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May/June 2010

MESSAGE FROM DJC CHAIR

Dear Fellow DJC members,

What does the Danforth Jewish Circle offer our members? What are our goals for the future? And how can we make them happen? These are the questions that the DJC Board of Directors pondered at this year’s annual Board retreat, an afternoon-long meeting held on April 25th at the Miles Nadal JCC. We were guided by the wisdom and spirit of DJC Boards past, by the results of last year’s survey, and by the feedback that we hear from our members throughout the year. And we were inspired by the DJC Bar/Bat Mitzvah party, which helped remind us of where we came from, who we are today, and how far we can soar into the future.

The theme that came out of our Board retreat and that will guide our work over the coming year is: “Sustaining the DJC, Building the Future”.

The DJC exists to offer our members spiritual activities, Jewish studies, support through happy and sad times, and a sense of community. Our goal is to sustain the DJC – through sound financial management, governance, and administration – so that we all can continue to enjoy our unique community well into the future.

Our recent fundraising campaign raised more than $20,000 and we thank you so much for your generosity and ongoing commitment to the DJC. The money raised on this campaign will be of much needed help, but in order to sustain our programs, now it’s time for us to extend our fundraising efforts. The fundraising committee will continue its work this year by focusing on external sources of support. The Board is also exploring ways to increase our membership or reduce expenditures as we consider sustainability and financial controls.

As we strengthen our foundation, we also are reviewing our spiritual, educational and social programming. The spiritual leadership task force is developing leadership models to present to the membership. You will be hearing from the task force soon with an invitation to participate in choosing the best spiritual leadership framework for the DJC. By the end of the year, we hope to be actively working towards implementing a leadership plan.

At the same time, the children’s Jewish Studies program will be undertaking a curriculum review and the adult programs committee is inviting input into social and educational programs for adults. Our goal is to keep the DJC a vital, warm and welcoming community for all who join our circle. With warm wishes for a happy and healthy spring!

Josie Lalonde

MAY/JUNE NEWS…At a glance

date	time	event/details	location
Saturday, May 15	9:30 am - 12:30 pm	B’NEI MITZVAH CEREMONY with Cantor Lisa	Eastminster- 310 Danforth: Sanctuary **DANFORTH ENTRANCE**
Wednesday, May 19	7:00-8:30pm	LECTURE: JANICE STEIN	Darchei Noam- 864 Sheppard Ave W Admission: Free
Thursday, May 27	4:30 pm	DJCYG Activity Iron Chef Home location TBD	Meet at Broadview Subway at 4:30pm Rsvp: Mika Gang: mika.gang@gmail.com phone: 647.444.7291 Bring $10 to shop for food
Thursday, May 27	7:30 pm	DJC Book Club “People of the Book” by Geraldine Brooks	Location sent to Rsvps Contact: info@djctoronto.com to Rsvp or for more information
Friday, May 28	7:00 pm	In-Home Shabbat Host: Vlad Bregman	15 Bayfield Crescent Rsvp: vlad@bregmans.com phone: 416.465.5227
Friday, June 11	7:00 pm	Bethminster Shabbat Led by Rabbi Miriam Margles	Eastminster - 310 Danforth: Auditorium **JACKMAN ST ENTRANCE** Kiddush to follow service Free Child care provided

JUNE SHABBAT SERVICE DETAILS

DJC B’NEI MITZVAH CEREMONY

You are invited to the Danforth Jewish Circle's B'Nei Mitzvah ceremony on Saturday, May 15, 2009 at 9:30 am at Eastminster Sanctuary - 310 Danforth Ave- Danforth St entrance.
The DJC Jewish Studies program is proud to announce its third B'Nei Mitzvah graduating class.

Being honoured:

Katlin Sara Abrahamson
Atara Jordan Bassous
Zachary Micah Rabin Guberman
David Woolf Hagon
Bryden Manning Hathaway
Jacob William Marsellus Morris
Eden Maya Morris
Gabriel Robbins-Kanter
Zachary Eric Hayos Sherman
Maya Shanthi Weinstein

We would welcome the presence and support of the DJC community at our ceremony. For more information, contact Nadya Burton at nadya.burton@ryerson.ca or 416.538.9949.

