Document

Governor General of Canada, joins us to launch our 150th Anniversary

See pages 11–13

Her Excellency, the Right Honourable

Michaëlle Jean

inside... L A U N C H I N G O U R 1 5 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y C E L E B R AT I O N S S E P T. 1 7 , 2 0 0 6

Vo l . LXXX II No . 1 | September 2006 | Elul 5766/Tishrei 5767

in this issue Daily/Shabbat Worship 2 | In Perspective 3 | High Holy Days 2006/5767 4 | Sukkot, Shemini

Atzeret and Simchat Torah 5 | The Gerald Schwartz/Heather Reisman Centre for Jewish Learning 6 | Education

Matters 9 | Holy Blossom Temple Foundation 10 | 150th Anniversary 11 | Events and Announcements 16 | Our

Congregational Family 17 | This Month @ Holy Blossom 21 | The Last Word 22 | Annual General Meeting Notice

and Proxy 23

1 8 5 6 T O 2 0 0 6 : C E L E B R A T I N G 1 5 0 Y E A R S A S A C O N G R E G A T I O N

Holy Blossom Tem ple Bulletin

w w w. h o l y b l o s s o m . o r g H O LY B LO S S O M T E M P L E | 2

Please remember to visit our Web site, at www.holyblossom.org, to read our weekly D’var Torah. (Just click on D’var Torah under the Avodah/Worship menu button.) You can also subscribe to our e-mail service and receive the D’var Torah weekly by e-mail. (Just click on Subscribe to Email at the top of our home page.)

D A I LY S E R V I C E S

Mon. to Fri. 7.30 a.m. Shacharit* 6 p.m. MinchaSun. 9 a.m.

* On Mon. Sept. 4, 2006, Shacharit Services will be held at 9 a.m.

S H A B B AT S H O F E T I M

Fri. Aug. 25 6 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat ServiceSat. Aug. 26 10.30 a.m. Congregation-wide Shabbat Service

S H A B B AT K I T E T Z E

Fri. Sept. 1 6 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat ServiceSat. Sept. 2 10.30 a.m. Congregation-wide Shabbat Service

S H A B B AT K I TA V O

Fri. Sept. 8 6 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat ServiceSat. Sept. 9 10.30 a.m. Shabbat ServiceSat. Sept. 9 10.30 a.m. Family Shabbat Service

S H A B B AT N I T Z A V I M / V AY E L E C H


S E L I C H O T

Sat. Sept. 16 9 p.m. Lecture and Service (Please see below for details.)

S H A B B AT S H U V A H


For High Holy Day and Festival information, please see pages 4 and 5.

Daily/Shabbat Worship

S E L I C H OT | Professor David Novak | Sat. Sept. 16, 2006

Please join us as we inaugurate the season of remembrance, forgiveness and renewal.

9 p.m. Freedom and Responsibility: What Maimonides Would Say David Novak, the J. Richard and Dorothy Shiff Professor of Jewish Studies and Professor of Philosophy, University of Toronto

An examination of our acceptance of responsibility for the moral and religious choices we have made during this year.

11 p.m. Selichot Service

Shabbat Morning Torah Shabbat Morning Torah Study: From Universalism Study: From Universalism to Particularismto ParticularismRabbi John MoscowitzSaturdays at 9 a.m.

We will pick up at the end of Genesis and move into Exodus as the Israelites gain identity, acquire a place in history and come together — at high and low moments — as the People Israel. No background required — just interested and curious minds.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 6 | E l u l 5 7 6 6 / T i s h r e i 5 7 6 7 w w w. h o l y b l o s s o m . o r g3

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eNo more!b y R A B B I J O H N M O S C O W I T Z

History may well record the summer of 2006 as the moment when a new fascism, its boots marching on the ground for a number of years already, revealed itself for all but the morally blind to see.

Some had seen it coming. Th e likes of Oriana Fallaci, Christopher Hitchens, Bernard Lewis, Whalid Phares and Charles Krauthammer had warned about “genocidal Islamism.” Th ey wrote early and oft en that a lethal combination of an Iranian grab for regional domination, the political needs of Syria, the murderous cultures of Hezbollah, Hamas and Al Qaeda — fuelled by a vague sadness over what once was — gathered a combustible and poisonous mix of distorted Islam and fascism. Th e goal: to rid the world of Israel; to make one-time or current Muslim lands free from the taint of all non-Muslims; and to have a go at the ‘Great Satan,’ America. A new caliphate would reign from Spain to Indonesia. Th ey took the once great Islamic world and twisted it beyond recognition. For shame.

