Founding Rabbi: Rabbi Joel I. Wittstein (z"l - of blessed memory)
A Warm Welcome ...
Temple Israel is a community of approximately 160 families. It is a positive and strong Reform Jewish presence in the London community, with a Religious School, Pre-School Experience, an active program of Adult Education, Social Action, Outreach, and social events. Our Shabbat Services, holiday and life-cycle observances are warm and inspiring. We welcome Jewish and interfaith couples, traditional and non-traditional families, singles, LGBT, and people of every age, race and ethnicity. Whether you are new to Judaism or a learned scholar, you will find a warm welcome and a comfortable home at Temple Israel.
Explore our website, join us for services, classes, and programs, meet our members, visit our library and gift shop. You will find many opportunities to enrich your experience of Judaism. If this is your first visit, we hope you will come back often. Membership information can be found in the "About Temple Israel" section.
Note: Most items on our website can be clicked for more information.
If this is your first visit to the Temple Israel website, please note that a summary of all announcements and upcoming events (for the next 60 days) appears on the homepage. Announcements and upcoming events for specific categories of events (eg: youth education, adult ed, social action etc.) also appear on the page for each topic. The "Programs and Special Events" page has details for future events.
Death Notice - Phyllis Marks
We are saddened to announce the passing of Phyllis Marks, mother of Ron Marks z''l, mother-in-law of Sharon, and grandmother of Alisha and Noah.
A private family graveside service will be held on Thursday, May 23, at Restmount Cemetery.
Shiva will be observed at Temple Israel on Thursday, May 23, at 7:30pm.
Memorial donations may be made to Temple Israel in support of the Ron Marks Leadership Training Fund, to ALS Canada, to the Alzheimer Society London and Middlesex, or to the charity of your choice.
May her memory be a blessing to her family and her community
Lev HaDavar
Lev HaDavar is Temple Israel's monthly bulletin. Click to view or download the CURRENT ISSUE. (No password required.) Past issues of Lev HaDavar are available in the Members' Lounge (Username and password required.)
Friday, May 24 6:30pm - JIC/ABM Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner (see more details below).
Saturday, May 25 10:00am - Torah Study at TI led by Rabbi Debra Dressler.
Sunday, May 26 10:00am - Adult Hebrew class at TI Library 11:30am - Adult Education meeting (light lunch provided). Please join us to review our existing Adult Ed programmes, and brainstorm future offerings. Please, RSVP to the Temple Office if you haven't already done so (519-858-4400) 12:00pm - Jewbilation Fun Day - CANCELLED
Tuesday, May 28 Note: NoLunch and Learn - Summer Break. See more details below.
Wednesday, May 29 7:30am - Morning Minyan at TI followed by breakfast.
Saturday, June 1
9:30am - Note earlier start time. Shabbat Morning Services led by Rabbi Debra Dressler at Windermere Manor (200 Collip Circle). Sophia Sicular Moodie will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah. Childcare will be available during the service. (If you plan to use the childcare, please notify sicular@uwo.ca in advance the number and ages of children.) Kiddush/light luncheon to follow, also at Windermere Manor
Sunday, June 2 10:00am - Adult Hebrew Class at TI 12:00pm - Religious School and Youth Programming meeting (light lunch provided). Please join us to provide feedback to Rabbi Dressler in the curriculum review process. We will also be discussing special needs resources, teen programming, and ongoing parent/family engagement. All are welcome. Please, RSVP to the Temple Office if you haven't already done so (519-858-4400 ) 2:00pm - JIC Class at TI
Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner
The Adult B’nai Mitzvah class and members of the Jewish Information Class are pleased to invite Temple Israel members and friends to the Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner they are hosting at the Temple at 6:30 pm on Friday,May 24, 2013.
Please join us as we welcome Shabbat with these groups as they progress on their Jewish journey. They welcome our support as they take their place in the community.
To assist in planning, please RSVP to the Temple Office (519-858-4400) by Tuesday, May 21, 2013.
Temple Israel of London invites you to The Ron Marks Memorial Dinner Friday, June 7, 2013 at 6:30 pm at the Temple.
Sharon Marks, Alisha, and Noah have graciously sponsored this dinner in memory of Ron Marks.
Proceeds from the dinner will be donated to the Ron Marks Memorial Leadership Fund, which was established to enable members of the Temple Israel congregation to receive training to assume leadership roles.
Please join us for this special dinner at Temple Israel.
Please RSVP to theTemple Officeby Wednesday, June 5 -- 519-858-4400
Interfaith Peace Camp is a weeklong day camp offered for children entering grades 1 through 8. The Camp's focus is building friendships and understanding with children across the Abrahamic faith traditions in the London Community. The Camp is planned and staffed by an interfaith team of community members from Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario, Temple Israel of London and Valleyview Mennonite Church.
This year’s program has been generously co-sponsored by the Centre for Social Concerns at King’s University College. There will be a nominal fee of $25 per camper. Financial assistance will be available upon request.