IN - HOME SHABBAT
Led by Emil Sher

When: Friday, May 28
Time: 7:00 pm

Location/Host: Vlad Bregman: 15 Bayfield Crescent

Details/What to bring: Please bring nibblies for the after service “nosh”. Children are welcome. Rsvps required.
**To Rsvp, call Vlad: 416.465.5227 or e-mail: vlad@bregmans.com

*ATTENTION MEMBERS: Please contact us at info@djctoronto.com if you’d like to host an in-home Shabbat.

BETHMINSTER SHABBAT
Rabbi Miriam Margles

Eastminster: 310 Danforth Avenue- Auditorium

When: Friday, June 11
Time: 7:00 PM

*Free childcare; Dessert Kiddush following services

**Please use the Jackman St. entrance; Hurndale entrance is closed

MAY/JUNE EVENT DETAILS

Jacqueline Swartz and I have been working on some follow up ideas and we are thrilled to have been able to book Janice Stein a world reknown speaker on the Middle East to share her knowledge and perspectives at a session we are co-sponsoring with congregation Darchei Noam, on Wednesday, May 19th at 7:00 pm (see notice below). Hope to see you there!

We are also currently working on a DJC-only follow-up session that Jacqueline will facilitate sometime in June/July — (date: TBC) "Israel/Palestine — thinking outside the box". As a DJC member and Board member of "Peace Now" Jacqueline has in-depth knowledge on the subject and stimulating perspectives to share with us.

Please also let me know (Rsvp to info@djctoronto.com) if you would like to be on a separate DJC email distribution list that I'd like to set up to communicate with DJC folk who are interested in receiving information and event notices on Israel. Also if you have an interest in helping Jacqueline and I with future programming — please let me know!

Shalom!
Karen Robbins

LECTURE WITH PROFESSOR JANICE STEIN

The Danforth Jewish Circle partnering with Congregation Darchei Noam is thrilled to present a stimulating lecture from world class speaker and expert on Israeli history and politics, Professor Janice Stein of the Munk School for Global Affairs

LECTURE TOPIC: PEACE TALKS FROM OSLO TO OBAMA: WHAT WENT WRONG?

DATE: Wednesday, May 19th, 7:00-8:30 pm
LOCATION: Congregation Darchei Noam, 864 Sheppard Avenue West
COST: Admission is free

DJCYG

**We’ve rescheduled our “Iron Chef” for Thursday, May 27th **

Our final kick off for the summer is an 'Iron Chef' competition, Jewish food themed where we'll divide into two teams, choosing Jewish themed foods, go grocery shopping and cook ourselves away! After the teams have met up again to eat and compare dishes we'll enjoy the hilarious DVD's groups bought in Kensington market during the scavenger hunt while we enjoy our hard earned meal. We're really excited to end off the year with a bang so everyone come out and enjoy the activities with us! We'll be meeting at 4:30 pm in front of Broadview Station.

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!

-The DJCYG

Saturday, May 27: Iron Chef- Meet at Broadview Subway at 4:30 pm. Bring $10 to shop for food

** For more details or to RSVP, contact Mika Gang 647.444.7291 or by e-mail: mika.gang@gmail.com

BOOK CLUB NEWS

This year, for our 5^th evening in May, we will once again, depart from the usual format where book club members will enjoy an open “leader-less” discussion. The book chosen is People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. It promises to be a free-flowing and exciting discussion!

Location details will be sent to those who Rsvp. Email: info@djctoronto.com to Rsvp.

Thursday, May 27, 7:30 pm People of the Book By Geraldine Brooks The novel tells the fictional story of Hanna Heath, an Australian book conservator who is responsible for restoring the Haggadah. The story alternates between sections set in the present day with Heath and other sections showing the history of the Haggadah. Told in reverse chronological order, the story follows the Haggadah backward in time as it travels across Europe, from war-torn Sarajevo to the book's origins. It also explains such clues as missing silver clasps, preserved butterfly remnants, and various stains and spots, which are all eventually explained as part of the manuscript's long history.

FUNDRAISING, OUR BAR/BAT MITZVAH PARTY…AND THANK YOU!

