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October 2010

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR…

Dear Fellow DJC members,

Beautiful, moving, memorable, inspiring, thought-provoking – just a few of the words that describe this year's High Holiday services. On behalf of the Board, I offer my heartfelt thanks to Rabbi Miriam Margles for bringing her soulful, gentle and assured leadership to our circle this year. I also extend my immeasurable gratitude to Cantor Lisa Kent and her choir for adding their special brand of magic. Finally, a huge 'thank you' to all who contributed their stories, thoughts and voices. Together, we created a welcoming and sacred Jewish space where we could observe the Holy Days in community.

I am thrilled to announce that Rabbi Margles will be back throughout the year to lead other DJC services and events, beginning with next week's Shabbat service. Please join us next Friday evening and help us welcome our new and returning members!

Lastly, I would like to welcome our newest Board member. Warren Morris was acclaimed to the Board of Directors at our recent Special Membership Meeting. A long-time DJC member, Warren brings his extensive professional expertise as a licensed mortgage broker, chartered mediator, ombudsman and lawyer, his experience on other volunteer boards – and his enthusiasm for all things DJC – to our Board.

Warmly,

Josie Lalonde
Chair, Danforth Jewish Circle

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER NEWS... AT A GLANCE

DATE	TIME	EVENT/Details	LOCATION
Thursday, October 7	6:30 pm	JS School Pizza dinner meet & greet" (JS School families)	MS Miriam's: 583 A Danforth Press the buzzer (left of door) for entry
Friday, October 15	7:00 pm	Bethminster Shabbat Theme: "welcoming new & returning members" Led by Rabbi Miriam, with Cantor Lisa	Eastminster - 310 Danforth: Auditorium **JACKMAN ST ENTRANCE** Kiddush to follow service Free Child care provided
Saturday, October 16	7:00 pm	DJC MOVIE NIGHT Host: Daphne Woolf	19 Playter Blvd Rsvps Mandatory: dwoolf@colinbaer.com phone: 416.461.5600
Sunday, October 24	5:30 pm	DJCYG: Muddy York Walking Tours! Grades 8s & 9s	Meet 5:30 pm St. George Subway R.O.M. tour begins at 7:00pm Contact: Mika.gang@gmail.com ph: 647.444.7291 for more info
Wednesday, November 3	7:30 pm	DJC Book Club LIGHT FELL by Evan Fallenberg	Location sent to Rsvps Contact: info@djctoronto.com to Rsvp or for more information
Friday, November 12	7:00 pm	In-Home Shabbat Host: Sheri Cohen	4 Austin Crescent Rsvp: shericohen@rogers.com phone: 416.516.8330
Friday, November 26	7:00 pm	Bethminster Shabbat Led by Cantor Lisa	Eastminster - 310 Danforth: Auditorium **JACKMAN ST ENTRANCE** Kiddush to follow service Free Child care provided
Sunday, November 28	2:00-5:00 pm	DJC COMMUNITY PLANNING MEETING	Location TBA

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

• Sunday, November 28th 2:00-500 p.m. Location: TBA  
  Danforth Jewish Circle's Community Planning Meeting

Come contribute your voice and ideas as we look at ways for spiritual leadership, Jewish education (for adults and children) and community development initiatives to lead our vision and programming efforts in 2010-2011!

• DJCYG: Nov. 27th Toronto's festival of Cavalcade of Lights
• DJCYG: Dec. 19th Chanukah themed cook-off (Iron Chef!)

OCTOBER SHABBAT SERVICE

BETHMINSTER SHABBAT

"Welcoming new & returning members"
   Led by Rabbi Miriam with Cantor Lisa

Eastminster: 310 Danforth Avenue- Auditorium

When: Friday, October 15
Time: 7:00 PM

*Free childcare; Dessert Kiddush following services

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

DJC CHILDREN'S JEWISH STUDIES PROGRAM

Shana Tova on behalf of the DJC Jewish Studies Education Committee!

This year's Jewish Studies program kicked off on September 23 but we got the ball rolling during the High Holidays. Principal Alysse Rich and teachers Dana Bookman, Billie Moss organized and led our High Holiday Youth program and made Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur a meaningful and memorable experience for our children. That set the stage for a fabulous start to our new school year. Enrolment is up and, as always, we have a wonderful group of eager, exuberant and engaged students.

