May, June 2013 - First Narayever Congregation

MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773MAY 20133 Community Shabbat Dinner 6 pm10 Rosh Chodesh Services 7 am5 Mitzvah Day Activities 11 am – 6 pm5 Chalutzim Program and Dinner 4 – 6 pm6, 13 & 27 Peoplehood Adult Ed Series 7 – 9 pm14 Tikkun Leil Shavuot at the MNjcc 8 pm – 6 am15 Shavuot Services 9 am16 Shavuot Services 9 am with Yizkor25 Post-kiddush talk with Josh Fogel26 Walk with Israel 9 am26 Doors Open Toronto at the shul 10 am – 5 pmUPCOMING CLASSES and EVENTSJUNE 20131 Post-kiddush talk with Stuart Schoenfeld2 Chalutzim Program - The Amazing Race3 Peoplehood Adult Ed Series 7 – 9 pm9 Table at the Annex Festival on Bloor 11 am – 6 pm14 Canamica Shabbat in the Woods15 Farewell Shabbat for our Shinshinim23 Annual General Meeting 7 pm30 March in the Gay Pride Parade with Kulanu TorontoFIRST NARAYEVER CONGREGATION 187 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2M4Phone: 416.927.0546 Fax: 416.927.0486 email: admin@narayever.ca website: www.narayever.ca

NARAYEVER NEWSPRESIDENT’S MESSAGEDear Friends,This is my last newsletter message as Narayever President.As the maxim goes, when you are having fun, time flies by.Well, it has not all been fun but it has not been thatdifficult burden that some had imagined. We areconstantly reminded that, as we grow older, it is mentallyhealthy to be in situations that are challenging, needproblem solving, require weighing optionsand arrive at solutions. That defines thePresidency.Let's look back at some of those events thatrequired some of the above pre-requisitesfor mental health. A number of issues andaccomplishments come to mind. Ourcongregation-wide debate over thesustainable food initiative was dealt withopenly and vigorously. We are enjoying thefruits of that endeavour.Our new website came on-line and we nowhave five ways to communicate with our membership:Narayever Net, website, our new Facebook presence, theNarayever News and pew sheets. Our successfulshinshinim program is being continued for another year;and a redesigned entrance to the Narayever section of theBathurst Lawn cemetery is proceeding. We have revisedour Bar/Bat Mitzvah handbook and the guidelines for useof our shul space by non-member groups and individuals.Our shul will have a defibrillator installed early in June,something we hope will never have to be used. We havedebated our shul's response to the United Churchresolution on boycotting Israel, renewed the rabbi'scontract, expanded the Shabbat morning leyning to enablemore participatory member involvement and we have anew siddur for our youth aged seven and up. Ourcentennial plans are continuing apace.These are just a few of the many more items that yourvarious committees and Board have dealt with over thelast two years. Our shul is a dynamic community withmany activities, often going on at the same time. There isincreasing concern that our usable space is growing“tighter”. It is a blessing that our youth cohort is growing.However, walking about our building on a typical Saturdaymorning you would see how crowded we are, especiallydownstairs in the social hall where our very young are2meeting with their supervisors in the same space in whichour kiddush is being prepared. We are continuing to studyour options but it is a slow process. We will keep youinformed as progress is made.A number of Board members are retiring this year aftergiving their time and talents to our community. We willmiss Janet Horowitz, our Board secretary, Peter Gold, chairof Adult Education, Ellen Friedland andAndrea Most (co-chairs of the FoodCommittee), Avi Schonbach (Hesed), ScottGreene and Sarah Lambert (Youth) and GlennRubinoff (Communications). On behalf of theBoard and representing the membership Iwant to thank you all for doing so much tomake the Narayever a better place.Special thanks to our outgoing PastPresident, Julia Gluck. Julia has continued todo far more than she was required as PastPresident. She has acted as theadministrative staff co-ordinator, has been our newslettereditor and our shinshinim supervisor, as well as chair ofthe Nominations Committee. Julia, I want to thank you forgiving so much of yourself to the service of the shul.Rabbi Elkin has been my rock when things got tough. Ihave been the fortunate recipient of his thoughtfulwisdom and he has always come through withrecommendations and advice when I needed it. Thank youso much, Rabbi Ed.I want to thank the whole Narayever Board for theprivilege of working with such terrific people. The highlevel of calm discussion and debate at our meetings wasenergizing for me. We will soon see Vice-President HarrySchachter from the bima as our new President. Harry hasbeen heavily involved in all aspects of our shul governanceduring his two-year tenure and I am sure he will bring afresh outlook and vigour to his new position. I wish youwell, Harry.Thanks to everyone for your support over the last twoyears. Getting to know so many of you and working withyou has been one of the great joys of being the President.It has been a pleasure and a blessing serving you.Joel Edelsonpresident@narayever.caMAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

RABBI’S MESSAGENARAYEVER NEWSDear Friends,Many of you have known the pain of watching loved onesdecline physically and/or mentally due to illness or old age.You have spoken with me about the challenges of caring forsomeone in this state, someone who needs constant care,someone who may not even recognize you any more,someone who is not going to get better.I am going through this experience at thistime as my mother Gertrude Elkin slipsfurther and further into dementia. In themidst of her confusion, she knows her lifeisn't as it should be. And those of us wholove her find it so hard to watch a womanwho was always so strong, so vital, and soindependent lose all those defining features,as her body and mind deteriorate.As a man of faith, I generally try to maintaina hopeful and optimistic stance towards thechallenges I encounter. In this approach to life, I find supportin Jewish tradition and Jewish history. For example, Jewishholidays like Passover and Chanukah celebrate times in ourhistory when seemingly hopeless situations turn around andthere is a happy ending.The High Holy Days don't have a historical narrative, but therecurring theme of teshuvah on those powerful daysemphasizes the idea that divine forgiveness is available foreven our worst transgressions if we but repent – again, thereis hope.And when I consider modern Jewish history, again the arc is ahopeful one. The State of Israel was established immediatelyfollowing the most tragic period ever in Jewish history.Despite all the serious challenges Israel faces, or maybebecause of them, we can and do still sing HaTikvah from ourhearts – because in so many ways Israel represents hope forthe Jewish people.And so, supported by my tradition, I have made hopefulnessmy “default” state of being, both for myself and in myinteractions with others. What do I do then, spiritually, in theface of a situation in which there is no hope? If my mother'sillness were such that there was hope that she could getbetter again, I would move into my naturally encouraging,“look on the bright side” mode. But what if for her there isno longer a bright side, but rather only the question of howmuch longer she will suffer?MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773The Jewish people has long experience with the spiritualproblem of despair. The Book of Job, for example, depicts aman who has lost his wealth, his health, and his family. Atone point, Job cries out, “I am weary of my life; my speechgive out; I will speak from the bitterness of my soul” (10:1).Similarly, the matriarch Rebecca cries out in despair duringher painful pregnancy with Yaakov and Esav – “if it's likethis, why do I exist?” (Gen.25:22).Passages like these show that our traditioncan be a rich spiritual resource both for thosewho are trying to find grounds for hope, andfor those who are living in despair.As Rabbi (and former Narayever member)Elliot Kukla writes, “There is recognition inthe Bible that while despair is painful, it isalso a part of the human experience. Thesebiblical figures are inspiring and importantfigures in Jewish tradition not despite theirdespair but rather because their desolatestates of mind are so quintessentially human.” Yes, Passoveris certainly a central part of Jewish tradition, but so too isTisha B'Av – a day of mourning which contains little to nomessage of comfort.I still believe our tradition wants us to err on the side ofhopefulness where it is at all possible to imagine that achange for the better could happen. And sometimes weneed to cling to our hope even when there are no rationalgrounds for it – the possibility of miracles is affirmed inJudaism even if we can't expect them to occur. But ourtradition also recognizes that sometimes we reach a pointwhere, in the face of reality, we accept that it is time to letgo of our hope. If it is for ourselves, we have a tradition anda community to lean on in our despair. If it is for someonewe love, that is a time to just be with the person in theirdespair without trying to relieve them of it. Perhaps justbeing physically and/or emotionally present with them onthis difficult journey will bring some measure of comfort asthey live out the lives that Ribono Shel Olam has grantedthem.May we all have the spiritual strength, in the face of ourchallenges, to hold on to our hope wherever possible, andto know how best to help those in our lives who need usmost.Rabbi Ed Elkinrabbi@narayever.ca3