Drum roll, please…

We are thrilled to announce that the recent DJC fundraising campaign generated more than $20,000. Each and every donation made a difference, from “This-is-all-I-can-afford-I-hope-it-helps” (It does!) to “Thanks-for-being-there-for-us-Don’t-spend-it-all-at-once” (Thank you. We won’t..)
Thanks to the collective generosity of our community we will be able to preserve the programs, the celebrations, the rituals that make us so meaningful to so many. At the same time, we are committed to exploring new ways to build upon our foundation, to finding new ways to financially support our growing needs.
We welcome any suggestions you have for fundraising initiatives and are not above ‘noodging’ those who have yet to donate to visit our donation page at www.djctoronto.com and give what you can.

DJC Fundraising Committee
Paul Axelrod
Alex Lowy
Emil Sher
Daphne Woolf

It’s official – the Danforth Jewish Circle’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah Party was a roaring success!

Nearly 150 people joined together for an evening of meaningful ceremony and joyful celebration, delicious food, and dancing!

The evening began with a beautiful Havdallah service led by our cantor Lisa Kent, followed by a lavish catered meal. After dinner, Susan Friedman presented us with our new DJC banner, which was lovingly created by a dedicated team of artisans. For those who could not attend the party, you will see the new banner hanging alongside its older cousin on the Bethminster bimah!

Following the banner presentation, we shared a beautiful candle lighting ceremony to honour the founding members of the DJC and its school, our cantor, musicians and artisans, our wonderful administrator, Board and committee chairs and members, and the children and youth who are our future leaders … and our present entertainers – as we learned from their witty performance! With hearts full of joy and appreciation, we enjoyed yummy cake and the many other decadent desserts that our guests graciously donated.

Just when we thought that it couldn’t get any better, Jacob Bali proved us wrong when he presented his stirring slideshow of DJC memories from the past 13 years.

Finally, we danced the night away to the dynamite tunes played by DJ Daniel, along with his two amazing dancers, Tiffany and Ginny. Everyone left with a renewed sense of wonder and appreciation for our wonderful community.

Many thanks go to Simmy Zaret – organizer extraordinaire – and to the party planning team – Margaret Cygelfarb, Joanne Hunter, Sheila Miller, Josie Lalonde, Ilana Waldston and Jacob Bali – who worked so incredibly hard to create this memorable event. We also send our thanks to all those who lent a helping hand before and during the event. Most of all, thank you to those who attended the party and helped to make it an inspiring evening that we’ll never forget!

Whew! Wasn’t that a party!

It’s hard to believe that almost a whole month has passed, since we celebrated our 13th year together. The DJC Bar/Bat Mitzvah Planning Committee can finally get some sleep, but not without first acknowledging the kindness and generosity shown by the many local businesses who helped make our party such a huge success. It is with enormous gratitude that I take this opportunity to once again recognize their kindness. It was heart-warming to see how eager they were to support us. As a community, we can show our appreciation by supporting them in return. And so we thank…

Absolutely Famished Catering – For being so amazingly generous in catering our spectacular dinner
Daniel Rosenberg and Company, Bounce Entertainment – For bringing us their great music
Just Designs Florals and Décor – For donating the centre pieces
Harbord Bakery – For donating the gorgeous Bar Mitzvah cake
Dough Bakery – For giving us that incredible gigantic Challah
IGA Danforth – For providing all the appetizer dips
Sun Valley – For providing two huge fruit platters
Peak Frean Cookie Factory – For donating all the appetizer crackers
It’s My Party – For giving us the helium balloons and dinner napkins
The Big Carrot – For donating the spices for Havdalla and lemons
Starbuck’s - Danforth and Gough – For providing the coffee
McDonald’s – For donating ice
Loblaws- Broadview, Loblaws- Redpath, & Sobey’s- Broadview For their generous financial contribution
Intercontinental Hotel- Yorkville for kindly lending us bussing trolley tables

Mazol Tov to everyone and let’s keep on making parties!

