Jumping for joy in new Davisville digs

Debbie Osiel has a lot to celebrate these days.

Osiel is the managing director of Jewish Urban Meeting Place, a non-profit organization that offers classes, travel opportunities and networking events to young professionals.

The organization is nearing its second anniversary and, as of this past fall, finds itself in new digs on Yonge Street in Davisville.
The community space used to be located in Thornhill.

“We wanted to be more on a subway line and wanted to put the urban back in the meeting place, so we decided to move down south,” she said.

They haven’t totally abandoned the 905, however.

“Eventually, we hope to have sporadic classes in Thornhill,” she said.

The new centre, which Osiel describes as an open-concept loft space, has already hosted several events, including a weekly ethics discussion with a rabbi, a talk about success with guest speakers from Jewish Employment Toronto and a Sunday brunch.

Upcoming events include cooking classes, a Shabbat dinner with a twist (the twist is scotch) and a screening of Super Bowl XXLII.

Osiel said that the open concept at the new place gives her and her colleagues the ability to turn the space into whatever they want, transforming it for each event.

“Each event is really unique,” she said.

“For our cooking classes for example, we’ll (arrange) the space to look more like a cooking demonstration class environment.”

The organization’s second anniversary this February is adding to the jovial mood. To celebrate, Osiel and her team are organizing an event at the Burroughs building at Queen and Bathurst to be held on Feb. 20.

“It’s just a fun night out,” she said, adding that if last year’s event is any indicator, the party should be a success.

That event, Osiel said, drew 500 young professionals to the Steam Whistle Brewery for an evening that included live music and a silent auction that raised $6,000 and 600 pledged volunteer hours for community groups.