NARAYEVER NEWSSHUL MATTERSCELEBRATIONSPURIMOnce again, Purim was a night to remember at theNarayever. The noise and the laughter, the costumesand the games, the smiling faces and outrageouscostumes, all made for a particularly joyous occasionthis year.Certainly, a high point of the evening was the inspired“Muppet Show” parody Purim spiel, written anddirected by Noa and Dan Mendelsohn-Aviv. Let's givethem and the talented troupe of shmactors another bigstanding ovation.All monies raised from the event this year will be goingto Northern Starfish, a Canadian charity started by a 14-year-old boy to help kids in Northern Ontario, and toMicha, an Israeli foundation helping hearing impairedkids and adults.And what would Purim be without Hamentashen?Carnival-goers were able to feast on the more than 600Hamentashen prepared by Narayever families duringour annual Hamentashen bake. Our sincere thanks goout to everyone who turned out to roll dough, and filland pinch our best batch of cookies ever. Many thanksgo out as well to Rachael Cayley, Mitch Davis, Jill Magenand Gary Lichtblau for purchasing all the ingredients.Rachael C. also gets my personal Golden Spatula Awardfor the eight hours she spent alongside me in thekitchen on baking day. Well done, everyone.Ann Komaromi and Josephine were our officialphotographers this year. Thank you to Jill Magen andGary Lichtblau for being our judges for the costumeparade. Congratulations to all the winners – and let'sgive a special shout-out to Rabbi Ed for his particularlyunique Purim fashion statement. It was an image noneof us will soon forget.Downstairs, the Narayever teens headed by YouthCoordinator Beth Komito-Gottlieb and our Shinshinim,Re'em and Adi, ran a high-spirited carnival. Thanks toBarbara Aufgang for helping with the supervision. Thatevening, $620 was raised from sales of MishloachManot, Wacky Mac, and carnival tickets.4MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSDowntown Tikkun Leil Shavuot: All-Night Jewish LearningFestival at the Miles Nadal JCC (750 Spadina at Bloor)Tuesday, May 14, 8:00 pm - 6:00 am.What are two greatthings that go greattogether? TheDowntown Tikkun LeilShavuot at the JCC andNarayever’s holidaycelebrations, of course.Meet up at the corner ofSinai and Spadina for a full night of community, study,singing, snacking and more! The Downtown TorontoJewish community gathers together to mark the occasionon which the ancient Israelites received the Torah at Sinai.Drop by for an hour or stay the whole night. Enjoy avariety of classes including: Torah and Talmud study,cooking, philosophy and Jewish meditation. Specialprograms for kids and teens. All are welcome! Free.Presented with Annex Shul, Congregation Beth Torah, CityShul, UJA Committee for Yiddish, Danforth Jewish Circle,Congregation Darchei Noam, Downtown JewishCommunity School, First Narayever, Habonim Dror/CampGesher, Holy Blossom Temple, Jewish Family & Child,Kulanu Toronto, Limmud Toronto, Makom, Miles NadalJCC, Nefesh HaHayim, Oraynu, Paul Penna DJDS,Congregation Shir Libeynu, and Shoresh.www.mnjcc.org/tikkunAnd after a night of learning, please join us at the shul forShavuot services on Wednesday May 15 and ThursdayMay 16 at 9 am. Following the services each day, we willenjoy delicious dairy treats featuring local, sustainableingredients. To support these special Kiddushim, pleaseconsider a donation in honour or memory of someone bycontacting the shul office at 416.927.0546.B’Shalom,Tim Beisercelebrations@narayever.caSHAVUOTSpringtime is budget time again for the shul as we plan forthe coming year from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014. Thebudget will be approved by the Board of Governors at itsMay meeting so that it can be sent out to all members atleast 21 days before the AGM on June 23, 2013 for theirseal of approval.This is more than a number-crunching exercise todetermine whether we can pay our bills. It starts witheach shul committee setting its plans for the year ahead,whether they are well-established or breaking newground. If new programs or activities are proposed, weneed to estimate how much they will add to our costs.My task is to put it all together to determine whether ourcurrent membership dues and anticipated HHD nonmemberticket revenue will be sufficient for us to doeverything we plan to do. If not, we have to make thesame kind of choices we do with our own finances — willit be prudent to increase our annual dues or should wescale back or defer some of our plans for the coming year?The Board makes that decision and recommends thebudget for approval by the members at the AGM.But there is another significant unknown in planning theshul's finances — how much we will receive in donationsover the coming year. Fortunately, the level of giving hasbeen increasing, and making donations to honour and toremember has become an established practice. Thegenerosity of members and non-members is muchappreciated as a critical factor in balancing our books —may it continue to grow!The other side of the budget is that once approved at theAGM, it becomes the financial blueprint for the comingyear to guide the activities of each committee and theadministration. While the unexpected will happen beyondour control, the unexpected within our control needs tohave prior Board approval.So budgeting is sound planning and prudent financingenhanced with generosity that sets the stage for the yearahead and then doing it all again in a year's time.David Weymantreasurer@narayever.caTREASURER’S REPORTMAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 57735

NARAYEVER NEWSSHUL MATTERSHIGH HOLIDAYS 5774MEMBERSHIP & SHUL COMMUNITYWould you like to help with the High Holy Day servicesthis fall? We need leyners, haftarah readers, and serviceleaders.The earlier yousign up, the longeryou have to get ready, and we can help you prepare ifyou’d like. If you're interested, please contact Dalia atdalia_margalit@hotmail.com. We’ll collect the requestsand get back to you to confirm your participation.Wishing you a sweet rest of 5773 and a great summer.In March, the committee organized a very entertainingand informative Kosher wine-tasting program. Then, inearly April, we held our first Volunteer AppreciationShabbat. It was very inspiring to be together with overone hundred shul volunteers who came to celebrate.Many more are needed especially to serve on committees,so do consider contacting a committee chair. It's veryrewarding to become involved in the community in thisway. On Friday, May 3 we will be holding our lastCommunity Shabbat Dinner of the year.Kivi Shapirohhd@narayever.caMark FoxSamantha HillRachel JacobusMark JacobyAnita and Albert KerznerLillian and Eric MendelsohnJessica RadinShelly and Colman RomalisOn Sunday, June 9, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, the shul willhave a table at the Annex Festival on Bloor. This will be agreat opportunity for us to chat with the community andto reach out to prospective new members. Stop by andvisit or, better yet, volunteer to staff the table. If you'reinterested, email me for more details.Liz Bohnenmembership@narayever.caN A R AY E V E R N E W SMAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773Newsletter Editors: Julia Gluck and Marsha FrydenbergGraphic Design & Production: Ariella Eben-Ezra 416.638.0777Thanks to all contributors to this issueof the Narayever News.Please visit us online at www.narayever.caWe would love to hear from you!Please send comments to newsletter@narayever.caJulia Gluck for 4 years of editing our shul newsletter.The newsletter is one of the most important ways wehave to communicate with our membership, and Julia’sdevotion, hard work and attention to detail hasbrought our newsletter to the next level in terms ofcontent, look, and accuracy.This is Julia’s last newsletter in the position of editor.Thank you, Julia!Rabbi Ed, Marsha Frydenberg, Ariella Eben-Ezra andJoel Edelson6MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSSPECIAL FEATURE CELEBRATIONS TORONTOgggShul member Stuart Schoenfeld was pivotal in thetransformation of the Narayever to a traditionalegalitariansynagogue in the 1980's. It was hiscommitment to ensuring that there was a shul indowntown Toronto for Jews who wanted to daven inan egalitarian setting that set the stage for therenaissance of the Narayever that we are stillenjoying today. Stuart's wife Joan was the foundingprincipal of the Downtown Jewish Community School,where many of our shul families have sent theirchildren for a Jewish education for over 30 years.Stuart and Joan are moving back to Baltimore thisJune to be closer to their family. We thank them fortheir extraordinary contributions to Jewish life inToronto's downtown, and we wish them much goodhealth and good fortune in this new stage of theirlives. We look forward to honouring Stuart, andsaying farewell, at Shabbat services on June 1.FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE FIRST NARAYEVER,FOUR DECADES AGOby Stuart SchoenfeldWith preparations for the hundredth anniversary ofthe congregation underway, I've been reflecting onmy history in the shul. Joan and I came into the shulfor the first time in late summer 1971. It had takenus over a year after immigrating to get here.When we immigrated in 1970, Toronto was a verydifferent city. It seemed a mix of the “modern” andthe old-fashioned. On the one hand, the politicalconsolidation of the central city and the surroundingtowns was accompanied by new suburbs andexpressways. On the other hand, Sunday was awindow into the past. Stores were legally required toclose and liquor could only be served at a restaurantwith a meal.MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773We also saw the contrast with the abandonment ofthe central cities in the U.S. In a fit of farsightedness,Toronto had built two subways lines. Tens ofthousands of shopkeepers prospered along majordowntown streets. Immigrants were still coming tothe central city. The professional class wasdiscovering gentrification. And the youth culture inYorkville added an element of creative excitement.Friends from Cleveland had put us in touch with theirfriend in real estate in Toronto. We asked aboutliving downtown. “Impossible,” he said, “The Jewshave all left and downtown is a slum.” He put us inhis car and showed us apartments to rent alongBathurst St. – beginning around Beth Tzedec andending up at Steeles (only farms beyond Steeles!).An apartment on Goldfinch Court seemed the best ofwhat we saw. It had a view of grass and trees fromthe sixth floor windows, with other young families inthe complex. It was off the main street, walkingdistance to a shul, halfway between the two YorkUniversity campuses and inexpensive.When our one year lease was expiring, we decidedto look downtown again and went to see RabbiEliezri, the Hillel rabbi at the University of Toronto.He put us in his Volkswagen Beetle and drove usaround.7

