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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

www.cityshul.com

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