Newsletter. Service Schedule. Inside this issue... IT S WHERE YOU BELONG. June/July 2017, Sivan/Tamuz/Av 5777 Volume 28 Number 10

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1 IT S WHERE YOU BELONG Newsletter Volume 28 Number 10 Service Schedule Erev Shabbat (Friday night) June 2 Family Service June 9 Seudah / Service June 16 Seudah Kol Bo Shabbat Service June 23 Seudah Garden Service June 30 Service July 7 Seudah Garden Service July 14 Seudah / Service July 21 Seudah Garden Service July 28 Seudah / Service Shabbat Morning June 3, 10, 17 and 24 Breakfast and Torah Study Service June 17 Temple Tots July 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 Breakfast and Torah Study Service Daily Morning Service Monday to Friday Except High Holy Days/Festivals Sundays and Statutory Holidays Inside this issue... Weekly Torah Portions Rabbi s Message Executive Message Farewell Rabbi Gruber Susan Sermer Retirement General Meeting Volunteer Recognition Shinshinim News President s Circle Daytime Speaker Series Lunch and Learn Karen Weiss Recognition Kamp Kol Bo Shabbat Holiday Gift Show Sisterhood News Italy Trip Sabbatical Update Ice Cream Shabbat Community Corner Social Action Israel Culture Club Temple News/Tributes June/July Calendar 7:30 p.m. 6:00 / 6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:00 / 6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 6:00 / 6:30 p.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 7:15 a.m. 9:15 a.m. Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 7 Page 8 Page 8 Page 9 Page 9 Page 10 Page 10 Page 11 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 17 Page 18 Page 20

2 WEEKLY TORAH PORTIONS 7360 Bayview Avenue Thornhill, Ontario L3T 2R7 Phone: Fax: June/July 2017 Sivan/Tamuz/Av 5777 Volume 28 Number 10 * * * * * Rabbi Cory Weiss Sabbatical Rabbi Benjie Gruber Rabbi Emeritus Michael Stroh Cantorial Soloist Tara Abrams President Stacey Silverberg Executive Vice-President Jeff Dessau Executive Director Carol Handelman Newsletter Editor, Layout and Design Courtney Bachar * * * * * This newsletter is a publication of the Temple Har Zion Communications Committee and is published 11 times per year: January, February, March, April, May, June/July, August, September, October, November, and December. Temple Har Zion is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. June 2-3 Naso Haftarah June 9-10 B haalot cha Haftarah June Sh lach Lecha Haftarah June Machar Chodesh Korach Haftarah June 30 - July 1 Chukat Haftarah July 7-8 Balak Haftarah July Pinchas Haftarah July Matot-Masei Haftarah July Shabbat Chazon D varim Haftarah Numbers 4:21-7:89 Judges 13:2-25 Numbers 8:1-12:16 Zechariah 2:14-4:7 Numbers 13:1-15:41 Joshua 2:1-24 Numbers 16:1-18:32 First Samuel 20:18-42 Numbers 19:1-22:1 Judges 11:1-33 Numbers 22:2-25:9 Micah 5:6-6:8 Numbers 25:10-30:1 Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 Numbers 30:2-36:13 Jeremiah 2:4-28; 3:4 Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22 Isaiah 1:1-27 CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING B NAI MITZVAH ADAM BERMAN Son of Jill and Steven Berman Bar Mitzvah June 10, 2017 REBECCA HUSS Daughter of Katherine and Howard Huss Bat Mitzvah June 24,

3 RABBI S MESSAGE Saying goodbye and thank you by Rabbi Benjie Gruber Shalom THZ members, As you read these words, I will have about another month left here at Temple. It has been wonderful for me. It has been great for Tovi, Yair, Ella and Anna too. We arrived in Toronto mid-october to a fully furnished house (thank you, Lisa Margolese), including framed photographs of our family! (Thank you Tara Abrams for that final detail.) We were also genuinely made to feel welcome by the Temple Har Zion congregation and office staff. I could not have hoped or dreamed of a better experience for me and my family. I led services, taught Torah Study, spent some Sundays at Beit Midrash morning services, prepared Divrei Torah with Bar and Bat Mitzvah children and their parents, visited the sick, comforted mourners, and even officiated at a wedding. And I loved the Purim shpiel! If you were there, you could probably tell. I learned so much about being a Reform Rabbi in Canada. Although I gave of myself, I got so much more back. I am truly grateful to the THZ executive and board, to the office staff, teachers, parents and everyone I met. Everyone has been warm and welcoming. I am not surprised. It is known around the world that Canadians are nice and polite, but this was above and beyond. What I felt, and still feel, is genuine deep love and appreciation. Yet, it cannot indeed be that everyone was, and is, happy with me. No rabbi is a fit for everyone, and I am sure that some felt I was not (and that is a good situation) the rabbi they needed during this eight-month period. I am also sure that here and there I offended, annoyed and hurt people s feelings. Therefore, I wish to apologize to those who were hurt by me in any way, at any time. S licha from the bottom of my heart. Rabbi Yisrael Salanter ( ), the father of the Mussar movement (and a great scholar) said, A Rabbi who no one in the community disagrees with is not really a Rabbi, and a Rabbi who fears his community is not really a man. When I gave my first D var Torah at THZ in November, the portion was Noah. I said that while Rabbi Weiss was away for eight months, my job would be to make sure not to rock the boat - just to keep us all on course. I did not do this alone. We were not flooded (well, I am not in charge of the winter we had), and I basically followed the course set by the wonderful leadership of THZ. It has been an honour and a pleasure. Many should be thanked, but the one I learned the most from, and who had to suffer because much of what I was doing here was new to me, is your amazing Cantorial Soloist, Tara Abrams. You can all be very grateful to Tara. When I did rock the boat, she was there to tell me how to navigate. Of course, it was not Tara alone who helped me fulfil my role at THZ. If I start mentioning names, this article would go on forever. Therefore, I hope to find time in the next 30 days to thank all those people in person, face to face. The most important person, and the one who truly allowed me to succeed at my job, is Tovi, my dear, wonderful and supportive wife. While we have been here, Tovi was a full-time mom and took care of everything at our home. I could work, be patient and focused, and be rabbinical only because Tovi took care of everything else. As Rabbi Akiva said of his wife, when many complimented him on his leadership and Torah, Sheli veshelachem, Shela hu - Mine and yours is hers (due to her). Toda Tovi. Every compliment I get is really directed to Tovi. Complaints about me are solely mine. I am very sad as I realize my time here is about to end, but I am also very happy to have had this opportunity to be a sabbatical rabbi for such a wonderful congregation. I have many experiences and memories that I will cherish, and know that I have made many new friends. As I prepare to return home to Israel, please know THZ has a special place in my heart. My life is in Israel. I am needed there and I need to live there. I feel privileged to be living in the Jewish State after 2000 years of no such option. I am also honoured to be bringing the message of Reform Judaism to Israelis who are thirsty for the kind of spiritual Jewish experience that you are all privileged to share at THZ. Shalom, With love and respect, Benjie Gruber 3