Renewal of Vows 2013 Sunday, June 23, 2-5pm A heartfelt Mazel Tov to our brides and grooms Sandra & Art Benjamin Maxine & Len Silverstein Heather & Jacob Megdell
Online Donations via PayPal or Credit Card COMING SOON.
Please contact the Temple Israel office 519-858-4400 for Credit Card donations, or send Cheques to Temple Israel, 605 Windermere Road, London, ON N5X 2P1
Your support of Temple Israel Religious and Educational Programming is very much appreciated.
Oklahoma Tornado Disaster Relief
Oklahoma Tornado Disaster Relief
Oklahoma City Tornado
In response to the devastating tornado that struck Oklahoma City on May 20, 2013, the Union for Reform Judaism is collecting donations through our General Disaster Relief Fund. The URJ will allocate funding received to agencies on the ground that are best equipped to respond to this disaster.
Disaster Relief Fund Union for Reform Judaism 633 Third Ave. New York, NY 10017 or Canadian Council for Reform Judaism 3845 Bathurst St. Suite 301 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3H 3N2
Please indicate which relief effort you would like to support on the memo line of your check or in the comments field for online donations.
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"What is might? When you see people about to fall and rescue them." - Midrash Tehillim 52:24
The Reform community has a long history of generosity when natural disasters devastate communities, when houses of worship burn in the fires of racial prejudice, when terrorism causes havoc, and when other disasters cause harm across the planet. Recent relief efforts have included Haiti Relief, Israel Emergency Relief, Hurricanes, the Asian Tsunami and Sudan. The URJ is a member of the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief, which allows a unified Jewish response to natural and man-made crises that occur outside of North America.
Temple Israel ONLINE GIFT SHOP is NOW OPEN
TEMPLE ISRAEL ONLINE GIFT SHOP is now open
We strongly encourage you to purchase Judaica through Temple Israel's own Gift Shop, where Thelma Llewellyn is happy to help you on Sunday mornings during Religious School and other times by appointment. However, for those times when you wish to shop online for convenience or a broader selection, please visit the Temple Israel Online Gift Shop.
When you click to online shops via the TIONLINE GIFT SHOPPAGE, your purchases help Temple Israel.
Currently, we have established an affiliate relationship with Chapters Indigo.. Temple Israel earns 10% commission on Bargain Books, 5% commission on other Books, Music, DVDs, Gifts and Toys, and 2% commission on Gift Cards. Purchases are eligible for iRewards or Plum points for members of those programs.
Please remember, Temple Israel only earns commission if you enter the vendor's site via our Online Gift Shop page, put items in your "cart", then check out. (Note: Free Shipping on orders over $25 is not automatic. You must click on "Free Shipping.")
Additional vendors may be added in future. Thank you for thinking of Temple Israel when you shop!
TI: the Next Generation
"TI: The Next Generation", a new page on our website, will feature web links to interesting projects, activities, awards, and accomplishments of the teen and adult offspring of our members. We rely upon parents to send a brief paragraph and optional URL to <webmaven@templeisraellondon.ca> for display on our website.
The page is now in the "About Temple Israel - History" section of our website.
Temple Israel Library Catalogue online
- photo by Rael Wienburg
Thanks to the hard work of Lisa Manax, Sandra & Art Benjamin, Joanne Kearns, Thelma Llewellyn, Lana Koslow, Tom Casler, Sharon Marks, Louise Shanfeld, and Wally Zimmerman, Temple Israel's library catalogue is now available online via LibraryThing.
You can search the catalogue by title, author, or tag (=subject) or browse through the catalogue in any order you wish.
About 80% of our books have been catalogued thus far. More books are being added all the time.
You can't check out books online, but the online catalogue is a very useful resource for discovering books in our collection.
Plan to visit the Temple Israel Library (2nd floor) any time our building is open.
Labels on the shelves make it easy to find books by subject.
To borrow a book, use the slgn-out sheet (book title, your name, your phone number).
To return a book, place it in the "Returns" box.
Adopt-A-Garden 2013
Adopt-A-Garden
Temple Israel's grounds have six flower beds, which, with some TLC could be very beautiful. If you have a green thumb and would like to take care of one of these gardens for the summer, please contact the Temple Office (519-858-4400)
This could be a project for individuals, families, or groups. Each flower bed will be prominently labelled with the gardeners' names.
What an opportunity to exercise your creativity and enhance the beauty of our synagogue!
ARZA News
ARZA News has moved from our homepage to our new Israel and ARZA page. In future, this link will appear on the "About Temple Israel" menu.
Please Help Keep Temple Israel Nut-Free
Just a reminder that Temple Israel is striving to be a Nut-Free Zone. To protect those with nut allergies, your co-operation is needed. When bringing in food for potluck dinners, minyan breakfasts, Lunch & Learn, oneg Shabbat or kiddush snacks, etc. please be careful not to bring items that contain nuts.
