UpcomingShabb
Pride UpcomingShabbr
UPCOMING SERVICES AND EVENTS


Our Next Service

Saturday, May 5, 2018, Shabbat Morning Service 
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre (MNJCC) Chapel and Rm. 318, 3rd floor
10:30 a.m.

Rabbi Aviva Goldberg will lead the service, with chazzanut and music by Paula Wolfson.

We are grateful to Harvey Worth for chanting Torah at this service, and for the donations he and Arlene Grajcer have made in memory of their loved ones, and to honour the upcoming marriage of his daughter Marla to Philip. 

We thank George Saltzberg and Timothy Swift for sponsoring today's kiddish in memory of George's beloved father, Walter Saltzberg, who died recently in Winnipeg.

After the kiddish, please join us for our adult- education program with Bernie Farber (see below for more information).

Aviva and Paula with a bar mitzvah and his parents
--------------------------------------------------------------------Child
Our enriching, free drop-in  younger children's program will be up
 and running during the entire morning.
Younger Children (ages 3 to 7) .  This week, the children will learn about the 10 commandments and show their creativity with a related craft. All children are welcome at this program & in the chapel with their adults. Instructor: Leanne Stevens

Junior Service:  (ages 7/8 to 11).This Shabbat, we'll be dovening,
 discussing Parshat Emor and celebrating Shavuot.  
Instructor: Ella Gladstone Martin

All Welcome!
--------------------------------------------------------------------AdultEd
Adult Education Speaker Series: 
After Shabbat services/kiddish, 1:00-2:15 p.m., chapel, 3rd floor.
 
Presented by
Bernie Farber, Community Activist/Writer
 
Topic: "A Canadian Genocide in Search of a Name"
 
Take a journey of discovery with Bernie Farber exploring our Canadian history to understand the story of an Aboriginal people, trusting the newcomer, betrayed by colonialist ideals and eventually forced to conform or die. A story that is difficult to bear but must be heard.

We thank Carol Zemel for curating our adult-education speaker series.

See below for an interview conducted with Mr. Farber by our newsletter editor, Harriet Eisenkraft.
 
(Please do not bring any food or beverages, except for water, into the chapel at any time.  Enjoy your kiddish first in Rm. 318 before attending.)

SHIR LIBEYNU EVENTS
Interview
Interview with Bernie Farber

Shir Libeynu is pleased to welcome Bernie Farber as our next adult-education speaker on May 5 . Mr. Farber will illuminate how and why Indigenous people rightly believe that their historic treatment by the Canadian government constituted a genocide as defined by the UN   Convention  on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of  Genocide . This is a topic that has concerned Mr. Farber, the son of a Holocaust survivor, since his time as chairman of the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), and subsequently in his role as leader of the Mosaic Institute, from which he recently retired. After he wrote (in 2012) that Canada had committed this genocide, he was threatened and harassed publically. I spoke with Bernie Farber recently about his advocacy for and dialogue with Indigenous communities.
                                                                                                             -Harriet Eisenkraft

Read the interview here.
OtherUp

Other Upcoming Services

Saturday, May 26, 2018 , Bat Mitzvah of Belle MacCool-Garber and Shabbat morning service,  First Unitarian Site, 10:30 a.m.

Saturday evening, June 16, 2018, Annual Pride Havdallah Service/Reception, MNJCC
News
SHIR LIBEYNU NEWS

Who We Are: Rabbi Goldberg on What Makes Shir Libeynu Different 

In response to a member's query about what makes our shul different than others, Rabbi Goldberg presented on the topic at a 2016 adult-education session.  There, a small but very enthusiastic group heard her riveting, rich answers and added to it with feedback and discussion.  Recently, Rabbi Goldberg has re-formulated the ideas into an essay, which we present here.  It outlines our philosophy and practice on liturgy, ritual, theology and participation.  

We would love to hear your responses to this essay. 
Families

CALLING ALL FAMILIES!
Bnei Mitzvah Program and the Shir Libeynu School

Shir Libeynu School (Ages 7-11)

The Shir Libeynu School: our supplemental program for 2018/2019 will start in September, 2018, weekly on Sunday mornings, at a central location. 