4 EXECUTIVE MESSAGE So long, farewell by Stacey Silverberg, President Those who know me will tell you that my favourite movie of all time is The Sound of Music. So much so that when it came out, my mother had to hire a babysitter to go to the movie with me because she was tired of seeing it. To this day, I cannot resist seeing this movie and hearing the songs takes me back to my childhood. Today, as I sit here writing my final article as your president, So Long, Farewell keeps popping into my head, but I am not saying goodbye as I have the good fortune of still being an active member as your incoming immediate past president. As I reflect on the past two years in this role, I look back with much pride on what we ve been able to achieve in this time and will continue to achieve as we go forward. We have had some incredible accomplishments, starting with the construction and dedication of our new beautiful Debby Kaplan Sanctuary. At the same time, we were able to continue to invest in our Legacy fund through our fundraising efforts for this momentous sanctuary renewal. We took on other large projects such as our partnership with our neighbours to sponsor the wonderful Elendari family so they could settle in Canada after escaping war-torn Syria. We learned so much through this extraordinary example of Tikkun Olam. We fundraised to be able to bring the family here safely, and we have committed members who continue to help the Elendari family adjust to life in Canada and work toward independent living after their first year. We have much to be proud of. Equally so, we can be incredibly proud of the partnership between THZ and IMIC. We are a shining example to others that Jews and Muslims can not only co-exist but also partner, look for common ground and break down preconceived notions among both of our communities. We spent the first year of my term continuing to plan for Rabbi Weiss s sabbatical so he could rest, refresh, study and come back with valuable ideas to help Temple Har Zion grow. At the same time, we were lucky enough to secure Rabbi Gruber to fill in during Rabbi Weiss s absence, and having him here along with his family ended up being a wonderful blessing. Rabbi Gruber was a perfect fit to help us manage through the sabbatical, and he leaves THZ in good standing (along with the superhuman efforts of our Cantorial Soloist Tara Abrams) for Rabbi Weiss to return to us in July. As part of my presidency, I wanted to tackle three main areas that I had personally identified as priorities for my term. I am sure you ve all heard these three words over and over ATTRACTION, ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION. To that end, we had the intensive efforts of two task forces to evaluate our synagogue one on Religious School and one on Membership. I am pleased to report that positive changes were made to the 2016/17 school year due to the work of the task force. The goal was to evaluate our strengths and also to look for ways in which we could keep up with the changing times in the Jewish supplementary school system. This was important as often our school is the feeder into our other major area of evaluation membership. Our Membership task force spent a great deal of time evaluating attraction, engagement and retention. After a careful assessment, the task force recommended that we hire a part time, dedicated and paid resource to focus on our membership needs. It is no longer good enough to do this off the sides of our desks. This is the time to take a calculated risk to attract new members and retain and engage our current membership. I am delighted to say that we hope to begin recruiting shortly and if we find an appropriate candidate, that person will ideally be in the role by early July. This all speaks to another word many have often heard me say SUSTAINABILITY. I hope that the efforts of these committees will contribute to the sustainability and viability of our Temple for many, many years to come. With regard to other accomplishments, I would say that hiring a new Director of Education to replace Susan after her successful 15-year tenure was also significant. Due to the efforts of this Search Committee, we have appointed Ronit-Strobel Dahan, who will be joining us in July. I am confident that she will be a fresh addition to our school and our professional leadership team building on the success of the solid foundation Susan has left behind as her legacy. At the same time, we ve also had to make some hard decisions over the last couple of years and change is never easy. Every choice was made through the lens in the best interests of Temple Har Zion; our leadership used an equal amount of head and heart in making those decisions especially those that affected our employees. We had to make personnel changes and structural changes in roles as well as difficult budgetary decisions. All of these more significant accomplishments I have specifically written about are what come to me right now, but the reality is that so much more is done each and every day by a very committed group of clergy, staff and lay leadership. The past two years have been a privilege for me. I could not have done this role without the support of the executive, board, clergy, THZ staff and our dedicated volunteers. I am very grateful for each and every one of you and for the continued commitment you make to Temple Har Zion a place we all love. I hope that in some small way I have added positively to the future of Temple Har Zion. I feel that I have gained so much by undertaking this role. I have grown immeasurably, both personally and professionally. For this I remain indebted to the members of Temple Har Zion for entrusting our home with me for the last two years. I want to thank my family my husband, Jordan, my two daughters, Aly and Jessica, and my mother, Sharon, for being so understanding of my time commitments over the last two years and supporting me at every turn. We all have such a love for THZ and I know we will continue to be engaged in this wonderful place it s where we belong. Finally, I would like to say that it s not good-bye. It s see you later after Jordan and I go off to Italy to celebrate some personal milestones and also the closure of my term. I will return refreshed and renewed to support our new president Jeff Dessau in any way that I can. I have great confidence in Jeff and know that he will do an excellent job at leading this congregation. L hitra ot. Don t cry because it s over. Smile because it happened. -- Dr. Seuss 4

