I am pleased to announce that Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl has agreed to defer his retirement by two years to July 2019. Over the past 22+ years, Rabbi Frydman-Kohl has provided tremendous leadership to our congregational family. As our spiritual leader, he has celebrated with us in times of joy and has provided guidance in times of sorrow. Under Rav Baruch’s leadership, Beth Tzedec continues to...

The recent policy change for weddings outside of Beth Tzedec has generated discussion about how our rabbis and cantors balance preserving traditional norms while attempting to meet people where they are. In place of a derashah (sermon), Rabbis Frydman-Kohl and Cutler will be joined by Yacov Fruchter, Director of Community Building and Spiritual Engagement to discuss the context,...

“Don’t do for others what they can do for themselves”—this is the iron rule of community organizing. What do you think about this statement? Some believe that embracing this statement is at the core of a successful engagement strategy that is focused on empowering active participants. What does a thriving Beth Tzedec look like to you? Most of us would likely answer...

In my three and a half years so far at Beth Tzedec, I have been fortunate to participate in a number of professional development gatherings with other synagogue educators, both locally and from across North America. Regardless of the purpose of our gathering, be it improving teacher supervision, exploring new ideas in experiential education, or learning how to be better recruiters and...

After graduating high school, i spent a year studying at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, situated just outside of Tel-Aviv. Gap years were not yet de rigeur, and it took a little bit of convincing before my parents sanctioned the trip. Cost was of course a concern, as was academic recognition by a Canadian university upon my return. Ultimately, the school accepted...

They say that all good stories start with "Once upon a time”, so here is my short story for today: Once upon a time two downtown synagogues, part of a budding Jewish community bursting with potential, decided it was time to come together and grow up—moving north. It was time to expand their vision and create a future filled with promise and potential as an integral part of the fabric...

I have devoted most of my bulletin columns as President of Beth Tzedec to delivering messages of which the dominant theme has been transformation. I have described the selection of Hariri Pontarini as the architects of our building renovation, the forthcoming changes in the shul building and personnel, our re-affiliation with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and our array of...

As Jews and Canadians, we face many challenges. We are called to broaden access to Jewish education, creatively continue our tradition, attend to our elderly, support Israel, and defend democratic and free societies. In addition, we must care for poor Jews and provide humanitarian assistance to those who are outside the borders of our community. Having grown up in poverty, I am...

The information contained in last week’s edition of The Week Ahead e-newsletter regarding the Choir has led to some questions about the process leading up to that announcement, and I’d like to share some additional background with the Congregation.  The Rabbi meets regularly with Synagogue leadership to discuss a wide range of issues affecting Beth Tzedec. Some issues are mundane...

I was asked to share with the Beth Tzedec community these words of gratitude from Thanaa and Amyn, the sister and brother-in-law of the Syrian family we are sponsoring.We would really like to thank the entire Beth Tzedec Congregation along with JIAS for their heart-felt, overwhelming support in the reunification of our family, and giving hope and a better future for those less fortunate who have...

25 November 2015 ~ 14 Kislev 5776 “This is the day that the Eternal has made.” What a privilege and blessing for our two communities to witness Canadian Rabbis and Bishops sharing wine and sitting together for dinner. This would have been unimaginable 100 years ago, when Albert Einstein presented his famous General Theory of Relativity. Just as his theory and equation changed...

There are those who are calling us naïve; that we are ignoring the facts and putting our community in jeopardy. Some have asked whether we have a moral responsibility to care for the impoverished within our own city and country before we help strangers halfway across the world. A few have shared with me that something just doesn’t sit right with them about helping Muslim...

After the Blue Jays’ loss to Kansas City, I had many flashbacks to my childhood. The Blue Jays’ World Series wins in 1992 and 1993 are some of the happiest moments of my youth. After all, as a seven and eight year old, there’s nothing better than seeing your team win a championship. The key moments are further imprinted in my brain thanks to repeated viewings of the commemorative...

Who can recount the mighty acts of Israel?Who can count them? Indeed, in every age, a hero shall arise The people’s rescuer. Hear! In those days and in our time, A Maccabee saves and redeems. And in our days, all of Israel Shall stand united and be rescued. Every winter of my childhood, my family went to visit Israeli friends who lived nearby. We would sit around their living...

We have now completed the stretch run to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the annual period of self and communal reflection. In this town, the excitement and buzz may have focussed a little more on the Blue Jays playoff run and less on our own personal run towards a meaningful and fulfilling High Holy Day and Sukkot experience. Increasingly, or so it seems, many who are renewing or joining a...