This innovative program has two-10 week sessions (autumn and winter) that will focus on themes such as Jewish stories, rituals, holidays, language and the arts. Children who have had minimal or no formal Jewish education, or for whom this may be a first learning experience, are  welcome.

The School fees will be in line with last year's sessions and with those of other supplemental schools. 
Registration forms will take be available for our fall session in a couple of weeks.  If you would like to reserve a spot (subject to registration and payment by June 15th), please email admin@shirlibeynu.ca and we will inform you when the registration form is available.

Our teacher, Dana Rubinshtein, with the 2017 Module 1 class

For information on the current year program, please click here.

B'nei Mitzvah Program (Grades 6-8)

Young people who will be at least age 13 in 2019 to early 2020 are eligible to become a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Shir Libeynu, and for the mandatory one-year learning-enrichment program that precedes it, which  will begin in the autumn of 2018.* The learning program is a year-long series of monthly classes, excursions such as a tour of Jewish Toronto and other outings, a social-action project and opportunities for families to socialize together. The classes run on Sunday afternoons at a downtown location. For specific details on fees and dates, please contact our administrator, Natalie Wallach, at: admin@shirlibeynu.ca.

Registration forms will take be available for our 2018/2019 B'nei Mitzvah program in a couple of weeks , w hen we will welcome a small cohort of candidates. If you would like to reserve a spot (subject to registration and payment by June 15), please email admin@shirlibeynu.ca and we will inform you when the registration form is available. Our administrator can also walk you through the steps necessary to booking and planning a bar/bat mitzvah simcha with the shul.  

For more information about our current program, please click here.

This year's cohort of students enjoy challah making with their teacher, Elise, and our volunteer Eden after a class on Jewish ritual
The Class of 2016-17 at their first Oneg Shabbat Dinner
Rabbi Goldberg with a bat mitzvah in 2015

*Students in the learning program are not obliged to participate in a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony, although most families do choose this option around or after completion of the learning program.
Letter

Letter from our President, Shlomo Gleibman, on our UJA Volunteers of 2017 & 2018

Dear Friends,
As many of you might know, every June UJA Federation of Greater Toronto features community volunteers from across the GTA on UJA's Community Volunteers  webpage This annual roster pays tribute to the volunteers' work and publicly highlights their contributions to their communities. A selected volunteer represents her/his organization throughout the year. In 2017, our shul's representative was Harriet Eisenkraft.  In 2018, our representative is Eden Nameri .  Please read here  about these volunteers, and why our board nominated them for this honour.
Milestones
Milestones

Mazel tov to members Ilana Teitelman and Benett Axtell  on the birth of their daughter, Lior Teitelman,  born April 13, 2018.  

Our condolences to Dinah Rosen and Rabbi Aviva Goldberg on the death of Dinah's beloved cousin, Wendy Herman, who passed away on Saturday, April 14, in Toronto.

Donations
Donations

We thank the following people for their contributions to Shir Libeynu:

Denis Frawley and Jon Novick, and Denis' law firm, Ormston List Frawley LLP, for making available to our shul the year-long use of the office venue for our new Shir Libeynu School.  Their generosity was instrumental in allowing us to keep our costs low to the families during the pilot project for our nascent supplemental school.

George Saltzberg and Timothy Swift for sponsoring May, 2018, kiddish in memory of George's father, Walter Saltzberg, who passed away in Winnipeg, on March 8, 2018.

Harvey Worth and Arlene Grajcer to our siddurim fund, in Memory of Howard Nathan, Dr. Martin Barkin and Lou Orzech; and in Honour of the forthcoming marriage of Marla Rosenblatt-Worth and Philip Kuperhause.

Rebecca Sugarman, in memory of her parents, Alice and Jack Sugarman

Harriet Eisenkraft to the Shir Libeynu Fund, in honour of Jonathan Silin for his tireless devotion to the community as education director, especially for our children's programs

The Weisfeld and Zevaviv families for sponsoring the January 6, 2018 kiddish in memory 
of Zvi Puni צבי פוני, the beloved father of long-time member Ariela Weisfeld. 