There are some exciting events that that have taken place since last year including a curriculum review, new programming activities, and of course, the welcoming of our wonderful new principal, Alysse, who some of you will remember as a devoted Jewish Studies teacher who always put her students' needs front-and-centre. Alysse, along with Dana and Billie, have been working hard to ensure that our curriculum remains current and meets the needs of our students. In partnership with the Education Committee, all of our teachers have been hard at work reviewing and enhancing lesson plans and ensuring an important sense of continuity from one grade to the next as our children move through their Jewish education from Junior Kindergarten to grade 6.  This year's dedicated staff have planned some exciting events, including drumming, ongoing music education, a children's led service, a Purim festival, and much more. It is inspiring to put our children's education in the hands of such committed and experienced teachers.

We look forward to another enriching year of Jewish education that reflects the spirit and values of the DJC!

Saara Greene
Chair, DJC Education Committee

OCTOBER EVENT DETAILS

** JS Pizza Dinner "Meet & Greet" Thursday, October 7^th **

We'd like to welcome all new and returning families to our Children's JS program for a pizza dinner meet & greet this Thursday at Ms Miriam's after class.  Your children's teachers will be on hand to meet you for the first half hour.

The details as follows:

What:	JS PIZZA DINNER "MEET & GREET"
Where:	MS MIRIAM'S- 583 A DANFORTH AVENUE
	(Ring the buzzer for entry to the left of the door)
Time/date:	Thursday, Oct 7, 6:30 PM (after class)

Children of Heaven SATURDAY, OCT 16 Rsvp: Daphne Woolf 416.461.5600 dwoolf@colinbaer.com 19 Playter Blvd

DIRECTIONS:
By subway:
Go to Chester Station.
Walk out of the station. Turn left and turn left again to go down a lane-way that runs beside the subway building.
Turn right onto Jackman Avenue.
Turn left onto Playter Crescent.
Turn right onto Playter Blvd ... we are the 3rd house on the right (beige).
The walk from the subway will take 5 minutes.
By car:
Go east on Danforth, past Broadview.
Turn left at the first lights - Playter Blvd.
Go to the end of the street (2nd stop street).
Turn right onto Playter Crescent.
After about 50 feet, you will reach a fork in the road.
Take the left side of the fork - this gets you back onto Playter Blvd.
We are the 3rd house on the right (beige).
416.469.1300 ... in the event you get lost.

DJCYG

The Danforth Jewish Youth Group started off their year with a really successful get together that allowed the group to plan out the next year for themselves.  We had a great turn out and were excited to keep going! Our calendar is now full of exciting, educational and fun activities from October on to June.

For the grade 8 and 9 DJC Youth, we're kicking off October with a frightening tour of downtown Toronto with Muddy York Walking Tours. To get ourselves ready for Halloween we'll be touring the haunted streets of downtown on October 24th. We'll be meeting at 5:30pm at St. George Subway Station and everyone should bring with them however much money they would like for dinner and an additional $10 for the tour which begins at the R.O.M. at 7pm. The tour runs until 9pm at which point we'll be at Dundas and Yonge.... the details in summary:

For grade 8's & 9's

.

What:	Muddy York Walking Tours
When:	October 24
Where:	Meet at St. George Subway at 5:30 pm (tour at R.O.M at 7 pm)
What to bring:	Money for dinner and $10 for tour
	*

Hope to see you all there, and if there is anyone who couldn't make it out to our first event, don't hesitate to contact me about joining the group!
*Stay tuned for details on the first event for the Grade 10's, 11's and 12's...

Mika Gang
Mika.gang@gmail.com
647-444-7291

NOVEMBER SHABBAT SERVICES

IN - HOME SHABBAT

Led by Emil Sher

BETHMINSTER SHABBAT

Led by Cantor Lisa

NOVEMBER EVENT DETAILS

DANFORTH JEWISH READING CIRCLE

Wednesday, November 3, 2010
LIGHT FELL , BY EVAN FALLENBERG
FACILITATED BY CYNTHIA GOOD

"Evan Fallenberg's novel, Light Fell, centres on the preparation for a family reunion. Twenty years have passed since Joseph left behind his entire life – his wife Rebecca, his five sons, his father and the religious Israeli farming community where he grew up – when he fell in love with a man, the genius rabbi Yoel Rozenzweig. Their affair is long over, but its echoes continue to reverberate through the lives of Joseph, Rebecca, and their sons in ways that none of them could have predicted. Now, for his fiftieth birthday, Joseph is preparing to have his five sons and the daughter-in-law he has never met spend the Sabbath with him in the Tel Aviv apartment penthouse he shares with a man. "Light Fell…raises brave questions about the nature of family and betrayal, rupture and healing." (San Francisco Chronicle) Light Fell won the American Library Association's Stonewall Book Award, and the Edmund White Award for debut fiction.

