LGBTQ+
Jewish Pride events will be posted here.
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION TASK FORCE
Land Acknowledgment
We are pleased to report that a Prayer for Canada that includes Land Acknowledgment has become an organic part of our Shabbat Ritual (minhag). Its third paragraph states that:
“We acknowledge that the land on which Temple Israel gathers is situated on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial. We are grateful to have the opportunity to freely worship on this territory, and we ask your blessings upon it, and upon us – and let us say: Amen.”
The Land is our Teacher, an artistic expression of Temple’s Land Acknowledgment,
co-created by Michael Parkin and Simon Brascoupé in 2022.
The Truth and Reconciliation Task Force commissioned an artwork by Ottawa visual artists Michael Parkin, Z"L, a member of Temple Israel, and Simon Brascoupé, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, First Nation of Maniwaki, Quebec. The resulting artwork hangs prominently in Temple as a beautiful representation of Jewish and Indigenous cultures, values and teachings. To learn more about The Land is our Teacher artwork, including the vision and meaning of the symbols depicted from each artist's perspective .
More about The Land is Our Teacher
Photos of Works Being Installed
About the Task Force on Truth and Reconciliation at Temple Israel
About Us
Why a Task Force?
- Recommendation number 49 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission asks “all religious denominations and faith groups who have not already done so to repudiate concepts used to justify European sovereignty over Indigenous lands and peoples”. In 2018, in response to this Call to Action, Temple Israel formed a Task Force on Truth and Reconciliation to look at these issues from a Jewish lens with the goal of building meaningful life-long relationships with Indigenous peoples in our community.
- As a Reform Jewish community, we strive to fulfill our value of Tzedek Tirdof – the pursuit of justice in our society. We are committed to learning more about the history of Canada’s Indigenous peoples, particularly the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation in the Ottawa area with whom we seek to build meaningful relationships.
- We are grateful to have the opportunity to live and work in their community on this territory.
- The Reform Jewish Community of Canada has issued a Statement of Solidarity and a Call for Action: Discovery of Unmarked Graves of Indigenous Children at Kamloops Indian Residential School
What actions has the Task Force taken?
- In 2018 and 2019. the Task Force organized several events at Temple to educate our congregation and deepen our understanding of our shared history with Indigenous peoples and their cultures. In March 2020 in-person activities stopped due to the COVID pandemic.
- In December 2022, the Land Acknowledgment Artwork (above) commissioned by the Task Force, was unveiled at an event celebrating Jewish Indigenous Relations Through the Creative Arts. The event featured Marsha Lederman (author of Kiss the Red Stairs) and Carey Newman (Indigenous Artist and Educator). For More Information
- In September of 2023 and 2024, special Shabbat morning services were organized to honor Orange Shirt Day, the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. As part of the 2024 event, Kathy Beddows, M'skwaa Giizis (Red Sun) of the Temagami First Nation, joined us to share songs, words and knowledge and lead our students on Sunday in hands-on activities.
The Task Force regularly brings to the attention of the Temple members information on Indigenous people, history, news, and events.
Moving Service Marked TR Day at Temple Israel
Anti-Racism Task Force Update
In 2021, Temple Israel created an Anti-Racism Task Force as a way to both respond to the rise of racial injustice faced by Black communities, and to strengthen our ability as a congregation to provide safe and inclusive spaces for Jews of Colour. Concerned about all forms of racial injustice, and focused on anti-Black racism for the 18-month pilot phase of our work, we support Temple Israel’s efforts to build a welcoming and inclusive congregation.
In our work to date we have: organized a virtual tour of Uncle Tom’s Cabin to raise awareness about the historical and present day racism faced by Black communities and individuals in Canada; shared information about resources and training through Temple Israel’s weekly e-newsletters; worked with the Temple Israel Board of Directors on a training session for the Board in early 2022; engaged in discussions with the Jewish Federation of Ottawa about racial justice and anti-Black racism in Ottawa; and engaged with Temple Israel members and sub-committees/task forces about ways we can work together to advance our common goals of inclusion and social justice.
Much of our work as a Task Force at Temple Israel, is guided by the Union for Reform Judaism’s Racial Justice Campaign, which seeks to “fight the structural racism that is embedded in our society and to advance justice for all people.”
So, what can be done to address structural racism? Here are some ideas:
1) Learn more about structural racism. Structural racism is a system in which public policies, practices, and cultural norms act in ways to perpetuate racial inequity – when racism is embedded into the very fabric of society, which goes beyond individual actions.
2) Learn more about microaggressions. Learning about them can help people be more intentional in their interactions and realize the negative impact that words can have, even if the intention is positive or neutral. Whether verbal or physical, microaggressions can make people of colour feel alienated, unwelcome, and/or unsafe. For example, Jews of Colour can experience feelings of not belonging when entering Jewish spaces, if someone approaches them and assumes that they are not members of the congregation. These assumptions can be driven by the implicit biases held about ‘what Jewish people look like’.
3) Learn more about the Union for Reform Judaism’s Racial Justice Campaign and related training events
4) URJ Racial Justice Resources – See this variety of resources that provide an informative and engaging look into institutional racism, privilege, and the lived experiences of Jews of Color.
Do you have ideas to address structural racism and to better ensure that Temple Israel is an inclusive space for Jews, in all of our diversity? Interested in learning more about Temple Israel’s Anti-Racism Task Force? Contact Robyn Aaron.
The Jewish Federation of Ottawa invites you to participate in a customized and comprehensive Indigenous Awareness Training program facilitated by the First Peoples Group. You can learn more here.
The Oneg Project
The Giving Committee launched the Oneg Project at the High Holidays services in 2019. This project aims to ensure that all onegs are provided for throughout the year with some snacks.
The Baby-Quilt-to-Israel Project
Jerusalem, Wednesday 10th November 2021
Dear friends from the Temple Israel Quilters Ottawa Canada,
It has been so long since we received your beautiful and amazing quilts, this delivery is especially mean- ingful as it hopefully marks the beginning of slowly going back to a “life after Covid”. Seeing these lovely blankets arriving directly from Canada brings so much joy to the parents and the staff of the NICU.
Every blanket is like a big hug from across the ocean! Being able to reconnect with people who live miles away is such a heartwarming feeling! On the photo above you can see Nelly the head nurse of the NICU who placed a blanket on an incubator immediately as I walked into the department with your special parcel!
Thank you again for thinking of us during the hard times as well, looking forward to receiving more of your beautiful work in the future!
With love from the NICU babies, parents and staff!
Audrey Gross, Guest Relations Resource Development & Public Affairs
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