FEDERATION CJA COMMUNITY WIDE VIGIL FOR ISRAEL
10/20/2023 12:26:29 PM
How long can we endure and sustain this war of hate and destruction, this war of words and demonstrations? When will the world finally help eradicate Hamas, a terrorist organization whose sole purpose is to obliterate and eradicate the Jewish people and the Jewish state? How long will reporters and news anchors turn a blind eye and refuse to convey the stark reality that Hamas uses civilians as human shields, their...Read more...
A STORY THAT TOUCHES HOME!
10/13/2023 01:53:46 PM
Dear friends,
This has been without a doubt, one of the most eventful, difficult and heart wrenching week, the people of Israel and Jews around the world have been and continue to go through. In the past few days, throughout our Montreal community Rally after Rally, vigil after vigil has been mushrooming all around us. At each one I stood proud yet shaken, stoic yet vulnerable as I...Read more...
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RESTARTING OUR YOUTH CHOIR
10/06/2023 01:42:33 PM
Enriching Shabbat and Holiday Services: The Significance of restarting our Youth Choir
Dear friends
Shabbat and holiday services hold a special place in the hearts of Jewish communities worldwide. These sacred gatherings are moments of spiritual reflection, unity, and celebration. To enhance the beauty and depth of these services, one...Read more...
LEARNING AND PRAYING IN HEBREW
09/29/2023 11:43:22 AM
In Jewish faith learning and praying in Hebrew hold significant importance. Here are 7 steps to achieve this goal.
1. **Spiritual Connection**: Hebrew is considered the sacred language of Judaism. Praying in Hebrew allows individuals to connect with their faith on a deeper spiritual level, as it is the language of their religious texts and traditions.
Read more...
Recognition of the Outstanding Choir Performance During High Holiday Services
09/29/2023 11:36:57 AM
I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for the exceptional work that the S&P choir delivered during our recent High Holiday services. Your dedication, talent, and hard work shone brightly and reverberated throughout our Mashaal sanctuary and I believe it...Read more...
Recognition of the Outstanding Choir Performance During High Holiday Services
09/28/2023 09:56:05 AM
I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for the exceptional work that the S&P choir delivered during our recent High Holiday services. Your dedication, talent, and hard work shone brightly and reverberated throughout our Mashaal sanctuary and I believe it significantly enhanced the spiritual experience for our congregation.
The High Holidays are a profoundly significant time for our community, and the...Read more...
The Importance of Visiting Loved Ones in the Cemetery During the High HolyDay SeasonL'importance de rendre visite à ses proches au cimetière pendant la période des Grandes Fêtes
09/22/2023 12:28:09 PM
1. **Honoring Tradition and Faith**: For many individuals, the act of visiting the cemetery during the High HolyDays is a deeply ingrained tradition rooted in their faith. In Judaism, for example, it's customary to visit graves during this time as it aligns with themes of reflection, repentance, and renewal. Observing such traditions helps individuals feel connected to their religious heritage.
2. **Spiritual Reflection**:...Read more...
ROSH HASHANAH MELODIES
09/14/2023 07:27:09 PM
Why the melodies of the High Holidays strike a chord like no other sacred music:
1. Historical Significance: These melodies often have a rich history, with some dating back centuries. When people sing or hear them, they’re not just experiencing music but connecting with a heritage that spans generations. This sense of continuity and tradition can be deeply moving and...Read more...
Got A Question For Reverend Hazan Daniel Benlolo?
09/08/2023 02:18:53 PM
Dear Danny, Why is blowing the Shofar such an integral part of the High HolyDays?
Dear reader, Blowing the shofar is important in Judaism for several reasons:
1. **Religious Tradition:** It is a longstanding tradition with deep religious significance, dating back to biblical times. The shofar is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as an instrument...Read more...
The message of Parashat Nitzavim as we approach the High Holy Days.
