Student Life Events at St. George

Feb 16, 2024 09:00 AM to 04:00 PM

Registration Deadline: Feb 15, 2024 04:00 PM

A photo of the city of Toronto skyline, with text "deTOurs: Bus Tour of Worship Sites. February 16, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Join a bus tour of sites that support your spiritual well-being. clnx.utoronto.ca."

Join us for a bus tour of worship sites in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that support your spiritual well-being. This event is in partnership with the Centre for International Experience (CIE) and the Multi-Faith Centre.

We will first meet at the Koffler House Lobby (569 Spadina Avenue) at 9:00 AM for check-in and to receive a general introduction ahead of the tour. The tour consists of 3 site locations which we will visit in the following order: Shaarei Shomayim synagogue, Ontario Khalsa Darbar, and the TARIC Mosque. Afterward, the bus will bring us back to Koffler House by approximately 4 PM.

If you have questions or accommodation requests, please feel free to contact You Jia Lee (youjia.lee@utoronto.ca).

About Each Location:
The Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue, located in North York and established in 1966, is a Modern Orthodox synagogue that has long served Jewish-Canadians as a place of worship, community, and education. Supporting nearly 700 families, the synagogue offers educational programs and religious services for a diverse range of ages and backgrounds. During our excursion, we will have the opportunity to explore and learn more about the synagogue, the Jewish-Canadian community it serves, and gain insights into the Jewish faith, culture, and its traditions.

The Ontario Khalsa Darbar is a holy Sikh place of worship located in Mississauga and founded in 1978. This Gurdwara Sahib, or "doorway to the Guru," is the largest Gurdwara in Canada, serving over 5000 members with various services including prayer space, an academy teaching Punjabi and Gurmat Sangeet, and more. During our excursion, we will have the opportunity to learn about the fundamental principles of Sikhism and the holy site's aim to bring Sikh wisdom to the larger GTA population.

The Toronto and Region Islamic Congregation (TARIC) Islamic Centre, is located in North York and was established in 1977. This Islamic centre is one of the largest in Toronto serving approximately 2000 worshippers and consists of space for prayer, a gymnasium, a library, and a school teaching Arabic and the religion of Islam. Following the centre's mission to extend the teachings of Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims alike, our visit will allow us to learn about the major tenets of Islam.