BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CalDiscovery//caldiscovery//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH DESCRIPTION:Toronto: arts\, this weekend (Fri Sep 18 to Sun Sep 20\, Ameri ca/Toronto). Rolling: the window moves forward every day\, so subscribe ra ther than download. Discovered and maintained by CalDiscovery (https://cal discovery.com). Event details belong to their publishers. Contains informa tion from CalDiscovery\, which is made available under the ODbL 1.0. SOURCE:https://caldiscovery.com/toronto-on/this-weekend-arts.ics X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT12H REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT12H X-WR-CALDESC:Toronto: arts\, this weekend (Fri Sep 18 to Sun Sep 20\, Amer ica/Toronto). Rolling: the window moves forward every day\, so subscribe r ather than download. Discovered and maintained by CalDiscovery (https://ca ldiscovery.com). Event details belong to their publishers. Contains inform ation from CalDiscovery\, which is made available under the ODbL 1.0. X-WR-CALNAME:Toronto · arts · this weekend · CalDiscovery BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Legend of the Museum Comic Book and Exhibition DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260501 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261012 DTSTAMP:20260915T155401Z UID:10046636-1777593600-1791763199@childslife.ca CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Updated on March 27\, 2026\n \n \n \n \n Outdoor Ice Rinks in the GTA & South-Central Ontario \n \n Discover outdoor skating rinks across Toronto\, York Region\, Durham\, Peel\, and Halton—plus nearby South-Central Ontario spots. This growing guide features both natural and synthetic rinks where families can enjoy f resh winter fun close to home. Know a great rink we’ve missed? Share it in the comments so we can add it to the list. Below you’ll find outdoor skating rinks across the GTA and surrounding regions\, including both natu ral ice and refrigerated surfaces. \n \n Note: Outdoor rinks are weather-dependent and conditions can change quickly. Some locat ions are unsupervised\, so always check that the ice is safe\, follow post ed warnings\, and ensure young children wear a helmet. Always confirm rink status on the venue or community website before heading out. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Toronto Outdoor Skating R inks \n \n Toronto offers a mix of refrigerated outdoor rink s and well-maintained seasonal ice surfaces. Many popular locations use ar tificial cooling systems for reliable skating throughout the winter\, whil e others—like Evergreen Brick Works or Mel Lastman Square—depend entir ely on cold weather and may open later in the season or close during mild spells. \n \n Nathan Phillips SquareNathan Phillips Squ are\, Toronto\, ON WebsiteToronto’s iconic outdoor rink in front of City Hall offers daily public skating in the heart of downtown\, just steps fr om the Eaton Centre. Open daily through the winter season with skate renta ls\, washrooms\, and a snack bar. Sherbourne Common Skate Pad61 Dockside D r.\, Toronto\, ON WebsiteThis waterfront skate pad offers scenic views of Lake Ontario and the downtown skyline. Open daily (beginning mid-December) from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm\, with seating and rubber matting around the ri nk. Check the website for current conditions. Evergreen Winter Village Out door SkatingEvergreen Brick Works\, 550 Bayview Ave\, Toronto\, ON Website A picturesque outdoor rink in Koerner Gardens at Evergreen Brick Works. Th is is a natural\, weather-dependent ice surface that opens only when tempe ratures allow. Free public skate times and skate rentals are typically off ered on weekends from December through March\, with extended holiday hours when conditions permit. Mel Lastman Square Rink5100 Yonge Street\, North York\, ON WebsiteAn outdoor rink in the centre of Mel Lastman Square\, ope n daily for unsupervised skating in the winter months. The reflecting pool is transformed into an ice surface from late November to mid- to late Mar ch\, weather permitting. Harbourfront Centre Ice Rink235 Queens Quay W\, T oronto\, ON WebsiteSkate beside Lake Ontario at this popular waterfront ri nk\, usually open from mid-December to mid-March. Features a heated change room\, washrooms\, skate sharpening\, and skate rentals\, with special pr ograms and events throughout the season. \n \n \n Sherbourne Common Skate Pad - City of Toronto Website\n \n \n \n Toronto Skating Trails & Urban Loop-Style Ice Paths \n \n Trail-like skating experiences within the c ity\, offering continuous gliding on loop-style or linear ice paths. \nBar bara Ann Scott Ice Trail\n420 Yonge St\, Toronto\, ON M5B 2H3 WebsiteAn ov al-shaped ice trail in College Park that lets skaters glide around a loop beneath the surrounding towers. Open daily for leisure skating\, typically from early December through the winter season. \nColonel Sam Smith Skatin g Trail\n65 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Road\, Toronto\, ON WebsiteToronto ’s first outdoor skating trail\, this figure-eight loop stretches about 250 metres through Colonel Samuel Smith Park. Open daily for leisure skati ng with a nearby change area and access to the park’s wider trail networ k. \nDieppe Park Skating Trail\n455 Cosburn Avenue\, Toronto\, ON WebsiteD ieppe Park in East York features an outdoor rink alongside a dedicated ple asure-skating trail\, making it a great spot for both confident skaters an d beginners. Typically open from late November to mid-March\, weather perm itting. \nGreenwood Park Outdoor Rink & Skating Trail\n150 Greenwood Avenu e\, Toronto\, ON WebsiteGreenwood Park offers a refrigerated covered outdo or rink plus a separate skating trail that loops around the rink area. It ’s a popular East End destination for families\, usually open from late November through mid-March\, weather permitting. \nThe Bentway Skate Trail \n250 Fort York Blvd\, Toronto\, ON WebsiteA 220-metre skate trail running under the Gardiner Expressway near Fort York\, with lights\, music\, and a unique urban atmosphere. The Bentway hosts special events\, themed skate nights\, and offers rentals and warm-up areas during the winter season. \n \n Toronto Specialty & Seasonal Skating Experiences \n \n Pop-up and seasonal skating experiences in unique Toronto l ocations\, usually offered for a limited time during the winter. Hangar Sk ateThe Hangar District (across from 95 Garratt Blvd.)\, Toronto\, ON Websi teA free pop-up skating rink outside an 80\,000 sq. ft. airplane hangar in the Hangar District at Downsview. Open from December 20\, 2025 to Februar y 16\, 2026\, with timed-entry tickets that can be reserved online. \n \n \n Mel Lastman Square Outdoor Ri nk - City of Toronto Website\n \n \n \n York Regio n Outdoor Skating Rinks \n \n Outdoor skating rinks in York Region include city-maintained artificial rinks and community spaces perfe ct for family skate days. \n \n Markham Outdoor Rinks \n \n Markham maintains several outdoor community skating rinks e ach winter\, including both lit artificial surfaces and natural ice areas that open when weather allows. \n \n Markham Civic Cent re Ice Rink101 Town Centre Blvd\, Markham\, ON WebsiteA lighted\, artifici al ice rink maintained by the City of Markham\, open through the winter se ason with heated change rooms and scheduled public skate times. Huntington Park Outdoor Rink46 Lambert Rd\, Thornhill\, ON WebsiteA community outdoo r rink lit at night in Huntington Park and maintained by the City of Markh am. Markham Museum Outdoor Rink9350 Hwy 48\, Markham\, ON WebsiteA seasona l outdoor rink located within Markham Museum grounds and maintained by the city. Milliken Mills Park Outdoor Rink4277 14th Avenue\, Markham\, ON Web siteA lit outdoor community rink maintained by the City of Markham and ope n for public skating when conditions permit. Milne Dam Conservation Park R ink8251 McCowan Rd\, Markham\, ON WebsiteOutdoor skating on a community-ma intained surface at Milne Dam\, weather dependent and subject to ice condi tions. Victoria Square Park Outdoor Rink2929 Elgin Mills Rd E\, Markham\, ON WebsiteAn outdoor ice surface maintained by the City of Markham\, open for public skating weather permitting. \n \n \n Markham Civic Centre Outdoor Ice Rink\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Stouffville Rinks \n \n Whitchurch-Stouffville maintains several community outd oor rinks each winter\, offering neighbourhood skating spots that open whe n weather conditions allow. Most surfaces are natural ice and rely on cons istently cold temperatures. \n \n \n Greenwood ParkGreen wood Rd\, Whitchurch-Stouffville\, ON WebsiteLocated at the park’s baske tball court\, this community natural-ice rink opens when weather permits a nd offers a convenient neighbourhood option for outdoor skating. \ n \n Gar Lehman Park135 Gar Lehman Ave\, Whitchurch-Stouffville \, ON WebsiteA natural outdoor rink maintained seasonally at Gar Lehman Pa rk\, offering open leisure skating for families when ice conditions allow. \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n Sunnyridge Park37 Sunnyridge Ave\, Whitchurch-Stouffville\, ON WebsiteA neighbourhood natur al-ice rink set within Sunnyridge Park\, open during the winter when tempe ratures support safe skating conditions. \n \n Vandorf Park14698 Woodbine Ave\, Whitchurch-Stouffville\, ON WebsiteA natural-ice rink located within Vandorf Park. The surface is maintained seasonally and opens only when ice conditions are safe for public use. \n \n Wheler’s Mill Park250 Mostar St\, Whitchurch-Stouffville\, ON We bsiteThis community rink at Wheler’s Mill Park provides a natural outdoo r skating surface for casual family skating when weather permits. \n \n Memorial Park Skating Trail2 Park Dr\, Whitchurch-Stouffv ille\, ON WebsiteOpened in December of 2024\, this new trail is light at night and offers skate rentals and sharpening. Trail is open daily from 9a m at 9pm (weather conditional). \n \n \n Richmond Green Skate Trail in Richmond Hill\, Ontario\n \n \n \n Richmond Hill Outdoor Rinks \n \n Ri chmond Hill maintains several outdoor skating rinks each winter\, includin g both natural community rinks and lit neighbourhood surfaces that open wh en weather conditions allow. \n \n Richmond Green Skate Trail1300 Elgin Mills Road East\, Richmond Hill\, ON WebsiteA 250 metre l ong trail\, with heated washrooms and change rooms. Lit for evening skatin g. Open 10am to 10pm daily. Mill Pond Ice RinkAt the corner of Mill Street and Trench Street\, Richmond Hill\, ON WebsiteSkate on the natural ice of Mill Pond. Be safe and make sure the ice is safe before skating by checki ng the signage posted at the south end of the pond. Lake Wilcox Outdoor Sk ating Rink55 Old Bayview Ave\, Richmond Hill\, ON WebsiteA natural outdoor skating surface located near the Richmond Hill Canoe Club at the north en d of Lake Wilcox Park. This weather-dependent rink opens when conditions a llow and offers a scenic spot for casual family skating\; always check cur rent status before heading out. Crosby Park Ice RinkCrosby Avenue & Newkir k Road\, Richmond Hill\, ON mapWeather dependant. An ice skating surface i s often built at the Crosby Park baseball diamond. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Vaughan Outdoor Rinks \n \n Vaughan offers a number of outdoor community skating rinks\, these n atural ice surfaces open only when temperatures permit and are maintained with help from local volunteers. \n \n Father Ermanno B ulfon Park Rink140 Honeywood Rd\, Vaughan\, ON WebsiteA natural-ice outdoo r rink located in Father Ermanno Bulfon Park\, open for casual skating whe n temperatures allow. Chancellor District Park Rink430 Chancellor Dr\, Vau ghan\, ON WebsiteA neighbourhood rink maintained by community volunteers\, offering natural-ice skating during the winter. Sonoma Heights Community Park Rink100 Napa Valley Ave\, Vaughan\, ON WebsiteA family-friendly natur al outdoor rink open during the winter season\, dependent on suitable free zing conditions. Garnet A. Williams Outdoor RinkGarnet A. Williams Park\, Vaughan\, ON WebsiteA community outdoor rink at Garnet A. Williams Park op en for casual skating during the winter season\, weather permitting. Vello re Village Outdoor RinkVellore Village Community Park\, Vaughan\, ON Websi teNatural outdoor skating surface in Vellore Village\, ideal for neighbour hood family skating when temperatures allow. Dufferin Clark Community Cent re Outdoor Rink1441 Clark Ave W\, Vaughan\, ON WebsiteA seasonal outdoor r ink located at the Dufferin Clark Community Centre\, with natural ice main tained when conditions permit. The Sports Village Outdoor Rink2600 Rutherf ord Rd\, Vaughan\, ON WebsiteThe Sports Village operates an outdoor refrig erated rink during the winter months\, offering public skating\, programs\ , and a reliable ice surface even during mild weather. Check the schedule for public skate times and availability. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Aurora Outdoor Rinks \n \n The T own of Aurora maintains several outdoor skating surfaces each winter\, inc luding both Town-operated rinks and volunteer-maintained community rinks. All surfaces are natural ice and open only when weather conditions allow. \n \n Aurora Town Square Outdoor Rink50 Victoria St\, A urora\, ON WebsiteAurora Town Square offers a pleasure-skating rink in the central square. Hours follow facility operating times. Weather-dependent. Town Park Outdoor Rink49 Wells St\, Aurora\, ON WebsiteAn Ez-Rink system with boards and liner\, maintained by the Town. Typically includes one ple asure-skating surface\, open when conditions permit. Ada Johnson Park Outd oor Rinks60 Hartwell Way\, Aurora\, ON WebsiteTwo outdoor rinks: one dedic ated to pleasure skating and one to stick-and-puck. Both are Town-maintain ed Ez-Rinks with boards and liners. Machell Park Outdoor Rinks15 Orchard H eights Blvd\, Aurora\, ON WebsiteTwo outdoor rinks: one for pleasure skati ng and one for stick-and-puck. Both are Ez-Rinks maintained by the Town an d open during cold weather. Confederation Park Outdoor Rink30 Glass Dr\, A urora\, ON WebsiteA single pleasure-skating rink maintained by the Town of Aurora. Opens only when temperatures support natural ice. James Lloyd Par k Outdoor Rink355 Stone Rd\, Aurora\, ON WebsiteA volunteer-built and main tained rink created over the basketball court. Availability varies by weat her and volunteer support. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Newmarket Outdoor Rinks \n \n Newmarket operat es several community outdoor rinks each winter when weather permits. These natural ice surfaces open only during extended cold temperatures and avai lability can vary throughout the season. Various locations\, Newmarket\, O N Website Lion’s Park Outdoor Rink424 D’Arcy Street\, Newmarket\, ON  map  Ken Sturgeon Park Rink1035 Lockwood Cir\, Newmarket\, ON map  \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Durham Outdoor Skating Rinks \n \n Durham Region offers a number of outdoor community skating rinks maintained by local municipalities\, ideal for family skating close to home. Pat Bayly Square Outdoor Rink420 Harwood Ave S\, Ajax\, ON Websit eCommunity outdoor skating rink in downtown Ajax. Claremont Memorial Park4 941 Old Brock Rd\, Claremont\, ON WebsiteOpen weather permitting Brooklin Memorial Park Outdoor Rink67 Winchester Road East\, Brooklin\, ON WebsiteA community outdoor rink in Brooklin Memorial Park\, often maintained by lo cal volunteers or municipalities. Port Perry Lakefront Skating RinkJoe Fow ler North Ball Diamond\, 57 Water St.\, Port Perry\, ON WebsiteThis outdoo r skating rink is located along the Lake Scugog waterfront in downtown Por t Perry. Weather dependent and typically open during the winter season whe n conditions allow\, it offers a scenic setting for casual skating close t o local shops and the lakefront. \n \n \n \n \n \ n \n \n Peel Outdoor Skating Rinks \n \n Peel Re gion features a mix of refrigerated rinks and scenic outdoor skating paths for winter fun. Mississauga Celebration Square Rink300 City Centre Drive\ , Mississauga\, ON WebsiteOne of the largest outdoor skating rinks in Peel \, with rentals and sharpening during the winter season. Burnhamthorpe Cov ered Outdoor Rink1500 Gulleden Drive\, Mississauga\, ON WebsiteA covered o utdoor rink with artificial ice\, benches\, and washrooms\; check schedule for public skate times. Woodhurst Heights Park Outdoor Rink3499 Ash Row C rescent\, Mississauga\, ON WebsiteA neighbourhood outdoor ice rink in Miss issauga suitable for leisure skating. Port Credit Memorial Park Skating Tr ail40 Stavebank Road\, Mississauga\, ON WebsiteAn open outdoor loop trail along the Credit River offering trail-style skating in a scenic setting. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Halton Outdoor Skating Rinks \n \n Halton Region offers a mix of refrigera ted outdoor rinks and natural community skating surfaces. These family-fri endly locations open during the winter months\, with natural ice dependent on weather conditions. \n \n Burlington Rotary Centenn ial Pond1340 Lakeshore Road\, Burlington\, ON WebsiteA leisure outdoor rin k overlooking Lake Ontario\, typically open from mid-December through the winter season. Trafalgar Park Outdoor Rink133 Rebecca St\, Oakville\, ON W ebsiteA refrigerated outdoor rink at Trafalgar Park offering dependable ic e conditions throughout the winter. Public skating is available during sch eduled times\; check the Town of Oakville for updates. Wallace Park Outdoo r Rink430 Maple Grove Dr\, Oakville\, ON WebsiteWallace Park offers a natu ral outdoor ice rink maintained seasonally by the Town of Oakville. The ri nk is open for public skating when weather conditions allow and provides a neighbourhood winter skating option in north Oakville. Mold-Masters Sport splex Outdoor Rink221 Guelph St\, Georgetown\, ON WebsiteA covered outdoor rink with artificial ice\, offering public skating sessions through the w inter. This venue provides reliable conditions even during mild weather. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Looking for a different kind of skating adventure? Explore our guide to Ontario’s Best Outdoor Skate Trails & Ice Paths fo r forest loops and trail-style routes across the province. \n \ n \n \n \n \n \n \n Outdoor Skating FAQ\nWha t’s the difference between natural ice and refrigerated rinks?\nNatural outdoor rinks rely entirely on cold weather to freeze the ice\, so conditi ons can change quickly. Refrigerated rinks use cooling systems to keep the ice frozen even during mild temperatures\, allowing for a longer and more reliable skating season. \nHow do I know if a natural rink is safe to ska te on?\nAlways follow posted signage or municipal updates. Many natural ri nks are unsupervised\, so ice thickness and surface conditions can vary. I f a rink is closed\, flagged\, or shows signs of melting\, do not skate. \ nAre helmets required for outdoor skating?\nHelmets are strongly recommend ed for all skaters and are required for children at many municipal rinks. CSA-approved helmets provide the best protection. \nWhen do outdoor skatin g rinks open in the GTA?\nRefrigerated rinks often open in late November o r early December. Natural rinks open only after several days of consistent ly cold weather\, usually in mid- to late December\, but timing varies eac h year. \nDo I need to bring my own skates?\nMost community rinks require you to bring your own skates. Larger venues like Nathan Phillips Square\, Harbourfront\, Trafalgar Park\, and The Bentway often offer skate rentals during the winter season. \nWhat’s the difference between a skating rink and a skating trail?\nRinks are flat ice pads used for leisure skating or hockey\, while skating trails are loop-style ice paths that allow conti nuous gliding—often winding through parks or urban spaces. \n \n Support our content by sharing this guide: \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Do you know of a rink local to you that you’d like to share? Comment below to a dd it to this page. Disclaimer: Please check with the rinks you are headin g out to. Outdoor rinks are weather permitting. Community groups run and m aintain many of the rinks listed in this community guide\, and may not nec essarily operate them every year. If you know of a rink on our list that n o longer operates please comment below to let our readers know. Thank you. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Explore More \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 15+ Fall Themed Pic ture Books for Kids \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 15+ Motivational and Self-Help Books for Teens & Tweens \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Best Books to Prepare Kids for Their First Day of School \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Winter Fun Guide: Cross-Country Nordic Ski Trails \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Winter Fun Guide: Skiing & Snowboarding \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Winter Snow Tu bing in Southern Ontario LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T155401Z LOCATION:Benares Historic House\, 1507 Clarkson Rd N\, Mississauga\, Ontar io URL:https://childslife.ca/event/legend-of-the-museum-comic-book-and-exhibi tion/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Child's Life X-SOURCE-URL:https://childslife.ca/events/category/toronto/harbourfront END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Shadow and Light: Darkroom Edition Volume 2 DTSTART:20260902T160000Z DTEND:20260930T160000Z DTSTAMP:20260902T060305Z UID:10483973-1788350400-1790769600@nowtoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:SHADOW and LIGHT: DARKROOM EDITION is a group exhibition celeb rating the enduring power of analogue photography. This collection of Blac k and White images showcases the results of a specialized portrait worksho p hosted by the Hart House Camera Club\, at the University of Toronto wher e five photographers engaged in a rigorous three-hour studio and darkroom exercise in visual storytelling. \nWhile the participants shared the same physical environment utilizing the same models\, props\, and lighting\, th e resulting images reveal the profound subjectivity of the creative eye. T he exhibition acknowledges that perception is the architect of reality\; t hough the space was shared\, the experiences captured remain deeply person al and distinct… Perception becomes reality. \nCentral to this exhibitio n is the technical artistry of the wet darkroom. The final creative output relies on the delicate calibration of exposure\, aperture\, and contrast to translate a film negative into a finished print. Each frame serves as a moment punctuated in time\, where the tactile manipulation of light and s hadow is used to deliver the photographer’s specific vision and emotiona l voice. \nThe works display in this exhibition were developed during my 2 025-2026 residency. As part of this residency\, which supports The Univers ity of Toronto’s Hart House Camera Club artists in developing innovative darkroom expressions\, I facilitated this workshop that married technical instruction and individual artistic exploration. With the incredible tale nt of these photographers who participated\, this collaboration for ‘Sha dow and Light: Darkroom Edition’ came to be. \nThis exhibition serves as a testament to the intersection of traditional darkroom practices and con temporary storytelling. LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T060305Z LOCATION:Hart House\, 7 Hart House Cir\, Toronto\, ON M5S 3H3\, Canada\, O ld Toronto\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5S 3H3 URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/shadow-and-light-darkroom-edition-volume- 2/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:NOW Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/toronto-french-book-fair-salon-d u-livre-de-toronto END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Rewilding Toronto Immersive Community Art Exhibition - by David Su zuki Foundation DTSTART:20260905T040000Z DTEND:20260920T040000Z DTSTAMP:20260828T182130Z UID:1634@gnntoronto.ca CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Hey Toronto\, it’s time to get a little wilder!\n\n\n\nRewil ding Toronto is an immersive community art exhibition led by artists Jason Logan and Pam Lostracco\, transforming locally foraged plants into natura l inks\, and an entire gallery into a collaborative work of art.\n\n\n\nCo me experience the exhibition\, see the mural take shape and discover Toron to’s wild side in a whole new way.\n\n\n\nOpening celebration: Sept 10\, 6–9 p.m.\n\n\n\nRSVP: https://dsfdn.org/4zkRuR0 LAST-MODIFIED:20260828T182130Z LOCATION:Gallery1065\, 1065 Bloor St W\, Toronto\, Ontario\, Canada URL:https://gnntoronto.ca/events/rewilding-toronto-immersive-community-art -exhibition-by-david-suzuki-foundation/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium =ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Events Calendar X-SOURCE-URL:https://gnntoronto.ca/events END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Daniella Williams: Origin DTSTART:20260910T230000Z DTEND:20261008T210000Z DTSTAMP:20260910T060109Z UID:10482929-1789066800-1791478800@nowtoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Black Rabbit Gallery presents Origin\, a solo exhibition by To ronto-based Canadian figurative painter Daniella Williams\, on view Septem ber 10 through October 8\, 2026. \nOrigin marks a shift in Williams’ ong oing exploration of observation\, intimacy and the act of looking\, expand ing her inquiry into how we experience ourselves through our relationships to others and to the world around us. \nTurning toward the natural world\ , the exhibition considers what might emerge when the body is released fro m the pressures of being seen. Across the works\, figures move through ope n spaces\, shared moments and natural environments\, becoming increasingly immersed in the landscapes they inhabit. \nThe exhibition marks Black Rab bit Gallery’s first solo artist presentation following its inaugural exh ibition\, No Paths\, Just Moves. \nOpening Reception: Thursday\, September 10\, 7–10 PM Exhibition: September 10–October 8\, 2026 Location: Blac k Rabbit Gallery\, 35 Tubman Avenue\, Ratna Lane Courtyard\, Toronto Admis sion: Free LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T060109Z LOCATION:35 Tubman Avenue\, 35 Tubman Ave\, Toronto\, ON M5A 0T1\, Canada\ , Old Toronto\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5A 0T1 URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/daniella-williams-origin/?utm_source=cald iscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:NOW Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/toronto-french-book-fair-salon-d u-livre-de-toronto END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Sound in Sight: Reimagining the Polaris Short List Exhibition DTSTART:20260914T160000Z DTEND:20260919T160000Z DTSTAMP:20260914T060325Z UID:10483228-1789387200-1789819200@nowtoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Sound in Sight: Reimagining the Polaris Short List invites aud iences to experience Canadian music beyond sound. \nSince 2006\, Polaris h as invited Canadian visual artists to create original poster works in resp onse to Short List-nominated albums. This exhibition presents a curated se lection of those works as a visual journey through the history of the Pola ris Short List\, alongside newly commissioned posters connected to the 202 6 Short List. \nEach poster translates an album’s sound\, mood\, and cul tural world into a new visual form. Together\, the works offer another way to interpret and experience the albums that define this year’s Short Li st\, while also highlighting the ongoing creative relationship between mus icians and visual artists. \nBy placing music into a visual context\, Soun d in Sight asks how an album can continue to live beyond the act of listen ing\, and how visual artists help expand the meaning\, memory\, and cultur al life of Canadian music. \nThrough this exhibition\, Polaris invites aud iences to consider the album as more than a recording. It is a world of so und\, image\, feeling\, and interpretation. It is a cultural object that c an be heard\, seen\, remembered\, and reimagined. \nAbout the Exhibition \ nSound in Sight: Reimagining the Polaris Short List features original post er artworks inspired by Polaris Music Prize Short List albums. The exhibit ion includes works created by Canadian visual artists in response to nomin ated albums\, with each piece accompanied by interpretive information iden tifying the album\, musician\, visual artist\, year\, and context of the w ork. \nPresented in the City Hall Rotunda\, the exhibition creates a publi c-facing entry point into the Polaris Festival and invites audiences to en counter the Short List through visual art\, design\, and storytelling. LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T060325Z LOCATION:City Hall\, 100 Queen St W\, Toronto\, ON M5H 2N1\, Canada\, Old Toronto\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5H 2N1 URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/sound-in-sight-reimagining-the-polaris-sh ort-list-exhibition/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=t oronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:NOW Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/toronto-french-book-fair-salon-d u-livre-de-toronto END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Exhibition of Paintings by Carolyn Haltrecht and Toba Lakier DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260916 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260920 DTSTAMP:20260910T182439Z UID:10000919-1789516800-1789862399@womensartofcanada.ca CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:We’re delighted to welcome back Toba and Carolyn for their s econd exhibition at WAAC. \nWorking across acrylic\, oil\, mixed media\, a nd collage\, both artists explore the possibilities of colour\, texture\, and layered composition on canvas\, paper\, and board. Yet each brings a d istinct voice to the gallery. \nToba draws deeply from nature\, using it n ot only as subject matter but as a way of thinking and living. The cycles of growth\, decay\, renewal\, and transformation inform her artistic proce ss and emerge as recurring themes throughout her work. After studying fine art in Toronto\, Toba spent many years working as an art director for a v ariety of Canadian publications. Now retired\, she paints full-time in her studio. Her work is held in private collections in Canada\, the United St ates\, and South Africa. \nCarolyn’s work is colourful and expressionist ic. Through movement and colour\, she seeks to create an emotional connect ion with the viewer. Her paintings explore people\, feelings\, and the com plexity of human connection\, inviting viewers to engage with the energy a nd emotion within each composition. \nTogether\, Toba and Carolyn’s work creates a compelling dialogue between the outer world of nature and the i nner world of emotion\, offering two distinctive approaches to colour\, ex pression\, and the experience of being human. \nVernissage: Saturday\, Sep tember 19 | 1-4 pm LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T182439Z LOCATION:DIGNAM GALLERY\, Women’s Art Association of Canada\, 23 Prince Arthur Ave.