Chabad of Markham
83 Green Lane L3T 6K6 Thornhill, ON, Canada

Starting in just a few minutes! https://link.chabadmarkham.org/go.asp

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "DOORMAT VS. BRAT! ARE THERE OTHER CHOICES?" Dear Friends,... In the village synagogue, during the High Holidays, the rabbi prostrates himself on the floor, saying, "G-d, before You I am nothing." Immediately the richest man in town prostrates himself on the floor, saying, "G-d, before You I am nothing." Right after that the town beggar prostrates himself on the floor, saying, "G-d, before You I am nothing." The rich man whispers to the rabbi "Look who thinks he's nothing." Our sages explain why the Torah and the Ten Commandments, the bedrock of civilization and of all ethical teachings and morality, was given on a small unknown mountain in the Sinai desert, and not on one of the more prominent tall mountains in the region. They explain that this was done intentionally to teach us the importance of humility. The Torah was given on a small mountain, to teach us that just like Mt. Sinai was small and humble, we too must behave in a humble manner. But this still needs further explanation. If humility was the reason for choosing Sinai, then why did G-d give the Torah on a mountain altogether? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to have given it on some flatlands or in a valley? The answer my friends is that while humility is a desirable trait, we must still possess a miniscule fraction of an ego - an eighth of an eighth as the Talmud describes it. In other words, absolute humility is not desirable either. A healthy balance between humility and self-esteem must be struck. Being a doormat can be just as unhealthy and unholy as egotism. Mt. Sinai stands as an important reminder for us to strive to achieve a synthesis between humility and pride. On the one hand Sinai was a small mountain but on the other hand it was not a valley, but a proud mountain! Jews in particular must pay attention to this lesson of Sinai. While we need to obviously strive for humility, we also need to focus on being a proud people! History has unfortunately taught us all too often the price of being too humble. Furthermore, we need pride not just as a mere survival tool, but more importantly to help us with our vital mission to share with the world the powerful and timeless message we received at Mount Sinai, loud and clear and with great confidence! Gut Shabbos, Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

One week away. With world renowned children's Psychologist and Author! We can allll use this now! Sign up at Chabad Markham.org/anxiety

Brand New 3-Week Course! PESACH 101 with Rabbi Schurder Wednesdays @ 8:00 pm starting March 3 Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83688347346

Have you seen the Chabad Markham kids act out the Purim story??

Why Kindercamp is the place to be!

Chabad of Markham spent some time on purim honoring the "superhero" staff and residents of some local senior homes

WHY DOES PURIM SURPASS THE JOY OF OTHER HOLIDAYS? Find out tonight at 8:00 pm https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83688347346

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "PURIM MASKS HAVE NEW MEANING!" Dear Friends,... A woman on a train walked up to a man across the table. Excuse me, she said, but are you Jewish? No, replied the man. A few minutes later the woman returned. Excuse me, she said again, are you sure you’re not Jewish? I’m sure, said the man. But the woman was not convinced, and a few minutes later she approached him a third time. Are you absolutely sure you’re not Jewish? she asked. All right, all right, the man said. You win. I’m Jewish. That’s funny, said the woman. You don’t look Jewish. With the holiday of Purim coming up this week and all the beautiful costumes that come with it, we need to ask ourselves: Why is there so much emphasis in Judaism on clothing? Why does the Torah spend the greater part of this week’s Torah portion discussing the fine details of the clothing worn by the Kohanim ? Furthermore, why is it that Chasidic Jews are obsessed with their families dressing in their particular traditional dress? Shouldn’t they be more concerned about their ethics, morality, spirituality and inner growth, instead of dwelling on the externals? Mark Twain once said Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." In other words, we are naturally influenced by our externals. Many years before Twain, the Rambam shared the very same idea in his famous book Mishne Torah as follows: Being that man is a social creature; his personality is developed by his actions (externals) and not vice versa. Basically, the point they were all making was that community, friends and external actions will ultimately influence our lives and determine who we are! Yes, conventional wisdom would say that the way we dress is completely inconsequential, but in the real world clothing plays a most prominent role. Even deep philosophy and meaningful religion are secondary compared to these external influences. Way back before the days of Freud and Adler, the Torah understood human psychology all too well. It maintained that by dressing the part long enough, eventually our insides fall into place and align themselves with the external garb. In other words, if we dress like a Chasid long enough, the true Chasid on the inside will eventually emerge! Gut Shabbos and Happy Purim, Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

What's your Family doing this Purim Evening? VIRTUAL PURIM FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. *Dr.Shnitzel the Scientist *Masquerade *Hamantashen Bake... *Purim's Funniest Home Videos. See more

