Limmud Toronto 2021

We will explore the history of Klezmer music as it developed and moved from Europe to America. After Klezmer music settled and percolated in America, we will review its remarkable rise and fall from popularity. We will then review Klezmer music's revival from near extinction, in the 70's. The presentation includes power point slides with images and historical video clips.

The "Name" of God is a way of describing our understanding of the nature of the world. Does "Adonai/Lord" fit our best vision? Would seeing YHWH as Breath-of-Life, Ruach Ha'Olam, change our ability to deal with issues like the climate crisis?

Israel is a diverse country. Compare the 21% Arab citizens as similarly numerically as the 23% French-speaking Canadians. Each country has two main languages, cultures, differing religions, ethnic origins, and different versions of the same history.

Despite strife in Israel, people have much in common. Strife existed in Canada, yet we live well in a Confederation, recovered from terrorism, bombings, political murder, kidnappings, martial law, mass arrests without charges for most, in October 1970.

In Israel's north, where I spent most time, the ratio of Arabs:Jews is closer to 50:50. Successes for Israeli Arabs mount annually. Societal and governmental discrimination exists and there are many NGOs that work hard to enhance equality.

Mixed schools see Jewish and Arab kids learning together from JK-12. Hand-in-Hand Schools, https://handinhandk12.org. Both sides are friends, have respect, speak both languages, do sleepovers, and get high-level education. They lack something big of life: they do not learn abject fear common to Israeli Jews and Arabs.

Qfar Qara Arab town houses a Hand-in-Hand School and is the municipality in Israel with the highest proportion of professionals, especially doctors, in all of Israel, more than Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other places.

“It’s the good that I desire, It’s broad expanses entrance me, ...Good for ever, good right now, Good for every people and nation."

Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook (1865-1935) was a being of immense illumination. As the first Chief Rabbi of the Land of Israel he directed and defined the transition from the Torah of exile to the Torah of Israel and the world.. His influence on modern Israel and the Jewish world continues to grow. His wide-ranging poetry is an expression of his most elevated states of consciousness and insights. Rav Itzchak will perform a selection of these in Hebrew and English with musical accompaniment. Itzchak has presented these creatively in Israel and North America.
“A generation will awaken, And sing to beauty and to life. And draw unending delight From the dew of heaven.”

My journey: why being a Jewish woman has made me a climate activist.
I am a climate activist, because of the obligation of tikkun olam. And because, as a Jewish woman, our vulnerability is deeply personal. I will never be among those who believe “it cannot happen to me”.
The climate crisis is a Jewish issue because of our obligation to repair the world, because we are big polluters, because we have influence and therefore responsibility, because it may make Israel uninhabitable, and because it will create times of great disruption. History tells us that times of disruption are not good for Jews. Yes, I live a wonderful life, and I have a good chance of being dead before the worst arrives. But my children and my grandchildren do not.
Come hear about my journey, why you should take action now, and what options we have in the time that is left.

The first Jewish permanent resident in Toronto arrived in 1838, making way for the growth and development of Canada’s largest and most diverse Jewish community. From 1901 to 1927, the Jewish population of Canada grew from under 17,000 to 125,000, with Ontario and Quebec each having close to 50,000 Jewish residents. It was during this period that the newly formed Canadian Jewish Congress formed the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society of Canada, which later changed its name to Jewish Immigrant Aid Services.

The Jewish community in the GTA continues to grow thanks to immigration – and may be seen as a microcosm of the global Jewish community. In recent years, JIAS Toronto has welcomed Jewish newcomers from around the world, including (but not limited to!) various republics of the Former Soviet Union, Europe, Mexico, Central and South America, Turkey, India, South Africa, Australia, and of course Israel. Join us at Limmud to meet current-day Jewish immigrants from far-flung communities and explore what drew them to GTA, some of the challenges they’ve faced, the surprises of resettlement, and how they’re connecting Jewishly!

[*Note that this panel session will feature 4 immigrants from any of the various countries... we will submit speakers/bios if/when the session is approved: India, Mexico, Brazil, France, Turkey, Russia, Israel]