Reflections Rooted in Torah, Responsive to Our Times
In these pages, readers will find sermons that challenge and inspire, articles that offer historical and spiritual insight, and reflections that help navigate the complexities of human interaction—whether in synagogue, in society, or in our hearts. From confronting gossip and careless speech, to celebrating acts of moral courage in the darkest times, Eli’s writing calls us to be better listeners, better neighbours, and better stewards of our shared humanity.
Eli Rubenstein’s writings represent a rare and meaningful intersection between timeless Jewish teachings and the urgent moral questions of our day. Whether reflecting on personal patience in a moment of minor frustration or drawing courage from Holocaust survivors confronting hatred anew in our generation, Eli consistently reminds us that the Torah is not a relic of the past, but a living framework through which we can make sense of the present.
This archive is not only a record of past sermons—it is an invitation to ongoing dialogue, learning, and reflection. Eli Rubenstein’s writings represent a rare and meaningful intersection between timeless Jewish teachings and the urgent moral questions of our day. Please scroll down to choose an article or sermon.
Sermon & Article Archive
Religious Responses to the Holocaust: An Essay by Eli Rubenstein (1983)
[see note at the bottom of the page for more background on this essay]Alarming Incompetence (Globe & Mail) - Oct 15, 1988
The Big Chill - How the Rush to Accuse Imperils Open Discussion - CJN -1992
Sharing in the Miracle - Diaspora Jewry and Israel - Summer 1998
Assault on History (Response to Globe & Mail Op-Ed Comparing German & Allied WWII Losses) - Dec 1998
One Foot in Front of the Other (story from “The Heart Will Brokenly Live On,” page 97 - 1999
March of the Living Spurs Jewish Pride -CJN - Apr 26, 2001
Canadian Jewish Students Visit Jedwabne -CJN - May 3, 2001
In The Wake of 9-11 - Kol Nidre Sermon - Sep. 26, 2001
Physician, heal thyself: A Sukkot story - CJN - Oct. 4, 2001
A Valuable Collection: A Review of Humanist Readings in Jewish Folklore (Edited by Bennett Muraskin) - Winter 2002
A Passover Miracle -CJN - May 27, 2002
Roger Neilson is Remembered for his Love of Israel - CJN-Jun. 27, 2003
Every Person in the World Deserves Such a Feeling - CJN- Jul. 2004
“My father did not abandon the Torah” CJN- Oct. 7, 2005
A Switch in Time (Globe & Mail) - Nov 19, 2005
The March of the Living - Healing Wounded Memories-CJN- Apr. 20, 2006
They Will Be Our Witnesses (CJN) - May 18, 2006
The Quest For Forgiveness - Kol Nidre - Sep. 27, 2007
None Is Too Many-Excerpt from Sermon- Kol Nidre - Oct. 8, 2008
A Plea for the Children of the World – Yad Vashem Speech – Sept. 27, 2009
CJN-Hitler Did Not Win-April-8-2010
Eulogy for Bronka Krygier, March of the Living Survivor – Oct. 11, 2010
A Thesis that Hurts (original text from National Post) Dec 14, 2010
A Thesis That Hurts (Extended Piece) National Post – December 14, 2010
March of the Living Director Shares Survival Stories -CJN - Mar 17, 2011
A Monument of Good Deeds - CJN - April 28, 2011
A Monument of Good Deeds - CJN (original article)- April 28, 2011
Hate is Never Right, and Love is Never Wrong - CJN - May 4, 2011
The Healing Power Of Story- Jun 19, 2011
Is the Holocaust Unique? [plus response] – CJN - Sep. 8, 2011