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "ALL THE BEST FOR THE BOSS!" Dear Friends,... A car hit an elderly man. The paramedic says, Are you comfortable? The man says, I make a good living. One of the most complicated religious issues of life is making a living and wealth management - balancing our material and spiritual wealth successfully. The quandary is as follows: On the one hand it would seem logical to live modestly and reject the physical so that we can focus instead on the spiritual. But on the other hand it would also make sense to focus our lives on acquiring material wealth, utilizing the beautiful world with its finest materials that G-d himself created for our use. What is the right path? This same paradox is brought home in this week’s Torah portion where we read about the construction of the portable sanctuary in the wilderness known as the Mishkan G-d’s home. Here we find Moses clearly being instructed by G-d to build this model home for G-d with only the finest materials of this world, with gold silver and copper. In other words G-d insists on using the best this world offers for his home. Yet throughout the Torah we are taught to be modest in our lifestyle, not to covet what others have and to share a large percentage of our income with charity. How do we reconcile these two seemingly contradictory approaches to life? The answer is pretty straightforward. It all depends which part of our lives we are dealing with. In our personal lives we are instructed to take the modest approach and live a humble lifestyle. However, when it comes to sharing with G-d and our community, then we must give only the best and the most beautiful that the world has to offer. The Midrash tells us that in fact the only reason gold was created in the first place was to build with it a beautiful, royal sanctuary for G-d. This explains why our Synagogues have always been the most outstanding ornate buildings in the community. In fact, the Talmud tells us that a Shul should be the tallest structure in the city. Take a look at any small town in Europe where the Jews lived in absolute poverty, yet they somehow managed to build the most beautiful, Shuls. That was because they understood very well the lesson of this week’s Parsha that while we must live modestly in our personal lives, we should give only the best for Hashem! Gut Shabbos, Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "NAMES, NAZIS, AND NUMBERS!" Dear Friends,... A Jewish mother walks her son to the school bus on his first day of preschool. "Please behave, sweetie," she says. "Darling, take good care of yourself and think about your mother who is waiting for you! And come right back home on the bus, my love... Remember, honey, your Mommy loves you a lot!" At the end of the school day, the bus returns. She runs to her son and hugs him. "So what did the love of my life learn on his first day of school?" she asks. "I learned that my name is David..." The second book of the Torah is called "Shemot"the Book of Names. The simple reason for this unusual name is that this book opens with the word "names" in its opening line: "Now these are the names of the children of Israel..." (Exodus 1:1). Now this is quite intriguing. Why name an entire book after the seemingly coincidental use of a word in its opening line? Wouldn't it be more logical to name it after its storyline and theme, as it is referred to in most English bibles: the Book of Exodus? But here lies an important lesson about the Jewish approach to the individual member of the community. The second book of the Torah introduces us to very first Jewish communitythe new nation of Israel. This book's narrative tells how in a very short period of time the relatively small family of Jacob described in the previous book, Genesis, successfully transformed and proliferated into a quantitatively fruitful nation. Yet, despite this amazing numeric growth, the Torah reminds us not to forget that each individual person has a name and must be recognized and respected. Maturing into a large nation should not translate into, G d forbid, neglecting the needs of the individual, or treating him or her like a number or statistic. The Nazis wanted us to believe that we were nothing more than numbers. That’s why they branded numbers into our skin. Our survivors and martyrs of the Holocaust disproved them by showing that there was way more to life than the measly number. They proved to the world that we are all unique individuals created by G-d for a purpose. We too today, must apply this approach by treating each and every one of our children as a unique personality and helping them discover their uniqueness. They each have talents that are uniquely theirs. We should never lump our children together and neglect their uniqueness. Whether they are scholarly, simple or with special needs we must see them as indispensable individuals! Likewise, when dealing with the greater community, we must appreciate the diversity that makes up our community and find creative ways to utilize and enlist the diverse talents of each individual member of our community. Gut Shabbos, Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "THE SECRET OF OUR RESILIENCE!" Dear Friends,... A group of elderly Jewish men meet every Wednesday in Brent Cross for a coffee and a chat. They drink their coffee and then sit for hours discussing the world situation. Usually, their discussion is very negative. One day, Moishe surprises his friends by announcing, loud and clear, You know what? I’ve now become an optimist. Everyone is totally shocked and all conversation dries up. But then Sam notices something isn’t quite right and he says to Moishe, Hold on a minute, if you’re an optimist, why are you looking so worried? Moishe replies, Do you think it’s easy being an optimist? Joking aside, throughout their long history, the Jewish people have proven to be a truly optimistic and resilient people, always looking for the positive in everything. It’s their positive attitude that has helped them survive against all odds and longer than any other nation on the face of this earth. Their positive attitude is no coincidence or even a genetic disposition but was taught to the Jews in the Torah, by none other than G-d himself in this week’s Torah portion. When Moshe is instructed to return to Egypt and free the Jews, he complains: Ever since I have come to Pharaoh, things have only gotten only worse! G-d responds with the secret of Jewish positive thinking. The secret can be found in the two ancient Hebrew words Ani Hashem I am G-d. With this very brief response, G-d was not pulling rank on Moshe or being condescending. He was basically saying: Listen Moshe, you may be the greatest of prophets, the wisest of all men and can ask good questions, but at the end of the day - I am Hashem. Trust me on this one. Yes, I understand that from your mortal perspective and logic, it appears to be getting worse, but from my Divine vantage point, I can see here the seeds of redemption and freedom. If you just place your trust in me, and don’t pay attention to the misleading facts on the ground, everything will work out okay. In recent years, the Lubavitcher Rebbe boldly proclaimed that the redemption for all of mankind was about to happen. A grand optimistic idea indeed! But what about the facts on the ground? What about Iran, North Korea, Hamas and Hezbollah? What about all the tragedies around the world? What about all the natural disasters, civil strife and economic hardships? And let’s not forget impeachment and Covid! Sounds pretty bleak to me! Yet the clear and unequivocal answer is the same one given to Moshe, thousands of years ago: Put a little faith in G-d and the facts on the ground don’t matter. The same G-d who thousands of years ago transformed the bleakest realities into a most amazing turnaround of events in Egypt, can do exactly the same for us. Providing, of course, we maintain that extra dose of Jewish optimism and faith that was taught to us by the creator himself! Gut Shabbos, Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

