About Jewish Information | Jewish Torah, Mussar & Jewish Ethics

About Us

Rachael's Centre for Torah, Mussar and Ethics is a not for profit, charitable organization which focuses on sharing and applying Jewish wisdom from a woman's perspective.

Dr. Rachael Turkienicz, our founder and executive director, has developed a unique approach to revealing these ancient truths within the context of a modern world.

Rachael holds a Ph.D. in Talmudic and Midrashic Studies from Brandeis University. Currently she is a Professor at York University in both of its Education and Jewish Studies faculties. Rachael is an influential and needed woman's voice within Judaism today.

Rachael's Centre is pluralistic, community based, unaffiliated and open to people of all backgrounds. The core of the Centre and its programmes is the wisdom of Jewish text presented through a female lens. Rachael's Centre also offers programmes and courses on the interior moral and life systems of Mussar, Jewish ethics.

Mission

Rachael's Centre is dedicated to pluralistic learning that introduces traditional Jewish methodologies to a modern world. Strengthening communities locally and around the globe, Rachael's Centre links Jews of all backgrounds through innovative and inclusive educational programming.

Mandate

At Rachael's Centre, we foster, encourage and support learning through engagement. The use of modern communication methods and tools such as the Internet, print, video, film, television and radio, provides various avenues for spiritual development and exploration.

Rachael's Centre promotes and develops learning communities that value pluralism, curiosity and ethical behaviours. We believe that this is the best technique to promote self-respect, self-confidence, and an interest in continuity, among modern Jewish people worldwide.

By remaining unaffiliated with any one stream of Judaism, we are able to welcome all Jewish communities into a pluralistic environment. Rachael's Centre for Torah, Mussar and Ethics works to establish a strong Jewish identity, expands Jewish knowledge, and supports its participants to become more connected with their Judaism. We constantly collaborate, network, evaluate and consult to further develop our programming.

Who We Are

Our Staff

Dr. Rachael Turkienicz, Executive Director
info@rachaelscentre.org

Dr. Rachael Turkienicz, Executive Director

Rachael Turkienicz earned her Ph.D. in Talmudic and Midrashic Studies from Brandeis University and is on the faculty of York University. She is the host and co-producer of a weekly television series called 'Uncommon Ground', writes a column for the Canadian Jewish News, and is a published author both in her field of academia as well as in children's literature.

Rachael is the former Associate Chair of Canadian Jewish Congress' National Office and is currently their representative with the Christian Jewish Dialogue of Toronto. Rachael has co-founded a faith-based private school in Toronto and consults with several schools. She is actively involved with teacher training and professional development. Rachael was the first recipient of the Canadian Friends of Hebrew University Person of Distinction Award in 2005 and was featured on CBC's Tapestry Programme.

Rachael is a Governor of the Canadian International Peace Project. Rachael is the founder and director of an institute for Jewish studies called The Learning Centre, an unaffiliated educational facility. The Learning Centre was transformed, in April 2008, to Rachael's Centre for Torah, Mussar & Ethics. She lives in the Toronto area with her husband and five children.

Uliana Kirillov, Programme and Administration Coordinator
uliana@rachaelscentre.org

Uliana

Uliana has a strong background in communications and interpersonal negotiations. She has a degree in Social Work from Seneca College in Toronto.

Uliana has worked in both the public and private sectors. Most recently, Uliana has worked together with Rachael Turkienicz in growing and developing the course materials and schedules for Rachael's Centre.

Uliana has been with Rachael's Centre since 2005. She is married and lives with her husband in the Greater Toronto Area.

Aron Katz, Web Content and Production Coordinator
aron@rachaelscentre.org

Aron

Aron received an Honours B.A. in Communication Studies and Film Studies from York University and is a graduate of the Broadcast Journalism program at Seneca College. Aron has an extensive background in the multimedia world having worked at CBC National Radio and Global Television. Aron's other video production projects have included creating various promotional materials for Jewish summer camps in North America.

In his spare time, Aron teaches music and Judaic studies at various synagogues around Toronto and is a youth advisor in one of Toronto's Jewish youth movements. Aron joined Rachael's Centre in 2008.

Board of Directors

Robert Fulford O.C.

Robert Fulford began his career in journalism in the summer of 1950 when he left high school and went to work for The Globe and Mail as a sports reporter. Subsequently, Robert rose to various editorial positions at the newspaper before working as a columnist for The Toronto Star (1959-1962, 1964-1968 and 1971-1987). From 1968 until 1987, Robert was the editor of Saturday Night magazine during a period that many consider the more than century-old but now defunct magazine's golden age. He then went on to work as a columnist for the Financial Times of Canada (1988-1992), The Globe and Mail (1992-1999) and the National Post (1999-).

Fulford worked as the co-host of the Realities TV show on TVOntario (1982-1989) and for the CBC radio show Morningside (1989-1993). In 1999, Robert delivered the Massey Lecture, Canada's venerated annual series of public lectures. In 1984, Robert was awarded the rank of Officer of the Order of Canada.

Ed Morgan

Ed Morgan is a Professor of Law at The University of Toronto. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1988. He teaches in the fields of international law and constitutional law. He has a B.A. from Northwestern University, an LL.B. from the University of Toronto and an LL.M. from Harvard Law School. He was a law clerk to Madam Justice Bertha Wilson of the Supreme Court of Canada in 1984-85. He started teaching in 1986, and from 1989-1997 practiced civil litigation at Davies, Ward, Phillips & Vineberg in Toronto.

He has written International Law and the Canadian Courts (Carswell, 1990). His latest book is The Aesthetics of International Law, published by University of Toronto Press in 2007. He has also written numerous law journal articles, case comments, and book chapters dealing with international and constitutional law issues. He is also a regular contributor to national newspapers on issues of international law. He is a co-director of the joint degree program in Law and Literature. He has appeared at all levels of Canadian courts as well as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the Decolonization Committee of the United Nations, and has provided expert evidence on international law to numerous U.S. federal and state courts.

He has represented Canadian Jewish Congress, the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Assembly of First Nations, PEN Canada, the Writers' Union of Canada, the Epilepsy Association of Toronto, NORML Canada, the African Canadian Legal Clinic and other public interest groups in numerous constitutional, international human rights and public interest cases. In May 2004 to June 2007 he was national president of Canadian Jewish Congress.

Lesley Binstock Offman

Lesley Binstock Offman's dedication to volunteerism started at a young age through the guidance of her mother, Lorna Gross. She began volunteering in grade school for the Hadassah Bazaar, sold daffodils for the Canadian Cancer Society in high school, and worked as a volunteer house-mother for The Elizabeth Fry Society in her twenties. By then Lesley was on her way to becoming the committed volunteer and philanthropist she is today.

Lesley is immediate Past Chair of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater Toronto Annual Campaign 2008.

She has also served on the boards of the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Women's Auxiliary, the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto, Jewish Toronto Tomorrow, the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, the Keren Hayesod International Women's Division (Israel), the Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation, and the Kolel Centre for Liberal Jewish Living.

She currently sits on the boards of United Jewish Communities National Women's Philanthropy (New York) and Rachael's Centre for Torah, Mussar & Ethics.

Lesley was honoured as an Israel Cancer Research Fund Woman of Achievement, 2006; and is the recipient of the United Jewish Communities of North America Special Endowment Achievement Award, 2004, and the UJC Kipnis-Wilson Friedland Award, 2008.

Carole Sterling

A native of Montreal, Quebec and a high school teacher by profession, Carole has been studying with Dr. Rachael Turkienicz for many years and has been highly involved in the community, believing strongly that it is incumbent on us to “give back”.

For the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto, Carole has served as Chair of the Women’s Campaign (1998), Vice Chair of the Annual Campaign (1999, 2000), Chair of the Walk for Israel (1997), a chaperone on the March of the Living (1998) and a member of the UJA federation board.

Over the years, Carole has served on a myriad of boards including JNF, CHAT, JF & CS, The Leo Baeck Day School, Camp George and ARZA Canada.

Carole recently completed her term as President of Temple Sinai, Toronto and currently serves as the President of the Canadian Council for Reform Judaism. She is a Board member of the Union for Reform Judaism’s North American Board and has recently been appointed as a member of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

Carole was a participant in the Wexner Heritage Foundation Jewish Leadership Program and is the recipient of UJA Federation’s Young Leadership Award and the Phil Granovsky Award for Campaign Excellence.

Carole currently resides in Toronto with her husband Jay and has two children – Lauren and Cory.

Eli Turkienicz

Eli Turkienicz is a Toronto real estate developer and entrepreneur. Eli graduated from law school in Toronto and chose to channel his education into his planning and developing of Toronto's residential and industrial real estate properties.