If you can’t drive in the dark, or you’re without a car (or license) and you want to come to Temple for any reason (a program, a service) please call the Temple Office with as much notice as you can, but even if it’s for the same day, please call.
The current issue of Temple Israel's bulletin, Lev HaDavar, is now available on the TI homepage -- LOGIN NOT REQUIRED. You may read Lev Ha-Davar online, or print it, or save it to your computer for fast future access. (Use Print or Save options in Adobe Reader.) NOTE: Past issues continue to be available in the Members' Lounge (Login required).
Please consider dedicating one (or more) of our new prayer books to honour a special occasion or the memory of your family and friends. Details on the Donations page.
For the sake of our custodian, Paul Gerster, please ensure that, at any Temple function, if you move chairs from one floor to the other, you return them to their original level. Thank you.
Members of Temple Israel take turns providing refreshments for Oneg Shabbat or Shabbat Kiddush. A great opportunity to honour a yahrzeit, a simcha, or other special person or event. Contact Temple Office.
EVERY TEMPLE ISRAEL HOUSEHOLD SHOULD BE RECEIVING – AND READING – REFORM JUDAISM MAGAZINE! It is an excellent resource which links us to the broader Reform Jewish world…and it is part of your membership package! If you do not receive REFORM JUDAISM MAGAZINE, call the Temple Office, please. Stop missing opportunities for Jewish growth!
Do you have a suggestion? A brilliant idea? A comment? Send it in to the Temple Israel suggestion box. Email suggestion.box@templeisraellondon.ca or use the convenient blue button on this page.
Managed under the London Jewish Community Foundation, all contributions to this Fund are held in perpetuity, and the interest income will be provided each year to Temple Israel to help support our growing needs. [MORE INFORMATION ON THE DONATIONS PAGE]
Thank you to Rael Wienburg for setting up a page for "Temple Israel of London, Ontario, Canada" on Facebook:
http://tinyurl.com/nr76qw
Look for the convenient blue Facebook button on Temple Israel's homepage.
Temple Israel now has a presence on Google Plus. Find us at http://tinyurl.com/TIonGPlus Join Google+ (It's free), then follow our page by putting it in one of your circles. This is completely optional. Our website templeisraellondon.ca remains Temple Israel's primary means of sharing information with our members.
Please join us for any Shabbat or Holiday service, for High Holy Days, and for any program that interests you. Contact office@templeisraellondon.ca or 519-858-4400.
A lasting way to honour the memory of your loved ones. Information about Temple Israel's Yahrzeit (Memorial) Board is now on the Donations page. Click "More Information"
TEMPLE ISRAEL, OR SHALOM, BETH TEFILAH AND THE LONDON COMMUNITY HEBREW DAY SCHOOL INVITE YOU TO JOIN TOGETHER FOR A FAMILY FUN DAY AT EAST PARK GOLF GARDENS SUNDAY, MAY 26, 2013. EXECUTIVE 18 HOLE GOLF (GOLF CARTS AND RENTAL CLUBS AVAILABLE), MINI GOLF, GO KARTS, BUMPER CARS, BATTING CAGES, ROCK AND WALL CLIMBING, WALLY WORLD WATER PARK SLIDES. FUN FOR ALL AGES!!!!!!!!! ALL KOSHER DINNER: BBQ STEAKS, SALMON, AND HOT DOGS.
B'haalot'cha (Numbers 8:1-12:16)
The Adult B’nai Mitzvah class and members of the Jewish Information Class are pleased to invite Temple Israel members and friends to the Kabbalat Shabbat Dinner they are hosting at the Temple at 6:30 pm on Friday, May 24, 2013. Please join us as we welcome Shabbat with these groups as they progress on their Jewish journey. They welcome our support as they take their place in the community. To assist in planning, please RSVP to the Temple Office by Tuesday, May 21, 2013.
Please RSVP if you wish to attend).
Sh'lach L'cha (Numbers 13:1-15:41)
Note earlier start time. Shabbat Morning Services led by Rabbi Debra Dressler at Windermere Manor (200 Collip Circle). Sophia Sicular Moodie will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah. Childcare will be available during the service. (If you plan to use the childcare, please notify sicular@uwo.ca in advance the number and ages of children.) Kiddush/light luncheon to follow, also at Windermere Manor
Sharon Marks, Alisha, and Noah have graciously sponsored this dinner in memory of Ron Marks. Proceeds from the dinner will be donated to the Ron Marks Memorial Leadership Fund, which was established to enable members of the Temple Israel congregation to receive training to assume leadership roles in the Jewish community. We encourage you to consider making additional contributions to the fund. Please join us for this special dinner at Temple Israel. Please RSVP to the Temple Office by Wednesday, June 5
Time is approximate. Book Chaverah will follow Torah Study. We will discuss The Imposter Bride by Nancy Richler. All are welcome. You do not have to have read the book.
