Congregation Shir Libeynu
About Company
Congregation Shir Libeynu is Toronto’s longest-running, intentionally LGBTQ+-inclusive synagogue, established 25 years ago. Seventy people came to our first High Holy Day services. Since then, we have grown to a congregation of about 300 people who pray, sing, learn, celebrate and mourn together.
Our diverse community welcomes everyone, including traditional, non-traditional, and interfaith individuals, couples and families. Children are always welcome at our services and we offer special children’s programming during the High Holy Days and other services, where possible. We are continually striving to offer more opportunities for families and children.
Our mission is to celebrate and experience joyfully all aspects of Jewish life and spirituality within an environment of inclusivity, innovation and intellectual challenge. We embrace new rituals and liturgy, while recognizing and affirming the many paths our tradition offers.
We are a progressive, egalitarian congregation, unaffiliated with any particular stream of Judaism. Our members come from a variety of backgrounds—Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, Orthodox and secular—with varying degrees of Jewish education and experience.
“Shir Libeynu” is Hebrew for “song of our hearts,” and our services include prayers and music, both ancient and modern. All our service materials are provided in Hebrew and English. We seek to use liturgical texts that reflect our values of diversity and inclusivity. Whenever we can, we opt for egalitarian, gender-inclusive language that allows each member of our community to find their own connection to the prayers.