WHERE WE LIVE
Thornhill By Missy Ezer
“Why would you want to live so far north?” Tornhill may be located in the 905, but there are plenty of reasons why Jews reside in this suburban area. Let’s talk family-friendly shopping. Te
Promenade mall has a great selection and you don’t have to deal with the madness of Yorkdale. On a typical Saturday morn- ing, the mall is busy with parents with their young kids and babies in their Bugaboo strollers. Most of the time, you will have to veer around the crowd as old friends and ac- quaintances have bumped into one another. If you are in the mood for a delicious ba-
gel, be prepared to wait, but for good reason. Te two happening joints in Tornhill are Bagel World and What a Bagel. Tis is the place to be for brunch. You will oſten hear conversations at the next table similar to, “Should we send Jacob to Camp Green Acres or Camp Robin Hood? “ It’s 12:45pm on Shabbat and you are at the
corner of Clark Avenue and Bathurst Street. Te streets of Tornhill just got busy. Tere is a mass exodus of religious Jews walking home from Beth Avraham Yoseph Synagogue (a.k.a. Te Bayt). Established in 1980 through the Tanenbaum family’s generous support, this orthodox shul has become home to more than 700 families. With a sea of men wearing black hats, women in their long skirts with a trail of children following them, this is definitely the most religious area of Tornhill. Te Sep- hardic Kehilah Centre located at Bathurst and Steeles is also busy at this time. With a mem- bership of Israelis and Moroccan Jews, you can always find the best party at this synagogue. If you are looking for the South African
Jewish community, look to the eastern part of Tornhill. Tis area really took off in the 1980s when the kids of that generation took over Tornlea Secondary School and hung out at Tornhill Square. While most of the parents still live there, their descendents have moved to the Bathurst and Hwy. 7 area of Tornhill Woods. Tis booming community, comprised predominantly of blossoming Ca- nadian, Russian and Israeli Jewish, families began in 2002 and hasn’t stopped growing.
22 friday night Winter 2011
It’s important to drive slowly in this residen- tial area to be careful not to hit the many schmoozing neighbours in the street. What is exciting about this area is the de-
velopment. A new Longo’s has opened up specializing in fresh produce and Kosher meat. Another exciting venue for the Jews in Tornhill is the opening of the Schwartz/ Reisman Centre. (a.k.a. the Jewish Commu- nity Centre to be completed by 2012). In the meantime, the families of the area can spend time at the North Tornhill Community Centre with its amenities including two mas- sive pools and water play area. A restaurant that is beyond popular is
Sofra Grill. Te eatery located at the corner of Dufferin and Summeridge has the best to offer in Mediterranean food. Te line is almost always out the door and the restau- rant is packed and always buzzing. Tornhill has a lot to offer for Jewish en-
riched programming. Starting as young as toddlers, Advanced Childhood Education (ACE) is the place to be. For school-aged kids, there is Reform Leo Baeck, the Con- servative Torah Tots and Associated He- brew School-Te Kamin Campus and the Orthodox Chabad Flamingo and Chabad- Lubavitch of Markham. Also, the north CHAT High School opened in 2007 and has a fantastic reputation. Te newly built Ohr Menachem Park in
Tornhill Woods is packed with families until the sun goes down. Tis is a beautiful spot to meet up with people you haven’t seen in decades. For an old-fashioned corned beef sand-
wich head over to the Centre Street Deli beside Hava Nagila, an Israeli restaurant. Centre Street Deli is a modest family-friendly deli filled with every generation of Jews. Its chicken soup has been known to put an end to those painful sore throats. A friend of mine who grew up in midtown
Toronto told me, “Never in a million years did I think I would enjoy living up north. I never have to drive south of Steeles to get what I need. I made fun of those people and now I am proud to be one of them!”
“Never in a million years did I think I would enjoy living up north. There are so many Jewish programs and restaurants here. I never have to drive south of Steeles. I made fun of those people and now I am proud to be one of them!”
Annex By Maiya Keidan
On a warm summer day, bikes are crammed along Bloor Street, from Spadina Avenue to just west of Bathurst Street. Te doors of BMV, the used bookstore
that spans three floors, are swung open. A few blocks down, the patio at retro-themed Pauper’s is packed full of friends gathered together, sipping cold beverages. A couple stops in front of New Generation, a favourite sushi spot, and the woman asks, “New Gen or Sushi on Bloor?” But they already know the answer. Tey walk into New Generation. Tis is the Annex. Te Annex is one of the few thriving Jew-
ish communities in downtown Toronto, teaming with life and possibilities. Over the past decade, several new organizations have sprung up to serve a previously unaffiliated group with a desire to connect to Jewish life. Te Annex Shul and Makom are two grass- roots organizations offering progressive thinking and programming. Neither owns a building and yet the Annex Shul draws in an average of 65 people at its bi-weekly Shabbat dinners, while Makom pulls in about 100 at its quarterly meals. And even older, once-nearly-abandoned,
organizations are flourishing. Today, the ultra-egalitarian, yet traditional, First Na- rayever Congregration has a membership exceeding 600 and a steady influx of shul- goers throughout the year. Ten there is the pillar of the community, the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre, which is thriv- ing with programming offerings that range from monthly films and lectures on environ- mentalism to fitness and recreation options. Miles Nadal also houses Paul Penna, the only downtown Jewish day school, boasting a lib- eral attitude that reflects its demographic. (Same sex and inter-faith couples are wel- comed at the school of 150 children.) Te leſt-leaning attitudes that character-
ize this community create an attractive set- ting for artists and even young professionals Te Annex is called home by many writers, musicians and actors. It’s not uncommon to spot singer Sophie Milman on Bloor near Spadina.
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