Torah Study

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Torah Study Mini-Series NOW During June: Will You Come? 

The Torah Study pilot series will NOT begin May 25th as previously planned, but will now run Saturdays, during June. Are you with us? RSVP here (so we know to expect you), and click here to add it to your calendar. Participants will take turns reading the Parsha in English and discuss questions as they arise, with the goal of bringing more meaning/relevance/joy to the study of Torah. No advance study or preparation needed. Chumashim will be provided, or bring your own to add to the perspectives.

Lag B’Omer Celebration

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Beth Israel is hosting a Lag B’Omer, celebration on Saturday, May 25th from 5pm on, with a bonfire, kosher wiener roast and potluck.  Hot dogs and buns to be provided.  For your culinary preferences bring potluck contributions (no un-kosher meat or shellfish, please) and BYO lawn chair, if possible. RSVP so organizers can know numbers for food. RSVP here so we’ll know to expect you.  For more details regarding location etc. please contact:  contact@jccpeterborough.com

Thank you!

Panel on Judaism & Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) via Zoom

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Join our very own Cantor Leon Litvack and Dr. Dan Houpt on Sunday 19 May, 2 pm via Zoom for a fascinating online discussion on Judaism & Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), which for Judaism presents challenges: how does it relate to the sanctity of life, and to our being created in God’s image, and how does it sit with the concept of pikuach nefesh, the obligation to preserve life? Alternatively, shouldn’t we be guided by rachamim (compassion), and end unbearable suffering for those who are in constant pain and distress?
 
Please register here to receive the Zoom link.
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Annual Meeting & Dessert Party

In accordance with Beth Israel’s By Laws, notice is hereby given for the 2024 Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 7 pm at Beth Israel, 775 Weller Street, Peterborough, Ontario. Voting members and guests will have the opportunity to receive updates on activities at the synagogue, receive the 2023-2024 Financial Statements and elect the Board of Directors for the coming year. The program will also include a presentation and discussion on the synagogue’s new Mission, Vision and Values Statement.
 
To add to the celebrations the Board is throwing a dessert party for attendees. All individuals who have paid their 2024 dues by June 25 shall be entitled to vote at the AGM. Nominations for Director positions close on June 11, 2024. Nominees/nominators must be voting members of Beth Israel. For details on the positions open and the nomination process, click here.
 
Come out and join in the celebration for another successful synagogue year!
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Nominations Now Open for Beth Israel Board of Directors

 
The Beth Israel Board of Directors Nominating Committee is now accepting Nominations from interested Voting Members (current members in good standing) to join the Beth Israel Board of Directors for the 2024-2026 term. There are 4 positions available for election – 3 directors (Mike Fox, Heather Pollock and Sandra Grainger) are seeking renewal for an additional 2 year term and there is 1 vacant director’s position. This is an excellent opportunity to help shape and guide the future direction of Beth Israel. The Board meets once a month and all Board members are expected to serve on at least one committee.
 

In accordance with Beth Israel’s By Law 6.2, 6.3 and 6.5, the Nominating Committee is now accepting Nominations from interested Voting Members (current paid members) to join the Beth Israel Board of Directors for the year 2024-2026. Nominations close on June 11. Nominations are not permitted from the floor of the AGM.

Criteria for Nominees

Nominees must be a Voting Member in good standing, not be an employee of the Congregation, not have an undischarged bankruptcy and be legally competent under the laws of Canada and its Provinces to conduct business and enter into contract.

About the Beth Israel Board

The Beth Israel Board of Directors is composed of 8 directors. They are responsible for holding regular meetings to deal with the business of Beth Israel Congregation, and appointing its executive officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary). Board meetings may include governance and financial issues, oversight of committees and programming, and much more! The Board helps shape the future of our synagogue.

To Nominate Someone

Any two members may submit the name of a Voting Member for nomination to the Board. The nomination may be made via email to the Chair of the Nominating Committee, Mark Siegel president@jccpeterborough.com or by mail to: 775 Weller St., P.O. Box 144 Peterborough ON K9J 6Y7.

For information on the Annual General Meeting and Dessert Party, click here.

 
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Yom HaShoah Events

Learning about the Holocaust and Its Meaning Today

Below are a set of links to Yom HaShoah events of note for our local community. 