5 FAREWELL RABBI GRUBER 5

6 SUSAN SERMER RETIREMENT It s been swell by Susan Sermer By the time you read this in the June/July Newsletter, I will be officially retired and hanging out with my adorable grandson and his parents in Jerusalem. Below is the text of the speech I gave at my honouring at the May Family Service. 6 Shabbat Shalom! As you can well imagine, I have spent a fair bit of time leading up to this day reflecting back on the last 15 years of my tenure as Director of Education here at Temple Har Zion. One of the things I realized that was together with my three years as a Teacher Training Coordinator for our madrichim, or student teachers, I have spent 18 years as a Jewish educator. Chai years. Chai. Life. How did that happen, given how life began? Growing up in communist Czechoslovakia, all I knew about Judaism was that most of my extended family perished in the Shoah, and that it is best not to mention one s Jewish background to anyone. It was not until a few years after arriving in Canada, when I was 18 and starting university, that I began to realize that I was being drawn to explore my Jewish heritage. Then came years of study both university and Judaism followed by family and a career as an educator in the secular school system. In the meantime, Paul and I and our two girls found a Jewish home at Temple Har Zion, with Tanya and Julie attending nursery school, religious school, becoming B not Mitzvah and Confirmed, and holding executive positions from Religious VP to Social Action VP to President both at the Temple and regional levels of our Reform Youth movement. When the opportunity came for me to work here at Temple, it was a no-brainer. The job combines my love of education with my love for Judaism, and it has been a remarkable journey. Much has changed over the years I have been the Director of Education new Judaic curriculum; new Hebrew curriculum; new day for Beit Midrash; new location (here at Temple) for two of the three days of our school. We now have an amazing Israel Engagement program; we have a Family Education program that is attended by close to 100 per cent of families; we have Judaic and Hebrew programs that work together seamlessly thank you Karen Weiss for working with me on that. What remains steady amongst all the changes is the incredible school and Temple family we have here. Let me elaborate. When I tell some of my colleagues in the city that I have not had to hire any new teachers for years, they are amazed. The supplementary system is infamous for a high rate of staff turnover. Not Temple Har Zion! We have an incredible teaching community of dedicated, outstanding individuals who go well above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that our children have a positive experience in the school while learning, forming lifelong friendships, growing into committed Reform Jews, and eventually becoming leaders in the community. A midrash tells of God s insistence that The teachers of youth, who perform their work in sincerity and with joy, shall sit at my right hand. God will one day have amazing company in our teachers. Of course there is no school without the key ingredient students. And ours are awesome! No offence to anyone, but the kids are what I will miss most. Each one of them is unique, and brings his or her own personality, skills, and charms to the group. I love interacting with them on all levels serious as well as fun. And even when I have to be the heavy occasionally, I know all will be well because of the love and respect we have for each other. The students could not be here learning and growing if it weren t for their parents encouraging them, driving them, cheering them on. As I have quoted many times in the past, it takes a village to raise a child, and our village is doing a great job. The school, the programs, in fact the Temple itself could not function without the incredible staff we have in the office. The two executive directors I have worked with Karen Grimm and Carol Handelman always have the big picture in mind and are ready to listen and advise. Working in the front office, Debby, Charlotte and Barb are always helpful. Barb is the numbers genius in the office. At budget time, she is not only incredibly helpful, she is also year after year after year willing to listen to my whining about how much I don t enjoy doing this part of my job, and how I d much rather be writing curriculum. (My apologies to any treasurers past or present who may be listening.) Charlotte is the newest member of our office staff and is the one who assists me with school administration. Her help, cheerful demeanour, sense of humour, initiative and willingness to learn are admirable. She has been a fabulous addition to our team. Six years ago we brought a new component into our congregation shinshinim. These teens have brought Israel to us in a way we non-israeli old folks never could. Yehonatan and Mor, Oded and Stav, Asaf and Noam, Neta and Dan, Ayellet and Itamar, and arriving in August Idan and Raz were and are an absolute pleasure to work with. I consider them extended family, and see the ones who are back home and serving in the army every time I am lucky enough to be in Israel. And now that three of the young people I mentioned above have finished their army service, it will be fascinating to watch where the next stage of life takes them. I have had the incredible honour and privilege to work closely with four rabbis Rabbi Stroh, Rabbi Shekel, Rabbi Weiss, and Rabbi Gruber. Each one of these rabbis has unique gifts and talents, and I have been able to learn much from each and every one of them. From Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig to Israeli poetry and everything in between, these four have helped widen my horizons beyond what I could have imagined, and I will forever be grateful. I want to say about these teachers of mine what Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai

7 SUSAN SERMER RETIREMENT said about his teacher Rabbi Hillel: If all the heavens were parchment and all the trees were quills and all the seas were ink, it would still be impossible for me to write down even a small part of all that I learned from my teachers. Thank you I promise to continue learning. One great ambition of my life was to have a good singing voice doesn t have to be fabulous, I just wanted to be able to carry a tune without feeling self-conscious. That is an ambition that will clearly never be fulfilled. So I have lived vicariously through Tara and Eleanor, enjoying their musical talents. My mother, alavha hashalom, who was the sweetest woman on earth (some of you may remember her) used to say that Tara has the voice of a beautiful bird. Eleanor s piano playing and perfect pitch have been legendary in our musical home since she and I planned our now thirtysomething daughters Bat Mitzvah celebrations together the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Last but definitely not least, I want to say a huge thank you to my family. It is not possible to have a successful career with long and sometimes unpredictable hours, involving evenings and weekends, without a supportive family. They have all been amazing over the years. I do have to acknowledge that my husband Paul has taken the brunt of the neglect. No wonder he has Swiss Chalet and Mama Pizza on speed dial! Thank you, Paul; thank you, Tanya and family; thank you, Julie and family you are the best anyone could ask for, and I love you all very much! As the end of May approaches, people ask me if I am excited about my impending retirement. My answer always is yes, but with some mixed feelings. I will miss all the aspects of my work I spoke about earlier. I do, however, have great hope for the future of education at Temple Har Zion. Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, in his book Gift of Soul, Gift of Wisdom, says the following: Education is of course about training the intellect, but it is also about instilling values, building character, and cultivating wonder. One of the most valued goals in education is learning menschlichkeit, the idea of being the best one can be. To be a mensch is a life-long journey involving every aspect of our being: our intellect, our knowledge, our relationships, our very souls. Har Zion s children, teens and young adults who are products of our system are mensches in every sense, and I have no doubt we will continue to produce mensches for many years to come. As far as the other end of the spectrum of the mixed feelings I am definitely looking forward to being able to do things I haven t been able to do: My books-to-read list is long; my house could use some TLC, there are courses I d like to take; movies and plays to see. But more than anything I am looking forward to spending more time with my family. As you know, most of my family is here in Toronto and it will be great to be able to hang out with them more. I hope to spend more time in Israel with my older daughter and her family; in case you hadn t heard, my eight-month old grandson Noam is the most adorable baby on this planet. Grandparenting Ethan, Carly, Jordan, Dana, Oded and Noam is an indescribable experience, and I look forward to experiencing it more intensely. Thank you for this amazing evening. Thank you to all who had a part in organizing this great celebration. In particular, thank you to my wonderful friend Brena Taylor, to my wonderful daughter Julie Sermer and my wonderful colleague and friend Carol Handelman for spearheading this event I am more touched and moved than I can say. Thank you all for being here tonight. This is definitely not goodbye Temple Har Zion is my second home and I plan to be around a lot. Shabbat Shalom. 7

8 SHINSHINIM NEWS Meet our new Shinshinim by Jodi Rachman Patel We would like to introduce Idan and Raz, our new Shinshinim for next year! Please watch this wonderful video (link below) they have created to introduce themselves to you! Idan comes from Eilat and travelled to Toronto last year and again this April with Diller Teen Fellows, where he is a guide. He has a twin brother, who will also be a Shinshin, in Israel. Idan is full of energy and is excited to share it with us! Raz lives in Raanana with her parents and twin siblings. In her free time, Raz is a guide Our Shinshinim for next year: Idan (left) and Raz (right). with the scouts and also makes time each week to visit a Holocaust survivor; giving her companionship and help in her home. In her Video link: PRESIDENT S CIRCLE SPEAKER SERIES soft, sweet way, Raz has so much to offer us about her experiences in Israel and Poland, where she did an exchange program. We are so excited to have them join us next year. They will be enriching our congregation with their own unique Israeli perspectives. We are delighted to announce that the Greene family will be hosting Idan beginning in August! We are still looking for two more fabulous families willing to open their homes to these wonderful youth. If you are interested in discussing the program further please contact Jodi Rachman Patel at or jodirp@rogers.com. Sunday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. 8