With love, from the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Planning Committee:
Simmy Zaret, Margaret Cygelfarb, Joanne Hunter, Sheila Miller, Josie Lalonde, Ilana Waldston and Jacob Bali

COMMUNITY NEWS

Kolel is offering a course on:

JEWISH PATHS TO UNDERSTANDING ILLNESS AND HEALING
*Taught by Rabbi Miriam Margles*

DATE: TUESDAYS, MAY 4 - JUNE 1 (no class May 18th) 7:30 - 9:30 pm
LOCATION: PROSSERMAN JCC (4588 Bathurst Street)
COST: $90/$50 Students & seniors

DESCRIPTION: the experience of illness and the process of healing touch us all, body and soul, and Jewish tradition has a rich store of responses to physical suffering. Explore Biblical and Talmudic teachings about pain, comfort and resilience through creative, embodied text study. Call Kolel (416.638.1881) for more information or visit them online at: www.kolel.org

Share a dynamic Jewish weekend—a time for study, Jewish experience, and spiritual growth incorporating both tradition and innovation – at the Canamica 20th Shabbat in the Woods Retreat.  This community retreat will take place the weekend of June 11 – 13 at the Canterbury Hills Retreat Centre, located in the woods just outside of Hamilton.
The retreat is open to all—all ages, all backgrounds, all affiliations, all levels of Jewish knowledge. All are welcome – attend on your own, with a partner or with children.  Children and teenagers can enjoy exciting programs just for them. No one is too young, none too old. Only your desire to learn and participate is important.  If you are interested in attending with other DJC members, please let us know!
The retreat brochure and registration forms for download are available on the Canamica web site:  www.canamica.com. 
Please indicate on the registration form that you are part of the Danforth Jewish Circle.  You also can indicate who you would like to ‘bunk’ with.
Please contact Josie Lalonde josielalonde@rogers.com if you have any questions, require carpooling, or are able to carpool others.

Harriet’s House
A play by Tara Goldstein

A meditation on mothering and daughtering, Harriet’s House examines how a Jewish mother and her three daughters negotiate the challenges and politics of international adoption in a same-sex family.
Why the play might be of interest to the Danforth Jewish Circle
Harriet’s House is a story about a contemporary Jewish family that is seldom, if ever, represented on the stage.  It would give me great pleasure to engage a Jewish as well as a non-Jewish audience in the story of a Jewish same-sex family.

A Gailey Road Production: June 24, 25 and 26, 2010 at 8 p.m.
Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Circle
Tickets: $18.00
U of T Box Office: 416.978.8849 or uoftix.ca

Hurray, it’s May!

I’ve been busy working on a very special project:  a fantastic show with The Satin Dolls vocal jazz quartet.   I’m sending you this to give you a chance to book ahead to ensure that you get a seat as our showcase last year was completely sold out!

We’ll be doing a matinee show at Hugh’s Room on Sunday, June 20th which just happens to be Father’s Day.  It’s an excellent opportunity to take the whole family out for some top drawer entertainment at a beautiful venue.   You can choose to have a late brunch during the show or just have a glass of something cool as you tap your toes to some hot rhythms and ease into some lush harmonies.

To reserve your tickets right now, just go to The Satin Dolls website and click on the link below the photo.  If you need any more info, please feel free to email me.
I look forward to seeing you there!

Ilana Waldston

Danny Cohen’s Australian Cartooning Camps have come to Canada!

We are a Jewish company in Sydney, Australia & we will be coming to Canada to run a program for local Jewish children in Toronto from Monday August 9th to Friday August 13h, 2010.

Download Danny Cohen’s Australian Cartooning Camps brochure .pdf (1.3 Mb)

With Shalom,

Danny Cohen
Cartoon Kingdom
The Illustrating Man Designs Pty Ltd
Suite 13, 5 – 11 Hollywood Avenue,
Bondi Junction Sydney NSW 2022
AUSTRALIA
Email: danny@cartoonkingdom.com.au
Web: www.illustrating-man.com.au

Ivrit/Hebrew lessons in an Israeli home

Ravit David still has available spots for the Spring/Summer session of Hebrew studies. Whether you are an absolute beginner or you are looking to deepen your command of the Hebrew language. One-on- one lessons will enable you to progress according to your own level, and to focus on your specific interests, i.e. Bat/Bar Mitzvah preparation, expanding vocabulary, improving conversation skills and following with your school curriculum.
Ms. David hails from Israel where she has taught newcomers from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia. Ravit’s teaching methods make use of books, DVDs and games in Hebrew which will also introduce both, young and adult students to Israeli culture.
Location: 5 minute walk from Broadview subway station.
Registration/details: please call 647.830.0304 or email Ravit at davidravit@rogers.com

CAMP ASHREINU

Ashreinu is a non-profit organization running a day camp and overnight camp, providing a real summer experience at a low cost.
Our application is available here if you'd like to look through it, for more information or check out our website at www.campashreinu.ca

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