Cynthia Good is director of the Creative Book Publishing Program at Humber College, and former president of Penguin Group (Canada). At Penguin she originated the Penguin's Canadian Program, which has grown to one of the most successful in Canada, boasting a list of premier Canadian writers. She has taught in both Ryerson University's and Centennial College's publishing certificate programs, and been a featured speaker on cultural, literary and business subjects at many universities and colleges across Canada.

* The planning committee requests a volunteer host for our April 28th session, please Rsvp info@djctoronto.com if you would like to volunteer.
* For 2010/11 Reading circle dates and information, click on our website link: http://djctoronto.com/explore/education.php

Global Day of Jewish Learning

Sunday, November 7
2:30-5:00pm
At the Miles Nadal JCC (750 Spadina Ave at Bloor)
Info:  416.924.6211 x 154
www.mnjcc.org

Come listen, come learn!  Join in a conversation that has spanned millennia, celebrating the gifts of Jewish thought, tradition and community.  Whether you're totally up on your Talmud or just exploring it for the first time, share an afternoon of Jewish dialogue and exploration at the Miles Nadal JCC.  Featuring Rabbi Miriam Margles, Rabbi Ed Elkin, Rabbi Michael Stroh, Annie Gilbert, Rhonda Rosenheck, and many more!  Turn the Talmud over from different angles in interactive sessions suitable for all backgrounds and all levels.  Be part of this historic, worldwide event!  Suggested donation $10.

Co-presented by the Miles Nadal JCC, Congregation Shir Libeynu, Makom, The First Narayever Congregation, Congregation Shir Libeynu, Danforth Jewish Circle, Limmud Toronto, and Kolel.

"Sisters to Sisters" Campaign - thanks to your donations a wonderful success!

We are thrilled to report back to the community about how successful the "Sisters to Sisters" campaign has been in assisting the Pakistani Community Centre in their flood relief efforts collecting basic needs for women and girls in Pakistani and also with financial donations of over $3,000 (which will be doubled thanks to government matching)!

On behalf of the Asian Communities Council of Canada and the Pakistani Community Centre, Executive Director, Mrs. Tasleem Riaz, would like to thank everyone in our community for the overwhelming and generous response they received from us over our high holidays. Reflecting on the campaign and its impact on our community, Rabbi Miriam Margles commented that the high holidays are, "as much about healing the world as they are about healing our individual selves (can one grow without the other?)!".

In the end we delivered hundreds of pounds! of useful toiletries to the Pakistani community. It will be airlifted shortly to Pakistan and Tasleem will be going with the shipment to personally deliver these goods. When she returns we will continue our work with her and the PCC to assist in helping the millions of women and children to recover from this life-changing disaster.

Peace-Shalom-Saalam!

Karen Robbins & Eve-Lynn Stein
DJC Peace Walk & Mulit-faith Team

COMMUNITY NEWS

Thanksgiving in the City:
A Celebration of the Urban Harvest

Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth Avenue, is marking Thanksgiving this year with a special two-day event the weekend of Saturday October 9th and Sunday October 10th.

"Thanksgiving in the City: A Celebration of the Urban Harvest" kicks off Saturday the 9th (10 am to 4pm) with an Open House / Fall Fair.  Inspired by the harvest season, this first day of activities will spread through Eastminster's heritage building on the Danforth adjacent to the Carrot Common. Events will include musical acts, an art show and sale, a petting farm, kids' zone, a bake and craft sale, dance, theatre and an opportunity to learn about local harvest initiatives from groups like "Not Far From The Tree", "Urban Harvest", and more.

A unique Thanksgiving feature will be the "Blessing of the Animals," on Saturday at 2p.m.  Pet lovers of all ages are invited to bring their beloved dog, cat, ferret, reptile, rabbit or bird and join us in our sanctuary for this beautiful service of blessing and thanks.

