Blogroll | Congregation Darchei Noam

We are nearing the end of the annual reading of the Sefer VaYikra, the Book of Leviticus. Of the five books of the Torah, the one that most often agitates, aggravates or annoys liberal Jews is Leviticus. The archaic content, the priestly perspectives, the elaborate attention to the ancient system of sacrifices, and the regulations about ritual purity and impurity makes Leviticus a considerable challenge for teachers, preachers, and b’nei...Read more...

by Tamar Dobner

(see below for Hebrew)

In celebration of Israel’s 69th Yom Haatzmaut, Congregation Darchei Noam is inviting the community to a myriad of events, starting with an Israeli Singalong of Shirei...Read more...

What inspired us to get together in that gathering of like-minded people? Even before the first time we came together ‎with others in a Toronto Reconstructionist service, Lil had a good feeling when she made the first phone call and connected ‎to Rhonda Schild. When Rhonda outlined plans for the first...Read more...

This year, World Interfaith Harmony Week (WIHW) came along just when we all needed it. More typically, the timing of this celebration is not ideal – the first week of February, when twilight descends fast. Many of us would prefer to stay at home than attend a night-time event in mid-winter.

This year,...Read more...

In my hands, I’m holding more than 20 colourfully decorated cards. I love one in particular. It is bright pink with two smiling faces on the cover. One has dark and a beard and is wearing a white head covering. The other has lighter skin and wears a green yarmulke. Between them, a heart. When I open the card, it reads: Thank you for supporting us and standing by our side. Our differences should not separate us but they should bring us...Read more...

On December 4, 2016, 120 members and guests of Congregation Darchei Noam were presented with an historic and current verbal and pictorial overview of emerging Jewish communities in Brazil and other Latin...Read more...

Shabbat Shalom, and Chag Sameach

As the wheels of our plane touched down in Berlin 4 weeks ago, I turned on my phone – there was a voice mail from our President, Ryan Friedman, to call back as soon as I could. I assumed he was calling to ask me questions regarding a Special Meeting of the Congregation being held the following evening – one that I was sorry to be missing. I am likely one of few people in this congregation who would...Read more...

Malchuyot, by Stephen Lurie

These days on the internet you can find an abundance of information - for example, controversy about where to place the Malchuyot blessing, its combination with Zichronot and whether it occurs on Rosh Hashana only or on Yom Kippur if it is a jubilee fast day.

I will leave this subject to Rabbi Tina and other scholars, but do want to thank her for asking Ellen and I to use Malchuyot and Zichronot to...Read more...

Rosh Hashanah 5777

Day I

2016

The Art of Listening: The New Year’s Gift

It is this stirring, wild, ancient sound that makes us tremble. It is this sound that we come here to hear. It is this call that our children remember as their earliest memories. Sounded 100 times during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is a shofar call: chilling, challenging,...Read more...

This Fall, Darchei Noam’s Adult Education committee is pleased to sponsor a book club that will run for three sessions – all building on the theme of understanding and defining Jewish identity.  The three books were written by people with very different relationships to that identity.  Some of them will surprise you - all of them will provoke and move you.

There is an arc in this journey of Jewish identity that begins...Read more...

Memories of a Beginning

We remember one evening in the early ‘60s when Harvey Freeman called us and asked if we knew ‎anything about ‎Reconstructionism. Of course we answered in the negative He said that it was a fourth ‎movement in Judaism in America ‎and that a group of people were meeting...Read more...

The Social Justice Scholar-in-Residence for the coming year is Bernie M. Farber.

As a long-time CEO of the former Canadian Jewish Congress, Bernie Farber is a respected leader in the Canadian Jewish community. He brings strong social justice...Read more...

Rikudei-Am, Israeli Folk Dance, reflects the multi-cultural nature of Israeli society.  Like Canada, Israel was built by immigrants who brought their diverse styles, ethnic rhythms and dances from every corner of the globe.  Israeli culture reflects this mix of ethnic backgrounds and like Israeli society, Rikudei-Am is a mosaic of diverse traditions and styles.

Israeli folklore is unique in its readiness to explore the old...Read more...

Hello, I’m Ben. I am having my Bar Mitzvah this year and I am a part of Darchei Noam’s 2015/2016 Bar/Bat Mitzvah group. As an opportunity to learn more about the Jewish culture, our class took a trip to the Woodland Trails Scout Camp. We spent a night in a big cabin...Read more...

Danny Richmond is this year’s Social Justice Scholar in Residence. The Scholar-in-Residence Program was set up to bring to Darchei Noam persons who have thought...Read more...