NARAYEVER NEWSSHUL MATTERSWhat a different trip. Rabbi Eliezri showed us sixfunctioning synagogues – the Minsker, the Kiever, theRussiche Shul (Markham and Ulster), the Narayever, ahousefront called “the shoemaker's shul” onBrunswick near College, and the Sephardicongregation then at Sussex and Brunswick. Inaddition, he showed us Greenspan's Kosher Meatmarket at Brunswick and Harbord, Tannenbaum'sKosher Poultry just up the block opposite theNarayever, and around the corner the Major FishStore (smoked fish and herring) and the HarbordBakery. The area near the Narayever felt somethinglike an urban shtiebl.Rabbi Eliezri was leaving to go to medical school. Hislandlord on Madison Avenue was not willing toadvertise publicly (remember the Toronto drug culturein the 1970s?). The rent was reasonable for a tenanthe approved of. We lived happily on the spacioussecond floor of a big house for 2 ½ years until fear ofbeing priced out of a rising market led to buying ahouse on Robert St.When we moved downtown, we were within walkingdistance of all six shuls, and went to most, but theNarayever was the closest. I remember vividly oneShabbat, shortly after we moved, when I wassurprised to see for the first time young faces at theNarayever.The other congregants at the Narayever were olderthan us by thirty years and more - older than ourparents! Many were Yiddish speaking immigrantswith limited English language skills. Almost none weremembers of the congregation. They were members ofthe many shuls that had moved and left them behind.Two members of the congregation - Mr. Young, thelong standing president, and Mr. Pasternak, the gabbai- had kept the Narayever functioning. They were8See page 9 to find out about Stuart’spost-kiddush talk on June 1 at the shul.assisted by Mr. Petroff, who lived close by, and Mr.Gutenberg, who did much of the davening andleyning, but they were not shul members!The young faces belonged to two graduate studentcouples and a new University of Toronto professorand his librarian spouse. Over the next year or so webecame a Shabbat group. That brought me more intothe Narayever, but then they all moved away. Onceafter shul, walking back with one of their guests, theguest said to me. “Why do you want to come here?In ten years, the congregation will be gone.” Thelesson from this, abundantly confirmed in othersituations: if you pay attention to the wrong trends,your predictions will be way off.YOUTHAs always, Youth programs continue to thrive.Shabbat is always a busy time with many children andyouth in attendance. Our new youth siddurim for theArazim and Netivot groups (aged 7 to 14) haverecently arrived and they are beautiful and will enrichprogramming for those ages. We are offering familiesan opportunity to sponsor these siddurim by donating$54 and in turn, having a bookplate with theirinscription inserted. Please contact Marsha in theshul office to do so.Shabbat B'Yachad continues in the social hall with ourunder-seven kids and their parents celebratingShabbat as only little ones can. Upstairs, every secondShabbat, the Chalutzim gather to learn together withBeth, our Youth Coordinator, and the shinshinim.Stay tuned to the weekly Narayever Net for updateson Youth at the Narayever and let us know if you haveany feedback on our programs.Scott Lambert and Sarah Greeneyouth@narayever.caMAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

NARAYEVER NEWSSHUL MATTERSADULT EDUCATIONPeoplehood Adult Education SeriesRound TwoRegistration for the second round of our AdultEducation series “Peoplehood: Its Role andSignificance in Jewish Life” is now open. This fourpart course is open both to those who took the firstcourse in January and February, and to newcomers.The dates are Mondays May 6, 13, 27, and June 3.This curriculum, put together by the Shalom HartmanInstitute in Jerusalem, focuses on the fundamentalquestions of Jewish identity – what are we?A religious faith? An ethnically based tribe?Something else entirely? What exactly do we meanwhen we call ourselves a “people”? The four sessionswill cover such topics as “The Poetics of Peoplehood”– looking at biblical, rabbinic and modern Israelipoetic passages, “Peoplehood and the Centrality ofPlace” – in which we will look at biblical, rabbinic,and contemporary Zionist perspectives on theimportance of a people having a homeland, “JewishPeoplehood and the Possibilities of Modernity” – inwhich we'll study the thought of Mordecai Kaplanand Martin Buber, and “Core Principles of JewishPeoplehood”. Each class will consists of text studyand the screening of a DVD lecture by one of theHartman Institute faculty.The cost for the four classes is $45 for shul membersand $60 for non-members (Round one participantswho already have a sourcebook can deduct $20 fromthat price.) To register, please contact the shul officeat admin@narayever.ca, or 416.927.0546.For more information about the curriculum, pleasecontact the rabbi or visit our websitewww.narayever.ca.Join shul member Josh Fogel to learn from hisexperience studying the Talmud every day for sevenyears. Josh and his family moved to Toronto from theU.S. in 2005. He is Canada Research Chair andProfessor of Modern Chinese History at York, havingtaught at Harvard (1981-88) and University ofCalifornia, Santa Barbara (1989-2005). His workfocuses on the cultural relationship between Chinaand Japan. His most recent book is: Daily Reflectionson Idolatry: Reading Tractate Avodah Zarah of theBabylonian Talmud.*Daf Yomi is a world-wide regimen of learning twosides of a page of the Babylonian Talmud every dayso that the Talmud is completed in a cycle of about 7½ years.kkkkkShabbat May 25, post-kiddushDaf Yomi* for the Non-Orthodox:Reflections of Seven-PlusYears of Personal ExperienceShabbat June 1, post-kiddushAlmost 40 years at the Narayever:Looking Back, Looking Forward, Looking AroundStuart Schoenfeld has been actively involved at theNarayever since the early 1970s. Join him as heanswers your questions about what things were likethen and how we have changed over time. He alsolooks forward to describing his sabbatical researchon changing urban Jewish life in Baltimore, Chicago,Boston and Toronto. Across North America, in manycities the downtowns are reviving and so are Jewishinstitutions. The First Narayever is unique, but notalone.MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 57739

