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Meet our Rabbi

Rabbi Steven Garten arrived in Ottawa from Los Angeles in the summer of 1995. He has had the pleasure of teaching, story telling and leading Tefilot since then.

Rabbi Garten has been overseeing the direction and curriculum of the Religious school since 2007.  The expansion of the Temples commitment to Tzedakah projects, interreligious dialogue, programming which strengthens the relationship between Temple members and the State of Israel bring him great joy.  In addition the ongoing commitment of members to Jewish study, either through traditional Jewish texts or modern Jewish literature is a source of great Nachos.

This sacred community is one which has helped the Rabbi continue his journey to greater belief and understanding of the Divine experience in our lives.  All the members of Temple have helped along this path. Rabbi Garten teaches widely in the community and is active in Ottawa's interfaith dialogues. He has led many congregational trips to Israel and travels to Eretz Yisrael as often as possible. Rabbi Garten was born in New York City but has lived in canada for over thirty years.  He is married and is the father of two University graduates, both of whom celebrated B'nai Mitzvah at Temple Israel and served as president of FROSTY.He is an avid player of the game of golf hoping one day  to become a golfer.

 

Rabbi's Message

Explore Rabbi Garten’s Page to discover his point of view, his leadership and an article on pluralism in Israel..
Rabbi Garten's Message in response to events off the coast of Gaza and Israel

I am writing to announce to you that after 35 years of not announcing sermon topics in advance I am breaking this pattern.  In addition, after 35 years of avoiding should a Rabbi officiate at weddings between Jews and non Jews, this year I will speak on this topic. I am going to share with you some thoughts on this important, explosive, contentious topic.  Some of you might say “it’s about time!”  Some of you might say “Why does he want to shake this tree?”  Some might even be angry that I did not address the topic when you or your family confronted the issue. All of these responses and many more are legitimate.  I hope that I can offer some interesting perspectives on this important yet explosive topic.

Modern thinkers from Victor Frankel to Kenneth Pargament have observed that the role of religion is to teach individuals how to cope with life, how to commemorate and celebrate milestone moments in life as well as how to deal with adversity and suffering.  True religious tradition serves as a compass with which to set out in advance of determining the starting line and the direction we might follow in the search for significance.  This can be understood to mean that true religious teachings are static.  Yet Kenneth Pargament suggests “The religious search is anything but static.  It is a process that unfolds over time.  People change, life changes and religious directionality can be altered”.  I might add that religious leaders also unfold over time and their directionality can change!  We at Temple know the truth of this statement but we have never publically applied it to the question of intermarriage.  This Rosh Hashanah I will attempt to begin this discussion. 

I look forward to joining with you in this important conversation.

Two more announcements worth your attention:

1.  On Yom Kippur afternoon we will dedicate a new case for our Shoah Scroll.  David and Rose Shentow commissioned Michael Parkin to design a case that would commemorate David’s liberation from Auschwitz 65 years ago.  The Scroll, donated by the Shentows and the Moldovans, is the only one of its kind in Ottawa.  We shall dedicate the cover with music and readings from the scroll during the martyrology service.  I hope you will join David and Rose and all those who survived the genocide for a powerful celebration of life and memory!!

1.  Our sacred community will once again host the world renowned scholar Dr. Adolpho Roitman.  Dr. Roitman, Curator of the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum, will teach us on Shabbat September 25th.  It is the Shabbat during Sukkot.  This will be Dr. Roitman’s third visit to Ottawa. He has developed a powerful affinity toward us and always looks forward to teaching in the congregation.  Please note the specifics of our Sukkot and Simchat Torah celebrations in this bulletin. Dr. Roitman’s visit is made possible through the generosity of Michael Walsh and Dr. Lisa Rosenkrantz.

Lisa, Micah and Alyza join me in wishing you “L’Shana Tova” a happy and healthy New Year 5771.

Rabbi Steven H. Garten

 

A few notes of interest:

• I have been asked to serve as a scholar in residence for the AJA 50+ journey to Israel this November. Though the trip is open to the entire Jewish community I want to extend a special invitation to you to join with me in what seems to shaping up as a great trip. There is a flyer elsewhere in the bulletin indicating dates, prices and whom to call for information. If you are available this November I hope you’ll consider joining me in Israel.
• 
  On May 29 Shabbat morning, we will welcome into the covenant the graduates of our Jewish Information Class who have chosen Judaism as a faith and life path. Many of the newly converted are members of Temple through marriage and some will join Temple. I invite you to join us that morning in celebrating their choice to join the people of Israel and become part of our peoples past and future.