9 DAYTIME SPEAKER SERIES TEMPLE TOTS LUNCH AND LEARN 9

10 KAREN WEISS RECOGNITION KAMP KOL BO SHABBAT 10

11 HOLIDAY GIFT SHOW SISTERHOOD NEWS Appreciate yourself by Phylis Coles At Temple Har Zion, we are blessed with women who continually care for others and give of themselves. We can never thank them enough. These women make choices that benefit all of us. Demands are constantly made upon us by ourselves, our families, our communities and the world at large. As each demand presents itself, we rise to the occasion and perform as best as we can and usually with an open mind and a willingness to succeed. It is therefore easy for us to keep very busy and remain unaware of our own personal feelings. Let us not forget ourselves. Try to make time to reflect on what you can do for yourself. Try to take a few minutes each day or each week to think about yourself, what you would like to do and how you can become an even happier person by enjoying each day more. Perhaps it is about doing some volunteer work. Perhaps it is finally getting to read a book or two. Perhaps it is just taking some quiet time to reflect on the day and yourself. Maybe it is just making sure you have a hot cup of coffee or tea each morning or even just putting your feet up for 10 minutes during a busy day. Our goal as women should be to strive for things that will make us feel more self-fulfilled. Good luck to each of you in making a change or two in your daily schedule so you will have a better day every day. Treat yourself. You deserve it! Phylis Coles, THZ Sisterhood Treasurer 11

12 ITALY TRIP 12

13 RABBI WEISS SABBATICAL UPDATE Ready to come home by Rabbi Weiss It s hard to believe my sabbatical is coming to an end! I ve accomplished so much, and yet not nearly as much as I planned. My translation of Esther is done, and my dissertation work is well underway (I knew I couldn t complete it all that work will continue on). My horn chops are back, and I ve really enjoyed making music with our local concert band. I have worshipped at a number of different shuls, both here and in Cincinnati, and while it s not polite to take notes during a service, I have some ideas in my head things we might try out and things I would never do! Rabbis going to other synagogues is part investigation and part job hazard it s hard not to over-analyze, but I m getting a little better at it. In speaking to my colleagues after each service, I think we all agree there s no place like home. I suspect for most clergy and university educators who are blessed with sabbaticals, CHESED CHAPPENINGS there is often a feeling of the best laid plans Spending a quarter of my time in Cincinnati surrounded by remarkable Jewish minds and the largest Jewish library in the country has been enriching, to say the least. Working with a rabbinic coach to better understand my rabbinate and my leadership style has been enlightening. Curling in the Friar s Briar in Victoria was a good way to spend time with non-jewish clergy colleagues (we came in 6th!) and learn about the commonalities we all share. Falling and hitting my head on the ice during the second last week of play taught me (retroactively) that I need headgear next season (don t worry no concussion, just lots of headaches and backaches). But my tie collection hasn t gotten uncluttered yet. I didn t hike the Appalachian trail, write a great symphony or learn puppy-training skills. I didn t make it to Israel this year, as my research needs kept me closer to home. When it s time for me to go, I would love to bring a Har Zion group so let me know if you re interested. Our time in life is limited, and I ve learned that no matter how much we want to get accomplished, sometimes we have to admit we did our best and will keep plugging along at the to do list of life until our time is done. Meanwhile, I miss all of you! I m really looking forward to returning, and hearing about your year the ups and downs, the sadnesses and celebrations, the learning and the hopes you have for our Har Zion community. Please let me know if you have things you need to share and talk about when I m back in July, I want to catch up with everyone. My office will be open, and I ll be waiting. It ll be good to be with my big, extended Har Zion family again! I m ready to come home. L Shalom, Rabbi Cory Weiss 13

14 COMMUNITY CORNER The Surprising Side of Ballet with Katherine Barber Mondays: June 5, 12 and 19 from 1:30 3:30 p.m. Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina Avenue June 5: Ballet Laughs: Romance, escapism, beauty, athleticism -- those are ballet's acknowledged fortes. But comedy? Surprisingly, there are more hilarious moments in ballet than you might expect. June 12: Ballet Goes Pop: Ballet isn't always performed to classical music. From ragtime to the Rolling Stones, from the Andrews Sisters to Sinatra, some of ballet's most enjoyable repertoire has been inspired by popular music. June 19: The Joy of Dance: The most joyful moments in the ballet repertoire, which will make you feel as elated as the performers. Cost: $16. For more information, contact Lisa Roy at ext Pape Avenue Cemetery Walking Tour Sunday, June 11, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pape Avenue Cemetery, 311 Pape Avenue The Pape Avenue Cemetery was established in 1849 and is Toronto's oldest Jewish cemetery. It is now owned by Holy Blossom Temple. Buried in this cemetery are many of Toronto s earliest Jewish residents. By examining their individual lives, both the hardships and the triumphs of this formative period are revealed. The tour also explores the art and tradition embedded on these early Jewish burial stones. Cost: $15. Register on the UJA website. For more information, contact Donna Bernardo-Ceriz at Second Helpings Please! An Evening to Savour the Flavour Wednesday, June 14, 2017 from 7 to 10 p.m. Location: TBD An evening filled with good food, wine tasting, music, auction and more! It the relaunch of the famous Jewish cookbook Second Helpings Please! This cookbook was first printed April 1, 1968 and has been in the homes of Jewish mothers, grandmothers, and cooks for the past 49 years. It is time to share with the next generation, L dor Vador. Join us for an evening of hands-on cooking demonstrations, wine tasting and pairing, live music, and auction. Act To End Violence Against Women is a Jewish organization inspired by Jewish values. We support victims of domestic abuse in our Jewish Community. For more information, contact Tracy Zepp at or tracy@acttoendvaw.org Senior Art Showcase and Sale Markham Seniors Advisory Committee 101 Town Centre Blvd in The Great Hall Wednesday, June 14: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, June 15: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., meet the artists with the Mayor and Council. Light Refreshments Friday, June 16: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June is Seniors Month. Come and support our local artists at this showcase of works from Markham s Senior population. The talent is amazing. Buy the original. For more information, seniorsadvisorycommittee@gmail.com. Stories of Spadina Walking Tour Sunday, June 18, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 25 Bellevue Avenue, Toronto Travel back in time to an era when Kensington Market was a thriving Jewish village teeming with kosher bakeries, synagogues, and social clubs. On this tour, Jewish Toronto's past biographies of its former inhabitants, the sounds, the smells, Yiddish language, and religious, social, and political attitudes is brought to life. Visits to the architectural gems that remain in the area today are supplemented by photographs from the holdings of the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre as vivid reminders of a once vibrant community. Cost : $15. For more information, contact Donna Bernardo-Ceriz at

