Please join us for Shabbat services on October 11, 2025, in celebration as we honour two longstanding and steadfast members of the Darchei Noam community. Les and Toby first attended High Holy Day services together at Darchei Noam in 1980, before they were married. They were young, and so was the Rabbi, Richard Hirsh. As “fervently” liberal Jews, Reconstructionist Judaism, DN and Rabbi Hirsh all appealed to them, and this began a (so-far) lifelong association. Over the years, they attended services and programs and also brought their parents whenever they visited Toronto. Their three sons, Jonathan, Solomon and Benjamin, became Bnei Mitzvah at DN, and Rabbi Tina Grimberg officiated at Benjamin & Eden’s and Solomon & Laura’s weddings, as well as the brit milah of their first grandson, Asher. Toby served two terms on the Board, and she was chair of the Ritual Committee. Les has, for many years, chanted Haftarah at the High Holy Days, always preceded by a brief d’var, and most notably was the architect who designed the renovations to Darchei Noam’s permanent home at 864 Sheppard Avenue West.

🗓️ Monday, October 13th⏰ 7 pm📍 Darchei Noam Join us for a commemorative program on Shemini Atzeret in remembrance of the tragic events of October 7, 2023. This program marks the Hebrew date on which the tragedy occurred and offers a sacred time of communal reflection. The program will be led by Amit Rozenblum, our Executive Director, through songs and poems. Reserve Tickets Here

🗓️ Tuesday, October 14th⏰ 5:30 pm📍 Darchei Noam Please join us at Darchei Noam for a Simchat Torah service to mark the completion and beginning of the Torah reading cycle. All are welcome to attend and participate in this meaningful celebration. RSVP Here

🗓️ Wednesday, October 22⏰ 2:00 – 3:00 PM📍 Darchei Noam Tradition teaches us that visiting those who are ill relieves one-sixtieth of their suffering, but perhaps this mitzvah feels uncomfortable. At this presentation, we will discuss how you can feel comfortable. If you would like to attend, please email Elizabeth at mincohen@bell.net to reserve your spot, indicating whether you will be attending in person or by Zoom. The Zoom link will be forwarded to you. You are welcome to come any time after 1:30 pm. The presentation will take place on Wednesday, October 22, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.

📅 Saturday, November 15 & 22⏰ 1:00 p.m.📍Sanctuary From Jacob’s disguises to Joseph’s deceptions, the Torah is filled with stories that revolve around concealment and revelation. What can these narratives teach us about human nature—and why does deception appear not only in our sacred texts, but also throughout evolution and the fabric of society itself? Join Rabbi Tina Grimberg for a fascinating two-part exploration of deception through the lens of Torah, evolution, and human psychology, revealing surprising insights into the complexity of life and the moral choices we face. Drawing from an array of scriptural and scientific sources, Rabbi Grimberg will guide us in examining how truth and deception intertwine in the natural world and in human behavior.   Register Here

Synaplex Shabbat 📅 Saturday, October 25 | 🕙 10:00 AM | 📍 Multiple locations at Darchei Noam We will begin together at 10:00 AM with introductory prayers, setting the stage for a meaningful and transformative morning. Then, as we arrive at the Torah service, you get to choose from three meaningful opportunities to experience Torah—each offering a unique lens into Jewish tradition, spirituality, and learning. Option 1: Traditional Torah Service Engage in a full, exploratory Torah reading led by Rob Silver. Option 2: Reflective & Meditative Musical Experience David Lefkowich will lead an immersive exploration of the Book of Psalms, where ancient words meet modern melodies. Option 3: Periphery with Sara Yacobi‑Harris Join us for a special Synaplex Shabbat featuring Periphery, a short documentary exploring ethnic diversity and Jewish identity through the stories of Jews from Black/African, Korean, Iraqi, Indian, and South American backgrounds. Together we’ll reflect on representation, intersectionality, and belonging within the global Jewish community, guided by filmmaker and educator Sara Yacobi‑Harris, co‑founder of No Silence on Race Periphery is an evocative short documentary that explores ethnic diversity in the Jewish community in Canada through dance, poetry and personal narratives.  Following 10 Jews of Black/African, Korean, Iraqi, Indian and South American ancestry, the film challenges perceptions of who is a Jew, exploring ideas of representation, intersectionality, race, and sexuality. A window into the Jewish community, Periphery invites us to appreciate the richness of Jewish identity and cultural expression while also illustrating what it feels like to grapple with a sense of belonging and to seek recognition within one’s own ethnic community.  In these shabbat sessions we will explore Jewish identity, culture and ethnic diversity within the global Jewish diaspora, intersectionality and Jews and Whiteness. Sara Yacobi-Harris is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, learning designer and social entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of No Silence on Race, a non-profit organization dedicated to showcasing and celebrating multi-ethnic Jewish experiences through content creation, community programming and cross-cultural dialogue.  She currently works at EPIC leadership and is studying Psychotherapy at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto.  Please register here for Synaplex Shabbat.

Israeli Dancing  📅 Saturday, October 25 | 🕙 1:00 PM |📍Social Hall Please join us toward the end of kiddush in the Social Hall for an hour of Israeli dancing. All are welcome to join us in this fun, community-building activity. Join us to enjoy Israeli music and movement.