Now praying at the film fest syna-plex
TIFF’s first pop-up synagogue to offer Rosh Hashanah services during festival’s opening weekend
This year, some TIFF-goers face a tough dilemma — parties or prayers? — as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year happens to coincide with the by first weekend of the Toronto International Film Festival. Luckily, they won't have to go too far to get their prayers on. To meet the needs of Jewish actors, produces, directors and other attendees, the Windsor Arms Hotel will host the first ever "official High Holiday services of TIFF," beginning on the evening of Sunday, Sept The two-hour condensed yet traditional services will be held in a pop-up chapel in the hotel, where several high-profile events are already planned for TIFF, including the Artists for Peace and Justice Gala, co-hosted this year by Susan Sarandon and Ben Stiller. The service is the brainchild of Rabbi Meir Dubrawsky, founder of the Yorkville Jewish Centre on Avenue Rd. "When I found out that Rosh Hashanah fell so early this year and that it was in the middle of TIFF, I felt it was a great opportunity to partner with TIFF and provide all the Jewish members of the entertainment industry that are going to be in town for the festival with an opportunity to have the full High Holiday experience, in- cluding meals, services, etc, and enjoy the holidays as they would at home without having to compromise on attending the festival," said Dubrawsky. He reached out to rails Jacob, CEO of Cineplex Entertainment and a TIFF board member, and he loved the idea. 'He then facilitated the partnership and TIFF were very excited as well," said Dubrawsky. Since there are no synagogues in the vicinity of Bloor-Yorkville or downtown near TIFF Bell Lightbox, where most of the premieres, parties, events and junkets take place, the pop-up chapel is a convenient option. 2018
“Work commitments shouldn’t have to impact your religious commitments,” said George Friedmann, owner of the Windsor Arms. “This way, TIFF attendees don’t have to face the tough decision: should I go to synagogue or to work? This takes two hours out of your day, so you can effectively do both.”
Friedmann says the services will be held in the cathedrallike Courtyard, which is used for weddings and lavish events. It’s the same room that has played host to the In Style and Hollywood Foreign Press Association TIFF parties in the past.
To follow Orthodox rules, there will be separate seating for men and women. Prayer books will be provided as well as skullcaps (yarmulkes), and guests will be seated in diningstyle chairs. The service will be in both English and Hebrew. Dubrawsky, who doesn’t like labels, says it’s an Orthodox service with a primarily Reform/ unaffiliated crowd.
Friedmann considers the free services an extension of the hotel’s hospitality.
“Ultimately you’re trying to provide the guest with the same convenience they’d have at home, but more enhanced,” says Friedmann. “It’s important to me and gratifying to me to offer something that has such emotional and spiritual reward.”
The question is: could this be- come a hot ticket during TIFF? Could a High Holidays service be a new place for Jewish celebrity spotting, attracting the likes of Natalie Portman, Ben Stiller and Ivan Reitman, who are all expected in town? It’s too soon to tell, but the festival will help get the word out to anyone who’s interested.
It wouldn’t be the first time Hollywood notables have come together to celebrate Jewish holidays. Before becoming the musical director on The Late Show with David Letterman, Paul Shaffer used to be in the Saturday Night Live house band, and for several years over Passover he hosted what became known as “Paul Shaffer’s celebrity seders,” including the likes of Al Franken, Gilda Radn- er and Lorne Michaels. “They were legendary, those seders,” Shaffer told the Atlanta Jewish Times last year.
Rosh Hashanah begins on the evening on Sunday, Sept. 9. There will be evening services on both Sunday and Monday, and morning services on Monday and Tuesday. For those who are still in the neighbourhood the following week, post-TIFF, there will also be Yom Kippur services beginning the evening of Sept. 18.
The services are free, though attendees can make donations directly to the Yorkville Jewish Centre. Due to high demand, guests are asked to RSVP by emailing yorkvillejewishcentre@gmail.com or by phone at 416-605-9773.