15 SOCIAL ACTION The Golden Rule by Fran Isaacs As I write this piece we are reading the double Torah portion Achare Mot/K doshim. K doshim opens with God telling Moses to say to the whole Israelite community that they shall be holy, for I, your God, am holy. And then God lays out how our society will do that step by step by having fair dealings in business and law and by taking care of those who need protection. But the part seen as the most basic way for us to have this just world is found in the phrase love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). A version of this Golden Rule, as it is known, is included in most of the major religious traditions in the world. It is used to illustrate how we can build a just and better world if we treat each other as we too want to be treated. This poster was the passion of Paul McKenna. It took five years of research, which included consultations with experts in each of the 13 faith groups and with a host of graphic designers. More than 100 people were involved in the project. Ironically, it was first published four months before 9/11. Since then, a wealth of educational material has been developed on the basis of concept of the Golden Rule, as a tool for interfaith dialogue and creating a better world. Mosaic Interfaith will be inviting Paul to speak at this year s Peace Meal on Sunday, Oct. 22, National Social Action Committee The National Social Action Committee (NSAC), along with CIJA and Ve ahavta is developing the Canadian Jewish Reconciliation Network. Our team will coordinate the various activities of Canadian Jewish organizations working in partnership with Indigenous communities. It is hoped that this will be a cross-country initiative. The purpose of the network is to coordinate and strategize the activities, events and best practices of Jewish organizations working toward reconciliation drive education, understanding, partnerships between Jewish and Indigenous communities and stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples in Canada build positive relationships with Indigenous people and communities A practical result of this collaboration will be the development of a website that will further coordinate and expand our efforts. The website will act as a foundational support to respond to interest, act as call to action and offer event opportunities, along with a list of speakers and facilitators who will be available to come to your communities. There will be resources for educators, synagogues and community groups, recommended films, books and podcasts as well. Design has already begun on the website and we look forward to seeing its implementation by the end of June Save the date Mosaic s annual program in honour of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held on January 14, t t f Dr. L. Podolsky & Dr. H. Rosen 7-8 Green Lane, Unit 7 Thornhill, ON L3T 7P7 15

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17 THZ SPECIAL ISRAEL CULTURE CLUB Shabbat Torah study Please join us for breakfast, Torah study and services every Shabbat morning, beginning at 9 a.m. Shabbat services begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by Kiddush. This is the perfect way to end the week and revitalize the spirit for the next week s challenges. Come join us at Temple Har Zion for prayer, study and bagel breakfast! Sponsor our weekly e-blast For just $50 per week, you can sponsor our weekly e-blast! We will include a personal message, no larger than a business card, or an advertisement relating to your business. It will appear at the bottom of the e-blast. Sponsoring with a personal (non-business) message will mean that you will receive a charitable donation receipt. All donations will go to the Temple Har Zion Fund. For further information please contact Barbara Barnartt in the Temple office at ext. 107 or at barbarabarnartt@templeharzion.com. 17