\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M5R 1B2\, Canada URL:https://womensartofcanada.ca/calendar/exhibition-of-paintings-by-carol yn-haltrecht-and-toba-lakier/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_c ampaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Women's Art Association of Canada X-SOURCE-URL:https://womensartofcanada.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Drawing Myself Into Toronto by WAAC member Olesya Bondareva DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260916 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260930 DTSTAMP:20260903T002622Z UID:10000921-1789516800-1790726399@womensartofcanada.ca CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:From documenting war zones to painting a new city – an artis t’s journey into belonging \nOlesya Bondareva spent two decades as a doc umentary filmmaker\, capturing war and lives on the margins. Now settled i n Toronto\, she turns that same eye toward a new subject: the city itself\ , and what it takes to belong to it. \nIn Drawing Myself Into Toronto\, Bo ndareva uses painting\, drawing\, movement\, and video to trace her arriva l in an unfamiliar place. Working in pastel\, watercolour\, and acrylic\, she transforms fragments of the city\, its architecture\, colour\, rhythm\ , into what she calls “Narrative Expressionism\,” turning physical spa ce into psychological landscape. \nRather than documenting a relationship with the city that has already been established\, the works in Drawing My self Into Toronto reveal the process of creating one – as Bondareva dis covers Toronto and\, at the same time\, discovers who she is within it. \n Vernissage: Saturday\, September 19 | 1:00 to 4:00pm LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T002622Z LOCATION:Ruth Upjohn Gallery\, Women’s Art Association of Canada\, 23 Pr ince Arthur Ave.\, Toronto\, ON\, M4L 2Z4\, Canada URL:https://womensartofcanada.ca/calendar/drawing-myself-into-toronto-by-w aac-member-olesya-bondareva/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_ca mpaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Women's Art Association of Canada X-SOURCE-URL:https://womensartofcanada.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Gentle Monster DTSTART:20260916T153000Z DTEND:20260920T140000Z DTSTAMP:20260916T060239Z UID:10483398-1789558200-1789898400@nowtoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:. LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T060239Z LOCATION:TIFF Lightbox Cinema 2\, TIFF Lightbox Cinema 2\, 350 King Street West\, M5V 3X5 Toronto\, Ontario\, Canada\, Toronto\, M5V 3X5 URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/gentle-monster-2/?utm_source=caldiscovery &utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:NOW Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/toronto-french-book-fair-salon-d u-livre-de-toronto END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:ArtWalk in the Square - Sep 18\, 2026 - Sep 20\, 2026 - Town Sq - CF Shops @ Don Mills DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260918 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260921 DTSTAMP:20260825T002247Z UID:785@festivalstoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:ArtWalk in the Square is a juried show featuring ONLY fine art . With 80 established and emerging artists exhibiting painting\, photograp hy\, mixed media\, and more! LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T002247Z LOCATION:Town Sq - CF Shops @ Don Mills\, 1090 Don Mills Rd\, Toronto URL:https://festivalstoronto.com/events/artwalk-in-the-square/?utm_source= caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:East York X-SOURCE-URL:https://festivalstoronto.com/farmers-markets END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:RELISH The Foodie Event - Sep 18\, 2026 - Sep 20\, 2026 - Cloverda le Mall - North Parking Lot DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260918 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260921 DTSTAMP:20260825T002247Z UID:2492@festivalstoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts,community,festival,food,free DESCRIPTION:RELISH The Foodie Event returns to Cloverdale Mall from Septem ber 18–20\, 2026\, serving up a weekend of incredible eats\, live entert ainment\, interactive workshops\, family fun\, and community celebration.\ n\nThis year's festival is extra special as Cloverdale Mall celebrates its 70th anniversary with birthday-themed experiences throughout the weekend. \n\nDiscover more than 50 food vendors\, food trucks\, artisan makers\, an d local businesses.\n\nFestival highlights include:\n\n Sip & RELISH\, an open-air cocktail garden\n Adult Workshops\n Family programming\n Live entertainment all weekend\n Arts Etobicoke will host birthday-themed cra fts throughout the weekend\, plus a special birthday cupcake celebration S aturday and Sunday\, with 500 complimentary cupcakes given away each day i n front of the main stage.\n RELISH The Deals\n RELISH Bites Program\, t aste exclusive $10 RELISH Bites from participating vendors\n\nReturning as the festival's charitable partner\, Second Harvest will once again lead f ood rescue efforts while hosting family-friendly activations and fundraisi ng initiatives that help reduce food waste and support communities across the GTA.\n\nAdmission is FREE.\n\nCome hungry and celebrate one of Toronto 's favourite community food festivals at Cloverdale Mall.\n\nFor the full lineup of vendors\, workshops\, entertainment\, and event details\, please visit https://mycloverdale.com/relish-the-foodie-event/experience/ LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T002247Z LOCATION:Cloverdale Mall - North Parking Lot\, 250 The East Mall\, Toronto \, ON\, M9B 3Y8 URL:https://festivalstoronto.com/events/relish-the-foodie-event/?utm_sourc e=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:East York X-SOURCE-URL:https://festivalstoronto.com/farmers-markets END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Magnus Hara: The Light of Day DTSTART:20260918T040000Z DTEND:20260919T035959Z DTSTAMP:20260816T001947Z UID:145669-1789689600-1794182399@www.gardinermuseum.on.ca CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Magnus Hara: The Light of Day \n \n \n\n\n\n \n\n \n\n\n \n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n September 18 – November 8\, 2026\nThe Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation Hall. Ground Fl oor\nIncluded with admission. Free for Gardiner Members. \n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n Get Tickets\n\n\n\n Become a Member\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n  \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n This exhibition features the work of Magnus Hara\, recipient of t he 2024 Gardiner Museum Prize\, awarded to a graduate of the Sheridan Coll ege Ceramics Program. Through alteration and combination of intimately kno wn forms\, this collection of vases is a reclamation of joy and autonomy a fter grief\, loss\, and injury. Intuitive assemblies of form\, pattern\, a nd configuration are used to question and confront the familiar in a dynam ic visual language. \n\n \n \n \n\n\n \n \n  \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the Artist\n \n \n \n Magnus Hara\n \n \n \n Magnus Hara is a non-binary multimedia craftsperson with a specialty in ceramics curre ntly living and working in Hamilton\, Ontario. With a background in produc tion pottery\, they use their skills on the wheel to create functional and sculptural pieces for the home with a focus on the idea of mundane intima cy. Hara studied Ceramics at Mohawk College before obtaining a Bachelor of Craft and Design from Sheridan College. Most recently\, they completed an artist residency at the Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh\, Pe nnsylvania. \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n \n  \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n Thanks To LAST-MODIFIED:20260816T001947Z LOCATION:Gardiner Museum\, 111 Queen's Park\, Toronto\, ON\, M5S 2C7\, Can ada URL:https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/event/magnus-hara-the-light-of-day/?u tm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Gardiner Museum X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Boker Tov (Online) DTSTART:20260918T123000Z DTEND:20260918T130000Z DTSTAMP:20260915T181224Z UID:84356-1789720200-1789722000@templesinai.net CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Blog #5: RENAISSANCE FLORENCE – ART ANDRELIGIONMarch 30\, 20 26Ciao\, I nostri amici! As we’ve been touring round the magnificent art \, especially the sculpture\, we’ve gained a deep appreciation of why Fl orence is considered to be the birthplace of the Renaissance. We’d like to take you on a virtual tour to show how this new way of viewing the worl d developed. We begin with a statue of David\, sculpted by a young Donatel lo around 1408: He is posed like a victorious knight with the head of the slain Goliath at his feet – more of a military figure than a religious o ne. This was Donatello’s first break with medieval classicism. He contin ued to make great strides by the time he sculpted his second David in 1440 : This David is the first freestanding nude\, with a confident\, relaxed – and sensual – pose. The Florentines were now ready to enjoy the huma n body as beautiful rather than something dirty to be hidden. But even mor e is going on during this artistic transition. Take a look\, for example\, at Michelangelo’s David\, completed in 1440: David carries his sling o ver his shoulder and grasps a stone in his hand\, ready to attack the Phil istine enemy. But as you admire the beauty of this statue\, does it seem t o depict a biblical youth? Or perhaps the perfect body of a Roman God? (By the way\, we must point out a flaw committed by both these artists: you ’ll notice that David isn’t circumcised!) So we see that Renaissance a rt often depicted a harmonious blend of Roman paganism with Christian reli gion. We see this also in an earlier sculpture by Michelangelo: Is this D avid reaching for his sling\, or Apollo reaching for an arrow? Even art cr itics are divided on this question. We can also witness this blend in pain tings – for example\, this work by Boticelli\, titled “The Rite of Spr ing”: Is the central figure\, with arms in welcoming gesture\, the godd ess Venus – or the Virgin Mary? In contemporary Italian Catholicism\, Ma ry is the major figure of worship rather than Jesus. To some people\, the rituals of veneration toward Mary (e.g. crowning the head of her statue wi th laurels\, making votive requests for her to grant a wish) are more remi niscent of superstition than religion. However\, we found a different answ er in a church we visited on Palm Sunday: When you enter many churches in Europe\, your first reaction is often “oh Wow!” as you’re overwhelm ed by their massive size\, elaborate architecture and vivid frescoes. In t his church\, however\, named the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte\, we wer e drawn in by what Cheryl described as an aura of solemnity. When we walke d in\, the monk was giving a sermon\, and then later baptised a baby: We learned that this basilica is a working monastery. To help support themsel ves\, the monks make all kinds of jams\, sweets and household items\, whic h they sell in the shop beside the church. While I (Larry) was in line at the counter\, a young woman ahead of me completed her purchase and then as ked the monk to bless her. (No photo here\; you will need to imagine the s cene.). The monk\, dressed in an impeccably folded beige cowl\, stepped aw ay from the counter to face her. In silence\, he placed a gentle hand on h er forehead\, let it remain for a few moments\, and then made the sign of the cross before her face. The woman\, in tears\, thanked the priest and s lowly walked away. Having watched from nearby\, I couldn’t help but thin k what a wonderful experience – more than this: a sacred encounter – t o know that you are blessed. Speaking of blessing\, we send our warmest wi shes to you for a joyous Pesach and Easter season. May this time bring ble ssing to you and your loved ones. Ciao\, Rabbino Lorenzo e Cherylissima (h er new name\, given by a dear friend\, along with a blessing!) \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \ n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #4: FLORENCE AT LAST!March 19\, 2026Ciao\, I nostri amici! We settled into our apartment in Florence\, dropped our luggage and then did our first shopping trip. He re’s Cheryl taking the shopping bags one by one up the stairs:         Wait\, that’s not all: there are a total