Latest News
Our Spiritual Leader
Am Shalom’s Spiritual Leader Search Committee is delighted to announce that we have an INTERIM plan for our Spiritual Leadership beginning January 2024.
We are still hard at work in our search for a permanent spiritual leader.
Rabbi Miicah Streiffer has agreed to be our ‘Lead’ Interim Rabbi. He will be leading one Shabbat service per month and will be with us for the High Holidays. Rabbi Streiffer’s first service with us will be on January 20, 2024.
Cantor Ben Silverberg, whom many of you already know, will also be leading services for us one Shabbat a month from January 13, 2024 to April 27, 2024.
Howard Kamen, who joined us in the Fall for one service, will be leading our service on January 27, 2024.
More info to come as we line up clergy for our ongoing services!!!
Rabbi Micah Streiffer is excited to be part of the Am Shalom community this coming year!
A teacher, musician, writer, and lifelong student, Micah is known for his engaging teaching style and his ability to make Jewish texts and ideas come to life. He served for 12 years as rabbi of Kol Ami in Thornhill, Ontario, and now serves as its Rabbi Emeritus. More recently, Micah is the Founder of LAASOK, a virtual Beit Midrash (“House of Study”) where liberal Jewish learners can deepen their connection with Judaism through meaningful engagement with sacred texts. In addition, he hosts the popular “Seven Minute Torah” podcast.
Micah was ordained a rabbi at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati in 2007, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Jewish thought at McMaster University. He has three teenaged sons, all of whom are taller than he is!
Ben Silverberg is more than just a Cantor; he’s a life coach with 20+ years of experience as a Cantor and educator.
He is licensed by the Province of Ontario to provide full wedding services for Jewish couples that are unique and personalized to suit your vision. He has also had the honor of performing baby naming ceremonies for many happy new parents and provides Bar and Bat Mitzvah Lessons.
In addition to his cantorial and educational roles, Cantor Ben serves at the University of Toronto, fundraising for scholarships for students facing financial difficulties. This work embodies his teachings about the importance of sharing resources and lifting up the less fortunate, making him not just a spiritual leader, but also a role model in tangible acts of charity and social justice.
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.