MISSION AND MANDATE | WHO WE ARE | OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Mission
Rachael's Centre for Torah, Mussar & Ethics strengthens communities locally as well as worldwide by providing innovative learning opportunities using traditional methodologies as well as modern technology to link Jewish people from all backgrounds in educational programming. It is our mission to create an ever-growing community of learners that bring their Jewish learning to a modern world.
Our Mandate
At Rachael's Centre for Torah, Mussar & Ethics, we foster, encourage and support learning through engagement. We promote and develop a learning community that values 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, Rachael's Centre welcomes all Jewish communities into a pluralistic environment. Rachael's Centre for Torah, Mussar and Ethics works to establish a strong Jewish identity, expand Jewish knowledge, and support its participants to become more connected with their Judaism. We constantly collaborate, network, evaluate and consult to further develop our programming.
Who We Are
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 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 Production Coordinator
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.
Naomi Pfeffer
Programme and Funding Coordinator
Naomi is a graduate of Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate, part of the Jewish Day School system in Winnipeg. She then moved to Toronto to complete the Jewish Teacher Education Programme at York University. She has worked as a classroom teacher at the Calgary Jewish Academy and at the Calgary JCC as the Cultural Arts and Children's Programme Manager. For the past two years she has been teaching at the Toronto Heschel School. She has participated in various Judaic and Holocaust related workshops and trips.
Naomi is currently completing her Masters Degree in Education at York University.
Our 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.
Syd Kessler
Syd Kessler is a creative marketing legend in North America with over 30 years experience in the multimedia production world. He is also an accomplished author. In the 'The Perfect System' he offers the reader insights into his own life and how people can apply the simple, unchanging laws of the universe for living well and achieving true and long-lasting fulfillment.
Syd retired in 2003 and now spends his time identifying, investing and then mentoring new businesses and organizations.
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.
Ed 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.
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.