of 83 steps to our apartmen t. But that’s OK: More stairs\, more pasta! Congregation Shir Hadash has been very warm and welcoming. Our first service was to celebrate Purim. M any people showed up in costume as we acted out the Book of Esther: We ha ve visited some of our favourite haunts in this beautiful city. For exampl e\, Ponte Vecchio (“old bridge”)\, spanning the Arno River: What make s this bridge unique is that it is lined with shops. Above them is a “se cret corridor” (with the windows) used by the Medici rulers to get from the Pitti Palace to the government offices (now the Uffizi Gallery) on the other side of the river\, avoiding any enemies in wait. During World War 2\, it was the only bridge not bombed by the Germans. A story has it that the pilot assigned this task took a look down at the bridge and couldn’t bring himself to destroy it. Lucky for the Florentines\, and for us! Whil e we stood admiring it\, a tourist offered to take our photo: Although mo st Italians don’t know much about the Jewish population here\, Florentin es are certainly aware of the majestic Great Synagogue (Orthodox) that dom inates the skyline and is a popular tourist site: In our neighbourhood\, we noticed this street: Nathan Cassuto was a Rabbi and Talmudic scholar i n the Florence community. He was deported to Auschwitz and was murdered in 1945. There is a custom throughout several European countries to place a brass “stumbling-stone” in front of the home of those deported to conc entration camps. We chanced upon Rabbi Cassuto’s stone on a walk through what was his neighbourhood: We have seen a number of these in Florence. Now to one of our favourite subjects: consumable delicacies. Determined to become renowned chefs\, we took a pasta making class. And of course\, th e quest for the best gelateria continues. This one just might be the final ist – it’s called “Perché Non” (why not? – not a question Loren zo has to ask). Pictured here is Sarah\, a leader of the Shir Hadash commu nity. That’s it for now – alla prossima\,Cara Cheryl e Rabbino Lorenz o di Firenze \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \ n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #3: Imperial RomeMarch 12\, 2026Ciao\, I nostri amici! We have be en in Florence for about two weeks\, but we still have some experiences to share about Rome. In this installment\, we’ll trace a brief history of the ancient Romans – especially their relationship with the Jewish popul ation. First of all\, we learned that the Jewish population in Rome dates back to the second century BCE. Both Julius Caesar and Augustus treated th e Jews well. That changed when Nero became Emperor in 54 CE. As a monument to the vast Roman empire\, he decided to build the Colosseum. It took tho usands of slaves to take part in this project — many of them Jewish slav es. This modern-day photo gives you an impression of its immense size: Th e “events” took place on a stage that covered the full inner circle. U nderneath that stage were cells for the animals and gladiators. The “eve nts” took place in three stages: Animals vs. animals: one killing the ot herAnimals vs. gladiators: dittoGladiator vs. gladiator. When one of them lay defeated on the ground (if he hadn’t already been killed)\, either t he Emperor or the crowd would vote “thumbs up” to spare his life or “thumbs down” to instruct the victor to slay him.In short\, the Coloss eum\, intended to show the vast reach of Roman power\, was in essence an a rena of gore and death. (And we think hockey fans are bad!) It was also Ne ro’s way of keeping the masses entertained with “circuses and bread\, ” thus diverting them from making trouble. Things got even worse during the second Jewish revolt from 66-70 CE. The Roman general Titus slaughtere d thousands of Jews\, and brought 50\,000 back to Rome as slaves. The Arch of Titus depicts the procession to Rome along with the Temple Menorah and holy artifacts: The next Emperor in this story is Hadrian (117-138 CE). Our guide Francesca took us to Tivoli\, just outside Rome\, where we toure d the luxurious villa where Hadrian made his home. Here is a scale model o f the estate\, which covered hundreds of hectares of land: Located near t he centre was his “marina palace”: As you can see\, it was surrounded by a moat to shelter him from his many enemies. Francesca told us that Ha drian was — and still is — admired as a brilliant architect and admini strator. What is less known among Italians is that he decimated Jerusalem and renamed it Aelia Capitolina. He drove the Jewish inhabitants from the city\, marking the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora. After all this histor y\, let’s pause for a brief refreshment: Now we jump ahead several cent uries to more recent Roman history. While visiting the synagogue\, we lear ned that\, during the early stages of the Holocaust\, when the Nazis invad ed Rome\, they challenged the Jewish leadership to collect 50 kilograms of gold in order to be spared deportation. In the following display case\, w e see some of the receipts for the gold collected from individual families : Although the community succeeded in collecting the requisite amount\, t he Nazis deported them anyway. During our last night in Rome\, we frequent ed one of the several kosher restaurants in the ghetto area. The waiter ki ndly offered to take our photo. It seems he couldn’t resist making it a selfie! The next day we were off to Florence. Stay tuned for our first ad ventures in la bella città! Cheryl la Cara e Rabbino Lorenzo \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #2: Visit to RomeMarch 1\, 2026Ciao\, from Rome! When we checked i nto our lovely hotel\, the staff welcomed us and invited us to have a welc ome drink.  We ordered an Aperol spritz (the national drink here) – and this is what arrived! The next day\, we had a partial tour of the synago gue – partial\, because there was a Bar Mitzvah and we had to stay in a corner of the sanctuary. However\, Lorenzo managed to catch this photo of the group on the Bima: The boy was chanting a prayer called Shir Hakavod to a traditional melody – which will be familiar to Solelniks as the tun e we use for Ashrey!  We’ll have more to tell about the Great Synagogue of Rome in a future installment\, but this photo gives you an idea of the majestic interior. We then joined a guided tour of the Rome ghetto\, wher e Jews in the 16th century were forced to live. All of the community\, ri ch and poor\, were confined to a small area and had no access to building materials.  As this photo shows\, they had to scrounge whatever was avail able from discarded debris: There was no room in the ghetto to bury the d ead. After some lengthy negotiation\, the Rome officials granted a section of land to use as a cemetery. Today\, this area has become a rose garden that bears some vestiges of Jewish presence – the first photo shows a st one dating back to ghetto times\, from which the present-day design of the garden walkways is fashioned. Getting back to our favourite theme of foo d\, we happened to arrive during the “artichoke season.”  There are t wo ways they are prepared: Jewish and Roman.  The first are deep-fried an d the second are sautéed in olive oil – both are delicious! We’ll le ave you with a photo this delicious Roman specialty salad called “mille foglie.” Like mille feulle it is muti-layered: thin wafer-like crackers\ , puttarella (chickory)\, burrata and anchovies.  Delicioso! Combined wi th the two types of artichoke\, caccio e pepe and fine local wine\, it won ’t surprise you to learn that the next day we purchased a bathroom scale != Stay tuned\, Cheryl la Cara e Rabbino Lorenzo \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #1: W e’re on our way!February 17\, 2026Ciao\, dear family and friends: In a f ew days we’ll be off to Italy. We thank Deborah and David Cooper for thi s lovely sendoff: We’ll keep you posted on our travels. We start off wi th 5 days in Rome. We then head north to Florence where we’ll make our h ome for the next 2+ months\, working with Congregation Shir Hadash as we d id two years ago. We hope to give you a taste of our journey: the sites we visit\, the people we meet\, and some of the rich religious and cultural history that Italy has to offer. And of course\, the food! We’re almost ready to take off! Here is Larry on his way a few years ago: Ciao! L&C LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T181224Z LOCATION:Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto\, 210 Wilson Avenue\, Toront o\, Ontario\, M5M 3B1\, Canada URL:https://templesinai.net/calendar/boker-tov-online-2026-2026-07-19/2026 -09-18/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://templesinai.net/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:EarlyON Drop-In Program DTSTART:20260918T133000Z DTEND:20260918T203000Z DTSTAMP:20260915T000348Z UID:49351-1789723800-1789749000@accessalliance.ca CATEGORIES:arts,family DESCRIPTION:Do you have children 0-6 years old? Drop in for arts and craft s\, singing and stories. We welcome all families. Register directly here. \nWHO: Families with children 0-6 years old\nWHEN: April 1–September 30\ nMondays: 9:30 am–4:30 pm\nTuesdays: 9:30 am–4:30 pm\nThursdays: 9:30 am–4:30 pm\nFridays: 9 am–1 pm \nWHERE: 91 Barrington Ave. Secord Comm unity Centre July 2–August 28: 101 Barrington Ave. Secord Elementary Sch ool \n  \nTo register: EarlyON Drop-In Programs LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T000348Z LOCATION:91 Barrington Avenue\, Secord Community Centre\, 91 Barrington Av enue\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M4C 4Y9\, Canada URL:https://accessalliance.ca/event/earlyon-drop-in-program-12/2026-09-18/ ?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Access Alliance X-SOURCE-URL:https://accessalliance.ca/accesspoint END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Casa Loma General Admission DTSTART:20260918T133000Z DTEND:20260918T143000Z DTSTAMP:20260918T060251Z UID:10483512-1789723800-1789727400@nowtoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:. LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T060251Z LOCATION:Casa Loma\, 1 Austin Terrace\, Toronto\, M5R 1X8 URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/casa-loma-general-admission-120/?utm_sour ce=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:NOW Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/toronto-french-book-fair-salon-d u-livre-de-toronto END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:I Love Sushi (The Japan Foundation Travelling Exhibition) DTSTART:20260918T153000Z DTEND:20260918T203000Z DTSTAMP:20260915T170025Z UID:115535-1789731000-1789749000@tr.jpf.go.jp CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Established in 1972\, the Japan Foundation creates global oppo rtunities to cultivate friendship and ties between Japan and the world thr ough culture\, language\, and dialogue. The Foundation operates programs i n the fields of arts and cultural exchange\, Japanese-language education o verseas\, and Japanese studies and intellectual exchange. As a new cultura l exchange program\, we are delighted to present a touring exhibition “I Love Sushi” that focuses on sushi\, the most popular Japanese cuisine a round the world. \n\n\n\nIn 2013\, UNESCO inscribed washoku—Japanese cui sine—on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list\, and sushi is the archety pal example. Sushi is a refined and healthy food that looks good and taste s good\, and it has already become a familiar item on menus worldwide. Fro m its roots in Southeast Asia or Southern China\, sushi reached Japan over a thousand years ago. Since then\, sushi has radically changed\, taking a dvantage of the abundance of natural resources found in and around the isl ands of Japan\, of the application of knowledge and ideas to sushi\, and o f the never-ending Japanese drive to try good-tasting foods at the earlies t opportunity. The type of sushi that first comes to mind for most people today is nigiri-zushi\, which emerged about two hundred years ago in Edo\, the city that we now know as Tokyo. \n\n\n\nSushi has now spread outside Japan’s borders\, and is enjoyed around the world. But although it has b ecome a familiar food\, many people have only discovered a few of its attr actions. This exhibition aims to provide an in-depth visual guide to the a ppeal of sushi. It includes the chance to learn about how Japan took in su shi in its original form\, how it modified sushi to suit the natural envir onment\, culture\, and lifestyles of individual areas. It also introduces today’s vibrant sushi culture\, and it encourages us to think about the potential of sushi as a food for the future in the light of contemporary f ood issues. The exhibition includes a simulation of a visit to a sushi sho p in Japan. People who know little about sushi will greatly enjoy the exhi bition\, and keen fans of sushi will find it fascinating too. And we very much hope that through sushi\, the exhibition will also communicate someth ing about the history and customs of Japan. \n\n\n\nFinally\, we would lik e to express our gratitude to Hibino Terutoshi for his supervision of the preparations for this exhibition\, and to all the other individuals and en tities whose unstinting efforts have made the exhibition a success. \n\nAd mission: FREE Advanced\, time-specific reservations are recommended. \nBo ok Your Visit Here \nHand-sanitization at the entry and wearing face-cover ings on our premises are recommended. \nGallery Hours: Open on Tuesdays\, Thursdays\, Fridays\, and Saturdays. Hourly timeslots starting at 11:30 a m\, 12:30 pm\, 1:30 pm\, 2:30 pm\, 3:30 pm (4:30 pm and 5:30 pm on Thursda ys) * \nClosed on Sundays\, Mondays\, Wednesdays\, Select Saturdays\, and Public Holidays. \n** We will also be offering additional opening hours o n the following dates: \n\nMonday\, October 5 & Wednesday\, October 7\, 11 :30 am – 4:30 pm\nFriday\, October 9\, 11:30 am – 6:30 pm (Exhibition Final Day)\n\nExhibition Period: September 15 – October 9\, 2026 \n \nL ibrary & Gallery Opening Hours\n\n\n\n\n MondayCLOSED\n\n\n Tuesday11:30am to 4:30pm\n\n\n WednesdayCLOSED\n\n\n Thursday11:30am to 6:30pm\n\n\n Fri day11:30am to 4:30pm\n\n\n Saturday11:30am to 4:30pm *Closed on select Sat urdays\n\n\n\n SundayCLOSED\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRelated Programs: \n \nIn c onjuction with the “I Love Sushi” exhibition\, we will be holding a “Bring Your Own Bento: Japanese Language and Culture Talk” sharing the same title. Come join us on Friday September 18\, 2026 either in-person o r online\, and learn Japanese words and phrases related to sushi\, along w ith interesting fun facts around this theme! \nFor more details and to reg ister\, please visit here. LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T170025Z LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, T oronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/i-love-sushi-exhibition/2026-09-18/?utm_sou rce=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:SENIORS’ ARTS & CRAFTS DTSTART:20260918T173000Z DTEND:20260918T184500Z DTSTAMP:20260915T000348Z UID:50315-1789738200-1789742700@accessalliance.ca CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Newcomers and established seniors can share their culture and experiences and learn from each other while making jewelry\, coloring and knitting.