JUMP marks year 3

It takes little effort for the rush of everyday life in Toronto to surround and consume the time and attention of its culturally diverse-yet-assimilated population. Aside from the more observant folks within the Jewish community, for young professionals the need to connect intellectually, spiritually or in a cultural vein varies a great deal.

JUMP (Jewish Urban Meeting Place) which is among the handful of organizations that strive to strengthen the neshama of today's Jewish youth,  is celebrating another year of tremendous growth. And the three-year-old center wants you to join in the festivities.  

Have you been on one of the amazing trips to New York City in the winter? Israel in the summer? Attended one of their social events shabbat dinners, volunteer opportunities or classes? Do you plan to check one out in the near future? Get your feet wet with an all-out greet and meet anniversary party this Thursday starting at 8 p.m. at This is London.


Get up close to Canadian Idol winner Brian Melo as he performs live. Or shake it with the samba squad, chow down on some delicious food and walk away not just with swag, but maybe a phone number or two of those cute guys and gals you've been eyeing all night?

For more information on tickets to the event or to get involved click here.

One Survivors Story

With Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) now having just passed, a very touching story was told by one of the shoah's remaining survivors: Paul Henri Rips. Rips shared his story at JUMP (Jewish Urban Meeting Place) from his memoir Fate Undecided recently published by the Azrieli Foundation. Here is a clip of Rips describing what the conditions were like to obtain food in Belgium during the time of the war.

Paul Godfrey: Toronto's Leading Man

If you heard the name Paul Godfrey what image would pop into your head? For the 25 or so young professionals who attended the first Bay St. Breakfast of 2011, most could not wait to ask the former owner of the Toronto Blue Jays about his thoughts on Roberto Alomar being named the first Blue Jay to be entered in the Hall of Fame, the use of HGH (Human Growth Hormones) by top athletes in all sport and what Toronto's chances are of getting an NFL team.

(From left Community Connect’s David Goodman, David Spiro, JUMP’s Ali Silverberg and Paul Godfrey)

Hosted by Toronto Federation's community connect in joint partnership with JUMP (Jewish Urban Meeting Place). Godfrey the long time businessman and former politician, took us on a retrospective journey from his modest beginnings to his present status as CEO of the PostMedia Network and chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

The top tips given that most people walked away with from the breakfast were as follows:

If Godfrey ever had to choose between being smart and being lucky he would choose being lucky every time.

Fortunately when he was a North York alderman and Chairman of Metro Toronto, the economy was in a balanced state and all across the board performing well. "Anyone can be a good politician when the economy is right" he said. It's when the economy takes a major hit you discover which politicians can really manage the hardest of times. All in all, it takes a real thick skin to be a public servant, he said.

Finally, with the majority of his life spent running major publications, Godfrey admits he is excited to see what the future holds, as the media landscape keeps its physical embodiment largely still at the forefront, while building up it's cyber audience online.

Technion to propel us further into the Final Frontier

Next Thursday January 27th, The Canadian Technion Society will once again host an exploratory look into Israel's technological advances as part of a joint program with JUMP (Jewish Urban Meeting Place) and event co-sponsor iRisemedia.com.

In an interactive discussion, titled Batteries Not Included 2, keynote speaker will be Dr. Victor Chernov. A graduate from the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Technion, his work has focused on the rheology of gel fuels. Dr. Chernov, presently a Lyon Sachs post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, investigates the creation and behaviour of soot in hydrocarbon-air flames.

With the human race continuing to push the boundaries on how far we can travel through space, rocket and jet propulsion is a fascinating and complex field that is based on simple, intuitive principles.

Dr. Chernov will discuss the basic physics and the principles (we promise - no equations!) behind modern, state-of-the-art aviation and space propulsion. Additionally, it will be shown how these principles are taken to the edge at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in several ground-breaking works of water ram-jets, the aforementioned gel fuels for rocket propulsion and more.

The cost is $5 at the door. Wine and Cheese Refreshments will be served (Kashrut observed). For more details you can view the flyer from the Heebonics Facebook page. And while you are there, join for the updates on all the latest City Wide Events.

Party Time! Chanukah Style...

Calorie counting begone! Time to let the inner party animal out to "responsibly" play, it's chanukah time again. We here at The CJ Shmooze have the best picks for where to go and what to do.

To kick it off there is not one but two chances to take in a unique performance from critically acclaimed artist SoCalled. His set will be showcased first in an intimate and interactive setting live December 1st at The House (469 Eglinton Ave.W. # 203). The following night, on December 2nd, in an event presented by Ashkenaz and The Annex Shul, SoCalled takes to the stage at the Mod Club (722 College St.)

Young professionals/students looking for a fun-filled, latka-laden, two-part holiday weekend celebration, need look no further. Shabbat dinner begins at 7:30 with a full spread laid out by JUMP (Jewish Urban Meeting Place at 1992 Yonge Street, Unit 103) on December 3rd. The party continues as doors open starting at 9 p.m. Saturday the time at LOL Resto Lounge (718 College St.)

If you're not latka'd out yet, then come out December 7th and learn how to make holiday favorites at home while cooking jointly with BAC (Birthright Alumni Community) and JUMP. Leftovers will surely be welcome on December 8th while you try your luck at dreydle games and more during JUMP's first game night.

That takes us just about to the end of Community Connect's 8 Crazy Nights for 2010, so how to really close it out in style?... Easy! Dor L'Dor Hadassah Chapter's 5th Annual Dreidel Bash at 6 Degrees (2335 Yonge St.) Tickets are on sale now get your today before they sell out.

