August 2024 Newsletter – MERCAZ-Canada/Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism

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Tisha b'Av - August 2024/ Av 5784

From our Executive Director

Rav Sean leading the daily Masorti service at Hostage Square

This has been a difficult year. The disaster of October 7 has not gone away. As people’s nerves get more frayed (mine too), we have seen an increased level of short tempers and agitated emotional reactions. I understand this.

We have all heard time and again that the Beit Mikdash was destroyed by baseless hatred. As this drags on, we need to step back and remember that disagreement on what should happen, on the necessary decisions, should not render someone persona non grata in the Jewish community.

Should we do everything possible to get our hostages back, perhaps including the suspension of combat action? Yes, we should.

Should we do everything possible to make sure that Hamas ceases to exist as an entity? Yes, we should.

Does the pursuit of one of those goals potentially prevent the pursuit of the other? Yes, it does.

My friends, Tisha b’Av draws nigh. The lesson of baseless hatred must mean that we accept the impossible situation that Israel’s government must make right now. It must mean that the pursuit of a particular course of action does not mean that the other course is not still vital. It must mean that when those decisions get made, we must accept that those making the decisions will ask for years as to whether they made the best decisions.

Let us take the lesson of baseless hatred to remind us of the humanity of those who must make these difficult decisions.

May we speedily see the return of our hostages, and may peace reign over the land.

Rav Sean

From our President

Every day, the world seems to be progressing further and further down the “rabbit-hole” of violence and dissent.

A few weeks ago, we saw one of the candidates for president of the United States wounded in an assissination attempt. We have seen political discourse move to new areas with the encampments across the country and around the world, protesting Israel and Zionism. The media repeat the information given to them by Hamas and others as though it were factual, without questioning the sources.

It seems so hard to believe that on one hand Hamas can apparently tell the world exactly how many people have died in Gaza, yet are unable to confirm how many of the hostages are still alive or that they know where they are. And yet, the world trusts their word and, as always, blames the Jews.

We do have allies. There are many politicians who understand the situation and are doing their best to change the narrative and the conditions that have prolonged the conflict for so many years. This weekend a group of us had a chance to chat with the Honourable Ya’ara Saks, who happens to be our MP, and is in the unique position of being a dual Canadian and Israeli citizen, as well as the “point person” that the Prime Minister goes to for advice on the Middle East. There are, Ya’ara tells us, many discussions behind the scenes to eliminate the “pay per slay” and “anti-Israel” education in the Palestinian Authority’s government.

As your voice in Canada’s Zionist life, MERCAZ-Canada is working hard to build these bridges with Canada and Israel. By our numbers and our influence, we can work towards creating a peaceful, safer, welcoming and pluralistic Israel.

But we need your help. MERCAZ-Canada does not “fundraise,” we ask for your membership. The more members we have. the greater our influence in Canada and Israel will become.

As we move towards the next World Zionist Congress, you membership will make all the difference to our ability to make the changes we believe in.

Please talk to your synagogue about our “whole shul” plan, where each and every member of the synagogue is counted. It’s going to be vitally import to us that we have 100% of our members on our side. You can enhance your membership by becoming a “premium member” online, we have not named the programme yet, but the membership will be upgraded when that time comes. The cost is just $18 per adult and it’s easy to do so, it’s on there front page of https://www.mercaz.ca

If we can do this right, and we think we are well on the way, our numbers, and influence, will reach the highest levels.

Working together always achieves greatness.

Am Yisroel Chai!

Stan Greenspan

CZF Elections

It has recently been announced that the WZO elections in late 2025. In preparation, the Canadian Zionist Federation will be holding local elections in early spring, 2025.

Watch here and on our website for more details.

Say Cheese!

MERCAZ-Canada & Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism has just created an online auction. All items in the auction have been donated and there are no reserve bids. Right now it's mostly camera and photography items, but we hope to add more items in the near future.

The auction will run until July 31 and everyone is welcome to join the bidding. There's no charge to bid, and there are no commissions or fees other than the exact shipping cost, although you can choose to pick up your items when the auction is over - assuming you are the winning bidder!

100% of the proceeds goes to CFMJ.

Here's the link:

Shop - MERCAZ-Canada/Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism

From Our Israeli Communities

A ‘Professional Jew’

By Rabbi Don Levy

The other day, I had the privilege of sitting down with Ruth Resnik, a member of our community who recently celebrated her 100^th birthday. No, I didn’t crash the party – this, despite that I love parties! But I have to tell you, it was worth venturing out of the house in the worst heat wave in memory in Ashkelon to meet this very special lady.

Ruth was born in Canada and grew up in a small town in Ontario, north of Toronto where she and her family – she was one of three sisters – were the only Jews in town. Despite this – or perhaps, because of it? – Ruth went on, in adulthood, to become a ‘professional Jew’: making a career in seeing to the needs of other Jews in the Toronto area, both in chaplaincy and in social services directed specifically to Holocaust survivors’ second generation.

When I asked her when the notion of making Aliyah to Israel came into her mind, she told me that it was in early adulthood – before she was married. Fortunately, her husband held such a notion as well. Despite this, they came to live in Israel only when they retired. Mind you, this was over 30 years ago! They settled first in Netanya. Why Netanya? A strong Anglo community, a lovely city, located on the seafront…they were retired – they could live anywhere they wanted!

Over time, all three of their children – two sons and a daughter – also came to live in Israel and spread out to the corners of the land.

Sometime after her husband’s passing, Ruth sold her apartment in Netanya and moved in with her daughter, Julia and her husband Rob, who lived in the German Colony in Jerusalem. Three years ago, they moved to Ashkelon.

So, what’s Ruth’s connection to our congregation, Netzach Yisrael?

During the years that she lived in Toronto, Ruth belonged to Beth Tzedec, the flagship Conservative congregation in the city. When she settled in Netanya, she belonged to the Masorti congregation, Beit Yisrael, in that city. Nowadays, she doesn’t get out of the house much. But her daughter, Julia, having been raised in Beth Tzedec, is a member of our congregation. When sitting with her and her mother for this article, I teased her that, if this heat wave ever ends, I’ll twist her arm to attend more often!

There are so many interesting stories behind the members of our community! This is one of them. We are so fortunate to have Ruth and Julia here, as part of our diverse community.

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