Welcome to Lishma: a community of learners in our 20s and 30s
Whether you're a seasoned scholar or brand new to Jewish learning, we value the perspectives and experience you bring to the class.
In grateful recognition of J.B. and Dora Salsberg Fund for their support.
Semester 2
In-person @ Holy Blossom Temple
Wednesday evenings, January 25 - March 1, 2023
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Tikkun-ing this Shattered Olam: Kabbalah 101 with Izzy Waxman
For at least two thousand years, Jewish people have pondered the structure of Creation, our purpose here, and how to increase our connection with the Divine. The Kabbalah ('that which is received', sometimes translated as simply 'the Tradition') is a school of Jewish thought that seeks to answer these questions through a unique and complex cosmology. As a self-help strategy, a worldview, or a spiritual tool to fix a broken world, Kabbalah has spoken to millions of people over dozens of generations, and has lots to say to modern Jews with all types of observance. Aimed at beginners who may know no more than the word 'Kabbalah', this class will provide a brief overview of the history, theology and techniques of Jewish mystics, focused on giving learners concrete tools and methods to enrich their own spirituality, and providing basic information as a springboard for further learning.
Izzy Waxman is the Executive Director of MAZON Canada, the National Jewish Response to Hunger - a role that perfectly combines her love for Jewish community organizing, social justice and food. Since her studies in anthropology and psychology at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, she's worked as a fundraiser, fundraising coach, and Jewish experiential educator through both Hebrew schools and summer camps. Since 2018, she's directed Mazon Canada's successful growth through the pandemic and beyond, and she's recently been named Darchei Noam's Social Justice Scholar in Residence 2022-2023. When she's not busy running campaigns and building relationships to feed vulnerable people, she loves to volunteer for political advocacy projects, study Jewish history and mysticism, host big queer dinner parties, and learn to cook traditional foods from her heritages (Ashkenazi Jewish and German).
For at least two thousand years, Jewish people have pondered the structure of Creation, our purpose here, and how to increase our connection with the Divine. The Kabbalah ('that which is received', sometimes translated as simply 'the Tradition') is a school of Jewish thought that seeks to answer these questions through a unique and complex cosmology. As a self-help strategy, a worldview, or a spiritual tool to fix a broken world, Kabbalah has spoken to millions of people over dozens of generations, and has lots to say to modern Jews with all types of observance. Aimed at beginners who may know no more than the word 'Kabbalah', this class will provide a brief overview of the history, theology and techniques of Jewish mystics, focused on giving learners concrete tools and methods to enrich their own spirituality, and providing basic information as a springboard for further learning.
Izzy Waxman is the Executive Director of MAZON Canada, the National Jewish Response to Hunger - a role that perfectly combines her love for Jewish community organizing, social justice and food. Since her studies in anthropology and psychology at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, she's worked as a fundraiser, fundraising coach, and Jewish experiential educator through both Hebrew schools and summer camps. Since 2018, she's directed Mazon Canada's successful growth through the pandemic and beyond, and she's recently been named Darchei Noam's Social Justice Scholar in Residence 2022-2023. When she's not busy running campaigns and building relationships to feed vulnerable people, she loves to volunteer for political advocacy projects, study Jewish history and mysticism, host big queer dinner parties, and learn to cook traditional foods from her heritages (Ashkenazi Jewish and German).
Jewish Fabulous: Queer and Subversive Figures from Across Jewish Sacred Texts with Toby King
From Adam and Chava to Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish, this class will be a textual exploration of Biblical, Midrashic and Talmudic figures through an expansive Queer-lens. Each class, we'll delve into characters from core Jewish texts, explore centuries of commentaries and interpretations, and add our own voices, hot-takes, critiques, and love to the Jewish conversation. We will celebrate and expand on these stories through continuing the centuries-long tradition of radically interpreting Jewish sacred texts by joyously and purposefully reading Queerness into them. This class is presented in collaboration with The Jewish Fabulous Project.
https://clielshdaimah.squarespace.com/jewish-fab?
