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Welcome to City Shul!
Our Mission: We create pathways to explore and live an engaged, connected Jewish life.
The Rabbi's message for December
It has been a dark month in more ways than just the dreary, gloomy weather, and the change of clocks to bring in sunset an hour earlier. Some of us feel badgered and bruised as Jews in a place where we always felt welcome, safe, and integrated. We are not used to hearing stories of antisemitic graffiti, hate speech and threatening overtures in our once-easy Jewish lives in Canada. We are not used to being afraid to travel, afraid to wear a kipa, afraid to voice an opinion. Our hearts are still broken over the hostages not yet released, and the captured children released to no parents, because they were murdered on Oct. 7. We are in distress about the ongoing violence in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there. We are saturated with bad news, extremist positions, family fracturing, blame and toxicity. We are exhausted from holding the heaviness of parallel truths and conflicting narratives. And yet…and yet…there are babies to be named, B'Mitzvahs to mark, weddings to dance at, Shabbat dinners to gather together at and Shabbat services to sing together at, and very soon, our beloved Hanukkah to celebrate. So make your latkes and remember the Maccabees who did not give up when everyone around them said “Don’t flash your Jewish identity too much.” And remember the mantra of my Yom Kippur sermon: “gam zeh ya’avor—this too shall pass.” And remember the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z’l: "We can curse the darkness or we can light a light.” And the words of Anne Frank z’l: "Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.” Let us light those candles every night this year in our windows, and defy and redefine the darkness. May they illuminate the world around us, and create radiance within us.
CJN Article on Rabbi Goldstein: “Hands Across the Divide”:
Click HERE to read the feature CJN article about Rabbi Goldstein and her career, and what she thinks the future holds for new Rabbis.
A Warm Goodbye
To a very special couple, Jan and Lorne Mitchell, who are moving to Victoria. They have been dedicated volunteers, head usher and simcha coordinator, “sacred shleppers,” set-up team, and support system for both the Rabbi, our Synagogue Operations Manager Barb, and the whole shul, in a myriad of ways. They will be greatly missed but City Shul will always be their “home" and we wish them so much mazel and love in their new adventure!
Please click HERE to read Lorne's remarks to the congregation at our New Members Shabbat on November 18.
Rabbi Dr. Elyse Goldstein
rabbi@cityshul.com
Shabbat Services
For our Shabbat service dates and times please click here
Adult Learning
All Event Info can be found here.
Israel Engagement
All Event Info can be found here.
City Shul School
To learn more about youth and teen learning, click here.
Our Services are live and concurrently live-streamed.
See Service Schedule.
Fri, December 8 2023
25 Kislev 5784
City Shul Shabbat Services
Click here for our Shabbat service schedule.
City Shul School
Click here to learn more about our shul's school.
City Shul Family Learning
Click here to see our upcoming family programmes.
City Shul Adult Ed and Adult Programmes
Click here to see our upcoming adult programmes.
Upcoming Events
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Sunday ,
DecDecember 10 , 2023City Shul Chanukah Party
Sunday, Dec 10th 4:00p to 6:00p
All ages welcome: Family and toddler activities, adult learning, latkes and donuts, music, candle lighting, AND Simchat Torah in December! -
Saturday ,
JanJanuary 20 , 2024Shabbat Special Event - The Song of the Sea, with special musical guest Hava N'ranena! - Saturday, January 20, 2024
Shabbat, Jan 20th 10:00a to 12:30p
Join us for a music-filled Shabbat morning. The event begins at 10 am, with coffee and a quiet shmooze, as the band sets up. Hava N’ranena - whose music is inspired by Nava Tehila in Jerusalem - will begin performing at 10:30 am. The event concludes with Kaddish, followed by brunch. -
Saturday ,
JanJanuary 20 , 2024Israel Engagement presents "The Middle East Conflict through Maps"
Motzei Shabbat, Jan 20th 7:00p to 9:00p
Please join us for a Havdallah service, followed by a presentation from Rabbi Englander. Using maps of Israel, past and present, Rabbi Englander will highlight the dual narratives, Israeli and Palestinian, and bring perspective and analysis to the heat and hate that surrounds us. Members only, registration required. -
Sunday ,
MayMay 5 , 2024In Seven Days, Sunday May 5, 2024, 7 PM; Talkback with Rabbi Goldstein for this performance only
Sunday, May 5th 7:00p to 9:00p
Through tears and laughter, In Seven Days explores what it means to live with grace and grapples with how we say goodbye to the people we love most. Rabbi Elyse Goldstein will lead a talkback presentation at the conclusion of the play.