The city of Toronto is the capital of Ontario, the largest urban centre in Canada. It is home to 2.48 million people. Located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, the city is at about the same degree latitude as the French Riviera and known as one of North America’s safest and most multicultural cities. There are more than 100 ethnic groups in Toronto, and visible minorities account for nearly 50 per cent of the city’s population. The majority of Canadian Jews - 114,000 - live in Toronto and more than 65,000 live in the municipalities. Seventy per cent of the Greater Toronto Area’s Jews live within eight kilometers, 5 miles, of Bathurst St. More than 200 Jewish schools, synagogues, shops and community centres are within walking distance of Bathurst Street.

On July 3, 1933, 125,000 people filled Soldier Field to celebrate 3,000 years of Jewish history. The event was called "The Romance of a People," featuring 6,000 actors, singers, and dancers. The elaborate pageant was the Jewish community's moment in the spotlight at the 1933 World's Fair and marked 100 years of Jewish history in Chicago. From the city's incorporation in 1833, Jews had made vital contributions to Chicago's growth. Fleeing the hardships and persecution they faced in Europe, they transplanted themselves and their way of life to Chicago, where it took root on the shores of Lake Michigan.

If you already knew this information about Toronto and Chicago, Yashar Koach! If not, these are some of the things you could have learned on our last two B'nai Moshe summer bus trips. But to be honest, the history, geography and sites of interest are really the smallest part of traveling with me and a bus load of fellow members of our congregation. It is like traveling with family and friends that if they weren't close before the trip, they will be when you return. The relationships developed on these jaunts to various places are the icing on the cake and create even stronger connections to B'nai Moshe.

This year we will be traveling to Pittsburgh, PA on Sunday, August 12 through Tuesday, August 14. The committee is in the planning stages for our next vacation together. The committee consists of Steven Schwartz, Betty Weiner, Kerry Greenhut and Marion Cardiff who writes below about "Why Pittsburgh." If you have any questions contact me or any member of the bus committee.

This is for the membership of B’nai Moshe who may say, when they learn of the destination of our summer trip in August "Why Pittsburgh" The answer is Pittsburgh, Pa is a city of many virtues which is worthy of our attention. A city of lakes and bridges, we can have boat rides as well as visit beautiful botanical gardens. The Carnegie Melon Fortune has created wealth to found world class museums and scientific institutions which are part of the University of Pittsburgh. There are many avenues of Judaic interest and outstanding kosher restaurants and bookstores. Have we whetted your appetite? We know we will all have a wonderful time as we wind our way across the Pennsylvania turnpike in our bus on the way to beautiful down town Pittsburgh.