Online participation is possible. 

Click on the links below to reach the event or learning materials.Yom HaShoah Candles

Yizkor:  Our Commitment to Remember

6 million worlds extinguished.

6 million pairs of hands that could no longer be held

6 million lifetimes of stories that could no longer be told

We cannot undo these horrors

What we can do is honour

We honour 6 million worlds in our candle lighting

We honour 6 million worlds in our remembering

We honour 6 million worlds by saying Never Again

We honour by bearing witness, by teaching this difficult history to our children. We honour by asking:

Where is the seed of this hate?

How was it made to blossom?

How was this hate elected?

Who is feeding it today?

To every soul that perished in the Nazi Holocaust, Jewish, Roma, disabled, gay, trans, to the millions of universes we can no longer explore,

To each of you, we pledge: We will keep learning, we will keep teaching, we will keep speaking, we will keep thinking, we will keep loving, we will keep building relationships across difference

We refuse to believe that we are powerless against hate, we refuse to abandon faith in humanity, we refuse to take anything for granted. In your memory, in the shadow of 6 million worlds, We will do everything we can to make never again mean never again.

 

Jewish Family Forest Adventures

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Jewish Family Forest Adventures: 

Register Now

Participants in last week’s Jewish Family Forest Adventures enjoyed a beautiful Spring day catching frogs (ahead of the plague of Passover), investigating wetlands, nibbling wild leeks, and admiring many garter snakes (right out of the Garden of Eden!). Thank you Marty for supporting the kids in this way.

The next program runs May 4th. For more information or to register (required for newcomers), click here.

Forest Adventure Participants #1Forest Adventure Participants #2

 

 

 

 

Photo credits:  Marty

 

 

 

 

Tree of Life

Graphic Credit:  MyJewishLearning

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beth Israel News Prize

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How do I get a Beth Israel News Prize?

To be eligible for a Prize, all you need to do is submit something to the Beth Israel News. For Editorial Guidelines on what we do (and don’t) publish, click here. Your item can be big or small, one time or every week; it can be notice of a typo, words of thanks, or beyond. Every time someone sends in a contribution, their name is entered to win. Once a month (or so), we will draw a name at random, and pick a – perhaps equally random prize.  

Mazel tov, Eitan! You are the winner of the Beth Israel News for this month. Your prize is a bag of Munchos (chips, donated to Beth Israel by a kind member, excited about the Ladino nature of their name). To be eligible for a Prize, all you need to do is submit something to the Beth Israel News. For Editorial Guidelines on what we do (and don’t) publish, click here. Your item can be big or small, it can be notice of a typo, words of thanks, or beyond. Once a month (or so), we will draw a name and award a prize. 

Seeking Assistant Gabbai (Volunteer)

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The search is on for someone to assist Ron Molnar and Cantor Leon Litvack in ensuring the smooth running of the High Holy Days and other religious services, with a view (eventually) to succeeding Ron as Gabbai (. Basic facility in Hebrew and some familiarity with the prayer book

(siddur/mahzor) are absolute requirements. Please send a statement at your earliest convenience, outlining your interest and experience – or any questions – please email Ron gabbai@jccpeterborough.com.

 

 

 

 

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Beth Israel Board shares Resolution

At our December meeting, the BIC Board grappled with resolutions that could express our shock and horror at recent events. We focused on two central ideals. First, it was important for us to express our deep sadness at and condemnation of a day that saw the greatest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. And we also realized that there is a wide range of belief and opinion on the larger situation in the Middle East. As the only Synagogue in an area where many Jews feel isolated, we have a special responsibility to respect the diversity of our membership. We must remain a place that all Jews in our area can call a spiritual home. With these two ideals in mind, we crafted and approved the following resolutions:

  • Beth Israel stands with our fellow Jews in Israel and the diaspora, along with people throughout the world, in condemning Hamas’s slaughter and kidnapping of innocent people on October 7,2023. We mourn the ongoing loss of innocent lives.
  • Beth Israel is a spiritual and cultural home to a diverse community of Jews who hold dear an array of political beliefs, lived experiences, and identities. We affirm our commitment to embracing all of our members and celebrating our diversity as Jews.

We recognize that no statement can adequately address depth of emotion and perspectives around this complex situation. Our efforts to understand one another must be ongoing.