\nWHO: Newcomer and other seniors\nWHEN: Fridays\, 1:30–2:45 pm \nWHERE: AccessPoint on Danforth LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T000348Z LOCATION:AccessPoint on Danforth\, 3079 Danforth Ave\, Scarborough\, Ontar io\, M1L 1A9\, Canada URL:https://accessalliance.ca/event/seniors-arts-crafts/2026-09-18/?utm_so urce=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Access Alliance X-SOURCE-URL:https://accessalliance.ca/accesspoint END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Bloorcourt Nuit Nuit DTSTART:20260918T190000Z DTEND:20260919T023000Z DTSTAMP:20260918T060251Z UID:10483595-1789743600-1789770600@nowtoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts,market,music DESCRIPTION:Experience a one-night only transformation of a parking lot in to a night market and third space in Bloorcourt on Friday\, September 18th from 3PM-10:30PM.  \nLocated near Bloor and Dufferin (just east at Bloor St W and Bartlett Ave)\, the GreenP lot takes on a new identity filled wi th shopping\, art\, live music\, connection and snacks. Complete the activ ity passport to win prizes. Discover or rediscover local gems.  \n**new f or 2026 – we will be licensing the parking lot for sip ‘n shop experie nce (must be 19+ for this element) \nLive DJ: Dj Spence DiamondsPhoto Exhi bition: curated by Bryan BrockArt Installations – more details to be sha red closer to the event date. \nQuestions? Interested in getting involved? Email: bloorcourtbia@gmail.com LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T060251Z LOCATION:7 Bartlett Avenue\, 7 Bartlett Ave\, Toronto\, ON M6H 3E6\, Canad a\, Old Toronto\, Toronto\, Ontario\, M6H 3E6 URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/bloorcourt-nuit-nuit/?utm_source=caldisco very&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:NOW Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://nowtoronto.com/event/toronto-french-book-fair-salon-d u-livre-de-toronto END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:In-Studio – The Art Café Freestyle Painting – Open Studio DTSTART:20260918T193000Z DTEND:20260918T230000Z DTSTAMP:20260820T001218Z UID:4472@freshpaintstudio.ca CATEGORIES:arts LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T001218Z LOCATION:2229 Kingston Road\, 2229 Kingston Rd - Unit A\,\, Toronto\, ON\, M1N 0B4\, URL:https://www.freshpaintstudio.ca/events/in-studio-the-art-caf-freestyle -painting-open-studio-18-09-2026/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&u tm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Fun Things To Do In Toronto Ontario X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.freshpaintstudio.ca/calendar END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Public Pier DTSTART:20260918T220000Z DTEND:20261004T030000Z DTSTAMP:20260918T005110Z UID:198515-1789754400-1791068400@viewthevibe.com CATEGORIES:arts,dance,food,music DESCRIPTION:Public Pier brings arts\, food\, music\, dance and Silo Nights to Toronto’s waterfront this fall \nFree-to-attend and running Fridays and Saturdays from September 18 to October 3\, Public Pier is turning Mari na Quay West (539 Queens Quay West) into a free day-to-night cultural de stination – featuring music\, dance\, food\, public art and immersive nighttime projections \nPublic Pier reimagines one of the city’s most ic onic waterfront spaces\, transforming the pier into a vibrant destination for culture\, gathering and public life \n  \nFree-to-attend and open to everyone\, enjoy day-to-night experiences on the waterfront including: \nF ood and drink – The Super Yummy Market brings together curated bites and fresh flavours\, alongside local craft beer and beverages from Great Lake s Brewpub \nLive DJs – Local DJs\, including CYRO Sounds\, Introspkt an d Nabz\, soundtrack the pier from the afternoon into the evening \nDance w orkshops – Free\, beginner-friendly sessions invite visitors to discover their rhythm through styles ranging from salsa to line dancing \nSILO NIG HTS\, curated by OCAD University – As night falls\, the Canada Malting Silos will be illuminated with immersive artworks by local and internation al artists \nPublic Trust – The Canadian debut of artist Paul Ramírez Jonas’ interactive public artwork that invites Torontonians of all ages to make promises to themselves\, and their community—not just as inhabi tants of the city\, but as co-authors of its future *Public Trust at Marin a Quay West from Sept. 17 through Sept. 20 only \n  \nPublic Pier\nMarina Quay West\, 539 Queens Quay West\, Toronto\n*located beside Toronto Music Garden\, across from the Canada Malting Silos \nSeptember 18-19\, Septemb er 25-26 and October 2-3\, 2026\nFridays: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.\nSaturdays: 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. \nFree and open to all\nDiscover full schedule and program ming details at PublicPier.ca LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T005110Z URL:https://viewthevibe.com/event/public-pier/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm _medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:View the VIBE X-SOURCE-URL:https://viewthevibe.com/category/cool-vibes-in-toronto/things -to-do/page/6 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:BowieFest Canada - POSTPONED DTSTART:20260918T230000Z DTEND:20260919T020000Z DTSTAMP:20260909T001133Z UID:3032@torontogothevents.com CATEGORIES:arts,festival DESCRIPTION:Due to scheduling issues\, this event has been postponed to Ja nuary 9th 2027.\n\nBOWIEFEST CANADA Canada invites Bowie fans\, artists\, collectors\, musicians\, fashion lovers\, and the beautifully strange to g ather for a night dedicated to the man who taught generations that being d ifferent was not only acceptable — it was the point.\n\nThe evening will feature:\n\nThe Bowie Bazaar — collectibles\, art\, fashion\, records\, memorabilia\, and Bowie-inspired creations\nSpecial guests — artists\, performers\, collectors\, and Bowie devotees\nExhibits and displays — ce lebrating Bowie’s influence across music\, style\, and visual culture\nL ive performance by The Bowie Lives — a full theatrical tribute to David Bowie’s legendary catalogue\nA gathering of fans — dressed to thrill\, ready to celebrate\, and united by Bowie’s enduring spirit\n\ncost: $38 .61 at Eventbrite - $50 at the door\n\nmore info: BowieFest Canada LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T001133Z LOCATION:Ground Control\, 1279 Queen St. W.\, Toronto\, ON\, Canada URL:https://www.torontogothevents.com/events/bowiefest-canada-2/?utm_sourc e=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Houndstooth X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.torontogothevents.com/locations/houndstooth END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Queen West Art Crawl - Sep 19\, 2026 - Sep 20\, 2026 - Trinity Bel lwoods Park DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260919 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260921 DTSTAMP:20260825T002247Z UID:1257@festivalstoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts,festival DESCRIPTION:The Queen West Art Crawl celebrates and promotes the art\, cul ture and diversity of Queen West in Toronto. LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T002247Z LOCATION:Trinity Bellwoods Park\, 790 Queen St W\, Toronto\, ON\, M6J 1G3 URL:https://festivalstoronto.com/events/queen-west-art-crawl/?utm_source=c aldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:East York X-SOURCE-URL:https://festivalstoronto.com/farmers-markets END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Members Exclusive: Mini Fabric Sale DTSTART:20260919T010000Z DTEND:20260919T030000Z DTSTAMP:20260901T060753Z UID:17370-1789765200-1789772400@textilemuseum.ca CATEGORIES:arts LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T060753Z URL:https://textilemuseum.ca/event/members-exclusive-mini-fabric-sale/?utm _source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Textile Museum of Canada X-SOURCE-URL:http://www.textilemuseum.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:†Resurrection† LXVII DTSTART:20260919T020000Z DTEND:20260919T070000Z DTSTAMP:20260917T001127Z UID:3407@torontogothevents.com CATEGORIES:arts,music DESCRIPTION:RESURRECTION is Toronto's most unique Alternative/Goth night + Art show\, a daring fusion of dark music\, performance art\, and an exhib it of some of the best dark/horror artists\, craftspeople\, and designers in the Toronto area.\n\nThis month's edition features resident DJ VON DARQ UE and guest TATTZ spinning Goth / Industrial / Darkwave / EBM / Dark Elec tro / Cyberpunk / Synthwave / Metal / NuMetal / 80s / 90s / 00s / More\n\n cost: $10 at the door\n\nmore info: Facebook LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T001127Z LOCATION:See-Scape\, 347 Keele St.\, Toronto\, ON\, Canada URL:https://www.torontogothevents.com/events/resurrection-lxvii/?utm_sourc e=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Houndstooth X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.torontogothevents.com/locations/houndstooth END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Chevrat Torah DTSTART:20260919T123000Z DTEND:20260919T134500Z DTSTAMP:20260915T181224Z UID:83952-1789806600-1789811100@templesinai.net CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Blog #5: RENAISSANCE FLORENCE – ART ANDRELIGIONMarch 30\, 20 26Ciao\, I nostri amici! As we’ve been touring round the magnificent art \, especially the sculpture\, we’ve gained a deep appreciation of why Fl orence is considered to be the birthplace of the Renaissance. We’d like to take you on a virtual tour to show how this new way of viewing the worl d developed. We begin with a statue of David\, sculpted by a young Donatel lo around 1408: He is posed like a victorious knight with the head of the slain Goliath at his feet – more of a military figure than a religious o ne. This was Donatello’s first break with medieval classicism. He contin ued to make great strides by the time he sculpted his second David in 1440 : This David is the first freestanding nude\, with a confident\, relaxed – and sensual – pose. The Florentines were now ready to enjoy the huma n body as beautiful rather than something dirty to be hidden. But even mor e is going on during this artistic transition. Take a look\, for example\, at Michelangelo’s David\, completed in 1440: David carries his sling o ver his shoulder and grasps a stone in his hand\, ready to attack the Phil istine enemy. But as you admire the beauty of this statue\, does it seem t o depict a biblical youth? Or perhaps the perfect body of a Roman God? (By the way\, we must point out a flaw committed by both these artists: you ’ll notice that David isn’t circumcised!) So we see that Renaissance a rt often depicted a harmonious blend of Roman paganism with Christian reli gion. We see this also in an earlier sculpture by Michelangelo: Is this D avid reaching for his sling\, or Apollo reaching for an arrow? Even art cr itics are divided on this question. We can also witness this blend in pain tings – for example\, this work by Boticelli\, titled “The Rite of Spr ing”: Is the central figure\, with arms in welcoming gesture\, the godd ess Venus – or the Virgin Mary? In contemporary Italian Catholicism\, Ma ry is the major figure of worship rather than Jesus. To some people\, the rituals of veneration toward Mary (e.g. crowning the head of her statue wi th laurels\, making votive requests for her to grant a wish) are more remi niscent of superstition than religion. However\, we found a different answ er in a church we visited on Palm Sunday: When you enter many churches in Europe\, your first reaction is often “oh Wow!” as you’re overwhelm ed by their massive size\, elaborate architecture and vivid frescoes. In t his church\, however\, named the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte\, we wer e drawn in by what Cheryl described as an aura of solemnity. When we walke d in\, the monk was giving a sermon\, and then later baptised a baby: We learned that this basilica is a working monastery. To help support themsel ves\, the monks make all kinds of jams\, sweets and household items\, whic h they sell in the shop beside the church. While I (Larry) was in line at the counter\, a young woman ahead of me completed her purchase and then as ked the monk to bless her. (No photo here\; you will need to imagine the s cene.). The monk\, dressed in an impeccably folded beige cowl\, stepped aw ay from the counter to face her. In silence\, he placed a gentle hand on h er forehead\, let it remain for a few moments\, and then made the sign of the cross before her face. The woman\, in tears\, thanked the priest and s lowly walked away. Having watched from nearby\, I couldn’t help but thin k what a wonderful experience – more than this: a sacred encounter – t o know that you are blessed. Speaking of blessing\, we send our warmest wi shes to you for a joyous Pesach and Easter season. May this time bring ble ssing to you and your loved ones. Ciao\, Rabbino Lorenzo e Cherylissima (h er new name\, given by a dear friend\, along with a blessing!) \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \ n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #4: FLORENCE AT LAST!March 19\, 2026Ciao\, I nostri amici! We settled into our apartment in Florence\, dropped our luggage and then did our first shopping trip. He re’s Cheryl taking the shopping bags one by one up the stairs:         Wait\, that’s not all: there are a total of 83 steps to our apartmen t. But that’s OK: More stairs\, more pasta! Congregation Shir Hadash has been very warm and welcoming. Our first service was to celebrate Purim. M any people showed up in costume as we acted out the Book of Esther: We ha ve visited some of our favourite haunts in this beautiful city. For exampl e\, Ponte Vecchio (“old bridge”)\, spanning the Arno River: What make s this bridge unique is that it is lined with shops. Above them is a “se cret corridor” (with the windows) used by the Medici rulers to get from the Pitti Palace to the government