“Texts and Traditions” ADULT EDUCATION SERIES led by Rabbi Eva Goldfinger

Session 4: New Halakha: Contemporary Pathways on Old Roads

Location: 18 Wynford Drive (Don Mills/Eglinton area

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

FAMILY PESACH SEDER followed by POTLUCK DINNER

Guests and friends welcome: adults $15, students $7, children (4 and under) $4

Location: Oraynu Children's School, 131 Fenn Ave. (Bayview/York Mills)

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

FIRST-NIGHT “ROOTS & BRANCHES” ADULT/TEEN SEDER

Non-members welcome: $35 + potluck contribution (limited seating, please reserve ASAP)

Oraynu's haggadah - Roots and Branches: A Humanist Haggadah for Passover is available for purchase. Click here.

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

Saturday, April 17 at 10:45 am (Meet in lobby)

GUIDED TOUR OF ART EXHIBIT: FROM THE MELTING POT INTO THE FIRE

Location: Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, 111 Queen's Park (at Bloor)

Tour followed by Optional Lunch at the Jamie Kennedy at the Gardiner Café

Pre-registration essential. Deadline: Apr. 15

INFO/RSVP: 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

Join us to find out all about our acclaimed secular curriculum and outstanding 2-year Bar/Bat Mitzvah program

Location: Oraynu Children's School, 131 Fenn Ave. (Bayview/York Mills)

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT: Threats, Historical Challenges, and Legitimate Responses

An evening in honour of Yom Ha-atzma-ut, Israeli Independence Day

with Dr. Emanuel Adler, internationally respected scholar, author and editor

A light buffet of Israeli appetizers, desserts and wines followed at 7:30 pm by Dr. Adler's talk

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

If you identify as a secular or cultural Jew, agnostic, humanist or just Jewish, we invite you to join us

Location: Oraynu Children's School, 131 Fenn Ave. (Bayview/York Mills)

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

ORAYNU CEMETERY OPEN HOUSE + FUNERAL PRE-PLANNING DISCUSSION

Please join us at the Oraynu section in the Elgin Mills Cemetery to find out more about

available interment options (burial and cremation); intermarried couples welcome.

Discussion with qualified pre-planners follows. Learn how to avoid HST impact on costs.

Location: Elgin Mills Rd., just east of 404. Oraynu section is just inside entrance on left.

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

REJOICE!! SHAVUOT FESTIVAL AND VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION NIGHT

Celebrate our most dedicated volunteers and a festival of thanksgiving

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

WEEKEND SEMINAR: BEYOND TRADITION - ROOTS OF SECULAR HUMANISTIC JUDAISM

Presented by the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism and Oraynu's David Glazer Memorial Program

Open to the public members and IISHJ students.

For complete seminar information, click here

Location: 18 Wynford Drive and Pleasant View Library, 575 Van Horne Avenue, North York.

RSVP/Info: Roby at 416-385-3910 or roby@oraynu.org

ROSH HASHANAH, KOL NIDREI/YIZKOR, YOM KIPPUR - Humanistic observances offer philosophy, prose, poetry and music

SHABBAT - Observance, plus discussion with noted Canadian playwright Emil Sher, and readings from his play "Mourning Dove"

SUKKOT - Speaker Prof. Jeffrey Rosenthal (U of T) STRUCK BY LIGHTNING? IMPROBABILITY and OUR EVERYDAY CHOICES; "Under 40" Social, Sukkah Building and

Pot Luck BBQ; Joyful Harvest Potluck Dinner with klezmer musical entertainment by The Schpeelers, The Horables and others

CHANUKAH - Storyteller Madrikh Eli Rubenstein and musical duo Julie Michels/Kevin Barrett; "Fight or Adapt:The Chanukah Dilemma"

TU B'SHVAT SEDER and Annual FEAST OF WORDS POETRY & PROSE READING NIGHT

PURIM - Potluck dinner, Purim story; Middle Eastern music of JAFFARD;outrageous, psychological clowns Pox and Vendetta; Viewing of "Making Trouble" documentary about Jewish women in comedy.

ADULT PASSOVER FIRST NIGHT SEDER using Roots and Branches: A Humanist Haggadah for Passover. Click here for info

ISRAEL INDEPENDENCE DAY - CELEBRATING "ISRAEL AT 60" BENEFIT PIANO AND CLARINET CONCERT; Mike Fegelman, Executive Director-Honest Reporting Canada on HOW TO IDENTIFY AND COUNTER UNFAIR MEDIA COVERAGE OF ISRAEL

YOM HASHOAH V'HAGEVURAH (HOLOCAUST AND RESISTANCE MEMORIAL DAY) - “The Legend of the Lodz Ghetto”; Candlelighting Ceremony and

Discussion (how has the Holocaust affected my identity and worldview?) with music by Barbara Ackerman, on flute and Rick Whitelaw, guitar