The celebration continues on Sunday when Eastminster invites all our neighbours to join us in a special service of Thanksgiving at 10:30 am with an Open House and light lunch to follow.

"Thanksgiving in the City: A Celebration of the Urban Harvest," October 9th and 10th takes place at  Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth Avenue (just west of the Chester Subway).  Proceeds from the fair will go to "Out of the Cold" – feeding and sheltering the homeless.

Since 1992, Out of the Cold has provided those in need with a hot supper, access to showers, a visit with a street nurse, decent used clothing, the offer of a warm safe place to sleep and breakfast in the morning.  As many as 125 people gather on the steps of EUC every Friday evening from the first of November to the end of March.  About half will stay the night.  Volunteers from all walks of life have served over seventy thousand meals and provided over thirty thousand beds in the 18 years since Out of the Cold began.

Rev. Sarah Bourcier-Miller
Minister of Worship, Children, Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Email: sarah.bmiller@bellnet.ca

Rev. Daniel Bogert-O'Brien
Minister of Worship, Adult Ministry & Education and Outreach
Email: danbob@bellnet.ca

Jacqueline Sadler
Director of Music
jacqueline.sadler@bellnet.ca

The Toronto Council of Hazzanim will be presenting a concert featuring Hebrew and Cantorial music as well as songs from Broadway, featuring Cantors from the major synagogues in Toronto.  This is the first time that the Council of Hazzanim has dedicated half of the show to popular music from Broadway.

The Concert will take place on Monday, October 18; at the Beth David Synagogue at 7:30 pm. Proceeds will be generously donated to The Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind.

For tickets, please call us at 416-577-3600
or email to sara.israelguidedog@rogers.com.

Please come and join us! We are looking forward to your continued support.

Sara Gabriel
Executive Director
607-7601 Bathurst St
Thornhill, ON L4J 4H5
Tel. 416.577.3600
Fax. 905.597.8778

Dear friends and colleagues,
What is SOY

SOY works within an anti-oppression framework to create opportunities for queer and trans youth and adults to build an inclusive, welcoming community together. SOY develops initiatives that build skills and capacities, provide mentoring and support, and nurture a sense of identity and belonging.  Four Years ago I became involved with Supporting our Youth as a Ally first mentoring a male youth and then to fundraise yearly for this event! I am asking for you support to help me raise funds.

Time to get the balls rolling again!

With your help, we hope to raise $50,000 to support critically important programs for LGBT youth in Toronto.
Together we can make this year a success!

Please go to www.soytoronto.org and press on the Bowlathon, then go to the top team, I am with the back alley bombers and my name is there. Press Sheri Cohen and please make a pledge any amount to help support us! I look forward to hearing from you and if you would rather send me a check then please make it out to The Sherbourne Health Centre, and in the memo: address this to Soy's Bowlathon and you can mail me your check to my home address which is 4 Austin Crescent, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 3E3

Thank you in Advance,
Warmly,
Sheri

TORONTO JEWISH FOLK CHOIR INVITES NEW SINGERS FOR 85^TH SEASON

Let's sing the songs of our people!

The Toronto Jewish Folk Choir invites new singers to add their voices for its 85th season.  Rehearsals are Wednesdays, 7:30-10 p.m. at the Winchevsky Centre, 585 Cranbrooke Ave. (Bathurst-Lawrence).

The Choir sings beloved Yiddish favourites and songs in Hebrew, Ladino and other languages.  Ability to read music is helpful but not required, but singers are urged to tape rehearsals and practise at home.

To sign up or receive more information, call 416.593.0750 or e-mail tjfolkchoir@sympatico.ca.  More info is also posted at http://www.winchevskycentre.org/institutions/choir.html and on Facebook.

Under conductor Alexander Veprinsky, the Toronto Jewish Folk Choir has a terrific season lined up.  Highlight will be the spring 2011 performance of In Amerike, a tuneful and poignant suite about the immigrant experience, composed by Winnipeg's Sid Robinovitch to poetry of the late Canadian writer Sholem Shtern. The Choir will be joined by a klezmer band.

This year's plans, still being finalized, also include a Chanukah concert, a performance with a youth choir and the annual Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Commemoration.  There is also the possibility of a trip to Montreal next June for the Second International Yiddish Theatre Festival.

It's a great way to make beautiful music with friendly people.

For further information, contact:
Linda Litwack
416.782.7837
e-mail: lalitwack@rogers.com

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