DO YOU LOVE KIDS... And want to spend your summer working in a warm, loving, professional and fun environment? KinderCamp at Chabad of Markham is looking to hire ECE teachers as well as camp counselors ages 18 and older. There may be a few Junior counselor positions available. Please email your resumes to [email protected]

Online via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/891421570

For all the little cooks in your life... A four week cooking course for them! Sign up at Chabadmarkham.org/kitchen

FRIDAY Online via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/891421570

BRAND NEW CLASS Attention Ladies, Great Jewish Women of the Past begins tomorrow evening. It is an 8-week course.... Everyone who joins on Zoom, for 6 of the 8 classes, will be entered in to a draw to win a fabulous Make-Up Tutorial prize, generously sponsored by LINDA SAIET/Real Estate. and demonstrated by Shaindy Goldberg WakeupMakeup. So save the link below, mark your calendar and set a reminder! Can't wait to see you there. Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87519334853

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "WHEN CAN I SEE MY GRANDKIDS?" Dear Friends,...Continue reading

Rabbi Plotkin's new blog in the Times of Israel based on his new book "Seven Conversations with Jerry". Hope you enjoy it!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXLM06Ln3sRDY_pXW5vljfA

Join Shabbos In Florida Tomorrow afternoon at 3:45 pm Online via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/891421570

Hey dum didil dum, Kindercamp is so much fun Guess what is open for registration tomorrow? We can hardly wait for the most amazing summer! ... Early bird is on until March the 1st.

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "MAKING SURE THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT!" Dear Friends,...Continue reading

Join us January 18 for the next speaker in our Chabad Resilience Series: LAIBL WOLF - World renown Australian Kabbalist, Author and Speaker Register at www.chabadmarkham.org/resilience

Book of Samuel and the story of Chana

Tikkun Olam with Chai Lifeline... less than two weeks away!

Samson and Delilah

Beginning tonight!

Happening this Friday at 4:00 pm! Online via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/891421570

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "A YIDDISHE MAMA" Dear Friends,... A Jewish mother was pushing her two baby boys in the double stroller when she runs into a friend of hers. They’re so cute, coos the friend. How old are they? The mother beams. The doctor is two, she replies promptly, and the lawyer is one. Truth of the matter is that Jewish parents shouldn’t be so focused on their children becoming accomplished professionals, but rather on becoming Mentchen well balanced respectful humans with good Jewish values! Jewish mothers from time immemorial have always been vigilant educators and concerned about the spiritual wellbeing of their children from already a very young age. Take our matriarch Rebecca for example. When she was pregnant with her twins - Jacob and Esau, the Midrash tells us that she was concerned about an unhealthy spiritual tendency she perceived to be in one of her fetuses growing in her belly. She immediately sought guidance from the spiritual leaders of the time to deal with this. I mean let’s face it; we are talking about an embryo here and already then, Rebecca was taking the extra precautions to make sure that her children turn out spiritually balanced and well adjusted! Rebecca is the paradigm of devoted Jewish mothers over the generations. These were mothers who have always prayed for their children’s spiritual wellbeing and taken every necessary measure to ensure that their children will not only be well established with successful careers but more importantly that they grow up to be Mentchen! We know that our children are our most precious commodity and by far, the strongest weapon we have in our Jewish arsenal. Our sages teach us that whenever we are dealing with a treacherous enemy, it is specifically the prayers of our pure and sincere children that help us defeat them! May Hashem swiftly bring peace to our world in the merit of our pure and holy children and their determined mothers! Gut Shabbos! Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

From Rapper to Rabbi with Motti Flikshtein! Tuesday, December 1 @ 7:30 pm Register online at www.chabadmarkham.org/resilience

PRE-SHABBAT BLESSINGS AND SONGS Friday, December 25 at 3:40 pm Online via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/891421570

Great Jewish Women of the Past Class begins January 5 at 8:00 pm Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87519334853

TONIGHT AT 5:45 PM Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/891421570

Brand New Sunday Morning Coffee & Talmud Class! Register at https://www.chabadmarkham.org//Sunday-Morning-Coffee-Talmu

