Shabbat Shalom, Beth Torah!
Saturday | 9:30 a.m.
We are delighted to be open and holding Shabbat morning services onsite. Please join us, no registration is necessary.
Those unable to attend in person are invited to join us online for our livestreamed services. Siddur and Torah readings will be available online.
Watch the livestream here or here.
Sabbath Musings:
Making Pesach Possible
As we approach Pesach, there is a tradition to start studying the halacha of this holiday in the weeks before it arrives as part of our preparation. It makes sense, as far as Jewish holidays go, Passover is probably the most complex when it comes to laws and preparation.
Many people begin preparing by buying foods that are labeled “kosher for Passover” more than a month
beforehand. Some start to clean their homes and kasher their kitchens (or parts) more than a week before the holiday begins.
For some, Pesach is a “Jewish spring cleaning” that involves going through one’s entire home and exploring every corner for not just hametz, but anything that it might be time to clean or part with. That’s fine if one wants to do that, but we should know that it isn’t required. According to Jewish law, one only needs to search for hametz in places where one usually eats it. If you don’t generally bring food into your bedroom, laundry room, or another place in your home, then it doesn’t need to be cleaned for Pesach.
The second Mishnah about the holiday asks the question, “what if after you cleaned a room an animal may have brought hametz back into it? The answer is that we simply aren’t concerned because it would be unreasonable to be. If we were worried, then we’d have to worry it might take it from one room to another, or one house to another, or even one city to another – Ein l’davar sof, there is no end to the matter!”
The laws of Pesach are complex, and there is prep that must be done beforehand. But we should remember that Judaism is made up of traditions to better our lives, not complicate them. Perhaps then every Jew might recognize that what living Jewishly requires is within all our reach.
-RLS
Kiddush Sponsors
This week’s kiddush has been sponsored by Simone Collier and Jeff Waldman in honour of the 50th anniversary of Jeff’s Bar Mitzvah
Condolences
Condolences to the entire Baranek Family on the passing of their mother, and our congregant, Betty Baranek.
Condolences to Boris Bytensky & Anna Tenhouse on the passing of Boris’ mother, Alisa Bytensky.
Community Building
Chessed at Beth Torah
Community is everything to us at Beth Torah. Help us stay connected by informing us of simchas, illness, bereavement or challenges in your family. We will help however we can.
Email our Lifecycle Coordinator at [email protected] or call at 416-782-4495 ex. 27.
Office Hours
Monday-Thursdays: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Fridays: 9:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays: Closed
We can be reached by phone or by email at 416-782-4495 ex. 27 or [email protected]
Youth Programming
Teen Volunteer Hours
Do you need High School community service hours? Beth Torah would love your assistance!
Email [email protected] to find out how.
Yahrzeit
Week of April 27, Yahrzeit Listings
Hannah Shapero, mother of Harry Shapero, mother-in-law of Teresa Goldenberg, April 27, 2024.
Benjamin Smith, father of Peggy Frankel, father-in-law of Joel Frankel, April 27, 2024.
Maeta (MAY-TAH) Priesel, grandmother of Maureen Warren and Ken Schwartz, April 28, 2024.
Peter Gotfrit, father of Gerry Gotfrit, father-in-law of Estelle Gotfrit, April 29, 2024.
Georgina Pinto, grandmother of Rebecca Abrams, April 29, 2024.
Sybil Berley, mother of Adele Breslow, mother-in-law of Barney Breslow, April 30, 2024.
Bea Engelberg, mother of Bob Engelberg, mother-in-law of Judy Phillips, April 30, 2024.
Samuel Joseph Muschkies, father of Helen Mueller, April 30, 2024.
Sandra Cohen, friend of Tolsa Greenberg, May 1, 2024.
Renee Solomon, mother of Jeremy Solomon, mother-in-law of Randi Solomon, May 1, 2024.
Fanny Schwartz, grandmother of Maureen Warren and Ken Schwartz, May 2, 2024.
Daryl Ruth Beber, mother of Justin, Brett, and Shawn Beber, mother-in-law of Elissa Kline-Beber, Toni Zhong, and Serena Beber, May 3, 2024
Herbert Chikofsky, father of Penny Fiksel, father-in-law of Ephriam Fiksel, May 3, 2024.
Entza Libstug, mother of Saul Libstug, May 3, 2024.
Edward Rotman, uncle of Steven Rothman, May 3, 2024.
Lisa Waldman, sister of Jeffrey Waldman, sister-in-law of Simone Collier, May 3, 2024.