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSA weekend of Jewish experience, creative worship,learning, singing and celebrating at Canterbury Hills,Hamilton, Ontario.... Sponsored by the NarayeverCongregation and the National Havurah Communityof Canada, the Shabbaton is open to all backgrounds,affiliations, ages, levels of Jewish knowledge...Singles, families and couples... All are welcome...Excellent programs for children and teenagers…Subsidies are available for shul members to help withregistration fees.For more information, contact Dalia Margalit-Faircloth at 416.966.9957 ordalia_margalit@hotmail.com or contact Peter Goldat 416.927.1796 or petergold@sympatico.ca.Please check out our website: www.canamica.com.See you all at Canamica!Peter GoldJoin us for the 23rdCanamica Shabbaton in the WoodsFriday June 14 to Sunday June 16education@narayever.caSPECIAL FEATUREISRAELGOING TO SCHOOL IN ISRAELby Marjorie GannFor the past two winters, my husband Andy and Ihave had the privilege of spending some time insideIsraeli schools. Meeting Jewish high school studentsand their teachers in middle-class Ra'anana, as wellas Arab and Druze teachers and students in theWestern Galilee, has offered a revealing perspectiveon how Israel is educating its next generation.At the end of their high school years, Israeli studentstake a series of matriculation exams, known as theBagrut. For the university-bound, the English Bagrutis particularly important, so we volunteered atTichon Aviv Ra'anana to help prepare students fortheir Bagrut interviews.Each one-on-one interview began with questionsabout the student's life: Tell me about your family.What do you do in your spare time? Do you like yourschool? The army looms large at this point in astudent's life, and it was especially interesting tohear about their plans for military service. Many ofthe boys wanted to join elite combat units and weretraining hard to get accepted. One girl came from afamily who had worked in intelligence. Her goal wasto continue the family tradition.Another girl shared her excitement over aprogramme her school had selected her for --Nachshon, designed for students with strongleadership potential. Her group had recently visitedan Arab-Jewish school in Jerusalem where studentsstudy together in both Hebrew and Arabic. We askedthem if they hang out together outside of school. 'Ofcourse,' they told us.10MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSThe Bagrut also requires students to talk aboutEnglish or American literature. The range of choiceswas fascinating – classics like Shelley's “Ozymandias”and Robert Frost's “The Road Not Taken,” but alsopolitically-loaded works, like Langston Hughes's “As IGrew Older,” on growing up black in America, as wellas a story by W. Somerset Maugham on genteelBritish racism. Many students gravitated to the racialthemes, drawing parallels between the African-American and Jewish experiences. “Can you relatethe racism you're discussing to Israel today?” I asked.“Of course,” they told me, citing Sudanese migrants,Ethiopian Israelis, and Arab-Jewish relations. To itscredit, the Ministry of Education encouragesdiscussion of racial issues, which can't be ignored inIsrael today.A year ago, following a reading I gave in a Ra'anana'sbookstore from my book, Five Thousand Years ofSlavery, I was invited by Rose Abboud Talhami, anEnglish coordinator in the Western Galilee, to doreadings in three elementary schools. I jumped atthe chance, found it an eye-opening experience, andrepeated it this year in three Grade Seven classes.What strikes the visitor at once about Arab andDruze schools in the Galilee is their distinctiveness.These are not cookie-cutter buildings; each has itsown style. Mazraa School, for example, presents astriking façade: a mural of high-relief stonework inmuted tones of sand, terra cotta and teal,representing palm trees, exotic birds and Ottomanarched windows. In contrast, Algazali School, inYarka, is built around a sunny, glassed-in atriumwhere students can eat or meet with teachers forextra help.We were greeted at the door of each school by a sign(“Welcome to Marjorie Gann. We are tremendouslyhonored that Marjorie Gann is visiting our schooltoday” read one) and by a welcoming committee ofteachers, who immediately ushered us in to theprincipal's office for a cup of pungent Arab coffeeand a spread of dates, oranges and home-madepastries.llkkAfter this early breakfast (we had three in one day!)we were ushered into the classroom, often a wellequippedcomputer lab, to meet the excitedstudents. Since an author visit is a rarity in Israel, Iwas something of a celebrity!If I hadn't known for sure that I was in the Galilee, I'dhave thought I was in a Toronto classroom. Therewas a smattering of hijabs (not unheard-of inToronto!), but most of the girls' heads were bare,their hair stylishly brushed; the girls wore skinnyjeans, the boys hoodies or T-shirts. The kids looked,in a word, cool.The best teachers had prepared Englishpresentations for me. Israeli Druze know that theirculture is unfamiliar to outsiders, so Mira's kids puton a PowerPoint on Druze history and religion. Theslide show at Albayan School highlighted thestudents' English projects for “Windows on theWorld” week, profiling cultural communitiesthroughout the world. Clearly, Toronto doesn't holdthe copyright on multiculturalism!MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 577311

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSI'd expected to have to simplify my Englishconsiderably, but it quickly became clear that thestudents understood my presentation, which told thestories of several enslaved children from throughoutthe world, and ended with suggestions on how tofight slavery today. The kids were bursting withquestions at the end: “Why did you choose thistopic?” “Why were so many slaves from Africa?”“What was it like working on a book with anotherwriter?” “How long did it take to write your book?”It is a commonplace that there is a gap inachievement between Arab and Jewish students inIsrael; recent results on the OECD-sponsored PISA(Program for International Student Assessment) testsconfirm this.But the picture is more nuanced, especially looked atlongitudinally. For example, according to EphraimKarsh, Professor of Middle East and MediterraneanStudies at King's College ,“Fifty years ago, a mere 4%of Arab teachers held academic degrees; by 1999,the figure had vaulted to 47%.” The proportion ofArab students studying for advanced degrees hasalmost doubled in a decade, from 19% in 1999 to34% in 2009. Arab students occupy 33% of all placesin education colleges.My daughter, currently studying at Levinsky Collegeof Education in Tel Aviv, meets these teachers in herclasses, and while they indeed have complaintsabout conditions in their schools (those in Bedouinareas, like the ones on Canada's native reserves, arenotoriously ill-served) they don't blame thegovernment exclusively. They note cultural factors aswell: they admit that many Arab parents are lessforceful in advocating for their children's educationthan Jewish-Israeli parents are.Rose Talhami, who organized my tour and examinesstudents for the English Bagrut in the Arab sector,offers another explanation for the gap. WrittenArabic presents special challenges: as ClassicalArabic, it doesn't match modern speech. So manystudents choose not to take the five-point(advanced) Bagrut exam, which requires the highestlevel of proficiency in language.We did not see the underbelly of Israel's educationsystem —the schools in south Tel Aviv with Africanmigrant kids, the Bedouin schools, the schools inArab slums. Of the six schools we visited in a moreprosperous Arab region, though, only onedisappointed. The principal was uninvolved, thebuilding run-down, the teachers had less controlover their students, and the students' English wasn'tup to the task of understanding me. But in the otherfive, the teachers had done a remarkable job ofpreparing students, from as young as Grade Five, tounderstand a presentation in English – a critical skillfor anyone who wants to continue to highereducation in Israel.Attractive buildings, well-equipped computer labs, ahigh level of English — someone is doing somethingright. Whatever the disparities between Ra'ananaand Tamra, we saw students in both regions beingencouraged to open their eyes, their minds, andtheir hearts to other people and cultures, andenabled to understand a critical second language.The Israeli Ministry of Education has made thispossible. Kol ha'kavod to them!Margie Gannmarjoriegann5@gmail.comHOLD THE DATE JUNE 23, 2013The NarayeverAnnual General Meeting12MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSPresidentJoel EdelsonnnnnnbVice PresidentHarry SchachternnnnnbSecretaryJanet HorowitznnnnnbTreasurerDavid WeymannnnnnbPast-PresidentJulia GlucknnnnnbMembership andShul CommunityLiz BohnennnnnnbBuildingGary LichtblaunnnnnbAdult EducationPeter GoldnnnnnbSocial ActionShayne RobinsonnnnnnbRitualKivi ShapironnnnnbBar/Bat MitzvahEd WeinbergnnnnnbFoodEllen FriedlandAndrea MostnnnnnbHesedAvi SchonbachnnnnnbCommunicationsGlenn Rubinoffnnnnnb2012-2013 Narayever CongregationMembers of the Board of GovernorsIsrael & Wider CommunityMicky FratermannnnnnbYouthScott GreeneSarah LambertnnnnnbCelebrationsTim BeiserEX-OFFICIOnnnnnbRabbi Edward ElkinnnnnnbAdministrationMarsha Frydenbergpresident@narayever.cavicepresident@narayever.casecretary@narayever.catreasurer@narayever.capastpresident@narayever.camembership@narayever.cabuilding@narayever.caeducation@narayever.casocialaction@narayever.caritual@narayever.caed@ewarch.cafood@narayever.cahesed@narayever.cacommunications@narayever.caisrael@narayever.cayouth@narayever.cacelebrations@narayever.carabbi@narayever.caadmin@narayever.caBoard HighlightsThe shul has acquired new siddurim for thechildren age seven and up. The Board agreed tofamily sponsorship of each new youth siddur andthat funds raised will offset the cost of purchaseand other youth related expenses (e.g., YouthKiddush).The guidelines for the Rabbi's Discretionary Fundwere expanded so that the Rabbi at his discretionmay use the fund to support special projects orinitiatives within the shul that are not covered bythe regular shul budgets.Beth Komito-Gottlieb's excellent work as YouthCoordinator was recognized with an award fromthe Makom Fund.We will be installing defibrillators in the shul andwill train eight members in their use.Janet Horowitzsecretary@narayever.caOur Condolences to...· Marilyn Biderman, on the loss of her motherDaisy Biderman· Max Dublin, on the loss of his fatherMorris Dublin· Mark Fox, on the loss of his mother Ida Fox· Sheine Mankovsky, on the loss of her motherRena Goldstein· Richard Glazier, on the loss of his motherJoyce Glazier· Ron Medoff, on the loss of his motherMolly Medoff-Kopelow· Daniel Selchen, on the loss of his wifeSharon Kirsh· Daniel Westreich, on the loss of his motherRuta Westreich Rotenberg· Roy Wise, on the loss of his father Henry WiseNOVEMBER, DECEMBER 2012 HESHVAN, KISLEV, TEVET 5773MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 577313