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "THE CHANUKAH SONG!" Dear Friends,... Iranian president Hassan Rouhani calls President Donald Trump and tells him, "Donald, I had a wonderful dream last night. I could see America, the whole beautiful country, and on each house I saw a banner." "What did it say on the banners?" Trump asks. Rouhani replies, "United States of Iran." Trump says, "You know, Hassan I am really happy you called, because believe it or not, last night I had a similar dream. I could see all of Tehran, and it was more beautiful than ever, and on each house flew an enormous banner." "What did it say on the banners?" Rouhani asks. Trump replies, "I don't know. I can't read Hebrew." Chanukah is one of the most colorful and exciting holidays on the Jewish calendar. On Chanukah we celebrate the unlikely victory of a handful of Jews against the mighty Greek armies, over 2000 years ago. While on the surface the victory appears to be simply a military feat, tradition attributes it to faith. According to tradition it was the unshakeable faith of the Jewish soldiers that defined the underlying mandate of the Jewish army. This is clearly expressed in their famous name - Maccabees, an acrostic of a biblical verse Who is like you among the supernal beings, oh G-d, a prayer recited by the Jews on the shores of the Red Sea many years earlier in Egypt. The acrostic tells us unequivocally that the mandate of this Jewish army was not to rely on brute physical strength or even on sharp military acumen but rather to rely on the power of faith in G-d! This theme of faith is the focal point of the holiday Chanukah as well and is reflected in the manner in which we celebrate it. Unlike other holidays like Purim, where there is more of an emphasis on the physical celebration and feasting, Chanukah is celebrated primarily by lighting the Menorah. Light is a symbol that expresses the pure spiritual faith in G-d. The Talmud states that the Menorah should ideally be placed on the left side of the doorway opposite the Mezuzah which is on the right side. What is the connection between the Mezuzah and the Chanukah Menorah? Perhaps we can explain that placing the Menorah across the Mezuzah is a clear reminder, like we said before, that the miracle of Chanukah did not happen because of a brilliant army alone but rather through their faith in G-d. This is symbolized by positioning the Menorah opposite the Mezuzah whose central theme is faith as evidenced by the most important prayer of our faith written inside the Mezuzah Shema Yisroel! The Jewish army will be successful only when it recognizes that it strength comes from the Almighty G-d! Gut Shabbos and Happy Chanukah, Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

Our Cookbook has gone Virtual! Go to www.chabadmarkham.org/cooksisters to get yours and send to friends & family.

Some snap shots from our Epic Chanukah Event. It's incredible what Chabad does with our "hands tied". Corona can't stop the Jewish people celebrating our Holidays!! Thank you Rabbi Avrohom Plotkin Rabbi and Esther Gitlin, Rabbi Moshe and Mattie Schurder, Jaime & Evelyn Gutman Johnny Jacobson, Brad Rabins, Sanchia Rabin, Kim Cohen, Pablo Fuchs, Yaron & Ilana Gudes, Shlomo Benshiraz and of course, our Sponsor: The Kazman Continuity Foundation. Chag Sameach!!!

Have you signed up yet? Best way to get into the Holiday spirit! Make a Chai Lifeline's Child's Chanukah dreams come true

A peek at what the High Holidays was like at Chabad of Markham for the kids! Each family received their very own High Holidays kit with lots of games, missions and a food craft! On Yom Kippur we had the most beautiful service in the park with prayers and family activities. The weather was perfect and reflected the way we all felt to be able to be together, daven and get inspired even during Covid times.

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOKTIN "SUKKOS TO REMEMBER!" Dear Friends,... Yankel always worried about everything all his life. But one day his coworkers noticed Yankel seemed like a changed man. They remarked that he didn’t seem to be the least bit worried about anything. Yankel said he’d hired a professional worrier and no longer had any problems. A professional worrier?" they said. "What does that cost? 150 grand a year. "150,000 a year?! How on earth are you going to pay him? You are about to declare bankruptcy!" "Well that’s why I hired himlet HIM worry about it." The Talmud defines a Sukkah as a "temporary dwelling". If the words "temporary" and "dwelling" sound contradictory, you are right. In fact, this inherent contradiction gives rise to many contradictory laws... For example, if the branches of the sukkah's roof-covering are piled on so thick that the rain cannot penetrate, the sukkah is disqualified -- it's a house, not a sukkah. On the other hand, if it's raining in the sukkah, you're not obligated to eat in it -- the sukkah is your home, and if it were raining into your home, you'd move to another room. In other words, the Torah wants us to take an essentially transient structure and make it our permanent home. This is to remind us that all of life is truly just a temporary dwelling A wealthy man visited the Rabbi and was shocked to see the Rabbi’s meager dwelling place, where one room served as his dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and living room. He remarked to the Rabbi that he did not understand how a person can live in such crammed space. "And how do you live?" the Rabbi asked. "I have a spacious home, with a bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and study." "And when you travel on the road for business, do you also have such spacious living quarters?" the Rabbi asked. "No," the man answered. "When I am on the road I have a single room in a hotel." "It is the same with me," the Rabbi said. "In my eternal home I hope to have very comfortable accommodations. But on this earth, I am just a traveler doing my business, and like you, one room is enough for me when I am on the road." But this temporary dwelling can sure be fun. We at Chabad of Markham have an amazing smorgasbord of holiday programs prepared this Sukkot for the entire family. Next week we are having our Circus by the Sukkah for children, plus a "Pop-up Sukkah to You" home visit program. The bottom line is that while Sukkot may emphasize that life is a temporary dwelling, here at Chabad, we know how to pack it in with good holiday fun! Wishing you and your family a Happy Sukkot and Shabbat shalom! Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

The mugs for Nurses initiative was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who sponsored a mug for the doctors and nurses. We made over 220 mugs with gift cards! What started off as a project run just for our community catering to one hospital to show them our appreciation, turned into a city wide campaign including many Chabad Centers across the Gta! Thousands of mugs have been delivered to Hospitals including Mt. Sinai, North York, Sunnybrook and Southlake.... We were joined by Chabad of Bayview, Chabad of Downtown, Chabad of the Beaches, Chabad of NewMarket, Chabad of Durham Region, Chabad of Midtown, Chabad of York University and Chabad of Mississauga. A huge Yasher Koach to Sanchia Rabin for her tireless effort on this program and to the Chabad of Markham sisterhood and of course to our caring and giving community!

www.chabadmarkham.org/circusbythesukkah

Bar Mitzvah Club Latka Bake off and Menorah Lighting!