09/08/2023 02:15:14 PM
1. **Unity and Community**: Parashat Nitzavim underscores the concept of unity within the Jewish community. It stresses that every individual, from leaders to ordinary members, stands together before God. This highlights the importance of communal responsibility and support, particularly during the High Holy Days when individuals come together for prayer and reflection.
2....Read more...
GOT A QUESTION FORREVEREND HAZAN DANIEL BENLOLO
09/01/2023 02:28:07 PM
Dear Danny,
It is said that on Rosh Hashanah, God predetermines each individuals wealth and parnassa. Is it so and why?
Dear reader,
The concept you're referring to is often associated with the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah,...Read more...
PARASHAT KI TAVO
09/01/2023 02:26:13 PM
In Parashat Ki Tavo, which is found in the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses instructs the Israelites about the rituals they should perform upon entering the Promised Land. The parashah contains blessings and curses, rewards and punishments, and focuses on the concept of gratitude.
The key message revolves around the idea of acknowledging and expressing gratitude for the blessings that...Read more...
Shabbat Nachamu
07/28/2023 11:47:52 AM
Shabbat Nachamu is observed on the Shabbat following Tisha B'Av, which typically falls in the Hebrew month of Av. Tisha B'Av is a day of mourning in the Jewish calendar, commemorating various tragedies that occurred on this day, including the destruction of both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. The period leading up to Tisha B'Av is known as "The Three Weeks," during which mourning customs are observed, such as refraining from...Read more...
Shavuot
05/25/2023 08:37:48 AM
Dear Congregants and friends,
When in Ottawa, I gave a series of classes at the St Paul’s University Theological department. The course gravitated towards the impact of Judaism in everyday life. This is part of a section on Shavuot.
The festival of Shavuot commemorates Matan Torah, G-d's giving of the Torah to the world. Since, as the...Read more...
March of the Living
05/03/2023 02:44:35 PM
An hour, a day, a week, a month, a year - even a lifetime - is not enough time to begin to tell you what my eyes have witnessed and how my life has been transformed forever.
You can watch Holocaust movies and look at photos of concentration camps, but until you witness the marks of desperation on the walls of the crematorium at...Read more...
Mimouna in all its glory!
04/11/2023 12:32:06 PM
When Passover ends, Moroccan Jews don't quietly unpack their chametz. Instead, they celebrate the Mimouna. This joyous festival is believed to have originated in Fez, Morocco, although it is unclear exactly when. The festivities begin at nightfall with the conclusion of Passover. The Mimouna here at the Spanish last night was no exception. The Spanish in collaboration with the CSUQ have proven that working together does...Read more...
The Ten Commandements
02/10/2023 09:36:42 AM
Excerpts from Haaretz
The first ten of the 613 commandments given by God to the Jewish people form the foundation of Jewish ethics, as well as civil and religious law.
The Ten Commandments, also known as Aseret HaDibrot (“Ten Sayings” in Hebrew) or Decalogue, are the first ten of the 613 commandments given by God to the Jewish people. They form the foundation of Jewish ethics, as well as civil and religious law. These commandments are mentioned twice in the Torah—once in Exodus (20: 1-17) and again in Deuteronomy (5:4-21).
Read more...Our holidays and more...
10/21/2022 12:40:28 PM
Over the past two years, during the heat of the pandemic our president, Charles Shemie, together with David Nathaniel, Ron Mashaal, as well as and the executive worked tirelessly to help ensure a bright future for our synagogue. They did not know when things would get back to normal, or what that new normal would be. They did know one thing - when the time came to reopen, we would be ready with new...Read more...
Sukkot
10/07/2022 08:27:41 AM
Dear Congregants,
Here is a thought from Partners in Torah that will lead us into the Holiday of Sukkot.
Want to know our favorite thing about Yom Kippur? The fact that we end the day feeling a little lighter, a little freer than we did before. With the forgiveness of the holiday, we no longer feel weighed down by our mistakes. A brighter future...Read more...
08/26/2022 08:50:50 AM
Our synagogue attracts visitors from all around the world. This past...Read more...
