Dear Congregants and friends of Beth Israel, Peterborough
We are heartbroken to learn of the murder of Sarah Milgrim, 26, and Yaron Lischinsky, 30, in Washington DC on May 21, 2025, outside of a diner for young diplomats, in what appears to be an act of political violence. At a time of tremendous turmoil, in which many are anxious about the safety of Jews in North America, this event has the potential to exacerbate these fears. While the Beth Israel Congregation contains diverse perspectives on the political situation in the Middle East, we all stand behind the principle of pikuach nefesh, the sanctity of human life, and deplore violence against civilians for political ends. We will continue to work within our congregation, within our community, and through our relationship with the land of Israel to promote a more peaceful world.
Amendment to Current Bylaws and Special Resolution Required
Dear Beth Israel Congregation Members,
Your presence is requested for the Annual General Meeting for Beth Israel Congregation on June 24 from 6:30-8 pm at the synagogue. Please RSVP now (click the link) and plan to attend – 30% of all voting members are required for quorum. If you cannot attend, please complete the proxy form attached and send it with your proxy to the AGM.
Agenda to follow.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Please see below for the Notice of Special Resolution and Proposed Amendment of the Beth Israel Congregation By-laws (2016) for Approval by Beth Israel Congregation Membership.
1) Special Resolution
Ontario Non for profit Corporations Act (ONCA) “statement of waiver” requirement to be approved:
In keeping with the rules and regulations regarding Audits and Engagement Reviews for not for profit organization and charities for the Province of Ontario, be it therefore resolved that Beth Israel Congregation members agree to waive the requirement and costs associated with both an Engagement Review and Audit for the fiscal year.
2) 2016 Beth Israel Congregation Bylaws amendment to composition of the Board of Directors
Current:
Board of Directors: The affairs of the Congregation/Corporation shall be governed by a Board of Directors (referred to in the Letters Patent of the Corporation dated May 28, 1953 as “the Committee of Management”), which Board shall be composed of eight (8) Voting Members. In addition, the immediate Past-President, if not re-elected as a Director, may act as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board for a term of one (1) year.
Proposed:
Board of Directors: The affairs of the Congregation/Corporation shall be governed by a Board of Directors (referred to in the Letters Patent of the Corporation dated May 28, 1953 as “the Committee of Management”), which Board shall be composed of nine to fifteen (9-15) Voting Members. The Board shall have the discretion to select the number of Directors within the range annually. In addition, the immediate Past-President, if not re-elected as a Director, may act as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board for a term of one (1) year.
For the complete Beth Israel bylaws, see, click here.
Mark Siegel, President
Beth Israel Congregation Board of Directors
Come out and join in the celebration for another successful synagogue year!
More about Aviva Rubin’s Visit on June 5th and her book entitled: WHITE
The Beth Israel Book Club
Organizers request that everyone RSVP here so we have numbers for food and drink. The event is at the synagogue at 6:30pm.
Please join us for a visit from Toronto author, Aviva Rubin, who will discuss her book, WHITE, (no, you don’t have to have read it) and it’s relevance in our world today. Aviva is an engaging and entertaining speaker and all are welcome to attend. Come and show your support for a local Jewish author. You can read about her: avivarubin.ca and look for her on social media.
As written up on Aviva’s website, here are more details aboutWHITE:
Sarah Cartell grew up in the 1980’s and 90’s in a White supremacist family, controlled by her grandfather whose beliefs and violence mark them all. When an unexpected friendship with a Black boy, and the Jewish town librarian, open her mind and expose those beliefs as vile lies, Sarah begins digging up everything she can about the haters her family celebrates . . . and her grandmother and aunt who fled long ago.
Determined to dismantle the White supremacist network in Canada, Sarah infiltrates a Neo-Nazi gang. As she races to stop the tide of hate crimes, new friends are put in danger and a horrifying family secret begins to emerge. This unravelling lands her in a psychiatric ward, where her therapist forces the resistant Sarah to dig into pain she has ignored, and acknowledge being trapped in the belief that she is unworthy of the world she is fighting for. Can she ever escape the bonds of a hateful family?
Why WHITE is relevant today:
The book peels back the layers of hate and exposes the intimate and complex destruction it unleashes on believers, as much as those who are targeted. Any direction Sarah Cartell turns, something is lost. To choose empathy is to forfeit family and a sense of belonging. Merging two genres – domestic and political fiction – WHITE explores anti-Semitism, racism and the trauma of growing up with hate. What has changed dramatically since the 80’s and 90’s is the legitimacy of white nationalist beliefs and permission to wave that flag. What has not changed is clinging almost desperately to intolerance out of a misguided notion that it guarantees safety for those who fear losing their supposed birthright. In an increasingly polarized world, understanding hate and the divisions it perpetuates as not simply evil, is key to choosing trust over building walls. For Sarah, strong convictions battle her reticence to trust either others or herself. In times that drive us protectively inward, reaching across difference still remains the best way forward. But how do we do that when we feel under threat?
Beth Israel would like to celebrate all those who have worked hard this year (gotten up and to school/your studies most of the time counts). Join us Friday June 20th for a special Oneg Shabbat Service beginning at 5pm (note earlier time) at Beth Israel, followed by a picnic and songs at 6:30 at the Heritage Pavilion (by the Peterborough Museum at 300 Hunter St. E.). RSVP here – and let us know who in *your* family we can celebrate.
Do you have a basic level of Hebrew reading ability (i.e. can identify names and sounds of most/all Hebrew letters, can read words with up to five letters unassisted), and would like to brush up? Students will refresh their learning and get familiar with common blessings through practice exercises using the Hebrew in Harmony book. Email us to express your interest. Class may run this spring.
Kids Krew had a very meaningful first gathering with 6 children from 4 families coming together to celebrate Simchat Torah. We learned about this important holiday, learned a lot about Torah, such as how a Torah is scribed and put together, learned a new song (Moshe Emet), and practiced old ones. Thanks to Alvin Gallay’s help, we were able to open the ark, and look at a Torah. The children brought their own tiny Torahs and took turns reading the text from the very last chapter of the Torah, and then re-rolling their Torah, and reading from the very first chapter. We danced the Torahs around the sanctuary 7 times.
November 30 – learning about Hanukkah
December 21 – Hanukkah prep…bake cookies for the Hanukkah Party at Beth Israel
Our first Jewcrew Kidsclub (offical name TBD) was great fun. We read books, played games, learned some Hebrew words, and celebrated Tubishvat by each planting our own parsley seeds, which will hopefully grow just in time for the Pesach seder!
Watch out for upcoming meeting dates for the Jewcrew Kidsclub (offical name TBD) Get together with other young Jewish families who have kids for a little learning, a little singing and a lot of fun. Future gatherings will take place one Saturday a month from 2-4 pm at the synagogue. Dates will be confirmed asap.
Monthly Children’s Program: Previous Highlights
All Jewish families/kids are welcome to our next gathering Saturday, March 9 from 2-4pm at the synagogue. This time we will be celebrating PURIM. Please come in costume as a character from the Purim story (or as anything at all and we’ll find a way to fit you into the story. 🙂 ) Future gatherings will take place one Saturday a month from 2-4 pm at the Synagogue. Dates will be confirmed asap. If you have any questions, ideas, or would like to help out, please be in touch with Ziysah or Corinne at bisptbo@gmail.com
All Jewish families/kids are welcome to our next gathering Saturday, March 9 from 2-4pm at the synagogue. This time we will be celebrating PURIM. Please come in costume as a character from the Purim story (or as anything at all and we’ll find a way to fit you into the story. 🙂 ) Future gatherings will take place one Saturday a month from 2-4 pm at the Synagogue. Dates will be confirmed asap. If you have any questions, ideas, or would like to help out, please be in touch with Ziysah or Corinne at bisptbo@gmail.com
Starts: Saturday, January 19th, 2019 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Where: Beth Israel Synagogue
The first meeting of the BIS kids program will take place Saturday, January 19 from 10 am-noon, and will feature learning about the holiday of Tubishvat.
This monthly get-together will be a chance for children and families to share space, learn about Jewish culture and holidays, sing songs, and also learn a bit of Hebrew. All are welcome to contribute ideas and teaching at future gatherings.
All Jewish children and their caregivers are welcome. The program is geared to all children under bar/t mitzvah age.
Please contact Ziysah or Corinne at bisptbo@gmail.comif you have questions or ideas or would like to help out in some way.
The success of this initiative depends on you. We saw clearly at the Chanukah celebrations that once again (and for the first time in many years), we have in the Peterborough area a good number of young Jewish children or children with Jewish family connections. What a great way to get together with families like yours, for adults to meet and for kids to get to know each other and participate together in fun learning activities. Mark you calendar and be there with your kids – grandparents welcome. Support this very worthwhile initiative.
Our community includes several families with young children. We do our best to make shul events relevant for children, by including crafts, play space, and age-appropriate activities.
We also organize our own informal get-togethers, especially during Jewish holidays.
Saturday June 11 – Children’s Song Fest At Beth Israel
Begins: 10:00 a.m.
Come one, come all this Saturday June 11 at 10 am to Beth Israel Synagogue for a morning of Hebrew Song. Dr. Dan will be teaching songs new and old; this event is directed towards families with children, but all are welcome. Coffee/tea and juice and munchies will be provided. Song sheets will be also be provided.
Our Pesach edition went quite well. Several families joined the call. The children each made their own seder plate as we learned about the story and symbolism of Pesach. We also learned to sing Dayenu, and the 4 questions. Some kids even suggested new items to add to the seder plate! And we were able to play some modified versions of the physically active games we are used to at the JCC.
This week, there will again be basic craft kids can do at their own pace during the call, there will be some attempt at singing, there will be storytelling, there may be a little video to watch together, and there will be some innovative physical activity to get us moving and practice some Hebrew words.
As a special Chanukah treat, we would like to take this opportunity to show you the artwork that the children of Beth Israel’s “Jew Crew Kids’ Club” submitted for the production of gorgeous Chanukah holiday cards, under the direction of Marty Clearly who coordinates the club’s activities. We are sending the cards to our interfaith friends, and to local dignitaries such as City Council. We have also been selling the cards on a pay-what-you-like basis, with all the proceeds going to children’s programming at Beth Israel. Thank-you to the children, and to Marty too! You bring such joy to the congregation!
Below are some pictures of what the cards look like all together, and also some close-up views of the individual pieces of art. We are sure that this wondrous Chanukah artwork will warm your heart.
This popular family program continues in a new, COVID-friendly format that involves outdoor and home delivery options. Led by nature explorer and children’s educator, Marty Cleary, Kids’ Crew welcomes families with children of all ages.
Currently, the program involves:
– Monthly outdoor gatherings on Jewish themes (Already this year, we have practiced tashlich, dipped apples in honey, built a sukkah, and dyed our own Challah covers using wild grapes!) Kids can be dropped off or the whole family can join in!
– Monthly packages, delivered right to your door! Each package includes fun hands-on activities, such as recipes, craft materials, songs and stories about that month’s theme. Sign up for this free gift from BIC to support your family’s Jewish learning at your own pace during the pandemic.
Themes will include: Hanukkah, Tubishvat, Wildcrafting, Purim, Pesach, Shavuot and more.
Youth Crew
We are pleased to welcome Nevia Frank, an experienced Hebrew and b’nei mitzvah teacher from London, Ontario, who is here pursuing teacher education at Trent. Nevia is facilitating a monthly youth crew for children ages 10 and up who are pre-b’nei mitzvah. They are meeting virtually for now, and started with a Chanukah celebration last week. The next event will likely be a film night in December. The youth crew will evolve based on the youth’s own interests. Thus far, this includes online games, Yiddish folk tales, Judaica making, and LGBTQ Jewish literature. Youth will also be invited to create a tikkun olam community project together.
Hebrew lessons
Nevia will also be offering virtual weekly Hebrew lessons for school-aged children beginning in December. We will be using the Alef Bet Quest workbook. This book will start the group off with some decoding of the Hebrew alphabet using modern and biblical word examples. It is a great transition into some basic modern Hebrew phrases and starting to learn Hebrew blessings.
B’nei Mitzvah preparation
Nevia is also available for one-on-one tutoring to prepare for a bar/bat/b’nei mitzvah. She is open to any style of bar or bat mitzvah, and we can help you to arrange leadership and the event. This program is at the family’s cost. But do let us know if you need financial support.
Nevia writes: “In the past, my students have learned torah blessings, a torah portion (around 6-18 verses depending on Hebrew level), and sometimes around 6-10 verses of Haftarah (depending on time/Hebrew level but this is not as common). We can arrange any combination of the above items or something different, depending on what suits your child/children and what your goals for the event are. Social action projects instead of a b’nei mitzvah, is also a great option. Also, I have seen students replace one aspect (like the haftarah) for a more in-depth speech or social action project.
5. Children and youth participation in Beth Israel Congregation events.
Let’s involve the children and youth in all our services, celebrations, and events. The congregation has enjoyed the Purim play, children’s singing at services, and there is often a special surprise in store for Hanukkah . Please get in touch with your ideas as well.
Who are these programs for?
These programs are open to all Jewish-identified children and families (including family members of Jewish-identified adults or children). All participants are invited (but not required) to become members of Beth Israel Congregation and/or to contribute a donation to support these programs.
For more information on any of these programs, please contact:
Nevia Frank
Children and Youth Coordinator, Beth Israel Congregation
End of year report from the Kids and Youth Programs of Beth Israel Congregation:
The programs this year were a great success. We added 2 new programs – weekly Hebrew classes and a monthly youth group – with the help of a new staff member – Nevia Frank. We also continued our monthly kids crew for families with Marty Cleary, which included exciting outdoor gatherings and/or monthly packages. We recently had our first indoor event at the shul to celebrate Shavuot, which included storytelling, snacks, floral crafts, and a game of Minecraft based at Mount Sinai!
Other projects this year included the wonderful kid-designed holiday cards, another incredible Purim play, and a collaborative Chanukah music video.
We want to congratulate Zoe Dunaway on her recent and wonderfully inspiring b mitzvah ceremony. We are now preparing for four more b mitzvahs to take place in the next year!
This year included:
9 Kids’ Crew events
6 Youth Crew events
24 Hebrew lessons
22 children participating
Here is some recent feedback we received:
“It was truly nourishing for me to finally be in community and to have my daughter be a part of a Jewish community – to be with other Jewish kids!”
See below for some pictures of this year’s events, which included building a sukkah and boiling grapes into dye to make challah covers.
Many thanks to all the children, youth, families, and leaders, and to the broader Beth Israel membership for supporting these programs! New participants are always welcome. P
Ziysah von Bieberstein
Children and Youth Programs Coordinator
Beth Israel Congregation
Grapes
Image 1 of 7
Kids and Youth Crew further highlights!
Kids’ Crew:
Our March packages helped us learn about Purim and prepare our costumes. Here are some pics of the masks we made!
Kids wearing Kids’ Crew Purim masks
Mom and kid wearing Kids’ Crew Purim mask.
This month, the package will be all about… you guessed, it Pesach!
Hebrew classes:
We are halfway through learning the Hebrew aleph bet! And preparing to ask the 4 questions in Hebrew at the upcoming seder.
Youth Crew:
In March, the Youth Crew made paper mache masks and learned about coincidence vs miracle in the Purim story! In April, we will be having a Jewish Minecraft adventure!
Purim:
Our second annual virtual Purim spiel was another big success with 14 kids, youth and young adults playing the majority of the parts with excellent stage presence and humour!
Interested in joining or learning more about our programs?