Jewish Cemetery Rededicated in Poland -CJN - Oct 27, 2011
The Kol Nidre I will Always Remember – Oct. 2011
Cast a Stone Upon the Waters- Student Session - Intro to Ms. Kiran Bhinder from Eli Rubenstein [ in Ottawa]
Speech: International Mach of the Living Educational Seminar | Mexico City - Feb. 6, 2012
A Pledge to the Jewish People - March of the Living - Apr. 2012
13 Goals of the March of the Living - Apr. 2012
Rosh Hashana Day 1 - The True Legacy of Abraham - Sep. 17, 2012
Yom Kippur [Short] Sermon - On Kindness & Gratitude - Sep. 26, 2012
Spiritual Leader Helps Build Stronger Community CJN - Nov 8, 2012
Now We Have A Home Jan 2012
Thank You for Giving Me My Life Back - May 31, 2012
A Tale of Two Anthems -CJN- May 23, 2013
Beauty Will Save the World – Kol Nidre Sermon Sep 13, 2013
Speech: Christian Island Elementary School Graduation - Beausoleil First Nation Jun. 24, 2014
March and Birthright Plant a Seed: -CJN - Jan. 25, 2014
‘Because That’s What You Do' – A Habonim Kristallnacht Story - Nov 8, 2014
Time to Ask 70 Years After Her Death: Was Anne Frank Right? -CJN- Mar. 12, 2015
Eulogy for Esther Ghan Firestone, Habonim Cantor Emeritus - May 31, 2015
What do You Hope the Jewish Community Will Look Like in 50 years? - Aug 14, 2015
Baseball's Life Lessons - Final High Holiday Sermon - Sep. 2015
Eli’s Collected Passover Stories - April 2016
Building Bridges: Polish Jewish Relations Pt.1 - POLcast- Jul. 9, 2016
Building Bridges: Polish Jewish Relations Pt.2 - POLcast- Jul. 9, 2016
The Day Words Failed Elie Wiesel - CJN-July 20, 2016
Honouring Avrum Rosensweig’s 20 Years at Ve’ahavta - Jul. 21, 2016
The Shoah and Jewish Identity - CJN - August 3, 2016
Out of the Melting Pot, Into the Fire (1971) By Robert Greenblatt - With Eli Rubenstein’s Introduction - Aug. 19, 2016
Waving the Flag at Auschwitz is not an ‘Exercise in Chauvinism’ - CJN- Aug. 22, 2016
Four Hopes for the Future of Holocaust Education - CJN - Sep. 29, 2016
The Polish Response to the Holocaust: A Discussion - The Cosmopolitan Review - Dec. 18, 2016
Cast a Stone Upon the Waters - Yom Kippur Sermon Sep 30, 2017
Understanding Poland’s record during the Holocaust -CJN- Feb. 16, 2018
Healing Wounded Memories - Jerusalem Post - Apr. 12, 2018
Being Jewish Means Never Giving Up Hope - CJN - Apr. 20, 2018
Remembering Janis Roth: ‘A Blessing for So Many’ -- Jun. 17, 2018
Remembering Rabbi Chezi Zionce - CJN - Aug.30, 2018
Confronting The Addiction Crisis - A Jewish View & Response - Sept. 10, 2018
Why Don’t Jews Proselytize? - CJN - Sep. 17, 2018
The World’s Oldest Hatred- Understanding and Responding
to Anti-Semitism - Oct. 9, 2018Let Us Applaud Our Country for Acknowledging Errors - CJN - Nov. 7, 2018
Speech for the MS St. Louis Canada Apology - Nov. 7, 2018
Eli Rubenstein’s Keynote Speech - Nazi Germany’s War Against the Jews:
Responding to Implacable Hatred without Losing Our Humanity - January 27, 2019‘We Remember’: International Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration - Ottawa Jewish E-Bulletin - Feb. 18, 2019
A Conversation with My Polish Taxi Driver - Jun. 2019
Yom Kippur Short Introductory Sermon - Oct. 2019
High Holiday Sermon - On Kindness - Sep. 20, 2020
Yom Kippur Kol Nidre Sermon - The Dangers of Populism - Sep. 27, 2020
Shtisel Habonim Discussion May 2021 - [video]
