Memory that Lives Beyond the Momen

Yacov Fruchter reflects on Adam’s first encounter with darkness, drawing lessons about feeling emotions deeply, taking responsibility, and finding resilience through connection. Just as Adam and Eve endured the night together until the sun rose, and as Omer Shemtov found healing through a first embrace after captivity, we too must support one another in times of fear and uncertainty. He urged the community not to let fear dictate life, but instead to witness each other’s pain, embrace courage, and be “narrow bridges” of strength and love until the light returns. Excerpt from Rosh Hashanah Short and Sweet service · September 23, 2025 · Beth Tzedec Congregation · Toronto, Canada.

Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin calls for a long-overdue apology to Canadian Jews. While past governments have issued apologies for harms done to other communities, Jewish Canadians have yet to receive a full reckoning. Drawing on Maimonides’ four steps of teshuvah, Rabbi Fryer Bodzin emphasized that words alone are insufficient, a true apology must be accompanied by policy, enforcement, and protection. Despite rising anti-Semitism today, she affirmed Jewish resilience, rooted in God, Torah, and communal strength, and urged unity until real change and accountability are achieved. September 23, 2025 · Beth Tzedec Congregation · Toronto, Canada.

Rabbi Steven Wernick addresses the challenges of balancing sanctuary with security in today’s world, particularly during the High Holy Days. He acknowledges the fear many people carry—fear for personal safety, the survival of Israel, the rise of anti-Semitism, and the fear of divisiveness within communities and families. He emphasizes that fear, if acknowledged and channeled, can lead to action through repentance, prayer, and justice. Rabbi Wernick urges the community to be vigilant, empathize with others and to turn fear into purpose by taking concrete actions that affirm life and commitment to Jewish values. Excerpt from Rosh Hashanah service · September 23, 2025 · Beth Tzedec Congregation · Toronto, Canada.

Rabbi Steven Wernick addresses the often-raised question of why synagogues engage in political discourse, especially around complex issues like Canadian foreign policy and Israel. Drawing on this week’s parsha and the Jewish tradition of moral leadership, he emphasizes that Judaism is not about silence—it’s about sacred responsibility. Rooted in Torah and guided by values, our community must bring clarity, compassion, and integrity to public conversations. While we don’t all have to agree, we are all called to engage—with humility, justice, and a deep commitment to healing rather than dividing.Excerpt from Shabbat morning services. August 30, 2025, Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, Canada.

 Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin reflects on how we remember—through technology, artefacts, rituals, and our senses—and how Jewish tradition transforms memory into an active, living experience. From counting the Omer to reciting Yizkor, she explores the ways we preserve the presence of loved ones who are no longer with us, not just with words, but through action, sound, taste, and touch. True remembrance, she reminds us, means not just going through the motions, but going through the memories.Excerpt from morning services. June 3, 2025, Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, Canada. 

Professor Benjamin Sommer explores a pivotal idea in this week’s Torah reading: that God’s law, though sacred and foundational, is not static—it evolves through dialogue with the people. Through examples in Leviticus and Numbers, he demonstrates that even in the Torah itself, questions, challenges, and suggestions lead to clarification, refinement, and amendment of the law. This spirit of sacred conversation, he argues, is at the heart of Conservative Judaism: a tradition rooted in obligation, but responsive to change—where questioning is not rebellion, but reverence.Excerpt from Shabbat morning services. May 17, 2025, Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, Canada.

Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin reflects on the emotional and halachic dynamics of the parent-child relationship, drawing from the fifth commandment and personal anecdotes. She reminds us that while love is often felt, Jewish tradition commands action—honour, care, and responsibility—especially as parents age. In Judaism, showing up matters more than saying “I love you,” and true honour is measured not in sentiment, but in support.Excerpt from Shabbat morning services. May 10, 2025, Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, Canada.

Rabbi Steven Wernick draws spiritual clarity from the Torah’s laws of tzara’at—often mistranslated as leprosy—highlighting how true healing begins when we see the whole person, not just their affliction. He reflects on Canada’s political and social landscape, urging us to withhold judgement, seek closeness over division, and practice the courage of empathy—reminding us that whether we are healing bodies or building community, we cannot heal what we refuse to see.Excerpt from Shabbat morning services. November 2, 2024, Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, Canada.

Rabbi Steven Wernick reflects on the tragic story of Nadav and Avihu, whose "strange fire" reminds us that intent alone is not enough—boundaries, reverence, and responsibility are essential for holiness and for safeguarding society. Drawing parallels to the Holocaust, the rise of modern antisemitism, and the misuse of power today, he challenges us to be guardians of conscience, using Jewish power not for domination, but for justice, peace, and dignity.Excerpt from Shabbat morning services. October 26, 2024, Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto, Canada.

Rabbi Steven Wernick reflects on the enduring impact of those we’ve lost—public figures and personal mentors alike—and how their legacies shape who we become. Excerpt from Pesach services April 20, 2025 · Beth Tzedec Congregation · Toronto, Canada.