For more details on all these events, look to the City Wide Events Album Here

Makom makes the Slingshot cut

Courtesy of a posting found on ejewishphilanthropy.com the sixth annual edition of Slingshot: A Resource Guide for Jewish Innovation, has been released. The guide features 50 inspirational organizations in Jewish life found in North America. Some of the major highlights of the release focus on:

A cautiously optimistic Jewish innovation sector, a number of organizations have stabilized in today's economic environment via philanthropic support as well as mergers and strategic alliances; though many organizations that have been around for five years or more are struggling to find further support for growth.

In past editions, the guide focused on inspirational Jewish leaders, especially among the next generation of professionals. This year, the attention is given more to the organization’s missions and activities. Still believing in the importance of entrepreneurs, founders and leaders, recognition is being given collectively to the community within the organization in that all are responsible for ensuring its success.

Words from the post to live by: "Individualism may abound, in fact, may be the catalyst for change, but the community must share the responsibility for its own success."

According to Will Schneider, the director of Slingshot, in company with this year's most notable 50 was Makom. That's right Shmooze readers, Makom, the grassroots, downtown community, building traditional and progressive Jewish life in Toronto. Like its contemporaries JUMP, The House and the Annex Shul, Makom creates an inclusive and diverse space, committed to Jewish learning, arts and culture, spirited prayer and ritual, and social and environmental activism.

Members of Makom meet every-other week at The Kiever Shul (25 Bellevue Avenue, Toronto) to welcome Shabbat with soulful and song-filled Friday night services. Both men and women participate in leading services. All are invited and children are welcome. You can walk in as you are. That is to say, no need to dress up and jeans are acceptable. If you would like to check them out on a Friday night, a minyan of 10 women + 10 men to start the ma’ariv service is required, so they ask that you please come on time.

To see which other organizations made the list just click here.

Re: Israel A Difference of Opinion

Reported in print and online this week, Israeli Opposition leader Tzipi Livni position made clear that "Israel should pursue peace talks with the Palestinian Authority (PA) so that its future as a Jewish democratic state can be assured. ...Only peace can ensure that Israel will remain Jewish as well as democratic". The comments were made while addressing a large audience at a United Jewish Appeal of Greater Toronto function held at Events on the Park. This is typical of many news reports on re-newed Israeli peace efforts made despite escalating attacks by members of Hamas and Hezbollah.

What message does this continuously re-enforce on campuses across Canada? Is there nothing more to focus on than the political and military positions within the country? Coming next week in The CJN's opinion section, columnist Seymour Epstein asks "Is militant campus advocacy the solution?" He investigates the conventional wisdom these days that young Jews don’t know enough about Israel to defend against anti-Zionists. While he recognizes there are many different kinds of Jewish education: schools, yeshivot, women’s study centres, Jewish Studies programs on campus, summer camps, Birthright, Masa and adult study groups, he omits centres like JUMP (Jewish Urban Meeting Place), The House and The Annex Shul. These environments, and the programming they provide, enable young jews to absorb more positive aspects of Israel's cutlure, and provides oppotunities to celebrate the country's achievements.

So, is the solution to cram Zionist data into the minds of young Jews so that they can fight back with knowledge? Read why Epstein believes it's problematic from the perspective of an educator.

Have your say here! For Epstein's full opinion on the matter, check your next edition of The CJN.

Relationships to Love in the Digital Age

In the near three years now that JUMP (Jewish Urban Meeting Place) has been in operation, here in Toronto, there have been quite a few talks on the subject of love, dating and relationships. Now it might look strange that love, dating and relationships are written here separately. Often times they get combined into just one of these three terms. Clearly from the talk last week led by Jason ("JR") Renard on the top tips to online dating, they each in fact exist in their own orbit.



JR defined love as the proper name we give to the overwhelming affection we feel towards another person, favorite family pet and/or for some, to an inanimate object. We navigate through the few or many relationships we have with the same or opposite sex via the vehicle of dating. The intention in large part is to find our Beshert or "the one", whom we will ultimately marry and with whom we will intimately share our life.

Here he reflected on his two dealings with the types of users commonly found on all the popular and probably even on the not so popular online dating sites. The first experience ended horribly and was just about enough to turn him away for good. The second well...



To really understand relationships and love and find success in a world of online dating, JR's top tip was to be truthful and honest. When going beyond what we see in embellished profiles and cropped photo-shopped pictures, open yourself up to learning how to give, receive, maintain and cultivate love through the intimacy of face to face conversation.

Top Tips for Online Dating...Coming Soon

Dating and finding your Beshert or "the one" is one of the most difficult tasks we encounter in life, a point many seem to agree on. This week JUMP the Jewish Urban Meeting Place ran a talk on how to make online dating work for you. Instead of explaining it all in written form here on the Shmooze. check back next week for the in-depth discussion. We recorded all the major points on video for you all to see.

Changing of the Guard at JUMP

Top: Debbie Osiel

In a late day communication from JUMP, Debbie Osiel the Jewish Urban Meeting Place's founding director, announced with mixed emotions she has resigned effective Friday July 23rd. Osiel leaves the organization after three years, founding it in 2007 working alongside trip co-ordinator Shlomo Buzaglo. In Osiel's parting words she says, "I have had the opportunity to work with an unbelievably talented and passionate team of professionals, meet amazing new friends and be part of an organization that is truly making an impact in the Toronto Jewish Community."

Although Osiel will be moving on to a new professional venture, JUMP will remain close to her heart and she looks forward to continuing to serve the community as a volunteer. On occasion, she will undoubtedly involve herself though less officially instead as a participant with JUMP's activities.

We at The CJN and on behalf of our Young Professional network at Heebonics wish Osiel all the best in her future endeavours and on-going community participation. We thank her for all the good works she has put forth.