03/12/2026
A Shabbat Strong message from Rabbi Cory Weiss:
The past week-and-a-half has been a difficult one for the Toronto Jewish community. Three synagogues were hit by gunfire, inciting fear in so many of us. Temple Har Zion has responded by reaching out to the leadership of Temple Emanu-El, the BAYT, and Shaarei Shomayim, and by adding security personnel and off-duty police officers at THZ for school and Shabbat. We are committed to doing everything to keep our temple family safe, and at the same time reminding ourselves that we cannot be afraid to come to our synagogue.
This Shabbat is being called “Shabbat Strong” by the entire GTA Jewish community. We are encouraging everyone in the THZ family to make an effort to join us for worship this Shabbat (and the next, and the next!): to show that we are unafraid, to show that we are unified, and to show that our commitment to Jewish life will not be deterred by heinous attacks on our people and our institutions.
We are a resilient people. We will not be cowed by the cowardly acts of antisemites. And we will be united this Shabbat as a Jewish people. Please join us for our Kavanah Service Friday night at 6:30pm (a lovely meditative service) or Shabbat Morning Service at 10:30am. I look forward to all of us being together, showing our strength, and reminding ourselves of our ultimate mission—to end hatred, to end violence, and to bring all peoples together in peace.
To register to attend Shabbat services, please go to harzion.ca/attend.