Sign up online to reserve your spot and be entered for a chance to win a GIANT GUMBALL FLAG! www.chabadmarkham.org/simchattorah

Chabad Markham Bar Mitzvah boys and Alumni enjoyed a surprise visit from Rabbi Moshe and co with Menorahs and Doughnuts! Hope you are all enjoying your Chanukah!! (If you didn't get one yet... Let us know!)

Rabbi Plotkin’s Pre-Yom Kippur Sermon

This Sunday, Chabad of Markham will be co-hosting a Pre-Yom Kippur Yizkor Program with the opportunity to make a dedication to our loved ones online! We will be joined by Rabbi Yossi Goldman, Benny Friedman - international singing star who visited with us on numerous occasions, and Cantor Aryeh Leib Hurwitz, a tenor Chazan with a beautiful opera voice. Sign up here: https://www.chabadmarkham.org//Pre-Yom-Kippur-Yizkor-Progr ... Please join us at 12:00 pm - www.chabadmarkham.org/yizkor

Chocolate dreidel bombs... Have you EVER?? Sign up today, get cozy and enjoy a Chanukah party like no other. Moms- this one is for you!

Happening Tonight at 8:00 pm!! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82131641417

PRE-SHABBAT BLESSINGS AND SONGS Friday, December 11 at 3:40 pm Online via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/891421570

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "INCOMPARABLE CHANUKAH LIGHTS" Dear Friends,... As the plane settled down at Ben Gurion airport, the voice of the Captain came on: "Please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened until this plane is at a complete standstill and the seat belt signs have been turned off." "To those who are seated, we wish you a Merry Holiday, and hope that you enjoy your stay in Israel, ...and to those of you standing in the aisles and pushing towards the doors, we wish you a Happy Hanukkah, and welcome back home." As the festival of Chanukah approaches, we can’t help but notice the diverse cultures that stand out at this time of the year. The need to identify as Jews during this time of the year especially for the sake of our children becomes an imperative. Yet, while we should logically be countering the other lights of this season with an attractive dazzling Jewish alternative, we ironically kindle a very plain Chanukah Menorah! Seems counterintuitive to me! But in truth, this is no coincidence. The humble Chanukah lights actually symbolize the uniqueness of the Jewish contribution to this world. You see, these other colourful lights that we see on our streets represent the dazzling and serious contributions of the other nations of the world in the fields of science and literature. Indeed, they are attractive and colourful lights, but they are not necessarily our lights. Our unique lights are the plain, pure lights of the Torah. Yes, no doubt, we Jews have contributed heavily in the sciences too; however, that is not where our uniqueness lies. Our true uniqueness and contribution to the world, is represented by the simple lights of the Chanukah Menorah. These plain lights of Chanukah are symbolic of our main mission in this world - spreading the pure light of G-d and his Torah; bringing plain decency and morality to an immoral world. A job which is not perhaps as flashy, but is definitely meaningful and purposeful and most important it is ours. Let us not allow those other colourful lights of this season to distract us from focusing on our Jewish mission embodied in the plain Chanukah lights and let’s remember to be proud of who we are! Am Yisroel Chai! Gut Shabbos and Happy Chanukah! Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

Please join us for Yom Kippur in the Park Family Program! www.chabadmarkham.org/ykinthepark

This coming Wednesday, December 16 @ 8:00 pm ZOOM LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88166144256

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "THIS YEAR MAY G-D KEEP US SAFE!" Dear Friends...Continue reading

What a fun and special afternoon baking, wrapping, writing cards, winning prizes and seeing you all!!! A huge shoutout to Michelle Kastan Benjamin and Dalia Kaczka for an amazing afternoon! Thank you everyone for your generosity in buying gifts for Chai Lifeline and spending your time shopping and wrapping for these special children. Send in your pics with the finished results of your donut cookies!!! Lindsey Goodman Levstein Leanne Bickof Leanne Rabinowitz-Shapiro Carolina Rzeznikiewiz

Rabbi Plotkin's Pre- Rosh Hashana Sermon

The Hebrew School students had a wonderful socially distanced "Meet & Greet" yesterday. Each child got to met their teacher and take home a beautifully prepared holiday package. In class learning will start after the Chagim on Oct. 18. For more information, please call 905-886-0420 ext. 221.

Words cannot express how honoured and thrilled we are with the generous outpouring of support we received (and continue to receive) from the entire community. Not only did we reach our original goal of $100,000, but we surpassed our bonus round of $120,000! Thank you to each and every single donor who contributed and partnered with us to reach our goal. We could not have done it without you.... Because of your support we can continue to enrich the lives of thousands in our community, including through many programs to the young and elderly via Zoom & social media. A special thank you again to all of our Gold and Silver Matchers who made the DOUBLING of your funds all possible! The Kazman Family Foundation MODWAY Furniture Seymour & Elaine Joffe Gary, Alyse, Paul & Merle Saltz Anonymous Friend of Chabad Oren & Neely Antebi Randy & Esti Cohen - Remax Realtron Avi & Simone Glina Shuly & Soochie Eizicovics We would also like to thank all the many volunteers and friends who helped make this a success. And a shout out to the office staff for doing a stellar job. Wishing you all a Happy Chanukah! Rabbi Avraham Plotkin and Rabbi Meir Gitlin P.S. It's never too late to join the campaign. www.chabadmarkham.org/matching

