Havurot 5786

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Havurot are community-led small groups for getting to know other members and connecting around shared interests. The DJC has had some wonderful and active groups over the years and welcome new ideas! Would you like to start a Havura of your own? From book clubs, knitting circles, LGBTQTS community-building and Hebrew lessons to Yiddish conversation, pickleball, euchre and bridge, let us know what you’re passionate about so we can connect you with other DJC members who share your interest! Fill out this form for Havurot 5786 and the DJC staff will contact you to help get it up and running.

Havurot groups in progress:

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Poetry for Peace & Freedom in Israel/Palestine

presented by the Palestinian Narratives Havurah

Sunday, November 16th, 2025 | 7:00-9:00 pm At the home of a community member.  Please contact Nadya (nadya.nachama@gmail.com) for details.

This year we are exploring works by Palestinian, Israeli, and diasporic Jewish writers on struggle, displacement, resilience, and hope. The goals of this series are to use poetry as a site of radical empathy with ‘the other’ and for critically reflecting on how we dream toward peace and freedom.  We seek to open ourselves to challenge in the spirit of Jewish commitment to learning, engaging in self-examination and reflection, reckoning and the work of repair.

The Havurah offers a warm community gathering and open, thoughtful discussion. All are welcome–whether you’re new to the Havurah or joined the first series last year.

To learn more or join the next series, please contact Nadya Burton at nadya.nachama@gmail.com

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The Genius of Israel

Monday November 17 | 7:00-9:00 pm At the home of a community member. Please contact Mike (mfox@brightlightsinc.com) for details.

We believe that Israel is central to what it means to be Jewish. The purpose of this group is a chance for DJC members to gather together in a relaxed and welcoming environment to learn about, appreciate, and be proud of the dynamism, creativity, and resilience of Israel and Israeli culture and society. We want to cultivate deeper connections to Israel, and we welcome anyone who is curious and open to learning more about Israeli society. We will focus on promoting understanding and fostering positive connections to Israel.

The Havurah began with a book club meeting on Den Senor’s book, The Genius of Israel, and while the group has explored other topics, including Israeli music and podcasts, the name has stuck.

Once a month, we will gather in a member’s living room for a facilitated conversation. The discussion might focus on a book, poetry, art, a film or TV series, food, and more. Of course snacks will be served, Bamba included!

To learn more or join the Havurah, please contact Mike Fox at mfox@brightlightsinc.com.

We encourage participation from all members of the DJC community, whether you joined the group before or not. If you have accessibility needs to be able to attend, contact Mike and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Past Havurot groups:

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Palestinian Narratives Learning Havurah

Four to five in-person meetings from April to July.  Dates, times, and frequency to be determined by the collective.

Are you ready to engage deeply with Palestinian perspectives on the Israel/Palestine conflict in a respectful, inclusive, and safe learning environment?  If so, we invite you to join the DJC’s Palestinian Narratives Learning Havurah – a unique opportunity to be part of a supportive community that reads and discusses Palestinian writings (which could include histories, biographies, novels, and poetry).  Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding of Palestinian experiences or simply participate in meaningful and respectful dialogue, this learning group is the place for you!

The Havurah will kick off with an initial Edward Said Reading Series that pairs seminal writings by Edward Said, like The Question of Palestine, with contemporary texts by other authors.  Edward Said will serve as an initial entry point because he was a prominent and articulate advocate for Palestinian and universal human rights.  His ground-breaking works continue to resonate with new readers and generations while sparking challenging conversations about power, identity, and justice.  But this offering is only a starting point!  As a community-led initiative, the reading list will be revised and grow based on the collective’s needs and interests. 

Have questions?  Want to sign up?  Email Ben and Miggy at benjamin.hanff@icloud.com – we would love to have you join us!

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The Genius of Israel

First meeting: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 @ 7-8:30pmWe will be meeting again on May 21 and June 18,  2025.Location TBA

We believe that Israel is central to what it means to be Jewish. The purpose of this group is a chance for DJC members to learn about, appreciate, and be proud of the dynamism, creativity, and resilience of Israel and Israeli culture and society.  We want to cultivate deeper connections to Israel, and we welcome anyone who is curious and open to learning more about Israeli society.  We will focus on promoting understanding and fostering positive connections to Israel.   

Once a month, we will gather in a member’s living room or backyard for a facilitated conversation. The discussion might focus on a book, a few articles, some poems, an art piece, the Israeli art scene, a podcast, a piece of music (or the works of a musician), a movie, food, and more. Of course snacks will be served!

Topic for the first gathering:

We will discuss “The Genius of Israel,” a book by Dan Senor and Saul Singer.  We’ll see how far our conversation will take us into the book.  We imagine it will take three gatherings for a fulsome exploration.  

Synopsis: How can it be that Israel is the fourth happiest nation in the world?  Why do Israelis enjoy one of the world’s highest life expectancies and lowest rates of “death or despair” from suicide and substance abuse?  Why do Israelis tend to look to the future with determination and purpose while the rest of the West struggles with epidemics of loneliness, teen depression, and social decline? “The Genius of Israel” explores these questions, and many more. The book is available at Book City and Indigo and from the Toronto Public Library. If you don’t have time to read the book, it’s okay to read excerpts or reviews.

Register with Rob Krakauer by email at rob.krakauer@gmail.com.  

We encourage participation from all members of the DJC community. If you have accessibility needs to be able to attend, contact rob.krakauer@gmail.com. We’ll do our best to accommodate you.  

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