18 TEMPLE FAMILY NEWS BIRTHS Laura and Denis Farbstein in honour of the birth of their grandson Avery Carter Gold Barbara and Martin Greenglass in honour of the birth of their grandson Adam Tyler Greenglass Ora Harris and Michael Hutchins in honour of the birth of their grandson Koen Harris Abrams BAR/BAT MITZVAH Jill and Steven Berman in honour of their son Adam becoming Bar Mitzvah TRIBUTES TEMPLE HAR ZION FUND Paula Bernstein in appreciation Allen Chankowsky in honour of his son Ethan becoming Bar Mitzvah Shelly and Ilan Cukierman in observance of Yahrzeit in memory of Shelly s father Morris Bak Brian Eckler to Shae Eckler in memory of her sister Irene Steinberg Barbara and Sid Finkelstein; and Karen Grimm to Rabbi Michal Shekel and Professor Carl Ehrlich and family in memory of their father, father-in-law and grandfather Jacob Shekel Karen Grimm to Joyce Zweig in memory of her brother-in-law Naomi Ziegler and Andrew Hazen in memory of Naomi s father Manfred Ziegler Melissa, Aaron, Nathan and Emily Kline to Stacey Silverberg in honour of her birthday Shari and Todd Silverberg to Stacey Silverberg in honour of her special birthday Stacey, Jordan, Aly and Jessica Silverberg; Adele and Claude Heiman; and Lisa and Jeff Dessau to Jodi Starkman-Mendelsohn and Jondavid Mendelsohn and family in memory of their mother, mother-in-law and grandmother Eilene Mendelsohn Lillian and Norman Sirota in memory of Norman s mother Rose Sirota Brena and Tom Taylor to Mark Morrow for a speedy recovery Glyn and John Wolpert in memory of John s father Solly Wolpert We thank the following for their sponsorship of a Congregational Kiddush, Seudah, Oneg and/or Breakfast: Paul Beard in honour of his daughter Carly s Reaffirmation Maxine Bernholtz in memory of her husband Ben Bernholtz Barbara and Howard Biel in memory of Barbara s mother Sonya (Sonnie) Zigelstein and Howard s mother Lillian Biel Elaine and Edward Birnbaum and family in memory of Edward s father Saul Birnbaum Marie and Steve Borlak in memory of Steve s uncle Sidney Starkman and his grandmother Sarah Borlak Rodell and Warren Covent in memory of Warren s father-in-law Leo Birnbaum Claudia Dihel in honour of her daughter Olivia s Reaffirmation Sue-Ellen Ender in memory of her father Bertram Danson Edyse and Norm Fisher in memory of Norm s brother Jerry Fisher Arlene and Allan Fishman in memory of Allan s father Louis Fishman and Arlene s father Sol Riff Katherine and Howard Huss in honour of their daughter Rebecca becoming Bat Mitzvah MARRIAGES Cheryl Ackerman and David Saslove in honour of the marriage of their daughter Rachel Saslove to Joel Bair Finnie Jesson and Aaron Sidenberg in honour of their marriage OTHER Susan Sermer in honour of her retirement Debra and Martin Ginsherman in memory of Debra s mother Lilyan Anne Lean Shelley and Ken Glick in memory of Shelley s grandmother Beatrice Richman and her great-aunt Rae Eckler Myrna Glowinski in memory of her husband Mel Glowinski Wendy and Earle Gotfrit in memory of their daughter D.J. Gotfrit Karen Grimm in memory of her brother Shelly Meyerson Adele and Claude Heimann in memory of Claude s father Bill Heimann Naomi and Saul Joel in memory of Naomi s parents Sarah Ruby and Peres Percy Benjamin Andrea and Paul Kalmin in honour of their daughter Emily becoming Bat Mitzvah Debby and Lawrie Kaplan in memory of Debby s grandfather Fred Gitelman Helen Posluns Kerbel and Jeff Kerbel in memory of their son Zachary Kerbel and Helen s grandfather Samuel Casselman Helen Kopstick in memory of her mother Sarah Bennett Evelyn and Ubby Krakauer in memory of Evelyn s father Moses Katindig Fran Malach in memory of her husband Howard Malach Fran Malach in memory of her father-in-law Morris Malach Myrna and Stephen Marcus in memory of Stephen s father Lorne Alter Beverley and Jonathan Matthews in memory of Jonathan s father Nathan Matthews Deborah and Neil Naftolin in memory of Deborah s father Gerald Siegel Harriet Noik in memory of her father Benjamin Tanzer Karin and James Phillipson in memory of Karin s mother Marcelle Jacobson Tova Nardea and James Reitan in memory of Tova s father Rafael Nardea Eleanor Rice in memory of her aunt Katy Rosen Marjie Zacks and Joel Rosenberg in memory of Marjie s mother Adelyn Zacks Judi and Bobby Ross in memory of Judi s grandfather Fred Gitelman and Bobby s grandfather Alter Myers Barbara and Roland Ross in memory of Barbara s father James Spergel Cheryl Ackerman and David Saslove in memory of Cheryl s aunt Katy Rosen Lillian Siegel in memory of her husband Gerald Siegel Judy and Ian Silver in honour of their son Jeremiah s Reaffirmation Melissa and Mark Stupp in memory of Mark s cousin Jack Stupp CONDOLENCES Our sincere condolences are extended to the following families: Jeffrey Freedman for his sister Natalie Brown Sarah Greene for her grandmother Helen Risen Jondavid Mendelsohn for his mother Eilene Mendelsohn Rabbi Michal Shekel for her father Jacob Shekel NEW MEMBERS A warm Har Zion welcome to our new members: Julia and Alan Spergel Brena and Tom Taylor in memory of Tom s father Wylie Taylor, Brena s grandmother Beatrice Richman and her great-aunt Rae Eckler Brigitte Waisberg in memory of her parents Sonia and Bernard Waisberg Sharon and Jerry Wiesenfeld in memory of Jerry s mother Anna Wiesenfeld Joyce Zweig in memory of her husband Stephen Zweig ARTHUR AND DVORA BROWN CAMP SCHOLARSHIP FUND Melissa and Corey Adler and family; and Marcia Craft to Jodi Starkman-Mendelsohn and Jondavid Mendelsohn and family in memory of their mother, mother-in-law and grandmother Eilene Mendelsohn Samantha, Shelly, Ari and Max Bacher; and Lisa Goodman, Jaimie and Gabriel Fleming to Wendy, Michael, Dustin and Jake Berman in memory of their grandmother and great-grandmother Evelyn Rolin Samantha and Shelly Bacher to Dana and Eric Kam in honour of their son Sydney becoming Bar Mitzvah Samantha, Shelly, Ari and Max Bacher to Judy Silver in honour of her receiving her masters degree from HUC; to Jodi Starkman- Mendelsohn and Jondavid Mendelsohn and family in memory of their mother, mother-inlaw and grandmother Eilene Mendelsohn; to David Roth and Rick Bacher in memory of David s father Seymour Roth Max Bacher to Lexie Fried for a speedy recovery Faga and Milton Clapham to Paul Hellen in honour of his special birthday CAMP SCHOLARSHIP FUND Debby and Lawrie Kaplan to Susan Sermer in honour of her retirement Jean Karnovsky in observance of Yahrzeit in memory of her grandparents Minnie and Jacob Shapiro; her father Kalman Streisfield; and her father-in-law Ben Karnovsky CANTORIAL SOLOIST S MUSIC FUND The Mendelsohn family to Rabbi Benjie Gruber and Tara Abrams in appreciation Brena and Tom Taylor to Cheryl Ackerman and David Saslove in honour of their daughter Rachel Saslove s marriage to Joel Bair Gail Wynston to Jean Karnovsky in honour of her special birthday The Temple Har Zion Choir; and Robyn and Mitchell Rozen to Finnie Jesson and Aaron Sidenberg in honour of their marriage 18