SHAVUOT- Guided tour of Darwin Exhibit at the ROM and Lunch with live klezmer at Free Times Cafe; Puzzle and Wisdom Tales from Jewish Tradition

FAMILY ONEG SHABBATS - Jewish Humour, Torah Stories

FAMILY SUKKOT, CHANUKAH AND PURIM FESTIVALS; FAMILY PASSOVER SEDER

AN AFTERNOON WITH THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS AT THE ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM - Private lecture and guided tour of the exhibition

LEARNING ABOUT DARFUR AND ITS REFUGEE CRISIS with Sgt. Debbie Bodkin, U.N. Special Investigator

JEWISH BOOK FAIR - Sponsor of Ronald Aronson, speaking on his new book LIVING WITHOUT GOD; Bennett Muraskin on LET JUSTICE WELL UP LIKE WATER

PERSONAL HEALTH CARE - WHO'S IN CHARGE? The Ethics of Decision Making with Madrikh Dr. Jerald Bain

RESPECTING DIFFERENCES IN SEXUAL ORIENTATION with Howard Shulman

INTRODUCTION TO HUMANISTIC JUDAISM: What We Believe -- How We Celebrate Led by Rabbi-Designate Karen Levy & Madrikha Lisa Wright

INTERTALK - Workshop for Intermarried couples, their parents and teen or adult children, led by Rabbi Eva Goldfinger

Topics: Confusion-Free Celebrations in Intercultural Families; The Chrismukah Dilemma: Nurturing Jewish Identity in Intercultural Families; Navigating Traditional

Jewish Attitudes Toward Intermarriage; Jewish Literacy for Intermarrieds: A Path to Community Acceptance

JEWISH WOMEN ARTISTS OF THE PAST 200 YEARS by Rachel Levine

JEWS AND MUSLIMS IN HISTORY: FACTS, MYTHS AND COUNTERMYTHS by Prof. Eric Lawee (York U)

UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL WARMING AND ITS IMPACT with Prof. Paul Kushner (U of T)

BOOK TALKS; David Bezmozgis' Natasha and Other Stories; Amos Oz's A Tale of Love and Darkness, A Pigeon and a Boy by Meir Shalev, The Liberated Bride by A.B. Yehoshua

A TRIP THROUGH TIME ~ DISCOVERING MY FAMILY AND ANCESTRAL SHTETLS IN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA with Les Kelman

HOLOCAUST EDUCATION WEEK - Documentary: "The Long Way Home"; The Life and Stories of Ida Fink with Prof. Sara Horowitz; Documentary: "Adele's Wish"

CELEBRATING JEWISH MUSIC with Elisabeth Michnick and Peter Gilbert

"TEXT AND TRADITIONS - Religious & Secular Writings through the Ages" Study Series with Rabbi Eva Goldfinger Biblical Myths or Scientific Truths?,Rabbinic Wisdom and Folly, Entrenchment and Rebellion in Modernity,

COMPARATIVE JUDAISM SERIES with Rabbi Eva Goldfinger

Introduction--Foundational Jewish Ideas; Rabbinic/Halakhic Judaism; Chassidic Judaism; Reform Judaism; Conservative Judaism; Orthodox Judaism

WEEKEND SEMINARS - 2006: The Hebrew Bible in a Secular Age taught by Prof. Barry Olshen and Rabbi Eva Goldfinger;

2007: After the Bible: Rabbinic and Modern Midrash taught by Rabbi Adam Chalom, Dean, Int'l. Inst. for Secular Humanistic Judaism, North America

INTERNATIONAL and North American CONFERENCES & TEEN/YOUNG ADULT CONCLAVES

ORAYNU CELEBRATES ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY - June 14, 2009 Click here

NEW MEMBER WELCOME: WINE, CHEESE AND DESSERT SOIREE

MOVIE & PIZZA NIGHTS: Divided We Fall, Sunshine, Walk on Water, Turn Left at the End of the World, Live and Become,The Year My Parents Went on Vacation, Gloomy Sunday

THEATRE NIGHTS: Bigger Than Jesus, Letter From Lehrer, Top Girls, Jewtopia, Jerry's Girls; Tuesdays with Morrie

A SENSE OF SPADINA - Guided Tour of Old Jewish Toronto; Lunch at Free Times Cafe

HANDS-ON COOKING SESSIONS WITH PROFESSIONAL CHEFS Nettie Cronish and Michelle Wolfson

A TASTE OF HINDI CULTURE - Guided Tour of the new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Temple)and Indian lunch

PARTICIPATION IN THE ANNUAL UJA WALK WITH ISRAEL

PARTICIPATION IN THE "OUT OF THE COLD" PROGRAM

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THESE EVENTS, PLEASE CONTACT US: