Tourist & Shomer Shabbat Information

Welcome - B’ruchim HaBa’im

 

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has a lot to offer tourists.  This directory lists things to do and see in Toronto from a Jewish perspective, as well as information for tourists who are Shomer Shabbat. 

 

The Greater Toronto Area has a vibrant, growing Jewish community of about 200,000.   Over two-thirds live along the Bathurst Street corridor, between Dufferin Street and Bayview Avenue.  The Jewish population of York Region (north of Steeles Avenue) is now over 80,000.  Toronto’s downtown Jewish population continues to flourish with approximately 20,000 Jews living south of St. Clair Avenue. 

 

A growing community calls for expanded services and opportunities.  With this in mind, UJA Federation is championing the Tomorrow Campaign.  This ambitious vision is building and revitalizing three Jewish centres across the GTA:  Downtown District, is anchored at Bloor and Spadina by the renovated and reinvigorated Miles Nadal Jewish Communiity Centre and the Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life; Sherman Campus, mid-town at Bathurst and Sheppard; and, the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus, in the heart of York Region. Find out more on  Tomorrow Campaign's webpage.

 

More about Jewish Toronto

 

For more information about the Jewish community, contact UJA Federation - Jewish Information Service of Greater Toronto at 416-635-5600 or email jinfo@ujafed.org.  You may also want to explore jewishtoronto.com Community Directory which features over 700 listings for synagogues, organizations, agencies, clubs and services. Community Calendar highlights events across our vibrant community.  

 

To get a better sense of our community, we suggest you read the latest issue of Toronto's weekly Jewish newspaper, Canadian Jewish News, available at large bookstores or just about anywhere along Bathurst Street or go online www.cjnews.com.

 

Sites of Jewish Interest in the Greater Toronto Area

 

For more detailed information about Jewish neighborhoods in the GTA, visit our Newcomer information page.

 

Downtown Toronto

 

Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre - Dedicated to serving the community, and the cultural, educational and recreational needs of downtown Toronto.  Also home to a Jewish day school, nursery school, meeting rooms, cultural events and programs and athletic facilities. 
750 Spadina Avenue at Bloor (Spadina Subway stop)
416-924-6211
www.mnjcc.org

 

Old Jewish Toronto - Visit Kensington Market, east of Spadina Avenue between College and Dundas Streets, the site of Toronto’s early Jewish neighbourhood.  While now home to new immigrants groups, remnants of its vital past remain.   There are two historic Orthodox synagogues in Kensington Market; Anshei Minsk and Kiever Congregations.  Contact JIST if you need further details.  A Sense of Spadina is a walking tour of Historic Jewish Toronto offered by the Ontario Jewish Archives.  There is a fee. For further information call 416-635-2883 ex 170. www.ontariojewisharchives.org

 

Royal Ontario Museum - The Weinberg Judaica Collection features items dating back to the early 1900s representing Jewish lifecycle events, holidays and traditions.
100 Queen's Park (Museum Subway stop)
416-586-8000
www.rom.on.ca  

 

Bathurst Street Corridor 

During your visit to our city, be sure to take a ride up Bathurst Street, the spine of the Jewish community starting at St. Clair Avenue.  If you keep going north beyond Steeles Avenue, you will enter into a Jewish suburb called Thornhill. Along this stretch of road, you will discover many synagogues, kosher eateries, Judaica shops and more.  For a full list of kosher restaurants, log onto www.cor.ca

 

Beth Tzedec Museum - Beth Tzedec Congregation’s Reuben and Helene Dennis Museum owns and houses the Cecil Roth Collection. The Museum also displays many other beautiful and rare objects from the ancient world and frequently displays items on loan from the New York Museum of Judaica.  Please call for hours.
1700 Bathurst Street (between St. Clair and Eglinton Avenue)
416-781-3514
www.beth-tzedec.org

 

Baycrest - The Morris and Sally Justein Museum presents frequently changing exhibits on Jewish themes. The permanent collection, consisting of nearly 800 items of Judaica, is regularly exhibited and includes memorabilia related to Baycrest's history.  Visitors are welcome.  Hours are Sunday-Thursday 9am – 6pm, Friday 9am – sundown. 
Closed on Sabbath and Jewish holidays.
3560 Bathurst Street (between Lawrence Avenue and Hwy 401)
416-785-2500, ex 2802
www.baycrest.org

 

Prosserman Jewish Community Centre  - Located on Sherman Campus, it is part of the major redevelopment of the site.  The Donald Gales Family Pavilion is the inaugural building of the Prosserman JCC. The Gales Pavilion currently houses the Prosserman JCC and Koffler Centre of the Arts.  Featured services and program areas include Goldie Fitness Centre,  the David and Esther Freiman Childhood Education Centre, a seniors recreation centre and culinary arts studio, as well as studios for Koffler programs including dance, ceramics and painting. For fitness information, please call 416-638-1881 x 4000
Prosserman JCC
4588 Bathurst Street (between Sheppard Avenue and Finch Avenue)
416-638-1881  
www.prossermanjcc.com

 

Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto -  Since its doors opened, it has welcomed more than half a million international visitors and 200,000 Jewish and non-Jewish students from across Canada. To confirm your visit, please contact the Centre for museum hours.
Lipa Green Centre for Jewish Community Services
4600 Bathurst Street, 4th Floor
(between Sheppard and Finch Avenues)
416- 635-2883 ext 5301  
www.holocaustcentre.com

 

Biblical Garden - An outdoor Biblical garden at Temple Emanu-El.  Call to inquire before your visit.
120 Old Colony Road (off Bayview Avenue, between York Mills Road and Hwy. 401)
416- 449-3880
www.templeemanuel.ca

 

York Region

 

Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus is home to a new complex of buildings and facilities focusing on the growing Jewish commuity in York Region.  The campus sits on 20 hectares (50 acres) of land and is one of the jewels in the Tomorrow Campaign.

The Kimel Family Education Centre - home to the northern branch of TanenbaumCHAT.  The 10,200 sq.m. (110,000 sq. ft.) complex offers a state-of-the-art facility to over 600 high school students. This is the first building to open on the new Lebovic Campus.

The Schwartz/Reisman Centre, www.srcentre.ca is a 6,245 sq. m. (67,000 sq. ft.) facility housing the Phil Granovsky Sports & Recreation Pavilion, 3 salt-water pools, an early childhood Education Centre and a Creative Arts Centre.

 

Shomer Shabbat Information

 

Most Kosher restaurants and prepared foods are supervised by the Kashruth Council of Canada and given the designation of COR.  For a full listing of restaurants, bakeries, butchers, etc. log onto www.cor.ca

 

Badatz is a newer kosher certification, www.badatz.ca

 

Toronto’s Eruv (confirmed February 2012)
The boundaries of the Eruv are generally as follows:
To the North: Highway 407
To the South: CP rail tracks which run between Davenport Road and Dupont Avenue.
To the East: CN tracks between Bayview Avenue and Highway 404. North of Steeles Avenue the eastern boundary runs along Yonge Street
To the West: (from north to south) CN tracks from Hwy 7, east of Keele Street to approximately Sheppard Avenue. The Eruv then follows the Allen Expressway south to Yorkdale at which point it follows Dufferin Road south to Castlefield Avenue. From Castlefield Avenue, the Eruv runs south on Caledonia Road to the CP rail tracks.

 

Carrying is only permitted across Hwy 401 at the underpass located on Wilson Avenue just east of Bathurst Street and at Bathurst Street just east of Wilson Avenue. For updates, please contact Eruv Hotline - 416-350-2879.
info@torontoeruv.org
www.torontoeruv.org

 

 

Lodging Possibilities:

Listed below are synagogues and hotels closest to them.  Please note: Most hotels are a 30-60 minute walk from the synagogues. 

 

Downtown Toronto

- Anshei Minsk Congregation  (Orthodox)
10 St. Andrew Street, 416-595-5723
www.theminsk.com
Offers Friday night dinner and Shabbat lunch.  Please call ahead to reserve.

 

- Annex Shul (Non-Affiliated)
Friday night service held at the Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life, 36 Harbord Street. 416-924-1313

www.annexshul.com
Also offers Friday night dinner at a reasonable rate.

 

- First Narayever  (Egalitarian
187-189 Brunswick Avenue, 416-927-0546
www.narayever.com

 

- Hillel of Greater Toronto (Egalitarian and Traditional services)
Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life
36 Harbord Street, 416-913-2424

Offers Friday night dinners and Shabbat services during the school year.

 

- Kiever Congregation (Orthodox)
25 Bellevue Avenue, 416-593-9702

 

- Shaarei Tzedec Synagogue (Orthodox)
397 Markham Avenue, 416-964-3307 

 

Hotel within a 10-minute walk of downtown congregations:

Alexandra Hotel
77 Ryerson Avenue
416-504-2121
www.alexandrahotel.com
 

Grange Apartment Hotel
165 Grange Avenue          
Reservations@grangehotel.com                                       
416-603-7700    
888-232-0002
 

Hotels within a 20-30 minute walk of downtown congregations:

Delta Chelsea Inn Hotel
33 Gerrard Street West              
www.deltahotels.com
416-595-1975
800-243-5732

 

Holiday Inn on King Street

370 King St. West
416-599-4000
800-263-6364
www.hiok.com

 

Sheraton Centre
123 Queen Street West
416-361-1000    
www.sheraton.com/centretoronto                      
(kosher meals available on request)

 

Hotels within a 20-30 minute walk of downtown congregations:

Four Seasons Hotel - Yorkville
21 Avenue Road
416-964-0411
800-268-6282 
www.fourseasons.com

 

Hotel Intercontinental
220 Bloor Street West
416-960-5200
800-267-0010 
www.intercontinental.com

 

Park Hyatt Toronto
4 Avenue Road
416-924-5471
800-977-4197 
www.hyatt.com

 

Quality Hotel Midtown
280 Bloor Street West
416-968-0010
800-228-5151  
www.choicehotels.ca/cn312  

 

There are no kosher (COR) restaurants in downtown Toronto.
- Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue offers kosher meals on request 416-586-5024. There are always kosher snacks in the coffee shop on the main floor.

 

Mid-Town Toronto

 

Mid-Town Toronto -  Bathurst Street & Eglinton Avenue
- Beth Sholom Synagogue (Conservative)
1445 Eglinton Avenue West
416-783-6103
www.bethsholom.net

 

 

- Beth Tzedec Congregation (Conservative)
1700 Bathurst Street
416-781-3511
www.beth-tzedec.org

 

- Holy Blossom Temple (Reform)
1950 Bathurst Street
416-789-3291
www.holyblossom.org

- Village Shul (Orthodox)
1072 Eglinton Avenue West
416-785-1107
www.villageshul.com

 

Closest hotel (within a 5 minute walk)
Pine Villa Retirement Home
1035 Eglinton Avenue West
416-787-5626
Retirement home open to the public. Meals could be included.

Mid-Town Toronto - west of Bathurst Street
- Beth Torah Congregation (Conservative)
47 Glenbrook Avenue
416-782-4495
www.bethtorah.ca

 

- Shomrai Shabbos Chevra Mishnayoth (Orthodox)
585 Glengrove Avenue
416-782-8849
www.sscm.ca

 

- Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue (Conservative)
100 Elder Street, 416-633-3838
www.beby.org

 

- Beth Jacob Synagogue (Orthodox)
147 Overbrook Place, 416-638-5955
www.byad.org

 

Closest hotels.  These hotels are a 30-60 minute walk from the synagogues:
Holiday Inn Yorkdale                  
3450 Dufferin Street at Hwy.401                              
Kosher food can be ordered in advance
www.sixcontinenthotels.com      
416-789-5161
800-465-4329

 

Montecassino Place Suites Hotel
3710 Chesswood Avenue (Dufferin Street and Sheppard Avenue)                  
416-630-8100
800-334-8774
www.montecassino.on.ca  

 

Mid-Town Toronto - east of Bathurst Street, north of York Mills Road/Wilson Avenue
- Beth Tikvah Synagogue (Conservative)
3080 Bayview Avenue
416-221-3433
www.bethtikvah.on.ca

- B'nai   Torah Congregation (Orthodox)
465 Patricia Avenue
416-226-3700  
www.bnaitorah.ca

 

- Kehillat Shaarei Torah Synagogue (Orthodox)
2640 Bayview Avenue
416-229-2600
www.shaareitorah.com  

 

- Minyan Sepharad (Sephardic)
475 Patricia Avenue
416-512-8851  

 

- Pride of Israel Synagogue (Conservative)
59 Lissom Crescent
416-226-0111
www.thepride.org

 

- Ulpanat Orot: Mishkan Avraham Synagogue (Orthodox)
45 Canyon Avenue
416-630-6772  

 

Closest hotel: This hotel is a 30-60 minute walk from the synagogues listed below:

 

 

Novotel Hotel
3 Park Home (Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue )
416-733-2929
800-668-6835  
www.novotel.com

 

 

 

Mid-Town Toronto - east of Bathurst Street, south of York Mills Road/Wilson Avenue
- Shaarei Shomayim Congregation (Orthodox)
470 Glencairn Avenue
416-789-3213
www.shomayim.org

 

- Chabad on the Avenue (Orthodox)
157 Falkirk Street
416-546-8770
www.chabadavenue.com

 

- Imrei Noam Congregation (Orthodox)
84 Stormont Avenue
416-782-7995

- Zichron Schneur-Toronto Lakewood Minyan (Orthodox) 
2801 Bathurst Street
416-781-0136

 

Closest Hotel. This hotel is a 30-60 minute walk from the synagogues listed above:

 

Glengrove Suites
2837 Yonge Street (south of Lawrence Avenue)
Studios, 1 and 2 bedroom apartments
416-489-8441
800-565-3024
www.glengrove.com

 

Mid-Town Toronto - Bathurst Street & Sheppard Avenue area
- Agudath Israel (Orthodox)
129 McGilvray Avenue
416-789-5514

- Beth Radom Congregation (Conservative)
18 Reiner Road
416-636-3451
www.bethradom.com

 

- Bobover Shteibel (Chassidic/Orthodox)
3703 Bathurst Street
416-789-0972

 

- Chevra Shas (Orthodox)
3545 Bathurst Street
416-782-0849

 

- Petah Tikvah Sephardic Synagogue (Sephardic)
20 Danby Avenue
416-636-4719 
www.petahtikva.ca  

 

- Shaarei Tefillah Synagogue (Orthodox)  
3600 Bathurst Street
416-787-1631
www.shaareitefillah.com

 

Closest Accommodation: (within a 15 minute walk)
Terrace Gardens Retirement Home
3705 Bathurst Street at Hwy. 401
416-789-7670     
Kosher retirement home with meals.  Rooms open to the public upon availability.

Thornhill / Richmond Hill

 

- Chabad Lubavitch of Markham (Orthodox)
83 Green Lane, Thornhill
www.chabadmarkham.org
905-886-0420

 

 

Closest hotels:

Courtyard by Marriott
65 Minthorn Court  (corner Leslie Street and Hwy. 7)                             
Thornhill                
www.marriott.com
905-707-6533
800-321-2211

 

Sheraton Parkway Hotel                               
600 Hwy. 7 East (corner Leslie Street & Hwy. 7)
905-881-2121
800-668-0101
www.sheratonparkway.com

Shabbat Hospitality  

Anshei Minsk Congregation (Orthodox), 416-595-5723    
Friday night dinner held at the synagogue (must pre-pay).  Shabbat lunch can also be arranged.  Call office to confirm. Kosher apartment available, price negotiable.

Bikur Cholim, 41 6-783-7983. Short walk to Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue and storefront shuls in the area. Apartment rentals for Shabbat available. Call ahead.  Also has apartment in downtown Toronto for Shabbat for those who have relatives staying in hospitals.

Niagara Falls, Ontario

Kosher Pizza & Falafel (seasonal)
5930 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls
289-296-4000
Under the supervision of Rabbi Zalman Zaltzman,Chabad Shliach of Niagara
www.niagarakosherpizza.com

Mendy's Kosher Niagara (Meat) - open during summer season
Located at the Four Point Sheraton Hotel
6455 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls, ON
289-296-4040
www.niagarakosher.com
Under the  supervision of Rabbi Zalman Zaltzman, Chabad Shliach of Niagara

Kosher Land Hot Dogs and Falafel (seasonal)
Two locations in Niagara Falls - Maid of the Mist Entrance & Table Rock Cafe

Niagara on the Lake, Ontario
Cobblestone Bed & Breakast
Kosher breakfast available
Further information call Shelley 905-324-0043 or
shelley@cobblestoneniagara.com
www.cobblestoneniagara.com
 

- Chabad Niagara Summer daily services
Four Points Sheraton Fallsview Hotel
6455 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls, ON
905-356-7200

 

Buffalo, New York
Nissin's Kosher Deli - Tops International Supermarket
Maple Road, corner of North Bailey
716-515-0075
Take out and eat in
Under the Va'ad HaKashrut of Buffalo
http://yibuffalo.org/bvk.htm

Kosher Deli at University of Buffalo

3 Talbert Hall
Closed in summer
716-645-5257
Hours:  11am-1:30pm  Monday-Friday;
5-7pm Tuesdays and Thusdays
Under the Va'ad HaKashrut of Buffalo
http://yibuffalo.org/bvk.htm

 

General Information

 

Temperatures in the Greater Toronto area vary from season to season.  Summer temperatures usually are around 27C (84F) but can reach 36C (97 F) with high humidity. In mid-winter the temperature occasionally drops to  -20C or colder (-7F).

For weather, check www.toronto.com

 

Toronto has an excellent transportation system with safe, clean and reliable subways and buses. For information on how to get around, call Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
416-393-4636, www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/  For public transit information for York Region (cities north of Steeles including  Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham and beyond) contact York Region Transit, www.yrt.ca.

 

 

More Accommodation Information

 

The following websites have listings of hotels/motels, tourist sites, and more.
www.torontotourism.com
(416-203-2500)
www.ontariotravel.net
(1-800-668-2746)
www.toronto.com
www.showmetoronto.com 

 

Bed and Breakfast

 

Downtown Toronto Bed and Breakfast Guest Houses
416-410-3938
www.bnbinfo.com/
Offers a comfortable alternative to hotels and a variety of accommodations in many
of downtown Toronto's most interesting neighbourhoods.