Please think of Shir Libeynu and be generous when you wish to honour a friend or relative, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit, or show appreciation for our clergy or volunteers.  To donate to Shir Libeynu, please click here.
People
SHIR LIBEYNU PEOPLE

Jonathan Silin's Book Reading

Members of Congregation Shir Libeynu and their friends are invited to hear Jon athan Silin, long-time  member and director of education, read from his new book,  Early Childhood, Aging, and the Life Cycle: Mapping Common Ground  on Thursday, May 10 at 6:00 p.m. at the Nexus lounge, OISE.

If you plan to attend please let him know here.

Read  here  Jonathan's recent op-ed on aging (the "young-old"). 
CommPart
COMMUNITY-PARTNER EVENTS


Saturday May 19, 8:00 p.m .- Sunday, May 20. 8:30 a.m .
MNJCC, 750 Spadina Avenue, Toronto

Shir Libeynu is proud to be a sponsor of the Tikkun Leil Shavuot again this year.  Our  Rabbi Aviva Goldberg will explore Judaism and medical assistance in dying (MAID) , and Shir Libeynu members  Eden Nameri  and  Shlomo Gleibmanwill also be among the presenters (click the links for more on their respective topics). 

Join the MNJCC for a free night (and later night...and morning) of community, study, singing, snacking and more!  More than 50 sessions to attend.  Reimagine traditional Jewish texts and open up new and engaging conversations. Special programs for kids and teens. All are welcome! 

More information.
Shush
 
No Shush Shabbat - for Families & Individuals with Disabilities
Friday, May 25, 2018
Holy Blossom Temple*, 1950 Bathurst St, Toronto

Family service at 5:30 p.m | Shabbat dinner at 6:00 p.m. Kids programming to follow.

An interactive Shabbat service precedes the dinner (free). Come alone or with your whole family to a relaxed, playful, and accessible  experience. Individuals and families of all backgrounds and Jewish affiliations are welcome. 

Contact:  carag@mnjcc.org  or 416-924-6211 x 388.  Register and More Information.

Shir Libeynu is delighted to be a co-presenter of the No Shush Shabbat.

*Wheelchair accessible. To request accommodations (e.g. ASL, large print handouts, kosher food, other allergy friendly food) please contact: Sara Novak at snovak@holyblossom.org or 416-789-3291 x237

More Information on this and other upcoming Shabbat dinners.
JewFilm

Toronto Jewish Film Society

Toronto Jewish Film Society's presents its 40th season of Jewish film gems on select Sundays with noted speakers in the Al Green Theatre. Call (416) 924-6211 x 0. 
Rush Seats on sale 30 minutes before each screening.
$15 General Admission; $10 Young Adults (Ages 18-35)

Shir Libeynu is a promotional partner of the Society's June 3 screening of "Melting Away." Shir Libeynu members may purchase tickets for the 7:30 p.m. screening for $12 by clicking here and entering the promotional code CSL. Cash-only rush tickets for the 4:00 p.m. show at the discounted rate may be purchased in person, at the door,
 
TWO SCREENINGS for all films: 4:00 and 7:30 p.m.

LGBTQ
 
SAVE THE DATE: LGBTQ+ Shabbat (Service and Dinner) - for LGBTQ+ and Allies
The 519 (Community Centre):  Friday, June 8, 2018

Rabbi Goldberg will be leading a Kabbalat Shabbat service, with our own Paula Wolfson conducting chazzanut (cantorial music), from 6:15-7:00 p.m, the 519 Ballroom. 

The dinner will begin at 7:15 p.m.with an introductory welcome by the hosting organizations and a keynote speech from Rabbi Goldberg  about the Torah portion of the week.

More Information.   Registration begins on May 1 and closes on June 1.

Presented by our shul, the MNJCC, Kulanu Toronto and  other organizations. Shir Libeynu is proud to be a sponsor of this event.

Newsletter Editor:  Harriet Eisenkraft
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Congregation Shir Libeynu
416-465-5488 | shirlibeynu@yahoo.ca | http://www.shirlibeynu.ca
 
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Congregation Shir Libeynu
Mailing Address: 
8171 Yonge Street # 122
Thornhill, Ontario   L3T 2C6
(416) 465-5488

Shir Libeynu April 30, 2018