Toby King (she/they) is a poet, performer and educator born and raised in Tkaronto. She is currently a student at the University of Toronto and an educator at the Danforth Jewish Circle. They are a lover of stories, a seeker of justice and a student of Torah; she is deeply invested in the unimaginable and inevitable Queer-Jewish Future.
From Adam and Chava to Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish, this class will be a textual exploration of Biblical, Midrashic and Talmudic figures through an expansive Queer-lens. Each class, we'll delve into characters from core Jewish texts, explore centuries of commentaries and interpretations, and add our own voices, hot-takes, critiques, and love to the Jewish conversation. We will celebrate and expand on these stories through continuing the centuries-long tradition of radically interpreting Jewish sacred texts by joyously and purposefully reading Queerness into them. This class is presented in collaboration with The Jewish Fabulous Project.
https://clielshdaimah.squarespace.com/jewish-fab?
Toby King (she/they) is a poet, performer and educator born and raised in Tkaronto. She is currently a student at the University of Toronto and an educator at the Danforth Jewish Circle. They are a lover of stories, a seeker of justice and a student of Torah; she is deeply invested in the unimaginable and inevitable Queer-Jewish Future.
Sing a New Song: Jewish Poetry in the 21st Century with Adam Sol
Is poetry particularly suited to exploring the complexities of contemporary Jewish experience? How might we get pleasure from the art form, whether or not we consider ourselves “serious" writers? This minicourse will look at some exemplary work by Jewish poets but will focus mostly on generating ideas in a spirit of experimentation and play.
Adam Sol's latest collection of poetry is Broken Dawn Blessings, published in 2021 by ECW Press. He has published four other books of poetry, and one collection of essays, How a Poem Moves: A Field Guide for Readers of Poetry. He teaches at the University of Toronto’s Victoria College and lives in Toronto with his wife, Rabbi Yael Splansky, and their three sons.
Is poetry particularly suited to exploring the complexities of contemporary Jewish experience? How might we get pleasure from the art form, whether or not we consider ourselves “serious" writers? This minicourse will look at some exemplary work by Jewish poets but will focus mostly on generating ideas in a spirit of experimentation and play.
Adam Sol's latest collection of poetry is Broken Dawn Blessings, published in 2021 by ECW Press. He has published four other books of poetry, and one collection of essays, How a Poem Moves: A Field Guide for Readers of Poetry. He teaches at the University of Toronto’s Victoria College and lives in Toronto with his wife, Rabbi Yael Splansky, and their three sons.
Costs and Funding
Lishma is funded by student contributions and partnering organizations, providing us with coordination, teachers, facilitators and space.
We strive to keep costs accessible and we use a sliding scale.
The suggested contribution is $72 ($12/night). There is a minimum of $36 for the semester ($6/night).
If you are unable to contribute at this time, please be in touch in confidence with Aaron Rotenberg at aaron@annexshul.com.
Lishma is funded by student contributions and partnering organizations, providing us with coordination, teachers, facilitators and space.
We strive to keep costs accessible and we use a sliding scale.
The suggested contribution is $72 ($12/night). There is a minimum of $36 for the semester ($6/night).
If you are unable to contribute at this time, please be in touch in confidence with Aaron Rotenberg at aaron@annexshul.com.
