Congregation Ben Ish Chai

The purpose of this post is to hold some general information about the synagogue, its schedule, and how to join its weekly MMS text message distribution list. Please click the "See More" link, below, to read the post in its entirety.

We are located at 182 Caribou Road, a few blocks away from the intersection of Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue. This is an unmarked house. Enter using the side door; immediately after entering the house, turn to your right. Please see http://fb.com/ben.ish.chai/info for a map.

We are a small, warm, friendly Sepharadi synagogue. We follow the customs of the Edot HaMizrach. Our congregation also includes some Moroccan members and some Ashkenazi members. We'd love to welcome you.

We run services every Shabbat. We also run services on all Jewish holidays, including on the High Holidays (tickets are free) and all the others.

Our Shabbat prayer schedule:
* Friday afternoons: Five minutes after Shabbat candlelighting.
* Shabbat mornings: 9:10 a.m.
* Shabbat afternoons: 45 minutes before sunset.

We normally do not run any services on other weekdays.

We're an Orthodox Jewish synagogue. We have separate sections for men and women. We're not wheelchair accessible: we're in a basement, and there's no elevator.

If you'd like to get a text message on your cellphone once a week with our weekly announcements, please speak with any of the synagogue regulars.

We also have a WhatsApp group.

You do not need to be vaccinated — everyone is always welcome to join us, despite the pandemic. You may wear a mask if you want to.

Please come join Congregation Ben Ish Chai for Purim! Also bring your spouse, kids, relatives, and all your friends.

Purim begins next Wednesday night, March 4, and continues on Thursday.

In past years, there have been lots of festivities, including a reading of the Scroll of Esther, free pizza, and a Purim feast the next afternoon. Please message or phone us to find out what's going on this year. Also please contact him to RSVP for the Purim feast: the Sophers need to know how many people are coming.

There's no cost for any of this. Donations are welcome; just give them to Sydney sometime during Purim. If you'd like to give matanot l'evyonim to the synagogue staff which will distributed to the poor on Purim day, please try to let us know well in advance of Purim.

Mark it down in your cellphone's calendar app. We hope to see you there.

Be a big macher — today!

Share the mitzvah of keeping the synagogue going. Donate to the Monthly Rent Fund, the Kiddush Fund, or the Miscellaneous Expenses Fund.

If you'd like to donate money by credit or debit card using a secure major card processor, or by cash or cheque, simply leave a comment below. You can donate $3, or $3,000,000, or anything in between.

The High Holidays are coming again.

There's no charge to attend Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services with us. Donations are welcome, but aren't tax-deductible. For a fee, you can reserve a seat or buy an honor.

We have more than enough high-holiday prayer books, in Hebrew only. If you have one, we recommend you bring a Sephardic high-holiday prayer book with English translation.

If you'd like us to post service times, please click "Comment" and tell us.

Shana tova!