Book of Life Stories

Maurice & Elise Benzacar

The history for many Jewish families in Canada does not date back many generations, if at all. My wife and I are among that group. We left Morocco, together with our infant son, to settle in Toronto in November 1957.

The move was difficult on many levels: We arrived alone, with little means…

Don Bennett

My message is quite simple. If you believe as a Jew, you must believe in the continuum that is the Jewish people. And you must believe in your obligation that we as a people must live and strive and grow for the future.

We have survived for over 5,000 years, regardless of the efforts to des…

Brent & Lynn Belzberg

Everyone deserves a chance in life but not everyone is given equal opportunity. We are lucky and we count our blessings every day. The ability to give is part of what we are grateful for.

Whether it’s financially or with our time, tzedakah is, and always has been, part of our lives.

Perh…

Florence Cooper & Tobie Bekhor

“I did not find the world desolate when I entered it; my fathers planted for me before I was born; so do I plant for those who will come after me.” Jerusalem Talmud: Ta’anith, 23a This quote from the Talmud best expresses the way our family feels about giving back to the community. Ove…

Barbara Bank

I knew from my own experiences how easy it is to lose the connection to Jewish life. Raised with little Jewish tradition in my home and in a predominantly non-Jewish suburb of Boston, I did not have a strong affiliation with the Jewish community and nearly missed out on all the gifts that Je…