The Gates of Repentance are Always Open - Sep. 7, 2021
COVID-19: A Jewish Response to Vaccine Hesitancy - Sep. 7, 2021
The Enduring Gift of Friendship: A Bridge Over Troubled Water - Sep.15, 2021
From Both Sides Now: The Value of Talk Therapy for the Soul - Sep.16, 2021
Parshat Chayei Sara- On Truth, Kindness, Gender & Inclusivity - Oct 29, 2021
The Crisis in Ukraine: A Jewish Response - Mar. 4, 2022
A Poignant Story Told -March of the Living Report - Spring 2022
The Tragedy in Uvalde, Texas & the Jewish View on Gun Control - May 27, 2022
Shavuot, The Book of Ruth & The Ten Commandments - Jun. 3, 2022
The Potential End of Roe V. Wade: The Jewish View on Abortion - Jun. 24, 2022
Love is Never Wrong: How We Teach the Holocaust - Sep. 27, 2022
Rosh Hashana Day 2 - Thank You For Your Patience - Sep.28, 2022
Climate Change & the Environment: A Jewish Response - Oct. 2, 2022
Kanye West, Kyrie Irving and Chapelle: How Should We Respond? - Nov. 25, 2022
Habonim Kabbalat Shabbat- Hanukkah Stories of Light, Love and Hope - Dec.16, 2022
Matt Galloway CBC Interviews Eli Rubenstein - Order of Canada -Jan. 10, 2023
Shavuot Sermon -The Most Important Story in the Torah - May 26, 2023
Annual Musical Gathering: Christian Island - A Tribute: Robbie
Robertson - Aug. 13, 2023Israel at a Crossroads: Responding to Terror & Judicial Reform - Mar. 3, 2023
The Freedom to Question: Passover’s Central Message - Mar. 24, 2023
Parshat Korach – Pluralism in an Age of Gaslighting - Jun 23, 2023
Rosh Hashana Main Sermon 5784 - Walking Humbly
in the World - Sep. 16, 2023Teshuva: Finding Your Way Back to Your True Self - Sep. 24, 2023
On Moral Clarity During the Gaza War [Edited Remarks] - Oct. 11, 2023
Stories of Light & Hope During Difficult Days for the Jewish People - Dec. 8, 2023
Marking 100 Days Since October 7th: Reflections from Eli - Jan 14, 2024
What Happens to You, Happens to Us: Reflections on Jewish Attitudes Toward Poland- Feb 4, 2024
Intro: Screening: “Blind Love- A Holocaust Journey Through Poland with Man's Best Friend” Cape Town - Feb. 28, 2024
Evolution vs. Revolution: The Changing Roles of Women in Judaism - Mar 22, 2024
Alexi Navalny & Natan Sharansky: Struggle for Freedom - Apr. 19, 2024
Cantor Shimon Farkas: A Biography - Mar. 31, 2024
The Story Of Benedykt Ziemilski: Rescuing the Memory of the Six Million: One by One by One - April 2024
Israel Guide Dog Center Speech - 2024 Solidarity Mission to Israel - May 12, 2024
Are You Proud of Me? Honouring the Legacy of our Ancestors - May 31, 2024
What’s So Bad About Gossip - Eli’s Sermon - Jun. 21, 2024
Interview with 2024 Olympic Bronze Medalist Sarah Levy - Aug 9, 2024
Blessing or Curse? Living in the Age of Social Media - Sep. 20, 2024
Forging A New Path in the Wake of Oct. 7 - Rosh Hashana Day 1 - Oct 3, 2024
If Not Now, Then When: Rosh Hashana Day 2 - Oct 4, 2024
Lessons From My Mother’s Life: Kol Nidre Sermon - Oct. 11, 2024
Yom Kippur Sermon: Doing the Right Thing & Setting an Example for Others Oct. 12, 2024
Remembering Yehuda Bauer (1926–2024) - Oct. 20, 2024
Interfaith Festival Of Lights: Bridges Not Barriers - Eli’s Remarks - Nov. 17, 2024
March of the Living - Dec. 7, 1941: A Date Which Will Live In Infamy - & Jewish Heroism on December 7, 1941 - Dec.7, 2024 - Combined articles
To Pardon or Not To Pardon? A Jewish Perspective on Presidential Pardons - Jan. 17, 2025