offices (now the Uffizi Gallery) on the other side of the river\, avoiding any enemies in wait. During World War 2\, it was the only bridge not bombed by the Germans. A story has it that the pilot assigned this task took a look down at the bridge and couldn’t bring himself to destroy it. Lucky for the Florentines\, and for us! Whil e we stood admiring it\, a tourist offered to take our photo: Although mo st Italians don’t know much about the Jewish population here\, Florentin es are certainly aware of the majestic Great Synagogue (Orthodox) that dom inates the skyline and is a popular tourist site: In our neighbourhood\, we noticed this street: Nathan Cassuto was a Rabbi and Talmudic scholar i n the Florence community. He was deported to Auschwitz and was murdered in 1945. There is a custom throughout several European countries to place a brass “stumbling-stone” in front of the home of those deported to conc entration camps. We chanced upon Rabbi Cassuto’s stone on a walk through what was his neighbourhood: We have seen a number of these in Florence. Now to one of our favourite subjects: consumable delicacies. Determined to become renowned chefs\, we took a pasta making class. And of course\, th e quest for the best gelateria continues. This one just might be the final ist – it’s called “Perché Non” (why not? – not a question Loren zo has to ask). Pictured here is Sarah\, a leader of the Shir Hadash commu nity. That’s it for now – alla prossima\,Cara Cheryl e Rabbino Lorenz o di Firenze \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \ n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #3: Imperial RomeMarch 12\, 2026Ciao\, I nostri amici! We have be en in Florence for about two weeks\, but we still have some experiences to share about Rome. In this installment\, we’ll trace a brief history of the ancient Romans – especially their relationship with the Jewish popul ation. First of all\, we learned that the Jewish population in Rome dates back to the second century BCE. Both Julius Caesar and Augustus treated th e Jews well. That changed when Nero became Emperor in 54 CE. As a monument to the vast Roman empire\, he decided to build the Colosseum. It took tho usands of slaves to take part in this project — many of them Jewish slav es. This modern-day photo gives you an impression of its immense size: Th e “events” took place on a stage that covered the full inner circle. U nderneath that stage were cells for the animals and gladiators. The “eve nts” took place in three stages: Animals vs. animals: one killing the ot herAnimals vs. gladiators: dittoGladiator vs. gladiator. When one of them lay defeated on the ground (if he hadn’t already been killed)\, either t he Emperor or the crowd would vote “thumbs up” to spare his life or “thumbs down” to instruct the victor to slay him.In short\, the Coloss eum\, intended to show the vast reach of Roman power\, was in essence an a rena of gore and death. (And we think hockey fans are bad!) It was also Ne ro’s way of keeping the masses entertained with “circuses and bread\, ” thus diverting them from making trouble. Things got even worse during the second Jewish revolt from 66-70 CE. The Roman general Titus slaughtere d thousands of Jews\, and brought 50\,000 back to Rome as slaves. The Arch of Titus depicts the procession to Rome along with the Temple Menorah and holy artifacts: The next Emperor in this story is Hadrian (117-138 CE). Our guide Francesca took us to Tivoli\, just outside Rome\, where we toure d the luxurious villa where Hadrian made his home. Here is a scale model o f the estate\, which covered hundreds of hectares of land: Located near t he centre was his “marina palace”: As you can see\, it was surrounded by a moat to shelter him from his many enemies. Francesca told us that Ha drian was — and still is — admired as a brilliant architect and admini strator. What is less known among Italians is that he decimated Jerusalem and renamed it Aelia Capitolina. He drove the Jewish inhabitants from the city\, marking the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora. After all this histor y\, let’s pause for a brief refreshment: Now we jump ahead several cent uries to more recent Roman history. While visiting the synagogue\, we lear ned that\, during the early stages of the Holocaust\, when the Nazis invad ed Rome\, they challenged the Jewish leadership to collect 50 kilograms of gold in order to be spared deportation. In the following display case\, w e see some of the receipts for the gold collected from individual families : Although the community succeeded in collecting the requisite amount\, t he Nazis deported them anyway. During our last night in Rome\, we frequent ed one of the several kosher restaurants in the ghetto area. The waiter ki ndly offered to take our photo. It seems he couldn’t resist making it a selfie! The next day we were off to Florence. Stay tuned for our first ad ventures in la bella città! Cheryl la Cara e Rabbino Lorenzo \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #2: Visit to RomeMarch 1\, 2026Ciao\, from Rome! When we checked i nto our lovely hotel\, the staff welcomed us and invited us to have a welc ome drink.  We ordered an Aperol spritz (the national drink here) – and this is what arrived! The next day\, we had a partial tour of the synago gue – partial\, because there was a Bar Mitzvah and we had to stay in a corner of the sanctuary. However\, Lorenzo managed to catch this photo of the group on the Bima: The boy was chanting a prayer called Shir Hakavod to a traditional melody – which will be familiar to Solelniks as the tun e we use for Ashrey!  We’ll have more to tell about the Great Synagogue of Rome in a future installment\, but this photo gives you an idea of the majestic interior. We then joined a guided tour of the Rome ghetto\, wher e Jews in the 16th century were forced to live. All of the community\, ri ch and poor\, were confined to a small area and had no access to building materials.  As this photo shows\, they had to scrounge whatever was avail able from discarded debris: There was no room in the ghetto to bury the d ead. After some lengthy negotiation\, the Rome officials granted a section of land to use as a cemetery. Today\, this area has become a rose garden that bears some vestiges of Jewish presence – the first photo shows a st one dating back to ghetto times\, from which the present-day design of the garden walkways is fashioned. Getting back to our favourite theme of foo d\, we happened to arrive during the “artichoke season.”  There are t wo ways they are prepared: Jewish and Roman.  The first are deep-fried an d the second are sautéed in olive oil – both are delicious! We’ll le ave you with a photo this delicious Roman specialty salad called “mille foglie.” Like mille feulle it is muti-layered: thin wafer-like crackers\ , puttarella (chickory)\, burrata and anchovies.  Delicioso! Combined wi th the two types of artichoke\, caccio e pepe and fine local wine\, it won ’t surprise you to learn that the next day we purchased a bathroom scale != Stay tuned\, Cheryl la Cara e Rabbino Lorenzo \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #1: W e’re on our way!February 17\, 2026Ciao\, dear family and friends: In a f ew days we’ll be off to Italy. We thank Deborah and David Cooper for thi s lovely sendoff: We’ll keep you posted on our travels. We start off wi th 5 days in Rome. We then head north to Florence where we’ll make our h ome for the next 2+ months\, working with Congregation Shir Hadash as we d id two years ago. We hope to give you a taste of our journey: the sites we visit\, the people we meet\, and some of the rich religious and cultural history that Italy has to offer. And of course\, the food! We’re almost ready to take off! Here is Larry on his way a few years ago: Ciao! L&C LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T181224Z LOCATION:Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto\, 210 Wilson Avenue\, Toront o\, Ontario\, M5M 3B1\, Canada URL:https://templesinai.net/calendar/chevrat-torah-2/2026-09-19/?utm_sourc e=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://templesinai.net/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Art on the Fringe Festival - Sep 19\, 2026 - Sep 20\, 2026 - Uxbri dge Museum DTSTART:20260919T140000Z DTEND:20260920T200000Z DTSTAMP:20260825T002247Z UID:2221@festivalstoronto.com CATEGORIES:arts,festival DESCRIPTION:Uxbridge Art on the Fringe Festival - Over 30 artists\, live m usic all day and amazing food – all in one place. LAST-MODIFIED:20260825T002247Z LOCATION:Uxbridge Museum\, 7239 Concession 6\, Uxbridge\, ON\, L9P 1N5 URL:https://festivalstoronto.com/events/art-on-the-fringe-festival/?utm_so urce=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:East York X-SOURCE-URL:https://festivalstoronto.com/farmers-markets END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Into the Garden Art Show & Sale DTSTART:20260919T150000Z DTEND:20260919T210000Z DTSTAMP:20260915T170426Z UID:52321-1789815600-1789837200@beachmetro.com CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Featuring the community of artists from The Gallery Wall. Pain ting\, textiles\, paper\, clay\, live music\, illustrations and more. LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T170426Z LOCATION:9 Wayland Ave.\, 9 Wayland Ave. URL:https://beachmetro.com/event/into-the-garden-art-show-sale/?utm_source =caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Beach Metro Community News X-SOURCE-URL:https://beachmetro.com/2023/12/08/a-very-merry-market-hosted- by-the-toronto-flea-set-for-jimmie-simpson-rec-centre-this-weekend END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:I Love Sushi (The Japan Foundation Travelling Exhibition) DTSTART:20260919T153000Z DTEND:20260919T203000Z DTSTAMP:20260915T170025Z UID:115707-1789817400-1789835400@tr.jpf.go.jp CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Established in 1972\, the Japan Foundation creates global oppo rtunities to cultivate friendship and ties between Japan and the world thr ough culture\, language\, and dialogue. The Foundation operates programs i n the fields of arts and cultural exchange\, Japanese-language education o verseas\, and Japanese studies and intellectual exchange. As a new cultura l exchange program\, we are delighted to present a touring exhibition “I Love Sushi” that focuses on sushi\, the most popular Japanese cuisine a round the world. \n\n\n\nIn 2013\, UNESCO inscribed washoku—Japanese cui sine—on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list\, and sushi is the archety pal example. Sushi is a refined and healthy food that looks good and taste s good\, and it has already become a familiar item on menus worldwide. Fro m its roots in Southeast Asia or Southern China\, sushi reached Japan over a thousand years ago. Since then\, sushi has radically changed\, taking a dvantage of the abundance of natural resources found in and around the isl ands of Japan\, of the application of knowledge and ideas to sushi\, and o f the never-ending Japanese drive to try good-tasting foods at the earlies t opportunity. The type of sushi that first comes to mind for most people today is nigiri-zushi\, which emerged about two hundred years ago in Edo\, the city that we now know as Tokyo. \n\n\n\nSushi has now spread outside Japan’s borders\, and is enjoyed around the world. But although it has b ecome a familiar food\, many people have only discovered a few of its attr actions. This exhibition aims to provide an in-depth visual guide to the a ppeal of sushi. It includes the chance to learn about how Japan took in su shi in its original form\, how it modified sushi to suit the natural envir onment\, culture\, and lifestyles of individual areas. It also introduces today’s vibrant sushi culture\, and it encourages us to think about the potential of sushi as a food for the future in the light of contemporary f ood issues. The exhibition includes a simulation of a visit to a sushi sho p in Japan. People who know little about sushi will greatly enjoy the exhi bition\, and keen fans of sushi will find it fascinating too. And we very much hope that through sushi\, the exhibition will also communicate someth ing about the history and customs of Japan. \n\n\n\nFinally\, we would lik e to express our gratitude to Hibino Terutoshi for his supervision of the preparations for this exhibition\, and to all the other individuals and en tities whose unstinting efforts have made the exhibition a success. \n\nAd mission: FREE Advanced\, time-specific reservations are recommended. \nBo ok Your Visit Here \nHand-sanitization at the entry and wearing face-cover ings on our premises are recommended. \nGallery Hours: Open on Tuesdays\, Thursdays\, Fridays\, and Saturdays. Hourly timeslots starting at 11:30 a m\, 12:30 pm\, 1:30 pm\, 2:30 pm\, 3:30 pm (4:30 pm and 5:30 pm on Thursda ys) * \nClosed on Sundays\, Mondays\, Wednesdays\, Select Saturdays\, and Public Holidays. \n** We will also be offering additional opening hours o n the following dates: \n\nMonday\, October 5 & Wednesday\, October 7\, 11 :30 am – 4:30 pm\nFriday\, October 9\, 11:30 am – 6:30 pm (Exhibition Final Day)\n\nExhibition Period: September 15 – October 9\, 2026 \n \nL ibrary & Gallery Opening Hours\n\n\n\n\n MondayCLOSED\n\n\n Tuesday11:30am to 4:30pm\n\n\n WednesdayCLOSED\n\n\n Thursday11:30am to 6:30pm\n\n\n Fri day11:30am to 4:30pm\n\n\n Saturday11:30am to 4:30pm *Closed on select Sat urdays\n\n\n\n SundayCLOSED\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRelated Programs: \n \nIn c onjuction with the “I Love Sushi” exhibition\, we will be holding a “Bring Your Own Bento: Japanese Language and Culture Talk” sharing the same title. Come join us on Friday September 18\, 2026 either in-person o r online\, and learn Japanese words and phrases related to sushi\, along w ith interesting fun facts around this theme! \nFor more details and to reg ister\, please visit here. LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T170025Z LOCATION:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto\, 2 Bloor St. East\, 3rd Floor\, T oronto\, ON\, M4W 1A8\, Canada URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp/event/i-love-sushi-exhibition/2026-09-19/?utm_sou rce=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:The Japan Foundation\, Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://tr.jpf.go.jp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Resistance and Reconciliation in York DTSTART:20260919T190000Z DTEND:20260919T203000Z DTSTAMP:20260729T155842Z UID:203489-1789830000-1789835400@www.heritagetoronto.org CATEGORIES:arts,community DESCRIPTION:Discover the city through art and Indigenous storytelling\, an d see Toronto in a whole new way.