Israel

Israel has a special place in our thoughts, our prayers and our programming at Temple Emanu-El. This page touches on some of the many ways we connect with Israel. 

We also have a special page dedicated to the current crisis in Israel, HERE.

Meet Our Shinshinit

Lior Koren

Shinshinit (Israeli Teen Emissary 2024-25)

My name is Lior Koren and I’m your new Shinshinit this year! I know we will get to know each other much better over the year, but here is a little bit about me. I live in a small town near the city Netanya called Tel Mond. I have two brothers, and I’m the middle child. I've been a part of the scout movement for many years and my favorite thing to do is being with my friends and family, to run, and exercise.

As I plan for our year together, I look forward to being with the children during school, teaching them all about Israel. For my monthly evening with adults, I want sports to be my project. We will dance together and exercise in an Israeli spirit. Our dance classes will be in honor of those who came to dance at the Nova festival last October 7, but were brutally murdered. This will honor them in a way that is true to how they lived. I've personally danced for so many years and I love it. I’m so excited to meet you all and invite you to work out with me!

Are you interested in hosting Lior for Shabbat dinner at your home?  Due to the volume of interest, we request that you include another family or congregant at your Shabbat dinner in addition to hosting Lior.

Lior will be available for dinner once per month. Please email Cassie ASAP to reserve your spot: cassie@templeemanuel.ca

Our Relationship With Israel

Our relationship with Israel is one of the defining characteristics of Temple Emanu-El. Three-quarters of our members have visited Israel at least once in their lifetime. More than 90% of members consider Israel important to them personally. Almost everyone believes Israel is important to Jewish identity.

We invite guest speakers from Israel on a regular basis, Israel history and culture are favourite topics of our Adult Education programs, and we have partnered with Israel Reform communities. We have established an Israel Committee to help provide guidance on how to continue to strengthen our relationship with the Jewish homeland.

Please contact the Temple Office if you are interested in participating in this important aspect of our community life.

Taglit-Birthright Israel

Welcome to what very well may be the most generous, no-strings-attached gift in history!

Kehillat Bavat Ayin

We are partnered with Kehillat Bavat Ayin, located in the city of Rosh Ha'Ayin, east of Tel Aviv, as part of DOMIM-aLike, the Israel-Diaspora relations project of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism.

DOMIM–aLike was established together with the Israel Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and fosters partnerships between Reform and Progressive congregations in Israel and around the world.   Click HERE to learn more about DOMIM-aLike.

Temple Emanu-El is sponsoring Kehillat Bavat Ayin’s 2020 Adult B’not Mitzvah class, helping a group of women come to Torah for the very first time.

To read an abridged story from Bavat Ayin's August 2019 newsletter about women coming to Torah, click HERE

The Ida Freedman Fund for Youth & Israel

Find out more about how the Ida Freedman Fund can help make Israel a lot closer! Click HERE for details.

Does a favourite recipe remind you of someone you have lost? Join our Shinshinit, Aviv Kofman, as we bake carrot cake together in memory of Kim Yehezkel-Levengrund (z"l), who fell victim to a terror attack in Israel at age 28. Watch an archive video of this program from May 5, 2022 HERE.