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "LET'S NOT BE STRANGERS!" Dear Friends,... A fundraiser once came to a wealthy section of town and knocked on the door of a stately home. A woman opened the door, gave a disapproving frown to the fundraiser, and snarled, "What do you want?" The fundraiser explained his noble cause and need for help, but the lady of the house was unimpressed. "I don't know you from Adam," she said, "and I don't give to anyone I don't know." With that, she slammed the door. Unfazed and determined, the fundraiser slowly walked around the block a couple of times, returned to the same house and again rang the bell. "What are you doing back here?" yelled the incredulous lady. "I just told you I only give to those whom I know!" "But we DO know each other," smiled the persistent fundraiser, "we had a nice chat not more than 15 minutes ago!" It's so much easier to be kind and giving to those whom we already know and recognize. Solicitations of heaven are no exception. We can’t just show up one day and expect our prayers and requests to be answered. First, we need to cultivate a relationship with G-d so that there is a degree of familiarity before we make the pitch! So my advice is simple: This year, instead of doing the annual "cold call" on G-d, let’s get to "know" Him well before Rosh Hashanah. This Saturday night in synagogues around the world, Jews will be gathering at midnight for the traditional Selichot service. What are Selichot? These are the pre-holiday prayers which, not too long ago, in the days of the Shtetl, not a single Jewish man, women or child would ever dream of missing. These are the preparatory prayers and supplications that we present, asking for a happy and healthy new year in advance of the days of judgment. At Selichot Services, we are so to speak getting to know G-d so that when we come around on Rosh Hashana for the start of the High Holidays, we are familiar faces and are treated accordingly. Looking forward to seeing you then! Wishing you and your family a Shana Tova. Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin See more

Dear Friend, WE DID IT! We are in awe of the tremendous outpour of support.... You have given the confidence to shoot for an even more ambitious goal. Thanks to additional support from our Matchers who will continue to DOUBLE your donations, we now have just under 3 hours left to reach our new goal of $120,000! You can go directly to www.chabadmarkham.org/matching. You can follow us live on Facebook, spread the word, and donate! Rabbi Avraham Plotkin & Rabbi Meir Gitlin

Did you hear the news? Guess who is doing a Pre Rosh Hashana sing-a-long, Drive In tomorrow? Rabbi B!! Hit the "going" button to let us know if you'll be joining so we can get the goodies ready for u!

WE'RE ALMOST THERE!! Just over $10,000 to go! We can only do this with your support. www.chabadmarkham.org/matching

AND JUST LIKE THAT, WE ARE OVER 63% TO OUR GOAL!! Please keep the support coming... www.chabadmarkham.org/matching

Rabbi B is back for a Pre-Rosh Hashana Drive in! Sing along to all of your favourite Rosh Hashana songs and get into the holiday spirit with your Chabad of Markham Family!

WE'VE HIT THE HALFWAY MARK! Thanks for your generous support! We have made is more than halfway. Help us get to the finishline! Donate at www.chabadmarkham.org/matching

WE ARE OVER 36% THERE! Thank you so much! www.chabadmarkham.org/matching ... Today & Tomorrow, December 7th & 8th, for 36 HOURS ONLY every single dollar YOU give to Chabad of Markham will be matched by a group of extraordinary benefactors to reach our goal of $100,000! Your donation is DOUBLED! Only 36 HOURS from start to finish. Why now? One of the consequences of the devastating Covid Pandemic was a shrinkage of the usual sources of income. Chabad of Markham has been hit in areas that we depend on annually, like High Holiday Seat Sales and Appeals, Weekly Aliyahs, and Regular Donations. To continue to provide our many programs to the young and elderly via Zoom & social media, we need your help as conventional sources of income have been considerably depleted. How Can You Help? Please partner with us and help us continue to reach out to the community, and especially the isolated seniors, in these trying times and against all odds. With deep gratitude to our generous Matching Donors, every dollar you donate will be matched dollar for dollar. Our goal is $100,000. Don’t miss this opportunity to maximize your donation NOW at www.chabadmarkham.org/matching. Today YOU have the power to help us enrich the lives of thousands in our community. Your generous support will ensure Chabad of Markham’s ongoing and positive impact on the future of Jews in Markham. Chabad of Markham is a non-profit organization, and all donations are tax deductible. In the merit of your kindness and tzedakah, may G-d shower you with mercy and loving kindness, and grant you and your loved ones every blessing for health, happiness and prosperity. Thank you for your support! www.chabadmarkham.org/matching Yours truly, Rabbi Avraham Plotkin & Rabbi Meir Gitlin

ALL SPACES ARE FILLED FOR THIS AMAZING EVENT! Keep an eye out on our website (www.chabadmarkham.org) for other programs and events for the whole family.

Please Participate! WE ARE LIVE! Today & tomorrow you have an amazing opportunity to support Chabad of Markham's Year-End Giving Challenge Campaign! We have launched 36-hour $100,000 campaign where every dollar donated will be DOUBLED thanks to the generous group of matching donors. This means that every dollar you give, Chabad of Markham will get $2.... You can go to www.chabadmarkham.org/matching to make your donation! Follow us live on Facebook, spread the word, and donate! This is an ambitious campaign and together we can accomplish AMAZING THINGS! Yours truly, Rabbi Avraham Plotkin & Rabbi Meir Gitlin

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "I AM FASTER THAN YOU!" Dear Friends,...Continue reading

Happening Tomorrow (Friday) at 3:45 pm Online via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/891421570

The fascinating stories of Prophets Eli and Samuel

This Sunday at 8:00 pm! Register at www.chabadmarkham.org/thepath Zoom Link available on the registration page

He was a cool secular high school kid... He was a drug dealer... He was a rapper... He IS a cool rapping Rabbi... Join us TONIGHT, December 1st @ 7:30 PM Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82920004626 Register @ www.chabadmarkham.org/resilience

Chabad of Markham's sisterhood presents... The Gratitude for Nurses Initiative Our goal is to bring joy and give thanks to the brave nurses and doctors, as well as all of the other volunteers and staff in the hospitals in and around the GTA this Chanukah season.... To sponsor a mug, simply go to www.chabadmarkham.org/nurses. The sisterhood will then deliver beautifully decorated mugs with a Tim Hortons gift card to the Mackenzie Health Hospital during Chanukah! We look forward to keeping you in the loop with photos when we deliver them! We already have many different Shuls on board, each taking care of another hospital in and around Toronto. We would like to encourage more Shuls, schools and Jewish institutions to join this initiative and thereby further our reach! For more information or to join this great project, please get in touch with Mattie [email protected]! Thanks for joining in this big Mitzvah. Sanchia Rabin ([email protected]), Hailey Knopman and the Chabad of Markham Sisterhood

Join us this coming Sunday- Tikkun Olam with Chai Lifeline!

The Rabbi will be Rapping this Tuesday, December 1 @ 7:30 pm on Zoom! Not to be missed!

Chanukah is here, and we will be celebrating with a car parade!! Did you sign up yet for this magical event??

All New Sunday Morning Coffee & Talmud with Rabbi Schurder Register at www.chabadmarkham.org/talmud

MARK YOUR CALENDARS & TELL YOUR FRIENDS! Huge Virtual Chanukah Event Thursday, December 10 at 8:00 pm... Register online at www.chabadmarkham.org/beyondtheflame

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "I AM A ROCK!" Dear friends,... A father, who was lying on his deathbed called his seven sons to himself. He put seven sticks, bound together, before them. "I will give the major part of my wealth to the one who breaks this bundle," he announced. Each of the sons, in turn, strained to break the bundle, but in vain. "It is impossible," they protested. "My sons," said the father, "nothing is easier." He untied the bundle, took the sticks one by one, and broke them with ease. The father then continued, "As it is with these sticks, so it is with you, my sons. So long as you are together and aid one another, you will prosper, and none can injure you. But, if the bond of union be broken, it will happen to you just as it happened to these sticks, which now lie broken here on the ground." When our patriarch Jacob left his father’s house in this week’s Parsha, he stopped to spend the night in an empty field which would one day become the site of the Holy Temple. Gathering twelve stones together, he placed them under and around where he would lie down. As he lay his head down, we are told in the Midrash that the twelve stones miraculously fused into one stone. What is the meaning of this strange episode? What was the need for this miracle and why didn’t Jacob look for one large stone to start with? What deeper message lies in this story? Perhaps the message is as follows: Jacob our patriarch was embarking on a monumental journey that would eventually lead to the birth of the children of Israel. In a very short time, he would father twelve sons who would in turn father the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel. With the fusing of stones, a very important message was being communicated to Jacob. He was being told from up high that the strength and success of his children, the Jewish people, will come only when they will be united. Only when the many stones will become one and the twelve tribes of Israel will be of one heart and soul, will the Jews thrive as a people. Nothing is new under the sun. Today, as in the past, we the Jewish people face many existential challenges. Coronavirus, nuclear threats from Iran, Hamas, ISIS and Hezbollah, growing anti-Semitism around the world, religious fanaticism and terrorism, just to name a few. But yet, our single greatest challenge remains the struggle for unity within. To be victorious over our external enemies we must first stand together united as one people. Only when we stand together as one people guided by the one Hashem and one Torah, will we be successful in defeating our enemies. They can break us as fragmented individuals, but never ever when we stand united as one! Gut Shabbos, Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

So our "100 LANGUAGES of a CHILD" Art exhibit was a HUGE success. Check out some of our MASTERPIECES. Shout out to our Super star TORAH TOTS Teachers!! You take your students to the next level. You inspire. You motivate. You succeed!!... #100languages #chanochlanar #artists #art #monet #andywarhol #vangogh #TomThompson #stilllifeart #stilllifepainting #jacksonpollock #freeexpression #colours #torahtots See more

"THE HAPPINESS WEBINAR - From thriving to surviving". An outstanding Zoom evening with International Guest Speakers: Dr. Dale Atkins- Psychologist, Author, Media Commentator, relationship expert and Miriam Lipskier- Cofounder and Director of the Chabad Student Center @ Emory University. Hosted by our Amazing Chabad Markham sisterhood Co-president. Allison Solomon. Over 100 women were mesmerized and inspired with practical tools on how to achieve true happiness and inner peace.... How to live a meaningful and positive life during this challenging Covid era. "It's under control..but not under my control". Miriam lipsker "Let Go and let G-d!". "You change your brain when you help someone else". DR. Atkins #happiness #helpothers #modehani #gratitudejournal #releaseoxytocin #beagiver #helpershigh #oursupport #lovehormone #victimorvictor @ Chabad of Markham See more

MESSAGE FROM RABBI PLOTKIN "STAYING ALIVE!" Dear Friends,... Dovid, Shlomo and Yaakov died in a car crash, G-d forbid. But they were good Jews, so they went to Heaven, and were ushered into Heaven's orientation. They were each asked, "When you are in your casket, and friends and family are mourning you, what would you like to hear them say about you?" Dovid says, "I would like to hear them say that I was a great doctor of my time, and a great family man." Shlomo says, "I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and school teacher, who made a difference for our children of tomorrow." Yaakov replies, "I would like to hear them say... LOOK, LOOK! HE'S MOVING!!!" Sarah, our Matriarch, was given the honour of having the beautiful name of this week’s portion Chayei Sarah - The life of Sarah named after her. Which brings us to the obvious and important question: If the name of a Torah portion was meant to reflect the theme of a given portion, why then is there no mention of the story of her life in the portion? All we read about in fact is her demise?! The answer my friends, is that death is really an extension and continuation of life. The manner in which we choose to live our lives will determine our legacy in this world after death and how our loved ones will view us. If we choose to live a selfish and materialistic life, then death just continues that experience with an even more meaningless existence in the grave. However, if we choose to live a profound, meaningful life consistent with our Torah values and ethics, then that life continues here even beyond the grave. Our sages write that a righteous person is even more alive posthumously than in real life. What does this mean? How is this possible? Obviously we are not speaking about the soul which returns to heaven or the body which returns to the earth. What we are speaking about is the influence and legacy which remains behind with the living on earth. This influence becomes magnified and far greater than ever before. Sarah, who was truly a righteous prophetess and matriarch of the Jewish people, had her legacy projected way beyond her physical demise. Her great legacy of faith and generosity to the people of her generation and of course, her unwavering commitment to her husband, Abraham and to her son, Isaac has become an inspiration to women of every subsequent generation. Even after she passed away it was still clearly Chayei Sarah the life of Sarah. It is no coincidence that the annual conference of the emissaries of the Lubavitcher Rebbe that takes place this weekend in New York (this year in a virtual format) is usually on Parshas Chayei Sarah. Like Sarah our matriarch, the Rebbe’s legacy lives on here on earth especially through his thousands of emissaries around the world. Truly a living legacy! Gut Shabbos, Rabbi Avraham E. Plotkin

Exposing the myths of Samson and Delilah

OPEN THIS SHABBAT! Register online at www.chabadmarkham.org/shabbatshelfie

Our Pre-Shabbat Project Challah Bake was a tremendous success, attracting women and children from all over Canada and United States. ONLY the gift of SHABBAT can accomplish this!! Thank you Kim Goldenstein Cohen Bentzy Chani Shemtov Mattie Schurder Esther Freeman Shternie Raskin Sanchia Rabin #Shabbatshalom #shabbatdinner... #shabbatproject #womenpower #miracles #familytime #G-diness #hashemswonders See more

Bar Mitzvah Club is off to an awesome start! Thanks to the weather the boys got to enjoy it in person at Rabbi Moishe's backyard. Seated around the after introducing themselves and playing an icebreaker game, the boys got to hear all about why this year will be special for them and what it means to become Bar Mitzvah! And everyone got to make their own S'mores... Yummm

Great Lessons from a Great Man: Elie Wiesel's Legacy of Unity and Healing for These Troubled Times Sunday, November 15 at 8:15 pm... For Zoom link and to register, please visit www.chabadmarkham.org/resilience

We are thrilled to be partnering up with Chai Lifeline this year. Let's make these kid's Chanukah extra special!

Dropping off one hundred and fifty backpacks filled with brand new winter gear at @360kids in Markham for homeless teens. Thank you everyone for making t...his happen! Chabad of Markham Jo-Anne Herr Lauri Cohen Amanda Hoffmann Schmukler Goldie Plotkin Avrohom Plotkin Nat Bee Kim Goldenstein Cohen Ora Goldin Nikki Gardner Lauren Solo Levine Lindsey Goodman Levstein Mandy Maggen Michelle Sabari Michelle Kastan Benjamin Dalia Kaczka Jodischneider

Join us on Zoom Friday at 4:00 pm for our Pre-Shabbat Program! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/891421570

Feeling so proud to be part of this incredibly giving and loving community. We packed 150 backpacks for 360 kids filled with winter gear! Covid and the rain (which held up in the end) didnt stop us and we got the Mitzvah done.... Thank you Jo-Anne Herr Amanda Hoffmann Schmukler and Lauri Cohen. Thank you Stephen Brenkel, Max Baer and Stanley Bloch and to everyone else who helped by coming out and with donations and of course to our amazing Teen Volunteers! Nat Bee Melissa Levin Lauren Solo Levine Kim Goldenstein Cohen Dalia Kaczka Nikki Gardner Michelle Sabari Michelle Kastan Benjamin Lindsey Goodman Levstein Leanne Rabinowitz-Shapiro Arlene Schachter Sandra T. Tabatschnic Michael Kosta Stay tuned for out next Tikkun Olam event with Zichron Menachem and Reena!

The remarkable story of Gidon and Yiftach the Giladi!