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Family / All Welcome Shabbat in November!  

Join us Friday, November 28th to welcome Shabbat beginning at 5 pm to welcome Shabbat together with songs, brachot (blessings) and a potluck dinner (with some hummus, salad and falafel sponsored by Ben Langer). This is an all-ages, family-friendly evening, and all are welcome. Doors open at 5 pm; kiddush at 5:30; potluck dinner 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., followed by Birkat HaMazon, etc. All are welcome to bring a challah and their own candles/candlesticks if they have. RSVP now.

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Holocaust Education Week in November 3-9

In support of Holocaust Education, and the anniversary of Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass), and pogroms that occurred throughout Germany in 1938, November 9th-10th, the Beth Israel Holocaust Education Committee invites and encourages each of us to attend these learning opportunities:

If you would like to attend any of these events with others from the Beth Israel community, please email Ralph, BIC Holocaust Education Chair and we will do our best to coordinate.

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Beth Israel Holocaust Education Field Trip to Margaret’s Legacy, Oct 20th

Join the Beth Israel Holocaust Education Committee for a trip to Margaret’s Legacy, the Holocaust Learning and Jewish Advocacy Centre based at the Hamilton Jewish Federation (which has been very supportive in our Holocaust Education efforts). This field trip will give us a chance to explore further those learning opportunities through a tour and discussion with members there. For more details or to sign up, email Ralph, BIC Holocaust Education Chair.

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Beth Israel Challah-Making Workshop

Register Now

Do you want to know the secrets of delicious challah making? Join Beth Israel’s own Mark Siegel and Heather Pollock for an abridged but informative challah baking session, Thursday, November 6 from 6:30-8:30 p.m at Beth Israel. Participants will not only receive Mark’s secret recipe, but will learn about proofing the yeast, mixing and kneading dough, various braiding options, and have fun and get to know some other members. You will leave with an unbaked challah that can be finished and baked at home for Shabbat. Tickets are $18+ fees (cost recovery). A limited number of subsidized tickets are available upon request; reply to this email to request one. Space is limited to up to 10 bakers. Get your tickets  now! 

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Beth Israel Book Club Welcomes You

Join the Beth Israel Book Club as they meet at the synagogue, Thursday, October 23rd to discuss People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks.

The following meet will be on Thursday, December 4th, we’ll be discussing Kiss the Red Stairs, by Marsha Lederman. All are welcome! If you have any questions, please reply to this email, and we’ll help you out!

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Simchat Torah Family-Oriented

Shabbat Morning Service and Lunch

Join us Saturday, October 18th beginning at 10 a.m. at Beth Israel with a musical and family-oriented Simchat Torah Shabbat Morning Service and Hakafot led by Ben Langer. With enough people, we will be able to unroll the whole torah scroll, find all sorts of wonders inside, and mark the end of one Torah cycle and the beginning of the next. The service will be followed by kiddish and a lunch from Wadi Fine Foods at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome. RSVP required, click here.

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Will You Join Us for a Community Potluck

Breaking of the Fast Thursday?

All are invited to join us for the wonderful annual Beth Israel Community Breaking of the Fast Potluck on Thursday, October 2nd around 7:15 p.m., after Havdalah. Please click here to RSVP. This is a kosher-style (vegetarian and fish) meal. Everyone is asked to please bring their dish Ready to Serve, with serving utensils and a list of all the ingredients. See you there! RSVP Now. 

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High Holy Day Service Times

High Holy Days services are led by Cantor Leon Litvack, and are open to all (tickets are not required). However we would welcome you to become a member, or make a donation in support of the congregation here. For children’s activities during services, email Zoe. These programs are sponsored by the Beth Israel Congregation. For more information on Membership, or to make a donation, click here. 

Erev Yom Kippur: Kol Nidrei – Wednesday, October 1st from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Yom Kippur morning service inc. Yizkor – Thursday, October 2nd from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m; Cantor’s Minchah-time discussion begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by Ne’ilah, with havdalah at 7 p.m. followed by community potluck breaking of the fast.

Will You Join Us for a Community Potluck Breaking of the Fast Thursday?

All are invited to join us for the wonderful annual Beth Israel Community Breaking of the Fast Potluck on Thursday, October 2nd around 7:15 p.m., after Havdalah. Please click here to RSVP. This is a kosher-style (vegetarian and fish) meal. Everyone is asked to please bring their dish Ready to Serve, with serving utensils and a list of all the ingredients. See you there! RSVP Now. 

Cantor Leon’s Spiritual Exercise for the High Holy Days. 

The topic (theme) for this year’s spiritual exercise is: Jewish Ideas of Leadership.  Your reflections and insightful thoughts about this theme can be shared and be a part of a in-person discussion that Cantor Leon holds during Minchah on Yom Kippur.  Cantor Leon has an introduction and provides some guidance for you to consider and space to express your thoughts in a simple document.  See the document at this link:  Spiritual Exercise HHD 2025-5786.  Complete the second page of the document and submit in whatever form you wish (digital, hard-copy) to Cantor Leon at any time before early afternoon of Yom Kippur.  Everyone’s comments are welcome and valuable to our community.  Thanks for participating.  L’Shanah Tovah.

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Cantor’s Message
High Holy Days 5786/2025-6

Dearest friends,

Very shortly, the High Holy Days will be upon us. I am very very much looking forward to returning to Beth Israel in person, and spending this special time with you.

The theme that I have chosen to guide us in our worship is Jewish ideas of leadership. There are many aspects to this principle and role. We think, of course, of leaders of our government, communities, and places of work; but those represent only one type of leader. When we drill down into our closest relationships, we find that leadership is equally important: it informs how we relate to our families and friends on a daily basis, and how we interact with the wider world. We are all leaders – and followers – in some respect, and being Jewish should inform how we view this essential role.

In my short presentations on the High Holy Days, I will focus on a select number of biblical figures – both men and women – to bring out particular aspects of their leadership. I’m hoping that this will encourage you to reflect on what leadership means to you personally.

Leadership will also be the focus the spiritual exercise that I have set for this year. There are two questions that I would like you to answer: (1) Which Jewish leader (ancient or modern) do you admire most, and why? (2) How does being Jewish inform your own sense of leadership? We will discuss your responses at Mincha time on Yom Kippur (Thursday 2 October); I think the views you share will be of great interest! The worksheet that I have drawn up will present you with some resources to guide your thinking.

The materials for the exercise are attached to this newsletter or available by contacting gabbai@jccpeterborough.com.

We will, of course, have lots of music and congregational participation. I will be accompanied for certain portions of the services by the incomparable Dan Houpt, for whom I have written a number of new arrangements, including (another) special version of Adon Olam. At the pot luck this year at the Houpt farm, Dan and I will perform a series of ten pieces, mostly from the High Holy Day liturgy, for which I will offer some commentary, to help you understand the meanings behind these wonderful musical numbers. You might even sing along more when these occur in the services!

We begin on the evening of 22 September, at 7 pm. I hope to see you in the course of this joyous period in our liturgical year.

I wish you all a Shanah Tovah, and G’mar Chatimah Tovah.

With love from Cantor Leon