Five Hillel Lodge residents Celebrate a Bat Mitzvah
08/15/2022 11:38:04 AM
Pictured left to right: Hillel Lodge Bnot Mitzvah celebrants Flory Benbaruk, Anne Bokhaut Koffman,
Shirley Weiner, Helen Trachtenberg and Bernice Seward, stand together beneath the Tallit.
This week’s Parasha...Read more...
I know you love your synagogue
05/20/2022 09:17:25 AM
Three Jewish mothers are sitting on a bench, arguing over which one’s son loves her the most. The first one says, “You know, my son sends me flowers every Shabbat.”
“You call that love?” says the second mother. “My son calls me every day!”
Read more...
"An Appointment with G-d"
04/14/2022 10:00:00 AM
Dear friends and congregants
Permit me to share with you a portion of an article I once wrote entitled ‘An Appointment with G-d’. I truly believe it to be relevant in our time.
Do we really need a sanctuary? Does G-d need a home in this physical world? Isn’t G-d everywhere? Isn’t G-d...Read more...
Up Close And Personal
04/08/2022 11:40:58 AM
Liv Rosenfeld- 5 years old. Goes to OrSheli. Loves unicorns, rainbows , encanto . Favourite colour , purple . Favourite holiday: Purim.
Liam Rosenfeld - 3 years old. Goes to OrSheli. Loves superheroes and basketball. Favourite colour, yellow . Favourite holiday: Passover.
Julia Peress - Lifelong member of...Read more...
The Visit
04/04/2022 12:21:13 PM
École Polyvalente Saint-Joseph planned a visit to the Holocaust Museum and had a one hour window before their visit. Their professor Louis-Jean Pelletier contacted the Spanish Office and arranged a tour of our synagogue. The school...Read more...
Maftir HaChodesh
03/31/2022 10:36:23 AM
Torah.org
This week, in addition to the regular Parsha, we read the section known as HaChodesh. The additional sections of Shekalim, Zachor, Parah, and Chodesh are read prior to Pesach for both commemorative and practical reasons.
This additional section from Shemot, Parashat Bo, Chapter 12, is read on the Shabbat before the month of Nissan, or on the Shabbat of Rosh Chodesh...Read more...
Haftarah Shabbat Hachodesh
03/31/2022 10:27:19 AM
Haftarah in a Nutshell
Chabad.org
This special haftarah is a prophecy regarding the Paschal Offering that will be brought during the Messianic Era, reflecting the theme of the Hachodesh Torah reading—Moses' command to the Israelites in Egypt to prepare and bring the Paschal lamb.
This haftarah is part of Ezekiel's prophecy...Read more...
Maftir and Haftarah Shabbat Parah
03/24/2022 10:12:07 AM
Shabbat Parah, occurs on the Shabbat prior to Shabbat Mevarkhim of the month of Nisan. The maftir reading, deals with the red heifer whose ashes were combined with water to ritually purify anyone who had been in contact with a dead person. Because only people who were pure could eat from the Passover sacrifice, a public announcement right before Nisan...Read more...
Message from Reverend Hazan Daniel Benlolo
03/18/2022 12:33:29 PM
It started on Wednesday, March 16. Our Purim eve festivities began with the Megilah reading, by our Reverend Hazan Daniel Benlolo in the Mashaal Sanctuary along with 140 “in person” and 90 on Zoom. Later that evening, a light supper was served in the Aintabi Hall that included music, hot dogs, french fries and drinks. A great time was had by everyone.
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Haftarah Parashat Zahchor
03/10/2022 03:50:13 PM
This being the Shabbat before Purim, on which we celebrate the foiling of Haman the Amalekite’s plot to destroy the Jewish people, the weekly Parshah is supplemented with the “Zachor” reading (Deuteronomy 25:17–19) in which we are commanded to remember the evil of Amalek and to eradicate it from the face of the earth.
Remember what Amalek did to you on the...Read more...