Working in a synagogue keeps one conscious of the Jewish calendar, and it seems we are always getting ready for one holiday or another. From Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, to Sukkot and Simẖat Torah, H̱anukkah, Purim, Pesaẖ and Shavuot, our Jewish life is defined by the sights, smells and symbols that light up our lives. Daily and weekly, ritual objects give context and colour to who we are....

Applause Catering is now accepting orders for Passover. All orders must be placed by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 25, and picked up on Friday, April 3 between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. To view the menu, click here>> To place an order, email Terra or JillianFor more information, call the Applause Catering office at 416-628-9198.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. The words of Charles Dickens reverberate in Jewish life and our time. The holidays of Purim and...

Monday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m., Beth Tzedec's own Cantor Simon Spiro will perform with the legendary Neil Sedaka at Roy Thomson Hall as part of the Sing for the Children concert presented by Chai Lifeline. The event will be hosted by comedian Elon Gold. Tickets are available from chaiconcert.com, and Beth Tzedec members will receive a ten percent discount. (Just enter "bethtzedec" in the...

Yellow Candle Design Contestfor teens ages 13 to 18 years!Are you a budding graphic artist? Do you have a talent for creating and designing? The Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FJMC) is looking for design submissions for their 2015 Yellow Candle campaign. This contest provides the chance to have your artwork exhibited on tens of thousands of Yom Hashoah candles distributed around the world...

This year,when you send Purim greetings to family and friends, choose Treasures of Beth Tzedec tribute cards.Our beautiful Purim card features a greggar from the Beth Tzedec Reuben and Helene Dennis Museum collection, and are available in two ways:Pick up cards from the Synagogue office to personalize and send yourself. Cards are available in packages of 12 for $54 or $5 for...

Enhance your family's holiday experience while honouring the Purim obligationsThere are four things we are obligated to do on Purim. Using the four mitzvot as a guide, here are some suggestions for making this year’s Purim more meaningful for your family. Mitzvah #1: Hear the Megillah Watch a DVD of one of Beth Tzedec’s past Purim plays before you hear the Megillah. You will...

This has been an incredibly exciting year for me and my family. My wife Rachel and I welcomed our wonderful daughter Mira into the world the day after Pesaẖ, and after the fall ẖagim, we moved into our first home. As we mark all the significant moments in Mira’s first year—rolling over, sitting up, her first tooth, and soon (but not too soon I hope) crawling—we are finding that...

Windows provide distance, the ability to see events from a removed, safe vantage point.I am blessed in my office with three large southern exposure windows. Rare is the day that I don’t rotate my chair 90 degrees, taking a short break from whatever I am doing, and stare out onto Warwick Avenue. I can watch the Robbins Hebrew Academy students head home from school or our shul’s...

Last month, Rav Baruch and I spent four glorious(read—FREEZING) days at the ReNEWed Jewish Leaders Conference. Seventy-three executive directors and rabbis representing nearly 250,000 Jews affiliated through our synagogues were invited to learn, share practice issues and problem-solve with academics and business leaders. In its fifth year, the program has presented professional Jewish...

Cuisine, in addition to text and melody, is important in the survival of Judaism.Particularly during the winter, I enjoy comfort food, a good book and music to stir the soul. Each makes claims on my identity. In The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, the late Gil Marks points to adaptation and transmission as essential to Jewish cuisine. In Jews and Words, Amos Oz and Fania Oz-Saltzberger make...

Monday Morning Mishpacha ProgramDue to overwhelming demand, a Monday session of the popular Mishpacha: Toddlers, Tunes and Treats program for children ages 1 to 3 with a parent, grandparent or caregiver is now being offered, beginning Monday, January 12. Spaces are limited; register early to avoid disappointment. For more information, contact Jo Swartz at 416-781-3514 ext. 230.

A chance for singers of all ages and musical backgrounds to join together and have fun singing with the ever-entertaining Cantor Simon Spiro. Broadway, Pop, Hebrew, Yiddish and more...If it's on vinyl, we'll be singing it! Regular rehearsals throughout the year will culminate in a 2015 performance with a professional band. Contact Marlene Laba at 416-781-3514 ext. 234.

Thank you to so many of you who spoke to me over the High Holidays wishing me well and encouraging many of our initiatives. Beth Tzedec continues to be at the forefront of Conservative Judaism. On October 6, we hosted The Future of Jewish Life in the Diaspora with Chancellor Arnold Eisen of the Jewish Theological Seminary in dialogue with writer and film-maker David Bezmozgis and moderated...

Take the opportunity to study and reflect on what we—as Conservative Jews—uniquely do.A hallmark of Conservative Judaism has been a fidelity to Jewish law and observance combined with an awareness of the historic development of Judaism. In mid-19th century Europe, the forerunner of what came to be Conservative Judaism called itself Positive-Historical Judaism. “Positive” meant...