\n\n\n\nExplore the enduring Indigenous p resence in the Bathurst and St. Clair area through its parks\, public art\ , and community spaces. Visit murals in the area depicting wolves\, guardi ans\, and layered landscapes\, while learning about the Medicine Wheel\, t he Dish With One Spoon\, Orange Shirt Day\, and Indigenous-led care. Along the way\, you’ll hear inspiring stories of Indigenous resistance\, heal ing\, and community-building that continue to shape Toronto. \n\n\n\nThis tour will be led by Mike Buckland. Born in Burlington and now based in To ronto\, Mike remains deeply connected to his community of Membertou First Nation in Unama’ki (Cape Breton). With over 15 years of experience as an educator\, he is dedicated to making history engaging\, accessible\, and grounded in lived experience. Mike works as an Instructor with the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres\, delivering training that ad dresses Indigenous-specific racism and supports systems change. His work i s rooted in storytelling\, relationship-building\, and community knowledge \, bringing forward Indigenous presence\, resilience\, and voices in urban spaces. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTour participants\, Indigenous Art & Natu re\, September 17\, 2023. Image by Johnny Wu.\n\n\n\n\n\nBasketball Court Mural at David Crombie Park\, Resistance and Reconciliation tour\, Septemb er 6\, 2025.\n\n\n\n\n\nTour participants\, Resistance and Reconciliation\ , June 15\, 2025. Image by Jesse McDougall.\n\n\n\n\n\nTour participants\, Indigenous Art & Nature\, July 23\, 2023. Image by Agnes Manivit.\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\nRegistration\n\n\n\nThis tour is provided for $8.00/person. Th e total cost is $10.05 (includes a $2.05 transaction fee). Please note tha t space is limited on our tours. You may not be able to join a tour group if you have not registered ahead of time through our website. \n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMap heading – change value in settings\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAc cessibility\n\n\n\nThis tour is approximately 1 kilometre in distance and takes place predominantly on paved city sidewalks and streets. \n\n\n\n\nF AQs\n\n\n\n\n\nWhat should I do if I can’t find the group at the start l ocation?+\n\n\n\n\nOur staff and volunteers will be at the tour’s starti ng location 30 minutes prior to each tour. Please arrive at least 10-15 mi nutes prior to the start of the tour to allow time for check-in. Feel free to call us at (647) 542-3450 if you are having trouble finding the start location. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSponsors\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMore like this\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Map \n \n \n \n \n \n Tkaronto Voices\n \n \n\n Explore the map to learn about sites in the cit y with connections to Indigenous communities and histories. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Map \n \n \n \n \n \n Indigenous Roots: A Living History\n \n \n\n From Toronto’s original inhabitants\, their struggles and resistance to colonialism\, to the creation of today ’s Indigenous community in the city. Get to know Tkarón:to. LAST-MODIFIED:20260729T155842Z LOCATION:Wells Hills Park\, 145 Hilton Ave\, Toronto\, M5P1N4\, Canada URL:https://www.heritagetoronto.org/event/resistance-and-reconciliation-in -york-2/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Heritage Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.heritagetoronto.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Weekly Art Group DTSTART:20260919T190000Z DTEND:20260919T210000Z DTSTAMP:20260903T060939Z UID:10000294-1789830000-1789837200@parc.on.ca CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Join us every week for our community Art Group. All skill leve ls welcome. Materials provided. LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T060939Z LOCATION:Drop-In\, 1499 Queen St W\, Toronto\, ON\, M6R 1A3\, Canada URL:https://parc.on.ca/event/art-group-weekly-session-3/2026-09-19/?utm_so urce=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre | PARC X-SOURCE-URL:https://parc.on.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:In-Studio – The Art Café Freestyle Painting – Open Studio DTSTART:20260919T200000Z DTEND:20260919T230000Z DTSTAMP:20260820T001218Z UID:4473@freshpaintstudio.ca CATEGORIES:arts LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T001218Z LOCATION:2229 Kingston Road\, 2229 Kingston Rd - Unit A\,\, Toronto\, ON\, M1N 0B4\, URL:https://www.freshpaintstudio.ca/events/in-studio-the-art-caf-freestyle -painting-open-studio-19-09-2026/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&u tm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Fun Things To Do In Toronto Ontario X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.freshpaintstudio.ca/calendar END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Mini Fabric Sale DTSTART:20260919T200000Z DTEND:20260920T010000Z DTSTAMP:20260901T060753Z UID:17372-1789833600-1789851600@textilemuseum.ca CATEGORIES:arts,market LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T060753Z URL:https://textilemuseum.ca/event/mini-fabric-sale/?utm_source=caldiscove ry&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Textile Museum of Canada X-SOURCE-URL:http://www.textilemuseum.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:ART BUS: Cambridge Art Gallery DTSTART:20260919T220000Z DTEND:20260920T043000Z DTSTAMP:20260901T060753Z UID:17386-1789840800-1789864200@textilemuseum.ca CATEGORIES:arts LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T060753Z URL:https://textilemuseum.ca/event/art-bus-cambridge-art-gallery/?utm_sour ce=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Textile Museum of Canada X-SOURCE-URL:http://www.textilemuseum.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Paint Night - Van Gogh Inspired Starry Night on the Lake Acrylic P ainting Workshop in Toronto DTSTART:20260919T223000Z DTEND:20260920T000000Z DTSTAMP:20260820T001218Z UID:4474@freshpaintstudio.ca CATEGORIES:arts,education DESCRIPTION:Paint Night - Van Gogh Inspired Starry Night on the Lake Acryl ic Painting Workshop in Toronto\nIf you have enjoyed (or not yet) the exhi bition at the AGO in Toronto: The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Mati sse\, this workshop is for you.\n\nWelcome to our Paint Night - Van Gogh Inspired Starry Night on the Lake Acrylic Painting Workshop in Toronto. In our guided\, beginner-friendly step-by-step instructed paint night\, you can explore your artistic side and create a stunning acrylic painting. Joi n us for an evening filled with creativity as our skilled instructors guid e you through the steps to create a breathtaking masterpiece.\n\nWhether y ou're a seasoned artist or a beginner\, this event promises to be a fun-fi lled experience for everyone. So\, grab your paintbrushes\, immerse yourse lf in the beauty of an end of summer sunset\, cozy up with a cup of tea or coffee\, and let your imagination take you on a relaxing creative adventu re.\n\nYou will be guided step-by-step by one of our experienced artists t o create your version of the featured image. We will use acrylic paints du ring this paint night.\n\nNo experience necessary. All materials provided (including aprons!). This painting session includes an 11×14 canvas.\n\nC anned mocktails\, non alcoholic drinks\, and treats are available at the c afe for purchase ☕️🍰\n\nSaturday\, September 19\n\n6:30 pm – 8:00 pm\n\nCost for instruction + supplies: $45 +HST\n\nAges: 9+\n\nRegister now! Spaces are very limited.\n\nPLEASE NOTE: Event bookings are non-refu ndable. However\, event bookings are transferable to another date for an other future event. LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T001218Z LOCATION:2229 Kingston Road\, 2229 Kingston Rd - Unit A\,\, Toronto\, ON\, M1N 0B4\, URL:https://www.freshpaintstudio.ca/events/paint-night-van-gogh-inspired-s tarry-night-on-the-lake-acrylic-painting-workshop-in-toronto-2/?utm_source =caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Fun Things To Do In Toronto Ontario X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.freshpaintstudio.ca/calendar END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Kol Nidrei DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260920 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260921 DTSTAMP:20260915T181224Z UID:85129-1789862400-1789948799@templesinai.net CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Blog #5: RENAISSANCE FLORENCE – ART ANDRELIGIONMarch 30\, 20 26Ciao\, I nostri amici! As we’ve been touring round the magnificent art \, especially the sculpture\, we’ve gained a deep appreciation of why Fl orence is considered to be the birthplace of the Renaissance. We’d like to take you on a virtual tour to show how this new way of viewing the worl d developed. We begin with a statue of David\, sculpted by a young Donatel lo around 1408: He is posed like a victorious knight with the head of the slain Goliath at his feet – more of a military figure than a religious o ne. This was Donatello’s first break with medieval classicism. He contin ued to make great strides by the time he sculpted his second David in 1440 : This David is the first freestanding nude\, with a confident\, relaxed – and sensual – pose. The Florentines were now ready to enjoy the huma n body as beautiful rather than something dirty to be hidden. But even mor e is going on during this artistic transition. Take a look\, for example\, at Michelangelo’s David\, completed in 1440: David carries his sling o ver his shoulder and grasps a stone in his hand\, ready to attack the Phil istine enemy. But as you admire the beauty of this statue\, does it seem t o depict a biblical youth? Or perhaps the perfect body of a Roman God? (By the way\, we must point out a flaw committed by both these artists: you ’ll notice that David isn’t circumcised!) So we see that Renaissance a rt often depicted a harmonious blend of Roman paganism with Christian reli gion. We see this also in an earlier sculpture by Michelangelo: Is this D avid reaching for his sling\, or Apollo reaching for an arrow? Even art cr itics are divided on this question. We can also witness this blend in pain tings – for example\, this work by Boticelli\, titled “The Rite of Spr ing”: Is the central figure\, with arms in welcoming gesture\, the godd ess Venus – or the Virgin Mary? In contemporary Italian Catholicism\, Ma ry is the major figure of worship rather than Jesus. To some people\, the rituals of veneration toward Mary (e.g. crowning the head of her statue wi th laurels\, making votive requests for her to grant a wish) are more remi niscent of superstition than religion. However\, we found a different answ er in a church we visited on Palm Sunday: When you enter many churches in Europe\, your first reaction is often “oh Wow!” as you’re overwhelm ed by their massive size\, elaborate architecture and vivid frescoes. In t his church\, however\, named the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte\, we wer e drawn in by what Cheryl described as an aura of solemnity. When we walke d in\, the monk was giving a sermon\, and then later baptised a baby: We learned that this basilica is a working monastery. To help support themsel ves\, the monks make all kinds of jams\, sweets and household items\, whic h they sell in the shop beside the church. While I (Larry) was in line at the counter\, a young woman ahead of me completed her purchase and then as ked the monk to bless her. (No photo here\; you will need to imagine the s cene.). The monk\, dressed in an impeccably folded beige cowl\, stepped aw ay from the counter to face her. In silence\, he placed a gentle hand on h er forehead\, let it remain for a few moments\, and then made the sign of the cross before her face. The woman\, in tears\, thanked the priest and s lowly walked away. Having watched from nearby\, I couldn’t help but thin k what a wonderful experience – more than this: a sacred encounter – t o know that you are blessed. Speaking of blessing\, we send our warmest wi shes to you for a joyous Pesach and Easter season. May this time bring ble ssing to you and your loved ones. Ciao\, Rabbino Lorenzo e Cherylissima (h er new name\, given by a dear friend\, along with a blessing!) \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \ n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #4: FLORENCE AT LAST!March 19\, 2026Ciao\, I nostri amici! We settled into our apartment in Florence\, dropped our luggage and then did our first shopping trip. He re’s Cheryl taking the shopping bags one by one up the stairs:         Wait\, that’s not all: there are a total of 83 steps to our apartmen t. But that’s OK: More stairs\, more pasta! Congregation Shir Hadash has been very warm and welcoming. Our first service was to celebrate Purim. M any people showed up in costume as we acted out the Book of Esther: We ha ve visited some of our favourite haunts in this beautiful city. For exampl e\, Ponte Vecchio (“old bridge”)\, spanning the Arno River: What make s this bridge unique is that it is lined with shops. Above them is a “se cret corridor” (with the windows) used by the Medici rulers to get from the Pitti Palace to the government offices (now the Uffizi Gallery) on the other side of the river\, avoiding any enemies in wait. During World War 2\, it was the only bridge not bombed by the Germans. A story has it that the pilot assigned this task took a look down at the bridge and couldn’t bring himself to destroy it. Lucky for the Florentines\, and for us! Whil e we stood admiring it\, a tourist offered to take our photo: Although mo st Italians don’t know much about the Jewish population here\, Florentin es are certainly aware of the majestic Great Synagogue (Orthodox) that dom inates the skyline and is a popular tourist site: In our neighbourhood\, we noticed this street: Nathan Cassuto was a Rabbi and Talmudic scholar i n the Florence community. He was deported to Auschwitz and was murdered in 1945. There is a custom throughout several European countries to place a brass “stumbling-stone” in front of the home of those deported to conc entration camps. We chanced upon Rabbi Cassuto’s stone on a walk through what was his neighbourhood: We have seen a number of these in Florence. Now to one of our favourite subjects: consumable delicacies. Determined to become renowned chefs\, we took a pasta making class. And of course\, th e quest for the best gelateria continues. This one just might be the final ist – it’s called “Perché Non” (why not? – not a question Loren zo has to ask). Pictured here is Sarah\, a leader of the Shir Hadash commu nity. That’s it for now – alla prossima\,Cara Cheryl e Rabbino Lorenz o di Firenze \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \ n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #3: Imperial RomeMarch 12\, 2026Ciao\, I nostri amici! We have be en in Florence for about two weeks\, but we still have some experiences to share about Rome. In this installment\, we’ll trace a brief history of the ancient Romans – especially their relationship with the Jewish popul ation. First of all\, we learned that the Jewish population in Rome dates back to the second century BCE. Both Julius Caesar and Augustus treated th e Jews well. That changed when Nero became Emperor in 54 CE. As a monument to the vast Roman empire\, he decided to build the Colosseum. It took tho usands of slaves to take part in this project — many of them Jewish slav es. This modern-day photo gives you an impression of its immense size: Th e “events” took place on a stage that covered the full inner circle. U nderneath that stage were cells for the animals and gladiators. The “eve nts” took place in three stages: Animals vs. animals: one killing the ot herAnimals vs. gladiators: dittoGladiator vs. gladiator. When one of them lay defeated on the ground (if he hadn’t already been killed)\, either t he Emperor or the crowd would vote “thumbs up” to spare his life or “thumbs down” to instruct the victor to slay him.In short\, the Coloss eum\, intended to show the vast reach of Roman power\, was in essence an a rena of gore and death. (And we think hockey fans are bad!) It was also Ne ro’s way of keeping the masses entertained with “circuses and bread\, ” thus diverting them from making trouble. Things got even worse during the second Jewish revolt from 66-70 CE. The Roman general Titus slaughtere d thousands of Jews\, and brought 50\,000 back to Rome as slaves. The Arch of Titus depicts the procession to Rome along with the Temple Menorah and holy artifacts: The next Emperor in this story is Hadrian (117-138 CE). Our guide Francesca took us to Tivoli\, just outside Rome\, where we toure d the luxurious villa where Hadrian made his home. Here is a scale model o f the estate\, which covered hundreds of hectares of land: Located near t he centre was his “marina palace”: As you can see\, it was surrounded by a moat to shelter him from his many enemies. Francesca told us that Ha drian was — and still is — admired as a brilliant architect and admini strator. What is less known among Italians is that he decimated Jerusalem and renamed it Aelia Capitolina. He drove the Jewish inhabitants from the city\, marking the beginning of the Jewish Diaspora. After all this histor y\, let’s pause for a brief refreshment: Now we jump ahead several cent uries to more recent Roman history. While visiting the synagogue\, we lear ned that\, during the early stages of the Holocaust\, when the Nazis invad ed Rome\, they challenged the Jewish leadership to collect 50 kilograms of gold in order to be spared deportation. In the following display case\, w e see some of the receipts for the gold collected from individual families : Although the community succeeded in collecting the requisite amount\, t he Nazis deported them anyway. During our last night in Rome\, we frequent ed one of the several kosher restaurants in the ghetto area. The waiter ki ndly offered to take our photo. It seems he couldn’t resist making it a selfie! The next day we were off to Florence. Stay tuned for our first ad ventures in la bella città! Cheryl la Cara e Rabbino Lorenzo \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #2: Visit to RomeMarch 1\, 2026Ciao\, from Rome! When we checked i nto our lovely hotel\, the staff welcomed us and invited us to have a welc ome drink.  We ordered an Aperol spritz (the national drink here) – and this is what arrived! The next day\, we had a partial tour of the synago gue – partial\, because there was a Bar Mitzvah and we had to stay in a corner of the sanctuary. However\, Lorenzo managed to catch this photo of the group on the Bima: The boy was chanting a prayer called Shir Hakavod to a traditional melody – which will be familiar to Solelniks as the tun e we use for Ashrey!  We’ll have more to tell about the Great Synagogue of Rome in a future installment\, but this photo gives you an idea of the majestic interior. We then joined a guided tour of the Rome ghetto\, wher e Jews in the 16th century were forced to live. All of the community\, ri ch and poor\, were confined to a small area and had no access to building materials.  As this photo shows\, they had to scrounge whatever was avail able from discarded debris: There was no room in the ghetto to bury the d ead. After some lengthy negotiation\, the Rome officials granted a section of land to use as a cemetery. Today\, this area has become a rose garden that bears some vestiges of Jewish presence – the first photo shows a st one dating back to ghetto times\, from which the present-day design of the garden walkways is fashioned. Getting back to our favourite theme of foo d\, we happened to arrive during the “artichoke season.”  There are t wo ways they are prepared: Jewish and Roman.  The first are deep-fried an d the second are sautéed in olive oil – both are delicious! We’ll le ave you with a photo this delicious Roman specialty salad called “mille foglie.” Like mille feulle it is muti-layered: thin wafer-like crackers\ , puttarella (chickory)\, burrata and anchovies.  Delicioso! Combined wi th the two types of artichoke\, caccio e pepe and fine local wine\, it won ’t surprise you to learn that the next day we purchased a bathroom scale != Stay tuned\, Cheryl la Cara e Rabbino Lorenzo \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Blog #1: W e’re on our way!February 17\, 2026Ciao\, dear family and friends: In a f ew days we’ll be off to Italy. We thank Deborah and David Cooper for thi s lovely sendoff: We’ll keep you posted on our travels. We start off wi th 5 days in Rome. We then head north to Florence where we’ll make our h ome for the next 2+ months\, working with Congregation Shir Hadash as we d id two years ago. We hope to give you a taste of our journey: the sites we visit\, the people we meet\, and some of the rich religious and cultural history that Italy has to offer. And of course\, the food! We’re almost ready to take off! Here is Larry on his way a few years ago: Ciao! L&C LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T181224Z LOCATION:Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto\, 210 Wilson Avenue\, Toront o\, Ontario\, M5M 3B1\, Canada URL:https://templesinai.net/calendar/kol-nidrei-4/?utm_source=caldiscovery &utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://templesinai.net/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Family Day DTSTART:20260920T150000Z DTEND:20260920T190000Z DTSTAMP:20260901T000406Z UID:147034-1789902000-1789916400@www.gardinermuseum.on.ca CATEGORIES:arts,family DESCRIPTION:Family Day \n \n \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Sundays\n11:00 am – 3:00 pm\nMakerspa ce\, Ground Floor\nFree for kids and Gardiner Members\nIncluded with admis sion for adults and seniors \n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n \n  \n \n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n Families can connect over clay in our new Makerspace with weekly activities inspired by our collection and spec ial exhibitions\, and led by our amazing team of educators and volunteers. Bring the whole family and let your imagination roam! \nWe recommend brin ging a recycled container or bag in which to transport your work home. LAST-MODIFIED:20260901T000406Z LOCATION:Gardiner Museum\, 111 Queen's Park\, Toronto\, ON\, M5S 2C7\, Can ada URL:https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/event/family-day-september-20-2026/?u tm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Gardiner Museum X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:WAAC Critique Circle DTSTART:20260920T150000Z DTEND:20260920T160000Z DTSTAMP:20260912T002357Z UID:10000930-1789902000-1789905600@womensartofcanada.ca CATEGORIES:arts DESCRIPTION:Introducing the WAAC Critique Circle\nMaking art can be a soli tary experience\, but it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes\, all it takes is another set of eyes to help you see your work in a new way. \nWe’re exc ited to introduce the WAAC Critique Circle\, a supportive small-group sess ion where artists can share works in progress and receive thoughtful\, con structive feedback in a welcoming environment. \nEach session will be limi ted to few artists\, allowing everyone the time and attention needed for a meaningful critique. Together\, we’ll ask questions\, celebrate what’ s working\, and offer suggestions that can help move the work forward. \nA rtists at every stage are welcome.\nBring a finished piece\, a work in pro gress\, or something you’re still figuring out. Whether you’re looking for a fresh perspective\, feeling stuck\, or simply want to talk through your ideas\, this is a space to explore your work alongside fellow artists . There’s no need to have all the answers. Come with your questions\, id eas\, and curiosity. \nSunday\, September 20\, 2026 | Online via Zoom | 11 am-12pm \nModerator: WAAC member Maarika Lepik \nWe’re inviting WAAC mem bers who are interested in participating to write at waac@womensartofcanad a.com and let us know. \nMore details\, including the Zoom link and sessio n format\, will be shared with participating artists. We look forward to c reating a space for thoughtful exchange\, encouragement\, and artistic gro wth within the WAAC community. LAST-MODIFIED:20260912T002357Z LOCATION:Ruth Upjohn Gallery\, Women’s Art Association of Canada\, 23 Pr ince Arthur Ave.\, Toronto\, ON\, M4L 2Z4\, Canada URL:https://womensartofcanada.ca/calendar/critique_circle/?utm_source=cald iscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Women's Art Association of Canada X-SOURCE-URL:https://womensartofcanada.ca/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Best Pictures of Toronto DTSTART:20260920T190000Z DTEND:20260920T203000Z DTSTAMP:20260917T183220Z UID:242572-1789916400-1789921800@www.heritagetoronto.org CATEGORIES:arts,film DESCRIPTION:From the works of the Group of Seven to Pixar’s Turning Red\ , see Toronto through a different lens and discover how artists and filmma kers have pictured the city.\n\n\n\nExplore how streets\, buildings\, and neighbourhoods in the heart of Toronto’s downtown have been captured\, t ransformed\, and reimagined through art and film. From a futuristic City H all that has stood in for other worlds to university buildings disguised a s Harvard and Princeton\, discover why Toronto has spent decades playing e verywhere but itself. Along the way\, trace connections between the city a nd artists like Lawren Harris and William Kurelek\, and visit locations fe atured in productions including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World\, Turning Red\ , and Mean Girls. \n\n\n\nThis emerging historian tour will be led by Vero nica Leal-Correia\, a museum and cultural heritage professional from Ottaw a\, Canada. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Science with a double major i n Biology and Fine Arts from the University of Ottawa\, and completed the Museum Studies program at Algonquin College in 2025. Veronica is currently the Programming & Collections Manager at Sharon Museum and Gardens\, spec ializing in collections management\, exhibition development\, and public p rogramming. Her experience includes roles with Parks Canada\, the Canadian War Museum\, the Senate of Canada\, the National Gallery of Canada\, and several nonprofit organizations. Her interdisciplinary background bridges art\, science\, conservation\, and storytelling within museum and heritage spaces. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nParticipants on the Kensington Market tou r\, June 10\, 2017. Image by Alex Willms.\n\n\n\n\n\nBus tour group at Cam pbell House Museum\, September 22\, 2019. Image by Herman Custodio.\n\n\n\ n\n\nNew City Hall opening week\, 100 Queen St W\, September 1965. Image b y Toronto Fire Department. Courtesy of City of Toronto Archives. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Silver Dollar Room in The Silent Partner m ovie\, 1978.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRegistration\n\n\n\nThis tour is provided for $8.00/person. The total cost is $10.05 (includes a $2.05 transaction f ee). Please note that space is limited on our tours. You may not be able t o join a tour group if you have not registered ahead of time through our w ebsite. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMap heading – change value in sett ings\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAccessibility\n\n\n\nThis tour is approximately 3 kilome tres in distance and takes place entirely on paved city sidewalks and stre ets\, and is relatively flat. Some construction and pedestrian traffic is expected along the route. \n\n\n\nPublic washrooms are located at Toronto City Hall and Sid Smith Hall\, 100 St. George Street. \n\n\n\n\nFAQs\n\n\n \n\n\nWhat should I do if I can’t find the group at the start location?+ \n\n\n\n\nOur staff and volunteers will be at the tour’s starting locati on 30 minutes prior to each tour. Please arrive at least 10-15 minutes pri or to the start of the tour to allow time for check-in. Feel free to call us at (647) 542-3450 if you are having trouble finding the start location. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSponsors\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\ n\n\n\n\n\nMore like this\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Artic le \n \n \n \n \n \n Fifty Years of Queer Street West\n \n \n\n The younger sibling to Toronto’s Gay Vill age at Church and Wellesley runs along Queen Street West. Often known as Q ueer West within the community\, the neighbourhood has helped to shape Tor onto culture for more than half a century. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Article \n \n \n \n \n \n Bollywood Dreams and Bazaar Scenes\n \n \n\n The Gerrard India Bazaar\, or Little India\, has long been a key hub for early Indian and Pakistani immigrants in Toronto\, and remains a vibrant\, diverse cultural destination today. LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T183220Z LOCATION:Intersection of Queen Street West and York Street\, Queen St W an d York St\, Toronto\, M5H 3K6 URL:https://www.heritagetoronto.org/event/best-pictures-of-toronto-septemb er/?utm_source=caldiscovery&utm_medium=ics&utm_campaign=toronto-on X-SOURCE-NAME:Heritage Toronto X-SOURCE-URL:https://www.heritagetoronto.org END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR