Shabbat Shalom, Beth Torah!
Saturday | 9:30 a.m.
We are delighted for you to join us for our Shabbat morning services. No registration is necessary.
Those unable to attend in person are invited to join us online for our livestreamed services.
Shabbat Info
Friday, April 24| Iyar 7, 5786
7:54 p.m. Light Shabbat candles
Saturday, April 25| Iyar 8, 5786
9:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service
8:59 p.m. Shabbat Ends
Parashat
Torah Reading
Leviticus
16:1-18:30
Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim Insights
And Adonai spoke to Moshe after the death of the two sons of Aaron… (Vayikra 16:1)
I have attended a lot of funerals. At some, I was the officiant. At others, one of many clergy or speakers, and of course, as an attendee paying respects to the deceased or the mourners. At every funeral, I cry. I am a great crier. I cry at greeting cards and sappy commercials. In ancient, and even not so ancient times, I might have found employment as a professional mourner. Even now, hired mourners are popular in Asia and the Middle East. Rent-a-Mourner is a real thing in England. Some see this as a breakdown of the family, but others point to the respected history of the profession and see it as one more way to honour the dead. It’s not false mourning. It helps others feel comfortable enough to accept their grief.
Jewish mourning laws and rituals are very specifically designed to move mourners through these earth-shaking changes. Grief is a part of life. It is not something to be avoided, nor to be experienced alone. Rabbi Ruth Langer, a Boston College Theology professor, writes that Jewish rituals tend to be expansive, but our funerary rites are the opposite, “striking in their combinations of silence and free speech… [responding] powerfully to the emotions of the moment… first the transition of deceased from the world of the living to the world of the dead/afterlife; and, second, it places the mourners into a liminal state from which they gradually emerge to reintegrate into a social realm reshaped by their loss.”*
Unfortunately, today, this change is often glossed over. Many people want to grieve privately. Shiva is cut short or severely limited in hours. We are in a hurry to return to “normal” life, not taking the time needed for shiva, shloshim, and shanah. We should remember that each step marks a change from one world to the next. And, while directed at the mourner, they are meant for all of us in the community to share.
Shabbat shalom.
* Langer, Ruth, “Jewish Funerals: A Ritual Description,” https://www2.bc.edu/~langerr/Publications/jewish_funerals.htm
Rav Jen
Refugee Shabbat
We hope you will join us next Shabbat, April 25th, as Beth Torah marks the 8th annual Refugee Shabbat with JIAS (Jewish Immigrant Aid Services). Rabbi Jen will be speaking about our community’s long history of sponsoring and supporting refugees, and the importance of continuing this work.
Kiddush Sponsor
This week’s kiddush has been generously sponsored by the Greenwald family in honour of the upcoming wedding of David Greenwald and Robyn Berns. Mazel Tov to all!
Kiddush Donation
Dora Usher has made a generous donation to this week’s kiddush in honour of her beloved Jonathan’s upcoming birthday.
Morning Minyan & Kiddush @ Adath Israel
As you know, Adath Israel lovingly reads all yahrzeits for your loved ones each week, Sunday through Friday, ensuring their memories are honoured within our sacred community. As a meaningful expression of our gratitude for their generosity, Beth Torah graciously sponsors the morning kiddush at Adath Israel on the last Thursday of every month, (April 30, 2026).
Please join us at Adath Israel for morning minyan, followed by kiddush as we gather in remembrance, gratitude, and community.
Services @ 7:30am weekdays, Sundays and Stat holidays @ 8:30am.
Intergenerational Shabbat
Intergenerational Shabbat– May 2, 2026
Join us for a joyful, family-friendly Intergenerational Shabbat filled with stories, music, and the beautiful energy of all ages on the first Shabbat of every month. Bring your children and grandchildren and share in a Shabbat experience everyone from ages 0-120 can enjoy.
We cherish the laughter, curiosity, and playful sounds of children in our sanctuary. Help make Beth Torah a meaningful part of their Shabbat memories!
Kiddush Sponsorships
Would you like to sponsor an upcoming Shabbat Kiddush?
Kiddush sponsorships are a meaningful way to celebrate a simcha, honour a milestone, remember a loved one, or simply support our community – just because…
Please click here for further details.
Torah & Tangents
Take your lunch break with Rav Jen online each Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 pm. Together, we will discuss questions we have about the weekly parasha and the world around us. Registration required to receive the link.
https://www.bethtorahto.ca/form/lnl
Jewish Community Security Briefing
Join us on Monday, April 27 @ 7:00 p.m. – Beth Torah will host a Jewish Community Security Briefing with representation from all levels of government and the Jewish Security Network. Space is limited, and registration is required. Join us for an open discussion on the state of Jewish security in the GTA. We invite you to hear what’s happening behind the scenes and ask questions of our representatives. Questions should be submitted in advance.
Register HERE.
Prayer Walk
Join Rabbi Jen and other faith and community leaders on Thursday, April 30, in a community-wide Prayer-Walk with our Toronto Police across all 16 Divisions on Thursday, April 30 @ 12:00 noon.
Wondering what a Prayer-Walk is? Just like it sounds. We will gather at the starting point, introduce ourselves and take a leisurely walk, taking time to talk to each other while stopping at various locations to offer words of hope and prayer for our community, our city, Canada, and the world. You can join us for part or all of the walk.
The Prayer-Walk invites collective prayer against combative evil and all forms of racism, including antisemitism, in our City, Nation, and World. On behalf of TPS Chief Myron Demkiw, we encourage common and committed participation to walk hand-in-hand on the same day and time. Our Police Chief and Officials endorse this vital prayer-walk to blitz the whole GTA for greater “Unity in our Community”.
Rabbi Jen will be walking with Beth Torah’s Division – 13, meeting at 1435 Eglinton Avenue (at the bottom of the Allen). You are welcome to join us there or contact another Division for their starting point.
Lag Ba’Omer
Calling All Young Professionals in thier 20’s and 30’s!!
Join Rav Jen for a warm and intimate Lag Ba’Omer gathering at her home on Monday, May 4th. Come celebrate with good company around a cozy bonfire, plus snacks and beverages to enjoy together.
Feel free to bring along additional kosher snacks or soft drinks to share!
What is Lag Ba’Omer?
Lag Ba’Omer marks the 33rd day of the Omer—the period of counting from the second night of Pesach to Shavuot. It commemorates the end of a devastating plague among Rabbi Akiva’s students and is celebrated as a joyful day, often with bonfires, music, and outdoor gatherings.
Details:
• Free event
• Registration required
• Address will be shared on the day of the event
Bring your friends and come unwind, and celebrate together where community sparks connection!
Register here
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Now more than ever, we could all use some laughter which is why we are thrilled to welcome Comedian Neil Berger to our synagogue for an evening of humour, connection, and community. In challenging times, laughter has a way of bringing light into the room.
Neil is a stand-up comedian who has been performing for a variety of audiences for over 25 years. He has performed at numerous retirement and nursing homes and senior citizen centres throughout the GTA. Neil has performed at Yuk Yuk’s comedy club, community events, house parties, corporate events and was the featured comedian at the stage production of “Broadway Babies” at The Oakville Centre For The Performing Arts. Neil is a prolific comedy writer who wrote one-liners for Joan Rivers for many years. Neil is the founder of “The Joker’s Club” in Oakville where he entertains audiences with other comics in the local community on a regular basis. All his material is clean (no profanity) and is non-offensive. His comedic style is observational humour, making fun of life’s everyday moments. Neil is a wonderful storyteller always leaving his audience filled with much laughter.
We hope you will join us for a night to lift our spirits and share in the joy.
Wednesday, May 6
7:30pm
Tickets are $36/person
To register, please click here
Tot Shabbat
Join Cantor Steve, Rav Jen, and special guest, Emily Kogan – owner and Creative Director of Studio 28 Dance Corp. in Toronto, for a joyfulsong-and-dance-filled welcome to Shabbat! Friday, May 15, @ 5:30 p.m.
Designed for children ages 2–5 (and their siblings, parents, and grandparents, too), this lively experience brings the spirit of Shabbat to life through movement, music, and connection.
Emily’s studio is recreationally focused, with a strong emphasis on body positivity and inclusivity at the heart of all their programming! Through fun, engaging activities that build gross-motor skills, their goal is to make every dancer feel like a superstar!
The evening will begin with a short, Shabbat-themed pre-service dance session with Emily, followed by a warm and engaging service filled with stories, singing, and movement. We’ll conclude with blessings over candles, juice, and challah — and, of course, pizza!
Please RSVP to [email protected] with number of guests who wish to attend by Thursday, May 14.
Golf Tournament
Great News: Early Bird Pricing Extended!!
Early bird pricing for our 2nd Annual Golf Tournament has been extended to Thursday, April 30th, so be sure not to miss out on this great opportunity to PAR-TEE together on the course and play a round of golf with the Beth Torah Community!
Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or just in it for the fun and community spirit, we promise it will be a wonderful day of connection, laughter, and friendly competition.
Be sure to register now, and secure your spot.
For further information on tournament packages, pricing, to register, or if you would like to sponsor the event, please click here or contact [email protected] or [email protected]. All sponsors and donors will be recognized at the event.
Date: Monday, May 25, 2026
Location: Lebovic Golf Course, Aurora
Time: 9 A.M.
Let’s make this a hole-in-one event for Beth Torah!
Weekly Yahrzeit List
Week of Apr 18 to Apr 24
Itzchak Boruch Werblunsky, father of Helen Yermus, Apr 22, 2026
Grace Freedlander, mother of Vern Freedlander, Apr 23, 2026
Max Richter, father of Peggy Richter, Apr 24, 2026
Barbara Sandra Norwich, Apr 24, 2026
Week of Apr 25 to May 1
Harry Rusinek, father of Pnina Turk, Apr 25, 2026
Miriam Kornhauser, mother of David Kornhauser, Apr 25, 2026
Morris Adams, father of Elyse Tytel and Howard Adams, Apr 25, 2026
Meyer Frankel, Apr 26, 2026
Ben Walton, father of Howard Walton, Apr 27, 2026
Ruby Kreindler, mother of David Kreindler, Apr 27, 2026
John Sosnow, father of Angela Sosnow, Apr 28, 2026
Molly Carman, sister of Don Epstein, Apr 28, 2026
Charlotte Josse, mother of Robert Josse, Apr 29, 2026
Jeffrey Gold, brother of Francine Frankel, Apr 30, 2026
Jerome Giblon, father of Frank Giblon, Apr 30, 2026
Martin Caplan, father of Robert Caplan, Apr 30, 2026
Julian Lurie, father of Michelle Jacob, May 1, 2026