10 Universal Lessons of the Holocaust (Two Museums Program 2025 Lecture Series) - Jan. 27, 2025
Upstanders: Stories of the Righteous Among the Nations (Two Museums Lecture Series) - Jan 27, 2025
On Memories, Milestones and Miracles (Congregation Habonim Bulletin) - Feb 2025
Showdown in the Oval Office - Judaism's View on Humiliating Another in Public - Mar 7, 2025
Why I am (Still) a Zionist - Congregation Habonim Toronto Sermon Jun 22, 2025
Eli’s Speech in Honour of Harry Rozendaal’s 95th Birthday - Aug. 10, 2025
Sometimes I Forget That I Am Blind - Sep. 3, 2025
A Time for Peace - Rosh Hashanah Day 1 - Sep. 23, 2025
Rosh Hashanah Day 2: Yiddishe Naches: A Tribute to Cantor Kim Kowarsky Doron and Cantor Paul Kowarsky A”H- Sep. 24, 2025
A Life Worth Saving - Kol Nidre Sermon - Oct. 1, 2025
Charity Wrapped in Dignity - Yom Kippur Sermon - Oct. 2, 2025
High Holiday Sermon 2015: Baseball’s Life Lessons (2025 Update) - Fall, 2025
Shabbat Shira Speech (& introducing Director of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum) - Jan. 31, 2026
What Kind of Jew Are You? - Habonim Bulletin - Feb. 8, 2026
MARKING 90 YEARS SINCE THE WINTER & SUMMER OLYMPICS IN GERMANY - Feb 13, 2026
Religious Responses to the Holocaust: An Essay by Eli Rubenstein (1983)
A Note About the Essay
Throughout my life, I have been blessed with an education that is as diverse as one could hope for.
The educational institutions I attended included:
Eitz Chaim Elementary School (Toronto, Ont.) - 1963- 1974
Telshe Yeshiva (Cleveland, Ohio) - 1975- 1977
Ner Israel Yeshiva (Toronto, Ont.)- 1977-1978
Yeshivat Bais HaTalmud (Jerusalem, Israel)- 1978-1980
York University (Toronto, Ont.) - 1980-1985
International Institute for Humanistic Judaism (Farmington Hills, Michigan) - Mid 1990s
The University of Judaism (Los Angeles, CA) - Mid 1990s
Yad Vashem International School for Holocaust Studies (Jerusalem, Israel) - Mid 1990s & 2000s.
Over the years, I have been privileged to study under and learn from many fine teachers, too many to mention - Jewish and non-Jewish - in both religious and secular subjects. These exceptional individuals have blessed me in manifold ways, not just with the wisdom and knowledge imparted, but perhaps more importantly by their example. Along with their ever-apparent erudition and intelligence, so many of these teachers carried themselves with modesty, humility and the highest integrity - and distinguished themselves by their simple acts of kindness. Truthfully, these attributes touched me more than their intellectual gifts.
As the famous Chasidic quote goes: "I did not go to the Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritch (d. 1772) to learn interpretations of the Torah from him - but to note his way of tying his shoelaces.” (Reb Leib Seres). (Known as the Maggid of Mezeritch, Rabbi Dov Ber was a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov).
One of those wonderful teachers was Professor Michael Brown (of Blessed Memory) at York University, under whose tutelage I began to study the history of the Holocaust. The course was called: "The Final Solution: Perspectives on the Holocaust” in 1983.Here is the paper I wrote for that course—Religious Responses to the Holocaust—which launched a lifetime of interest in and study of this difficult, complex, but necessary subject.Eli Rubenstein