DJC Blog

June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, and June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage near to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. For opportunities to learn about the unique cultures, traditions and experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, […]

On Saturday, April 29th a Drag Queen Story Time (DQST) event at the Fort York Public Library in Toronto was targeted by a hate group called Save Canada. DQST events are family events centred on inclusion, acceptance and the fun of dressing up. Unfortunately, 2SLGBTQIA+ people still face violence and exclusion which these hate groups hope […]

The DJC is pleased to announce that our new team of three wonderful clergy leaders are in place. Please join us in welcoming: We are grateful that the Danforth Jewish Circle attracts such high-quality leaders who want to be a part of our community! We invite you to come to services and other DJC activities […]

March 22, 2023 As we watch with increasing alarm the existential crisis unfolding in Israel and the mass protests there and in the Diaspora against the agenda of Israel’s current hard right-wing government, the DJC Board has realized that we must assert our position and get involved. If this Israeli government’s agenda is implemented, the […]

February 14, 2023 Hon. Doug Ford I Premier@ontario.ca I doug.fordco@pc.ola.org c.c. Hon. Steve Clark I Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing I Steve.Clark@pc.ola.org c.c. Hon. David Piccini I Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks I david.Piccini@pc.ola.org Dear Premier Ford: We are community and faith-based organizations and faith leaders deeply concerned by the passage […]

Four years ago, the DJC Board signed onto ‘No Silence on Race’ (NSOR), an initiative of Jews of Colour in Toronto. This group’s objective is to redress the issue of exclusion across Jewish communities in Toronto. By signing this document, the DJC Board was committing us to acknowledging and working against racism in our congregation. And an Antiracism Working Group was created, reporting to […]

I had the pleasure of sharing my thoughts on the topic of “Wintering: Letting Within and Without Lie Fallow” with our neighbouring congregation at NUUC this past Sunday morning. We are fortunate to share wisdom and community through this unique Multifaith relationship. A few months after my 29th birthday I was in a serious car […]

1st Night of Chanukah: Community Community Event in Partnership with Camp Gesher 2nd Night of Chanukah: AntiBlack Racism By: The Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion Group 3rd Night of Chanukah: Climate Action By: Kathy Glazier 4th Night of Chanukah: Homelessness By: Mira Lyonblum 5th Night of Chanukah: Food Insecurity By: Alysse Rich 6th Night of Chanukah: Refugee Settlement By: Diana Chastain 7th Night of Chanukah: Multifaith By: Sharron Kusiar 8th Night of Chanukah: Truth an

By Lorne Opler As we conclude reading Sefer Bereshit, the Book of Genesis, a reflection of this first book of the Five Books of Moses yields many momentous events. From the story of creation, to Noah’s Ark, to the “akeda” or the sacrificial binding of Isaac by his father Abraham; from Jacob’s stealing the birthright from […]

“Happy New Year!” This phrase can be heard starting in December and continuing through January in every store and street, in each gathering and encounter. It is a beautiful wish for our human family: May 2023 prove to bring you much happiness and joy. May 2023 usher in greater gladness and merriment. The Jewish calendar […]

Now more than ever, organizations assisting others in our wider community need support from those of us more fortunate. Maria Rio, Director of Development at The Stop Community Centre, wrote in the Toronto Star this month: “If your favourite charity does work providing emergency supports like food, housing, or health care, I can guarantee that they […]

The intent of this task force is to help the DJC become a model of a welcoming community where all members, including interfaith/intercultural couples and families, feel a strong sense of belonging and pride in being part of the DJC community and the larger Jewish community. The DJC has always been a leader in progressive […]

“Time is the soul of this world,” wrote Greek philosopher Pythagoras over two millenia ago. How right he was! The span of our lives is so often marked by noting the passage of time: a birthday to mark our increasing age, an anniversary to acknowledge our loving partnerships, the counting of school grades our children […]

A HUGE thank you to everyone who participated in The Ve’ahavta Project at the DJC! More than 50 participants of all ages made 12 blankets and over 350 cookies for Ve’ahavta to distribute from their outreach van to those sleeping on the streets. DJC was the second largest site after Ve’ahavta itself! Almost $1700 has […]

To all our valued DJC members! In the spirit of transparency and community care, and as we embark on the journey toward searching for our permanent Rabbi, we are starting a (monthly?) column in our newsletter titled: Want to Know What’s going on with the Rabbi Search? To date, we have formed the rabbi search […]

Havurot are community-led small groups for getting to know other members and connecting around shared interests. Would you like to start a Havura of your own? Fill out this form and the DJC staff will contact you to help get it up and running! Learning Hebrew with Duolingo Dates to be confirmed | online In this […]

What an incredible year it has been celebrating our 25th anniversary. These large scale tapestries are the end result of dozens of arts workshops and series with our wonderful artist-in-residence Leah Gold. Special thanks to the Ontario Arts Council for their generous support of this project. We are so fortunate to have these beautiful pieces to […]

Are you interested in being part of a 5-10 person Welcome Circle for a refugee family, most likely from Ukraine or Afghanistan?. The Social Justice Committee is interested in forming a Welcome Circle, either with DJC members or in partnership with another synagogue. Moving forward with this project depends on having enough volunteers from the […]

– Susan Avishai Six years ago I was invited to attend a fibre-art residency at the Mark Rothko Art Centre in Latvia. We nine artists were expected to each create a piece for their collection. My first days were spent in Riga (where my grandfather was born), and I should not have been surprised to […]