Previous Classes
Learning to make Lachuch in Middle Eastern Cooking with Ronnie Abraham (October 2020)
2021/22:
Semester 1:
ONLINE
Shmita: Release, Rest, and Reset with Risa Alyson Cooper
Spoken Word Poetry: Resistance and Resilience with Ayla Lefkowitz
Semester 2:
ONLINE
North African Jewish Storytelling: Miracles, Folk Tales, and Histories with Chaim Grafstein
Diaspora Judaism & Reconciliation: Locating Ourselves in the Conversation with Sterling Stutz
Tackling Talmud: Leadership and Society with Rabbi Jordan Shaner
2020/21:
Summer mini-mester:
ONLINE
Learning and Unlearning: Exploring the Experiences of Jewish People of Colour and Inequality in Canada with Sara Yacobi-Harris
Semester 1:
ONLINE @ Beth Tzedec
Hands-On Track: Middle Eastern Cooking with Ronnie Abraham
Judaism +Modernity Track: Finding Our Place: Jews in the Struggle for Racial Equity with Tema Smith
Text and Context Track: Exploring Sephardi Jewry through Rabbinic Texts with Chaim Grafstein
Semester 2:
ONLINE @ Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
Multigenerational Trauma and Resilience with Carmelle Wolfson, MSW, RSW and Adrianna LeBlanc, MSW
Punishment and Prisons: the Polemics and Politics with Dyanoosh Youssefi
Homesteading the Holidays with Rabbi Becca Walker
Semester 3:
ONLINE @ Holy Blossom
Klezmer Crash Course with Lorie Wolf, Toronto Klezmer Society
Hands-on History: The Early Years of the Toronto Jewish Community with Sharoni Sibony
The Illustrated Pirke Avot with Rabbi Zachary Goodman and special guest, Jessica Tamar Deutsch
2019/20:
Semester 1:
@ CSI Annex
Tzedakah (Hands-On Track): Dyeing & Doykheit: An exploration of natural dyeing, connection to land and Jewish diaspora with Sarit Cantor
T’shuvah (Judaism +Modernity Track): Returning, Repenting & Reconnecting with Yacov Fruchter
T’fillah (Text and Context Track): Learning to Live Whole-Heartedly with Rabbi Julia Appel
Semester 2:
@ Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
Hands-On Track: Jewish Self-Care through the Arts with Or Har-Gil
Judaism + Modernity: Faith Based Social Justice with the Lishma Team
Text and Context: 6 Amazing Texts with Rabbi Zachary Goodman
Semester 3:
@ Holy Blossom Temple
Hands-On Track: New Jewish Film with Aaron Rotenberg
Judaism + Modernity: Bad@$$ Sheroes with Rabbi Becca Walker
Text and Context: Jewish Couplehood with Yacov Fruchter
Semester 4:
ONLINE @ Beth Tzedec
Hands-On Track: Creative Writing with Tikva Hecht
Judaism + Modernity: Medical Ethics with Rabbi Steven Wernick
Text and Context: Queer Apocalypse in the Jewish Imagination with Rabbi Andrea Myers
2018/19:
Semester 1:
@ Miles Nadal JCC
Hands-On Track: Hebrew Calligraphy as Jewish Art with Baruch Sienna
Judaism +Modernity Track: Harry Potter and the Sacred Text with Jenny Isaacs
Text and Context Track: Weekly Torah for Beginners with Rabbi Jordan Helfman
Semester 2:
@ Beth Tzedec
Hands-On Track: Tachles! Learning (Beginner) Conversational Hebrew with Lior Sagi
Judaism + Modernity: PJ Library/Melton Foundations of Jewish Living with Daniel Silverman
Text and Context: People of the Book, People of the Land with Risa Alyson Cooper
Semester 3:
@ CSI Annex
Hands-On Track: Mindfulness in Silence and Song with Aviva Chernick / Jewish Music for the Healing of the Soul with Aaron Lightstone (split course)
Judaism + Modernity: Jewish Couplehood with Yacov Fruchter
Text and Context: Feminist Torah with Rabbi Denise Handlarski
Semester 4:
@ Holy Blossom Temple
Hands-On Track: Starting an Indigenous/Jewish Conversation with Leah Mauer
Judaism + Modernity: Refugees, Judaism and Asylum with Howard Adelman
Text and Context: Judaism and Happiness with Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl
Semester 1:
ONLINE
Shmita: Release, Rest, and Reset with Risa Alyson Cooper
Spoken Word Poetry: Resistance and Resilience with Ayla Lefkowitz
Semester 2:
ONLINE
North African Jewish Storytelling: Miracles, Folk Tales, and Histories with Chaim Grafstein
Diaspora Judaism & Reconciliation: Locating Ourselves in the Conversation with Sterling Stutz
Tackling Talmud: Leadership and Society with Rabbi Jordan Shaner
2020/21:
Summer mini-mester:
ONLINE
Learning and Unlearning: Exploring the Experiences of Jewish People of Colour and Inequality in Canada with Sara Yacobi-Harris
Semester 1:
ONLINE @ Beth Tzedec
Hands-On Track: Middle Eastern Cooking with Ronnie Abraham
Judaism +Modernity Track: Finding Our Place: Jews in the Struggle for Racial Equity with Tema Smith
Text and Context Track: Exploring Sephardi Jewry through Rabbinic Texts with Chaim Grafstein
Semester 2:
ONLINE @ Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
Multigenerational Trauma and Resilience with Carmelle Wolfson, MSW, RSW and Adrianna LeBlanc, MSW
Punishment and Prisons: the Polemics and Politics with Dyanoosh Youssefi
Homesteading the Holidays with Rabbi Becca Walker
Semester 3:
ONLINE @ Holy Blossom
Klezmer Crash Course with Lorie Wolf, Toronto Klezmer Society
Hands-on History: The Early Years of the Toronto Jewish Community with Sharoni Sibony
The Illustrated Pirke Avot with Rabbi Zachary Goodman and special guest, Jessica Tamar Deutsch
2019/20:
Semester 1:
@ CSI Annex
Tzedakah (Hands-On Track): Dyeing & Doykheit: An exploration of natural dyeing, connection to land and Jewish diaspora with Sarit Cantor
T’shuvah (Judaism +Modernity Track): Returning, Repenting & Reconnecting with Yacov Fruchter
T’fillah (Text and Context Track): Learning to Live Whole-Heartedly with Rabbi Julia Appel
Semester 2:
@ Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
Hands-On Track: Jewish Self-Care through the Arts with Or Har-Gil
Judaism + Modernity: Faith Based Social Justice with the Lishma Team
Text and Context: 6 Amazing Texts with Rabbi Zachary Goodman
Semester 3:
@ Holy Blossom Temple
Hands-On Track: New Jewish Film with Aaron Rotenberg
Judaism + Modernity: Bad@$$ Sheroes with Rabbi Becca Walker
Text and Context: Jewish Couplehood with Yacov Fruchter
Semester 4:
ONLINE @ Beth Tzedec
Hands-On Track: Creative Writing with Tikva Hecht
Judaism + Modernity: Medical Ethics with Rabbi Steven Wernick
Text and Context: Queer Apocalypse in the Jewish Imagination with Rabbi Andrea Myers
2018/19:
Semester 1:
@ Miles Nadal JCC
Hands-On Track: Hebrew Calligraphy as Jewish Art with Baruch Sienna
Judaism +Modernity Track: Harry Potter and the Sacred Text with Jenny Isaacs
Text and Context Track: Weekly Torah for Beginners with Rabbi Jordan Helfman
Semester 2:
@ Beth Tzedec
Hands-On Track: Tachles! Learning (Beginner) Conversational Hebrew with Lior Sagi
Judaism + Modernity: PJ Library/Melton Foundations of Jewish Living with Daniel Silverman
Text and Context: People of the Book, People of the Land with Risa Alyson Cooper
Semester 3:
@ CSI Annex
Hands-On Track: Mindfulness in Silence and Song with Aviva Chernick / Jewish Music for the Healing of the Soul with Aaron Lightstone (split course)
Judaism + Modernity: Jewish Couplehood with Yacov Fruchter
Text and Context: Feminist Torah with Rabbi Denise Handlarski
Semester 4:
@ Holy Blossom Temple
Hands-On Track: Starting an Indigenous/Jewish Conversation with Leah Mauer
Judaism + Modernity: Refugees, Judaism and Asylum with Howard Adelman
Text and Context: Judaism and Happiness with Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl
