DJC Blog

Your opportunity to have a say in the future of Israel and global Jewish priorities The World Zionist Congress election is your opportunity to have a say in the future of Israel and global Jewish priorities. $1 billion in funding is at stake, and your vote for the liberal and progressive slates ensures that values […]

Did you know that 77% of queer and trans youth report being the victims of bullying and are twice as likely to describe their mental health as poor (33%) compared with other bullied youth populations? Trans and non-binary youth in particular struggle with poor mental health outcomes due to bullying, with 1 in 5 transgender […]

When DJC members Eve-Lynn, Kathy, Ellen, Ruth and Dorothy attended the Refugee Shabbat on April 4 this year, they had no idea that they would leave as members of a Constituent Group supporting a refugee. But when a JIAS (Jewish Immigrant Aid Services) speaker announced that a 40-something Ugandan woman was slated to arrive in […]

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on what it means to stand up with courage as a Jew. In moments of celebration and in moments of challenge, we are called to say Hineni—here I am.

I have been thinking a lot lately about connection — how we at DJC connect with each other, and how we connect with others. I sometimes think of us as a little island of progressive Judaism in the shtetl of Riverdale (after all, we meet in a church, next to an iconic vegetarian co-op), but […]

What is your “Mitzrayim” this year? Mitzrayim means “narrow place”. What is a narrow place you’ve been stuck in — and what might freedom look like? What helps you move forward when you feel stuck? The Exodus wasn’t a solo journey — who or what helps you take the next step?

The Kabbalists of Tzfat, the mystical thinkers of the 16th century, saw the world as intricately connected through the Eitz Chayim (Tree of Life). They understood this tree as a metaphor for the Torah and the human soul. Just as a tree is composed of roots, a trunk, branches, and fruit, so too does the soul possess levels of connection and expression: The roots represent our foundational values and spiritual grounding The trunk symbolizes our inner strength, the ability to st

The Kabbalists of Tzfat, the mystical thinkers of the 16th century, saw the world as intricately connected through the Eitz Chayim (Tree of Life). They understood this tree as a metaphor for the Torah and the human soul. Just as a tree is composed of roots, a trunk, branches, and fruit, so too does the soul possess levels of connection and expression: The roots represent our foundational values and spiritual grounding The trunk symbolizes our inner strength, the ability to st

Following a very positive reception for the first series, when each evening had close to 100 people in-person and online, the DJC invites you to a second three-part adult education series. The series is designed to foster dialogue and reflection. Together, we will navigate our collective knowledge, challenge assumptions, and confront what remains unexamined. This series builds on the discussions from Season 1, with three session “Looking to the Future”. The first explores wh

As part of Refugee Shabbat, DJC has been invited to participate in a multi-faith initiative to raise funds for a volunteer collective called “HIVE.” Refugee Shabbat is an opportunity for congregations to express their solidarity with the global Jewish movement for refugee protection and welcome. “We used to help refugees because they were Jewish. Now we help refugees […]

The Kabbalists of Tzfat, the mystical thinkers of the 16th century, saw the world as intricately connected through the Eitz Chayim (Tree of Life). They understood this tree as a metaphor for the Torah and the human soul. Just as a tree is composed of roots, a trunk, branches, and fruit, so too does the soul possess levels of connection and expression: The roots represent our foundational values and spiritual grounding The trunk symbolizes our inner strength, the ability to st

Alicia – Emily’s House Youth HospiceSee poster below: Sasha – Ranger Stewardship project at High ParkHigh Park is special because it’s a haven of green in a concrete jungle that provides a respite from city life. I know this because, for my Tikkun Olam project, I’m working with a stewardship program called the High Park […]

The Kabbalists of Tzfat, the mystical thinkers of the 16th century, saw the world as intricately connected through the Eitz Chayim (Tree of Life). They understood this tree as a metaphor for the Torah and the human soul. Just as a tree is composed of roots, a trunk, branches, and fruit, so too does the soul possess levels of connection and expression: The roots represent our foundational values and spiritual grounding The trunk symbolizes our inner strength, the ability to st

I’ve been reflecting on endings and beginnings as we anticipate the start of a six-week ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas tomorrow. This agreement holds the promise of bringing 33 Israeli hostages home. Alongside reflection, I find myself praying – praying for what will unfold in the weeks ahead.

The Hebrew month of Kislev will begin in a few days, and as we prepare to enter this new month on the Jewish calendar, my family is also counting down to a deeply meaningful milestone: Joel’s Bar Mitzvah

The DJC is hosting a three-part speaker series featuring Jewish and Palestinian scholars who will explore the narratives shaping modern Israel/Palestine. Speakers include Michael Soberman from the iCenter; Raja Khouri and Jeffrey Wilkinson, authors of The Wall Between: What Jews and Palestinians Don’t Want to Know About Each Other; and Derek Penslar, Harvard Professor of Jewish Studies and the author of Zionism: An Emotional State.

Love is the foundation of all Jewish values and practices. When we delve into Torah through this lens, the text begins to reveal itself as a divine call toward empathy, connection, and compassion. Each mitzvah becomes an opportunity to expand our hearts, to move beyond self-interest, and to embrace a life marked by kindness, patience, and a profound respect for the dignity of every person.

Nearly 100 DJC community members gathered to sing, cry, grieve, mourn, remember, and mark the day with a Yahrzeit candle. We ended by singing Hatikvah, full-throated, wiping away tears, holding onto one another. If you were there, you know how powerful the experience was for you, for me, and everyone in attendance. If you were not there, well, I wish you had been

Have you ever loved something so much that you wished it would happen for the first time again? Let Rosh Hashanah be that for you. And what a beginning it will be at the DJC. Let our tefillot (worship services) move you, providing comfort and inspiring you to new ways of thinking, being, and action. Hear the cry of the shofar.

Six murdered hostages. Six Israelis. Six beautiful souls. I, like you, am heartbroken and filled with grief and anger. Today, I have no words of uplift, no silver lining to offer to my community. It’s ok to mourn and cry and wail. It’s ok right now to sit in this grief and anger. As Yossi Klein Halevi said in his recent podcast “There is the sense of being in a nightmare that just keeps getting deeper and a feeling of loss of control and also rage, tremendous rage.” But…when