DJC Blog

On the first morning of Rosh Hashanah at 6:30 AM, 28 DJC members attended the sunrise service at the Brickworks. This was a record for attendance at this service, which often has barely had a minyan. Clearly, we have been starved for personal interactions. It was a beautiful morning in an idyllic setting. Emil Sher […]

We will be gathering on Zoom for High Holyday services again this year. Of course, I would rather be physically together – singing together, crowding side by side under outstretched tallitot on the bimah for the group aliyot, and hugging in the aisles. But spiritual practice is perpetually a practice of meeting reality with an […]

Your support is needed! Every year at the time of the high holidays, the DJC launches a food drive to support the Bethany Church Food Bank in our Riverdale ‘neck of the woods’. Before services, we come to Eastminster bearing food offerings and place them in the bins set out in the front lobby so […]

Public antisemitism has increased in Toronto and around the world since the recent violence in Israel and Gaza. This development is disturbing and runs contrary to the intersectional work of building solidarity and ending oppression. We want to share with you this statement on antisemitism from the Toronto Board of Rabbis. This is an important time […]

A Muslim family was targeted and attacked in London, Ontario while they were walking on Sunday evening. Four people were killed. A child was seriously injured. No one should be afraid to walk through the streets of this country. No one should live in fear of being attacked because of their religion, identity, or beliefs. With hearts broken, with prayer, we stand, as […]

We join all of Canada in mourning the devastating discovery of the remains of 215 children buried in unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. Jewish tradition teaches that every life that is lost is an entire world lost. Our prayers and broken hearts reach to recognize each life and each lost […]

Tonight’s celebration of Shavuot gathers us at the foot of Mount Sinai to open our ears and our hearts to hear Torah speaking to us and to this moment. This moment is one of multiplying heartbreak and horror as we witness rockets fall on Israeli cities and as we witness Israeli strikes on Gaza. This […]

The Danforth Multifaith Commons was born in 2020, when three faith communities – East End United Regional Ministry, the Danforth Jewish Circle, and Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation – joined in a long-term partnership. This partnership formalized many years of multifaith collaboration among our congregations and other faith communities, including an annual solidarity walk on the Danforth. […]

These two weeks in the month of Nissan prior to Pesach are a time of preparation. Here are some ways you can prepare for a liberating Pesach for yourself and others: *Clean out your chametz – foods made from the 5 grains: wheat, barley, spelt, rye, and oats. You can donate food, give it to neighbours […]

We have all been there; having a job that you never seem to get around to doing. For a while, one of mine has been washing the DJC’s tallitot, and with time to spare now, I decided to start. I realized they would need to be done by hand as the tzitzit (fringes) would get […]

Some of us have asked, “How big a donation should I give to the DJC over and above my Membership fees?” There are so many variables that a simple straightforward answer is not possible. We hear a Jewish voice saying, “On the von hand and then on di udher hand…” “I do not believe one can settle how […]

The Nominating Committee consists of one Board representative and three community members who responded to a broad call for members. We were asked to reach out to the membership for recommendations to fill upcoming vacancies on the Board, consider potential candidates, and present a list of nominees to fill the vacant positions for a two-year term at the […]

During the afternoon of Yom Kippur the Social Justice Committee led an interactive discussion and learning workshop on “Identity, Oppression and Racism — Starting the Conversation”. Over 30 people participated on Zoom. The session kicked off with a very informative and provocative presentation made by long-time SJC members, Lynne Raskin and Eve-Lynn Stein. They posed […]

Greta says that our climate actions send messages to others and encourage governments to take action. We know our DJC community is concerned about the climate crisis and, as a community, we can make a difference by taking both individual and collective action. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stressed that individual […]

I was going to give this sermon on Rosh Hashana day, when our theme was Dismantling and Building Anew, but between all the challenges with technology and timing, I didn’t share it then. I want to share it tonight. The last community-wide program we ran at the DJC before we went into Covid lockdown was […]

A cluster of 4 rabbis made their winding way to Jerusalem. When they reached Mount Scopus, they looked out across the valley and could see what was once the magnificent and holy Temple, the centre of Jewish life, now destroyed, and they tore their garments in grief. This scene takes place some time after 70 […]

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With the holidays being different this year, the Accessibility Initiative has been working to make sure anyone who wants to participate is able to do so. With this in mind, we wanted to let you know a few important things: 1. If you have any questions or accommodation needs, for any of the services (in […]

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Your support is needed! Every year at the time of the high holidays, the DJC launches a FOOD DRIVE to support the Bethany Church Food Bank in our Riverdale ‘neck of the woods’. Before services, we come to Eastminster bearing food offerings and place them in the bins set out in the front lobby so […]