, “On the von hand and then on di udher hand…” “I do not believe one can settle how …
How do I decide what to give as my donation to the DJC this year? Read More »
This past weekend, I spent more time in our sanctuary at Bethminster than I have in the past 9 months! I felt a special kind of quiet and reverence walking into the space. The colourful fabric banners were already hanging on the walls and the aron kodesh (the ark) was in its place on …
Miriam’s Cup: What 15 B’nei Mitzvah Students are Teaching Me About Chanukah Read More »
The Nominating Committee consists of one Board representative and three community members who responded to a broad call for members. We were asked to reach out to the membership for recommendations to fill upcoming vacancies on the Board, consider potential candidates, and present a list of nominees to fill the vacant positions for a two-year term at the …
Revised Nominating Committee Report to the Membership – October 30, 2020 Read More »
