Latest News
Clergy Update
Dear members of our congregation,
We are excited to share an update from our clergy hiring committee. We are grateful for all the support, feedback and encouragement we have received throughout this search process. Our interim clergy plan, led by Rabbi Micah Streiffer, has been a great success as we navigate this transition period.
Since January, we have had the pleasure of meeting with many talented spiritual leaders who have enriched our Shabbat services and engaged with our community in meaningful ways. Our clergy search committee and leadership team are working tirelessly to bring skilled and dedicated leaders to guide us on our journey of faith. On a go forward basis Rabbi Micah Streiffer, Cantor Ben Silverberg, Rabbi Bill Tepper and Howie Kamen will continue to support our congregation. Congregational member Marc Brenner will also lead services this summer. Thanks Marc.
As we look ahead to the summer, our schedule is filled with exciting opportunities for connection and growth. We encourage you to visit our website and service calendar to stay updated on our clergy schedule and make time to join us in prayer, learning, and celebration on Shabbat.
We are thrilled to announce that Rabbi Emma Gottlieb will be joining us on May 24th and 25th for a special weekend of services. Rabbi Gottlieb will be traveling from South Africa to be with us to share in her experiences abroad and to get to know our congregation. Some of you may remember her visit from a few years ago, and we are looking forward to reconnecting. Please mark your calendars for this important, unique and meaningful opportunity to spend time with Rabbi Gottlieb. Rabbi Emma Gottlieb is the only female Rabbi currently living and working in South Africa and Co-Host of the Podcast “Women Rabbis Talk”. Rabbi Gottlieb is passionate about Judaism, feminism, and the sacred spaces where they interconnect.
Rabbi Emma will be with us for a Kabbala Shabbat service on Friday, May 24th @ 6:00 pm. She will lead our Shabbat Service on Saturday, May 25th, 2024 @ 10:30 am, with a Kiddush following AND will lead us in a Havdalah Service Saturday evening, May 26th. All three services will be at Am Shalom. If the weather permits, we will have the Havdalah Service outside at the Gazebo. Please do your very best to attend at least one of the three services. We want to welcome Rabbi Emma and we, your search committee, welcomes your feedback.
Our search for a Rabbi to join our congregation on a weekly basis is well underway. We have been diligently preparing for the official hiring process, which will be facilitated by The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) (Most Rabbi contracts begin and end in the month of July). The Central Conference of American Rabbis is the Reform Rabbinic leadership organization. The CCAR enriches and strengthens the Jewish community by fostering excellence in the Reform Rabbis who lead it, in whatever setting they serve. CCAR members lead the Reform Movement on important spiritual, social, cultural and human rights issues.
This exclusive search process will enable us to connect with talented reform rabbinical candidates and select the perfect fit for our community. The official search will be launching soon, and we are excited for the future ahead.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our congregation. Together, we will find the perfect leader to guide us on our shared journey of faith.
Warm regards,
Michaele Sue, Marc and Howard
I Have A Dream: Jewish Heritage School Program
Am Shalom Congregation in Barrie, Ontario, is thrilled to be offering no-fee Jewish Heritage education classes for children aged 4-13. This initiative is a first ever for the region and will be offered to all Jewish children in the Barrie, Innisfil and Simcoe community for members of the Synagogue.
With the generous support of donors, the program has become a reality. “Taught by professional Jewish educators, this educational program will provide students an opportunity to embrace their history as they move forward into their future as Canadian Jewish citizens,” explained the Rabbi. To encourage attendance a deposit is required to register which will be refunded after students attend a minimum of 70% of the classes.
By participating in the program, students receive a well-rounded education, understanding and appreciation of Reform Judaism that will help prepare them for and continue well after their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs.More
Enriching our Jewish Community
ABOUT AM SHALOM:
Am Shalom is a modern Reform Congregation providing spiritual enrichment to the Jewish community throughout the Simcoe County area.
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) believes that everyone can feel at home in Judaism and that there is more than one way to be authentically Jewish. We stand for a Judaism that, in response to today’s realities, is inclusive, open, and diverse.
We welcome all those wishing to share with us in exploring our religious heritage, celebrating our customs and rituals.
Reform Judaism maintains faith in the Covenant between God and Israel as expressed over the generations in the teachings of an ever-evolving Torah and tradition. Stirred by the mandate of tikkun olam, (repairing the world) Reform Judaism seeks to be the living expression of those teachings. It welcomes all who seek Jewish connection to pursue a life of meaning as inspired by the Divine and proclaimed in the truths grasped by Jewish teachers throughout time.
Reform Jews are committed to the principle of inclusion, not exclusion. Since 1978 the Reform Movement has been reaching out to Jews-by-choice and interfaith families, encouraging them to embrace Judaism. Reform Jews consider children to be Jewish if they are the child of a Jewish father or mother, so long as the child is raised as a Jew.
Reform Jews are committed to the absolute equality of women in all areas of Jewish life. We were the first movement to ordain women rabbis, invest women cantors, and elect women presidents of our synagogues.
Reform Jews are also committed to the full participation of the LGBTQ+ community in synagogue life as well as society at large.
Shabbat is a joyous occasion at Am Shalom whether we celebrate within our sanctuary, outdoors under the stars, or on the unspoiled waters of Georgian Bay. Together with our spiritual leaders and our wonderful and talented Shirat Am Shalom Choir, we explore Reform Judaism’s traditions enriching our Jewish experience.
Our members are active and involved in a variety of Social Action programs, which focus on volunteering in the community. For over three decades the Am Shalom Congregation has built a Jewish community interested in studying the many aspects of Reform Jewish life.
Located an hour north of Toronto, the Am Shalom Congregation welcomes you to our next worship service, social gathering, or holiday celebration.