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSNext year, 2014/5774 we will mark the 100thanniversary of the founding of our congregation.The Centennial Committee has been holding severalbrainstorming sessions. The History Committee,chaired by Janet Horowitz, has discovered manyinteresting documents, facts and anecdotes aboutthe earliest period and the transition to theegalitarian congregation in the 1980s, becoming thethriving community we now are. Interviews with pastand current members are in progress.We are now looking for co-chairs to plan an eventsometime in the Spring of 2014. Shul members whohave experience in event planning and want to takethis unique opportunity to create a very special eventto celebrate the Narayever Centennial, are invited tocontact me.CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONSNarayever Congregation @ 100A small project has been completed. For those of youwho don't read the Yiddish and have alwayswondered what the metal signs downstairs aresaying, we have now provided translation labels. Sohave a look and learn how our founding membersannounced services and told people that at theCongregation Anshei Naraiev (our early name) therewere prayers every day in the morning and in theevening and also on Shabbat and holidays.And that with thebest prayer leaders!So, very little haschanged.Micky Fratermancentennialcelebrations@narayever.caMazel Tov to...Yasmine Abbasakoor and Jared Blake, on the birthof their daughter Aliyah CrateFrancine Dick, on receiving the Queen Elizabeth IIDiamond Jubilee MedalDianne Saxe, for winning this year's Osgoode HallLaw School Alumni Association Gold Key Awardfor AchievementIlana Singer and Garry Ostrovsky, on the birth oftheir son Ethan AlexanderJessica Watkins and Ian Cooper, on the birth oftheir daughter Emma SamanthaYOM HASHOAHOn Sunday April 7, the shul paid tribute to the6,000,000 who were murdered in the Holocaust atour annual Yom HaShoah commemoration.The service included poetry, prayer, music, thelighting of memorial candles, and the opportunity forthose present to mention and honour the names ofvictims.Thank you to all those who participated, andespecially to Andy Simor and Beth McAuley, whoorganized the ceremony again this year.14MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSISRAEL and WIDER COMMUNITYDoors Open Toronto May 26hhhThis year once again our shul will be opening its doorsto the community. The 14th annual Doors Open offersresidents and visitors an opportunity to take a peekbehind the doors of nearly 150 architecturally,historically, culturally and socially significant buildingsacross the city on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May26, 2013.This year's theme is entitled 'Creators, Makers andInnovators'. Visitors will learn how our modest buildingevolved into a vibrant contemporary downtowninstitution that now serves a broad spectrum ofmembership. Guests will learn the interestingsymbolism of various religious items in our shul.The shul will open its doors on May 26 from 10 am till5 pm. If you would like to be a tour guide, pleasecontact Janet Horowitz at secretary@narayever.ca.ISRAELYom Hazikaron and Yom HaatzmautOn April 14, we honoured two important IsraeliNational Days, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut.Our shinshinim Re'em and Adi led us in the TekesMasuot, the torch ceremony at Mount Herzl whichbridges the two days. They were joined by members ofour Chalutzim group and members of our communitywho remembered those who gave their lives to achieveand protect an independent homeland for the Jewishpeople. Special thanks to Beth Komito-Gottlieb, ourYouth Coordinator, who supported the kids and theadult volunteers in making sure the ceremony went offwithout a hitch.We then proceeded to celebrate Israel's 65thIndependence Day with great Israeli food, games andIsraeli dancing.A big thank you to all who participated to make thisevening so meaningful and moving!Walk with Israel May 26jjjjJoin thousands of Toronto's Jews in the Walk with IsraelMay 26, Coronation Park 9 a.m. Rain or shine, we areplanning to participate as a group with our shinshinimRe'em and Adi. Turn out under our new shul bannerand let's show the First Narayever's support for Israel.For general information go tohttp://www.walkwithisrael.com.For more information on our participation, pleasecontact me at israel@narayever.ca.Chalutzim activitieshhSunday May 5: After the Mitzvah Day program forteens, there will be a chance for them to socialize witha light supper being served. What a great opportunityto talk about volunteering with our two shinshinim whoare doing a year of service right at our shul!MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 577315

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSThe Amazing RacehhOn Sunday June 2nd, join Re'em and Adi for the annualNarayever Chalutzim Amazing Race! The route is a wellkeptsecret and the things you'll have to do – well, you'lljust have to come and find out. Stay tuned to NarayeverNet and Facebook for more details on this fun event!Shinshinim 2013-2014hhFor the fourth year in a row, the shul will beparticipating in the program which brings two youngIsraeli emissaries to our shul for a year. We look forwardto welcoming our new shinshinim, Hadar Parnas andGal Fisher, in late August.Hadar ParnasHadar Parnas was born in Israel and lives in RishonLezion, a city south of Tel Aviv, with her parents andyounger brother. She will turn 18 in May, but hasalready finished high school, having skipped a grade.She is fluent in English and good in Spanish. Hadar hasa younger brother who will turn 13 in May.Hadar volunteered for three years in Magen DavidAdom (the Israeli Red Cross), where she wasresponsible for the training and initiation of newvolunteers. She also volunteered in an animal shelterand was a member of the student council from grade 7,serving as vice president in her senior year.Gal FisherGal, who has an identical twin brother and a youngerbrother, was born in Israel and lives in HaSolelim, akibbutz in the Jezreel Valley in Northern Israel. He willturn 19 in September. Gal is now finishing grade 12.He has good English.Gal is a member of a youth band for new immigrants,and a member of the Youth Council of Jezreel Valley,heading the Education Department and representing itin the regional council. He is also a member of Bnei -HaMoshavim youth movement and has served asrepresentative for his grade in the school studentcouncil.Hadar and Gal are already working together, thinkingabout how they will bring their Israel to the FirstNarayever Congregation and our downtown partners inthe Shinshinim Program.Farewell to Adi and Re’emPlease join us at shul on Shabbat June 15 when wewill say “lehitra’ot” and toda to Adi and Re’em, ourthird pair of shinshinim. They will leave for camp onJune 17 and we want to thank them and wish themwell.Micky Fratermanisrael@narayever.ca16MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSOn Shabbat morning, April 13th, a shul member whowas to deliver a d'var from the bima could not getinto our building. She's increasingly reliant on anelectric wheelchair, and we'd invited her to deliver ad'var that would address challenges like hersremainingincluded in our community regardless ofher deteriorating physical capacities. It didn't workout that way.Her d’var was part of the UJA Federation of greaterToronto's “Shabbat Itanu” initiative. In their ownwords “Itanu Toronto is UJA Federation's InclusionInitiative works to ensure that Toronto is an inclusiveJewish community where people with special needsare able to fully participate in educational, spiritual,communal, social and recreational activities.” It's aprogram which our shul and committee welcomed.But in the end, she was excluded. By us. By ourbuilding.All of us and all of our loved ones are candidates forwheelchair use at some point in our lives. I don'tknow the history of this issue, but as I write after thatShabbat morning, our shul's physical inaccessibilitybecame a concern of the Social Action Committee.Contact me directly to support action on this. When Ihave ten committed volunteers we will meet, takestock, and take action.hhhCOMING UPOn Sunday May 5 let’s roll up our sleeves together atour shul's Mitzvah Day. See previous page forprogram descriptions. It's open to everyone, nonshulmembers too. Please rsvp in advance so we canestimate material needs.On Sunday June 30 come march for Gay Pride.“Kulanu Toronto (Toronto's main Jewish LGBTorganization) invites you to march with us at theToronto Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30, 2013.18SOCIAL ACTIONSupport us and support Israel as we stand up for theonly country in the Middle East that celebrates gayrights.” The finalized marcher meeting time and placewill be advertised on the Kulanu Toronto website inJune at www.kulanutoronto.ca. Please check backthere for Pride updates or contact me atsocial-action@narayever.ca.Nursing-home Shabbat dates and times are posted inthis newsletter’s calendar at the back with remindersin our Narayever Net. Contactjanis.rubenzahl@gmail.com about KensingtonGardens (bi-weekly Sat @ 11am) andlori.gershon@capco.ca about Castleview-WychwoodTowers (monthly Friday evenings).LOOKING BACKOn March 9 we shared a pre-Pesach themed postkiddushtalk called “Chocolate, Coffee, Sugar,Slavery” about the prevalence of modern day slaveryin those industries and in our food. See the SocialAction Bulletin Board for some takeaway materialsfrom that. Our speaker came from Stop the Traffik(see stopthetraffik.com) and referred us to a moviethat we're planning to share this summer. Thank youMargie Gann (see feature article from her trip toIsrael) who helped us get started on the issue.On March 29 Castleview-Wychwood Towers ran aShabbat Model Seder for elderly residents and I'mproud to share that 10 volunteers came from ourcongregation to make that program possible. Thankyou to all of you who came through.Out of the Cold has completed their work for anotheryear. Our shul has supported their work with ourtzedaka through funds pledged on Yom Kippur, andthrough your work. Thanks to all of you who havehelped give life to our religious injunctions to supportour brothers and sisters in need.MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSOn April 13 our shul ran Shabbat Itanu, during whichMaya Rubin delivered a heart-warming poem andJoanne Patterson led a post-Kiddush talk on“Disability and Judaism”. The latter was notable notonly for content but for considerable discussionafterwards.We thank Annette Gruno for preparing a d'var andare sorry you couldn't make it up the stairs to share itwith us. The Social Action committee is committingto work to get you in the door.Shayne Robinsonsocialaction@narayever.caSYLVIA SOLOMON’S SPOTLIGHT ONJEWISH FAMILY AND CHILD SERVICESCOMMUNITY SEDERIt is all too easy for us to believe that all Jews in Torontohave friends and families, have enough to eat, enoughsupport, enough care. Passover is an opportunity tohelp address the needs of some of the more vulnerableand isolated members of our Jewish community. In herPesach article on Loving the Stranger, Erica Brownreminds us that “we begin our Seder by welcominganyone who is hungry. We invite people to join ourintimate circle not because we know them but becausewe don't know them.” This idea is straight from theTorah. In Exodus 23:9, we read: “You shall not oppressa stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of astranger, for you also were strangers in the land ofEgypt.” Leviticus 19:34 repeats this refrain: “Thestranger who resides with you shall be to you as thenative among you, and you shall love him as yourself,for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.”The Narayever does its part with its own members byhaving a Seder-match, making sure that all of ourmembers have a Seder to welcome them. Ourcontribution to the JF&CS Community Seder is anotherway we participate in this Mitzvah.Jewish Family & Child Services (JF&CS) began in 1868 asthe Toronto Hebrew Ladies Sick and Benevolent Societyto help improve the lives of Jewish orphans andimmigrants in Toronto. There are currently 4 branchesof JF&CS in Toronto; the Narayever supports theGordon S. Wolfe Branch on Madison Avenue, whichoffers an array of services that support the healthydevelopment of individuals, children, families andcommunities through prevention, protection,counseling, education, and advocacy services … allwithin the context of Jewish values. Programs includea free Parenting Series, a social group called Brunch atthe Branch for women experiencing mental healthissues, and a group that combines Yoga, meditation andsupport for women suffering from anxiety.The Narayever provided JF&CS with $15,000 this year(2nd year of a 3-year funding commitment), much of itto support its annual Passover Seder held at the MilesNadal JCC. These funds come from the donations ourmembers and visitors make to our Yom Kippur appeal.Well over 100 people attend this Seder, and for manyisolated members of our community this is their oneopportunity to feel a part of the Jewish community onPassover. The funds that we provided contributed tothe costs of the food, décor, transportation, purchase ofnecessary ritual items and creating a comfortable andwelcoming Jewish environment. Our contribution alsosupported JF&CS in enhancing the Jewish component ofpeople's lives through provision of mezuzot, Haggadot,Siddurim, a Megilat Esther, and assisting one highschool student with the purchase of books necessaryfor his Jewish Studies program.The feedback from participants has invariably beenoverwhelmingly positive. Here are the words of theirthank-you note to the Narayever: “We admire theNarayever for its focus on social action and itswillingness to extend a helping hand to those on themargins of our community. Our sincere thanks go outto the congregation for assisting us in our outreachefforts to aspects of the Jewish community otherwisedisconnected and unaffiliated.”MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 577319

SHUL MATTERSNARAYEVER NEWSSOCIAL ACTION MITZVAH MENTORDIANNE SAXETell us something about yourself…I've been a member of the First Narayever for more than 30years. I'm a passionate environmental lawyer, with my ownsmall law firm, three grown children, a disabled husbandand a small black dog. I love to paddle, hike, ski,garden and otherwise get out into nature. Ifpeople really want more details, I have a websiteat envirolaw.com.What was your first introduction to socialaction?My parents showed us that those who have beenfortunate in life have an obligation to give back.My father, Morton Shulman, fought many publicand private battles to right wrongs wherever hesaw them.What kinds of things have you done in socialaction?I was the shul's social action chair for over 15years. During that time, our shul raised hundredsof thousands of dollars for good causes inToronto and Israel, going from less than $20,000to more than $75,000 a year. We developedstable long term relationships with Out of theCold, the Jewish Free Loan Cassa, the AravaInstitute for Environmental Studies and theJewish Family and Child Service. And we started the shul'sannual Mitzvah Day.I represented our shul and others in the multi-faith coalition,Faith and the Common Good's Greening Sacred Spaces. Iappeared in a multi-faith film about the religious imperativeof energy conservation in places of worship. I have handedout hundreds of energy efficient lightbulbs, and thousandsupon thousands of flyers.I have hosted Israeli, Jordanian and Druze environmentalstudents in our home for a year at a time, in the hope ofbuilding cross-religious ties that will help build peace in theMiddle East.What projects are you involved with now?I lead a service, once a month plus High Holidays, for Jewishresidents at the nursing home down the street. I have beendoing this now for nearly twenty years.I'll be taking a Narayever group to plant more trees andflowers at the Evergreen Brickworks on Mitzvah Day, May 5.(Probably have been doing an annual shulplanting event for more than twenty years too.)I raise money for good causes every year. I haveestablished a small charitable fund at the TorontoJewish Community Foundation, and am featuredin their Book of Life project. I am president of arenewable energy cooperative, and an investor inprogressive projects such as the Centre for SocialInnovation and Solarshare. I am a director ofEvergreen, the centre for nature in the city.At Passover, I helped tell our members about thelink between child labour and most commercialchocolate products.llCan you describe the most meaningfulmoment of your doing tikkun olam, aspecial anecdote?I love the energy of a group working together todo a good thing, and the happy clatter of peopleplanting trees is often a favourite. I have lovedgiving the Yom Kippur appeal, looking in the eyesof a thousand people as we yearn to be better thisyear.But the moment that comes first to mind right now is when Isat with a gracious lady in her room at the nursing home. Shehad become too ill to come to my services any more, and Imissed her, and went up to tell her so, and to take her a tinypiece of challah. It was a few weeks before she died, and shecould barely breathe. She thanked me with so much warmthfor my kindness, and told me how much she appreciated andlooked forward to our visits. Then she wished me everyhappiness, and she squeezed my hand.How do you suggest the rest of us get involved?Everyone is busy, but there is always time to do something.Pick an issue you care about, and then DO something. I askeveryone to start with 5 hours a year.20MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

NARAYEVER NEWSDONATIONSThe shul gratefully acknowledges the following donations made to our various funds from mid-February tomid-April. We apologize in advance for any errors or omissions. Please inform the shul office so that a correction canbe made. If you would like to make a donation to one of our funds, please call the shul office at 416.927.0546We also accept donations via CanadaHelps, www.canadahelps.org and click on Narayever.BUILDING· Jill Magen-Lichtblau, in honour of the yahrzeit of her brotherMichael MagenCENTENNIAL· Paul Milgram and Galia Shaked, in honour of the yahrzeit ofPaul's father Sam Milgram· Lucille and Mickey Narun, in memory of Esther Levin· Janice Dembo, in honour of the yahrzeit of her motherJeanne Reichenberg· Elaine and Peter Gold, in memory of Rena Goldstein, motherof Sheine Mankovsky· Sharon Abron Drache, in honour of her special birthday· Micky Oostra Fraterman, in honour of the yahrzeit of hermother Annie Baruch-Nink· Sharon Abron Drache, in memory of Allan Gould· Anonymous, in honour of Francine Dick receiving theQueen's Diamond Jubilee Medal· Micky Oostra Fraterman, in honour of Lesley and Peter Sevitt· Micky Oostra Fraterman, in honour of Donna and Cliff OrwinCHUMASH FUND· David Weyman, in honour of the yahrzeit of his father JosephStanley WeymanGENERAL FUND· Kathy Sykora and Salomon MinkinHESED FUND· Beverly Harris· Paula Bass, in memory of Marilyn Biderman's motherDaisy Biderman· Sharon Abron Drache, in honour of the birthday of her auntFlorence Valensky· Sharon Abron Drache, in honour of the birthday of her auntAdrienne Levinter· Sharon Abron Drache, in honour of the birthday of her uncleMurray Levinter· Leslie Starkman, in memory of her father David AbramsMAKOM FUND· Sharon Abron Drache, in honour of Dov Beck-Levine's BarMitzvah· Julia Gluck and Ted Overton, in honour of Aryeh Fisher'scompletion of his MBA degree· Julia Gluck and Ted Overton, in honour of Jess's decision tomake Aliyah· Trudy Shecter, in memory of AJ Blugerman, Olga Palmateer'snephewRABBI'S DISCRETIONARY FUND· Karen Weisman and Arthur Ripstein, in memory of MaxDublin's father Morris Dublin· Israel Lyon, in honour of the yahrzeit of his fatherHerbert Lyon· Rhona Phillips-Carniol and Ben Carniol· Evelyn and Stephen Schaefer, wishing Happy Pesach to Sandyand Harvey Roff and Rhona Phillips-Carniol and Ben Carniol· Cynthia Fisher, in honour of Barry Pervin· Hindy Nosek-Abelson and David Weyman, thankingRabbi Elkin for selling their Chametz· Harry Fox and Tirzah Meacham, thanking Rabbi Elkin forselling their Chametz· Wendy Simon, in memory of Sharon Michelle Rosenberg· Joan and Stuart Schoenfeld, in memory of Roy Wise's fatherHenry Wise· Isabella Meltz, in honour of Rabbi Ed Elkin· Daniel and Malka Selchen, thanking Rabbi Ed for his help andsupport to their familyROSH CHODESH BREAKFAST FUND· Brenda and Jerry Enchin, thanking Stuart Schoenfeld for hisparticipation in the Rosh Chodesh Iyar Service.TORAH FUND· Sharon Weintraub, in honour of the yahrzeit of her motherErna Weintraub· Gayle and Stephen Benjamin, in memory of their brother-in--law Allan Gould· Anita Shir-Jacob and Cyril Press, in memory of Max Dublin'sfather Morris Dublin· Elaine and Peter Gold, in memory of Max Dublin's fatherMorris Dublin· Henry Cooper, in honour of Emma Watkins Cooper, daughterof Ian Cooper and Jessica Watkins· Trudy Shecter, in memory of Roy Wise's father Henry WiseTZEDAKAH/SOCIAL ACTION FUND· Cynthia Fisher, in memory of Rena Goldstein, mother ofSheine MankovskyYOM HASHOAH FUND· Helen GrandeYOUTH FUND· Julia Gluck and Ted Overton, Siddur donation in honour oftheir son Jess's birthday· Sarah Lambert and Scott Greene, Siddur donation in honourof their children Rafi, Bess and Ezra· Rochelle and David Barkin, Siddur donation in honour oftheir children Candice and Alex· Morton Beiser and Timothy Hunt, Siddurim donations, inhonour of their children Daniel James and Rowan Matthew· Suzanne Keppler, Siddur donation in honour ofJoan Schoenfeld, thanking her for her love and dedication asthe principal of the Downtown Jewish Community School.MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 577321

KIDDUSH SPONSORS and DONATIONSNARAYEVER NEWSFEBRUARY 16, 2013Kiddush: The Shul.Donations to the Kiddush Fund were made by Sheldon and HélèneSilverman, in honour of the yahrzeit of Sheldon's father HarrySilverman; Anna Pace and Barry Pervin, in honour of the Israel tripand Rabbi Ed; Miriam Schlanger, in honour of the yahrzeit of herfather Aaron Dovid Leib; Melvyn Davine, in honour of theyahrzeiten of his parents Henry and Irene Davine; SharonWeintraub, in honour of the yahrzeit of her mother ErnaWeintraub; and Norma Latsonas, in honour of her father CharlesEric Lees' recent yahrzeit.FEBRUARY 23, 2013Kiddush: The Shul.Donations to the Kiddush Fund were made by Goldie Schlanger, inmemory of her father Jonas Schlanger; Laraine and Neil Naft, inhonour of the yahrzeit of Neil's father Harry Naft; Janice Dembo, inhonour of the yahrzeit of her father Laurie Reichenberg;Anonymous, welcoming back and thanking Rachel Zilberg for thewonderful kiddushim.MARCH 2, 2013Kiddush: Marcia Beck and Mischa Levine, in honour of Dov's BarMitzvah.Donations to the Kiddush Fund were made by Richard Glazier, inhonour of the yahrzeit of his father Edward Glazier; Mendl Malkin,in honour of the yahrzeit of his father Sol Malkin; Maire Kushner, inhonour of the yahrzeit of her mother Betty Stocker; Lorne Propas,in honour of the yahrzeit of his son Jordan Propas; Rabbi Ed Elkin, inhonour of the yahrzeit of his father Harry Elkin; Dorothy Garfinkel,in honour of the Bar Mitzvah of Dov Beck-Levine; Rosalyn Train, inhonour of the Bar Mitzvah of Dov Beck-Levine.MARCH 9, 2013Kiddush: The Shul.Donations to the Kiddush Fund were made by Brenda Enchin, inhonour of Jerry Enchin's 65th birthday; Julia Gluck and TedOverton, in honour of the Bar Mitzvah of Dov Beck-Levine; JuliaGluck and Ted Overton, in memory of Max Dublin's father MorrisDublin; Julia Gluck and Ted Overton, in honour of Jerry Enchin's65th birthday; Harry Schachter, in memory of Max Dublin's fatherMorris Dublin; Harry Schachter, in memory of Marilyn Biderman'smother Daisy Biderman; Nan Weiner, in honour of the yahrzeit ofher mother Gertrude Weiner; Robin Penslar, in honour of theyahrzeit of her mother Louise Levin.Youth Kiddush: Joan Judge-Fogel and Josh Fogel, in honour ofAvital's 12th Birthday.MARCH 16, 2013Kiddush: The Shul.Donations to the Kiddush Fund were made by Gerald Austin, inhonour of the yahrzeit of his brother Paul Owsiany; Lorne Propas, inhonour of the yahrzeiten of his wife Lolly Propas and his father MaxPropas; Jessie Caryll, in honour of the congregation.MARCH 23, 2013Kiddush: Carol Tanenbaum & Don Schacter, in honour of theyahrzeiten of Carol's mother Anne Tanenbaum and brother HaroldTanenbaum.Donations to the Kiddush fund were made by Hélène Silverman, inhonour of the yahrzeit of her mother Adele Zilberman; MarkGoodbaum, in honour of the yahrzeit of his mother EstherGoodbaum; Phyllis Berck and Dorothy Garfinkel, in honour of theyahrzeit of their mother Jessie Berck; Arnold Schonberg, in honourof the yahrzeit of his father Max Schonberg; Jessica Watkins andIan Cooper, in honour of the baby naming of their daughter EmmaSamantha Watkins Cooper; Hindy Nosek-Abelson and DavidWeyman, with thanks and appreciation to Dianne Saxe for all thework put into making the beautiful new table covers for the bima;Trudy, Debbie and Barry Shecter, in honour of the yahrzeit of theirfather Max Shecter; Debbie Greenberg, in honour of MiraGreenberg's 11th birthday.Youth Kiddush: Medina Robbins and Glen Hoffmann, in honour oftheir daughter Clara's 3rd birthday.MARCH 30, 2013Kiddush: The Shul.Donations to the Kiddush fund were made by Isabella Meltz, inhonour of the yahrzeit of her mother Flora Meltz; Alfred Rubinoff,in honour of the yahrzeit of his sister Sylvia Rubinoff Kraft; Rhonaand Norman Singer, in honour of their grandson Zachary's 1stbirthday; Ted Overton, in honour of the yahrzeit of his mother DellaOverton; Jill Magen-Lichtblau, in honour of the yahrzeit of herbrother Michael Magen.APRIL 6, 2013Kiddush: The Shul.Donations to the Kiddush fund were made by Keren Brown andJonathan Ohayon , in honour of the yahrzeit of Keren's fatherBarney Brown; Marsha Frydenberg, Ariella Eben-Ezra, and RabbiElkin, in honour of all the Narayever volunteers; MarshaFrydenberg, in memory of AJ Blugerman, Olga Palmateer'snephew.APRIL 13, 2013Kiddush: The Shul.Donations to the Kiddush fund were made by Rachel Jacobus,wishing a mazel tov to Israel; Marion and Jack Hoffmann, in honourof the yahrzeiten of Marion's father Joseph Fritz and Jack's fatherHeymann Hoffmann; Rosalie Shapiro, in honour of what wouldhave been her father Albert Fineberg's 100th Birthday; PeikangDai, in honour of the shul for welcoming, teaching, feeding andnurturing people from the greater community; Ilene Golvin andPhilip Mass, in honour of the yahrzeit of Ilene's father Stanley ShaulGolvin; Ali and Josh Engel-Yan, in honour of Gavriella, the littleengine that could.Youth Kiddush: Paula Glick, in honour of the yahrzeit of her fatherSrul Israel Glick.22MAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773

NARAYEVER NEWSWe acknowledge the following yahrzeit anniversaries which occur during the coming months.Iyar 21 Margot Caen mother of Francine WatkinsIyar 21 Louis Eisenstat father of Lorraine WeinribIyar 22 Frank Rubinstein father of Fern RubinsteinIyar 23 Ruth Gold mother of Phil GoldIyar 23 Leontina Guttman mother of Herb GuttmanIyar 23 Helen Frances Schacter mother of Barbara Schacterand Robert SchacterIyar 24 Ida Starkman mother of Susan StarkmanIyar 25 Lillian Evans mother of Rosalie EvansIyar 26 Fritz Joseph father of Marion HoffmannIyar 26 Rose Shukyn mother of Claire SimonIyar 27 Joseph Evans father of Rosalie EvansIyar 27 George Kende husband of Elisabeth Kendeand father of Sherry GlazierIyar 27 Norman Morris father of Lynne MorrisIyar 27 Jeffrey Platt brother of Priscilla PlattIyar 28 Alfred Lewy father of Jules LewyIyar 28 Irene Lewy mother of Jules LewyIyar 29 Leonard Wasser father of Larry WasserSivan 1 Helen Baltman mother of Sharon BaltmanSivan 2 Max Cooper father of Moe CooperSivan 5 Cyril Jacoby father of Alan JacobySivan 5 Ronni Rimmer father of Jane RimmerSivan 6 Cyril Loomer father of Martin LoomerSivan 6 Loretta Pace mother of Anna PaceSivan 6 Florence Shecter mother of Trudy ShecterSivan 6 Shimon Zilberman father of Hélène SilvermanSivan 7 Ludovit Bercovic father of Emory BurkeSivan 7 Tova Diamond mother of Frumie Diamondand Miriam DiamondSivan 7 Malka Grossman mother of Gilda GrossmanSivan 7 Ilya Mankovsky father of Brenda, Tziporahand Lydia MankovskySivan 7 Ruth Norris mother of Allen KaejaSivan 9 Israel Horowitz husband of Janet HorowitzSivan 10 Alec Biderman father of Marilyn BidermanSivan 11 Florrie Narun mother of Mickey NarunSivan 12 Joseph Shimmerman father of Alan ShimmermanSivan 13 Martin Schurman father of Roberta BucovetskySivan 13 Michael Strumpf father of Dan StrumpfSivan 16 Robert Drabkin father of Denise DrabkinSivan 16 Jacob Narun father of Mickey NarunSivan 17 Ralph Cohen brother of Suzanne ShuchatSivan 19 Louise Herzfeld sister of Marcia ZambleSivan 19 Jack Rubinovich father of Stacia RubinovichSivan 19 Edel Teper father of Wilfred TeperSivan 20 Lorraine Loomer mother of Martin LoomerSivan 20 Clara Smith mother of Mitchel SmithSivan 21 Hilda Grushcow mother of Marc Grushcow andHilary GoldenbergSivan 21 Rose Wajcman mother of Riva GrinsphanSivan 22 Golda Chana Aaron mother of Miriam SchlangerSivan 22 Shirley Hemsworth sister of Jeroham SingerSivan 23 David Solomon father of Peggy SolomonSivan 25 Hal Rosenthal husband of Priscilla PlattSivan 25 Pinchus Wajcman father of Riva GrinsphanSivan 26 Rose Kohn mother of Elisabeth KendeSivan 26 Harvey Mallove father of Cathy MalloveSivan 26 Jennie Schlosser mother of Holli-EllenClairmanSivan 27 Shirley Cohen mother of Alison CohenSivan 27 Sharon Golvin mother of Ilene GolvinSivan 27 Label Wetstein father of Cheryl WetsteinSivan 28 Dora Cohen mother of Suzanne ShuchatSivan 28 Fay Savage mother of Harvey SavageSivan 29 Cheryl Medoff wife of Ronald MedoffSivan 30 Sidney Colt father of Neil ColtTamuz 1 Burle Yolles father of Joanne YollesTamuz 2 Samuel Medoff father of Ronald MedoffTamuz 4 Binem Nosek father of Hindy Nosek-AbelsonTamuz 5 Carole Yellin wife of Israel LyonTamuz 6 Keith Rosebrugh father of Bruce RosebrughTamuz 7 Imre Komaromi brother of Ann KomaromiTamuz 8 Nathan Saul Mendelsohn father of Eric MendelsohnTamuz 10 Samuel Gold father of Sandy RoffTamuz 10 Yhetta Leah Swartz mother of Beverly HarrisTamuz 12 Helene Levita mother of UrsulaLoewensteinTamuz 12 Geoffrey Shulman brother of Dianne SaxeTamuz 13 Gabriella Steiner mother of Magda VolgyesiTamuz 14 Bertie Friedlander father of Gary FriedlanderTamuz 14 Abraham Grinshpan father of MenasheGrinsphanTamuz 14 Eric Levitt father of Sheldon LevittTamuz 14 Irving Schacter father of Don SchacterTamuz 16 Philip Goldstein father of Evelyn SchaeferTamuz 17 Jacob Katzman uncle of Anita Shir-JacobTamuz 17 Julius Skapinker father of Joel Avrich-SkapinkerTamuz 18 Doris Herber mother of Sandra ShermanTamuz 19 Irving Fox father of Lawrence FoxTamuz 19 Judit Jacob mother of Andrew JacobTamuz 19 Imre Simor father of Andrew SimorTamuz 19 Sarah mother of Manfred KaganTamuz 20 Jennie Bogomolny mother of Brenda Enchinand Howard BogomolnyTamuz 20 Norman Kotzer father of Betty ColtTamuz 20 Israel Leyb Naparstek father of Shirley RubenzahlTamuz 21 Laura Fried daughter of Peter andEvelyn FriedTamuz 22 Raya Greenberg mother of Benjamin GevaTamuz 22 Tamara Anne Levene mother of Mark LeveneTamuz 22 Louis Train father of Rosalyn TrainMAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 577323

MAY 2013SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAYServices 6 pmBehar-BechukatiServices 9 amChalutzimProgram & Dinner4 – 6 pmLearning in Chevruta7:30 pm1 Iyar 212 Iyar 22Community 8:03Shabbat Dinner 7 pm3 Iyar 234Iyar 245Shacharit 9amMitzvah Day10 am – 6 pmIyar 25Peoplehood Class7 pm6Iyar 267CSA 5 – 7 pmIyar 27Learning in Chevruta7:30 pm8Iyar 289Iyar 29Rosh ChodeshShacharit 7 amServices 6 pm108:11Sivan 1BamidbarServices 9 amKensington Gardens 11amSydney Kohn Bat Mitzvah11Sivan 2Shacharit 9 am12Sivan 3Peoplehood Class7 pm13Sivan 4Tikkun Leil Shavuotat the MNjcc8 pm - 6 am14Sivan 5Shavuot Services 9 am15Sivan 6Shavuot Services 9 amYizkor16Sivan 7Services 6 pm178:19Sivan 8NassoServices 9 amNoah Rubin Bar Mitzvah18Sivan 9Shacharit 9 am19Sivan 1020Sivan 11CSA 5 – 7 pm21Sivan 12Learning in Chevruta7:30 pm22Sivan 1323Chloe MacklinBat MitzvahSivan 14Services 6 pm248:26Sivan 15Beha’alotchaServices 9 amKensington Gardens 11amJosh Fogel talkafter kiddush25Sivan 16Shacharit 9 amWalk with IsraelDoors Open TorontoBoard Meeting7 pm26Sivan 17Bar/Bat Mitzvah class5:45 pmPeoplehood Class7 pm27Sivan 1828CSA 5 – 7 pmSivan 19Learning in Chevruta7:30 pmServices 6 pmCastleview-Wychwood8:3329 Sivan 20 30 Sivan 21 31 Sivan 22JUNE 2013SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAYSh’lachServices 9 amStuart Schoenfeldtalk after kiddush1Sivan 232Shacharit 9 amChalutzim ProgramThe Amazing RaceSivan 24Peoplehood Class7 pm3Sivan 254CSA 4 – 7 pmSivan 26Learning in Chevruta7:30 pm5Sivan 276Sivan 28Services 6 pm78:38Sivan 29KorachServices 9 amKensington Gardens 11am8Sivan 309Rosh ChodeshShacharit 9 amAnnex Festival on Bloor11 am – 6 pmTamuz 110Tamuz 211CSA 4 – 7 pmTamuz 3Learning in Chevruta7:30 pm12Tamuz 413Tamuz 5Services 6 pmCanamicaShabbatin the Woods148:42Tamuz 6ChukatServices 9 amFarewell toRe'em and Adi15Tamuz 7Shacharit 9 am16Tamuz 8AnnualGeneral Meeting7 pm17Tamuz 918CSA 4 – 7 pmTamuz 10Learning in Chevruta7:30 pm19Tamuz 1120Simone and CleoGeggieB’not MitzvahTamuz 12Services 6 pmCastleview-Wychwood218:44Tamuz 13BalakServices 9 amKensington Gardens 11am22Tamuz 14Shacharit 9 am23 Tamuz 1530Shacharit 9 amPride ParadeTamuz 2224Tamuz 16Fast of TamuzCSA 4 – 7 pm25Tamuz 17Board Transition Dinner7 pmLearning in Chevruta7:30 pm26 Tamuz 18 27 Tamuz 19 28 Tamuz 20 29 Tamuz 218:45PinchasServices 9 amNARAYEVER NEWSMAY, JUNE 2013 IYAR, SIVAN, TAMUZ 5773