19 TRIBUTES DAVIS YACHT GARDEN GAN MOSHE FUND Gwen Yacht to Sarah Creed in memory of her partner Alan Lasalle; to Eleanor Wisenberg in memory of her husband Lou Wisenberg MARVIN KOPSTICK LEADERSHIP FUND Susan and Ben Aronowitz to Paula and Jeff Freedman and family in memory of Jeff s sister Natalie Brown Marcia Craft; and Bunny and Ken Saul to Helen Kopstick in honour of her special birthday Lisa and Jeff Dessau to Wendy and Michael Berman and family in memory of their grandmother and great-grandmother Evelyn Rolin Helen Kopstick to Carol Austin in honour of her special birthday; to Roneen and Arnie Weingarten in honour of the marriage of their granddaughter Micha to Sean; to Bernice and Laurie Litman in honour of the marriage of David and Donna Joyce Zweig to Jodi Starkman-Mendelsohn and Jondavid Mendelsohn and family in memory of their mother, mother-in-law and grandmother Eilene Mendelsohn MUSIC FUND Arlene and Allan Fishman; Janis and Gary Soren; Paula and George Mintzberg; and Elaine and Steven Bassin and family to Barbara and Vince Petty and family in memory of Barbara s mother Faye Levey Ruth and Avie Dunsky to Marilynne Sokoloff in memory of her mother Faye Levey Margie Keshen; Linda and Paul Waldman; Past Presidents Shar aron Chapter; Miriam and Harvey Freedman; and Sandie and Rob Derbyshire to the Levey family in memory of Faye Levey Fran Weisberg; Janet and Murray Finkelstein; Joy and Bernie Silverman; Phyllis Caplan; Ruthie and Harvey Presement; Esther and Label Steinberg; Sylvie and Shel Geller; and Bessie and Len Kaufman to Marilynne and Jerry Sokoloff and family in memory of her mother Faye Levey PRAYER BOOK FUND Tara, David, Emily and Ryan Abrams to Stacey Silverberg in honour of her special birthday The Beit Midrash Teachers to Susan Sermer in her honour Sheila and Gerry Zeidenberg to Paula and Jeff Freedman in memory of their sister and sister-in-law Natalie Brown RABBI MICHAEL AND CELIA STROH ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM FUND Adele and Claude Heimann to Rabbi Michal Shekel, Professor Carl Ehrlich and family in memory of their father, father-in-law and grandfather Jacob Shekel SANCTUARY RENEWAL FUND Debby and Lawrie Kaplan to Paula and Jeff Freedman in memory of Jeff s sister Natalie Brown; to Larry Bell and family in memory of Larry s sister Fagey Shessel SCHOOL FUND Sara and Len Bates to Susan Sermer in her honour and appreciation Adele and Claude Heimann to Susan Sermer in honour of her retirement Alexandra Prasow and Aurora Heshka to the Huss family in appreciation; to Ethan Chankowsky in honour of his becoming Bar Mitzvah Jacob and Hannah Rozen and family to Julie Sermer in appreciation; to Sarah Greene in appreciation Hannah Rozen and family to Susan Berger in appreciation Jacob Rozen and family to Elissa Weber in appreciation Susan Sermer to Shelly Bacher in appreciation; to Brena Taylor in appreciation; to Julie Sermer in appreciation SISTERHOOD FUND Carol Austin to Finnie Jesson and Aaron Sidenberg in honour of their marriage; to Jodi Starkman- Mendelsohn and Jondavid Mendelsohn and family in memory of their mother, mother-in-law and grandmother Eilene Mendelsohn Marcia Craft to the Temple Har Zion Sisterhood in appreciation Marcia Craft; Bunny and Ken Saul; and Joanne and Barry Fisher to Carol Austin in honour of her special birthday Karen Grimm to Debby and Howard Wortzman in honour of the birth of their grandson Lev Chaim Osher Naomi and Saul Joel to Debby and Howard Wortzman in honour of the birth of their grandson Lev Chaim Osher Heilbronn Sheilah and Morty Litwin to Norman Rosen in honour of his special birthday Sharon and Shalom Prasow and family to Sidney Finkelman and family in loving memory of Betty Prasow YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FUND Frances Halperin to Andrea and Paul Kalmin in honour of their daughter Emily becoming Bat Mitzvah and in appreciation; to Madelene and Michael Levy in honour of their granddaughter Emily becoming Bat Mitzvah 19

20 20 Recognizing Karen