As the radical Islamists clearly announced their intentions this past decade, most acqui-esced or prevaricated — or simply watched and didn't see. Th e Islamo-fascists took full advantage of our collective silence. No wonder they thought us weak. For shame.

G E N O C I D A L FA S C I S M

Now a rampaging and genocidal fascism marches here, there and everywhere. Rockets explode throughout northern Israel, just as violence and terror were wrought in New York, London, Mumbai, Jerusalem and Buenos Aires. No doubt, there will be vari-ous starts and stops to the terror, but this is only tactical. Th e Islamo-fascists have an-nounced their end goal — and to surprised eyes they possess the motivation to reach their goal and more of the military means to do so than most imagined.

Still — nothing new under the sun here — some wish to ascribe the root cause of the violence to the Jews. Specifi cally, to the

‘occupation,’ to settlements, to the ‘Zionist lobby’ and so on. And more: an America, out of control, aids (or is run by) the Jews. But we would ask, does the world still have to be reminded that the Islamo-fascists, once symbolized by Yasser Arafat and now driven by Iran and Hezbollah, have long wanted the Jewish State annihilated — well before the Jews and the West commit-ted their various ‘sins?’

Even a long-time critic of Israeli policies, the New York Times Foreign Aff airs Colum-nist Th omas Friedman, calls things as they are: “Th e Palestinians could have a state on the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem to-morrow, if they and the Arab League clearly recognize Israel, normalize relations and renounce violence. Anyone who says other-wise doesn’t know Israel today.” (New York Times, July 7, 2006) Of course, we now know that the fascists could care less about the Palestinians and a Palestinian state — their murderous aim is much higher.

And so what should we do? First, we must express our support for a stand-tall Prime Minister Stephen Harper. (Write him

at: Offi ce of the Prime Minister, Room 202, 80 Wellington Street, Ottawa, K1A 0A2, or e-mail him at [email protected].)

Second, our solidarity with Israel (along with all who oppose the cur-rent march of fascism) must no longer be expressed only in casual and private conversations — but should be made manifest in letters to newspapers, calls to talk shows, joining in rallies and more.

Th ird, a word about winning this war: when you fi ght fascists there is noth-ing wrong with winning and everything wrong with losing. Th is war must be won — which doesn’t mean the slaughter of innocents, but rather forcefully convinc-ing Iran and others that they have no choice but to give up their cause.

O L M E R T ' S I N S P I R AT I O N

And fi nally, we can take inspiration from Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, who said the following in the Knesset in the midst of July terror: “Th ere are moments in the life of a nation, when it is compelled to look directly into the face of reality and say: no more! And I say to everyone: no more! Israel will not be held hostage — not by terror gangs or by a terrorist authority or by any sov-ereign state … We are entitled to our freedom, and when necessary, we know how to fi ght for it and defend it … We will triumph!”

Indeed, no more!

For ways to keep current and learn more about the situation in Israel, please see page 22.

There are moments in the life of

a nation, when it is compelled to

look directly into the face of reality

and say: no more! And I say to

everyone: no more …

— Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert


Selichot Sat. Sept. 16, 2006Lecture 9 p.m.Service 11 p.m.

Erev Rosh Hashanah Fri. Sept. 22, 2006First Service/Family Service 6 p.m.Second Service 8.30 p.m.

First Day Rosh Hashanah Sat. Sept. 23, 2006First Service 8.30 a.m.Early Family Service 9 a.m.*Second Service/Late Family Service 11.30 a.m.*Children’s Service (for children who do not yet read) 3.30 p.m.*

Second Day Rosh Hashanah Sun. Sept. 24, 2006Congregation-wide Service 10 a.m.**

Kol Nidre Sun. Oct. 1, 2006First Service/Family Service 6 p.m.Second Service/Teen Service 9 p.m.

Yom Kippur Mon. Oct. 2, 2006Early Family Service 9 a.m.*Morning Service 10 a.m.Generation ` Service (for 20 and 30 somethings) 11 a.m.Late Family Service 11.30 a.m.*Study Sessions 1.30 to 3 p.m.Children’s Service (for children who do not yet read) 2 p.m.*Aft ernoon and Yizkor Service 3.30 p.m.

* Please note new time for this year.

** We are pleased to off er special children’s activities on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.Hig

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High Holy DaysThis coming High Holy Days …Lindi Rivers, our new year-round Cantorial Soloist, will lead us in song. This will be the fi rst time Lindi joins us for the High Holy Days.

Aviva Chernick, a teacher and performer, and cantorial student with Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner, will lead us in song on Yom Kippur.

Rabbi Jonathan Crane, a Ph.D. student at the University of Toronto, will lead several of our

Yom Kippur Services, while Rabbi Yael Splansky begins her maternity leave.


Sukkot

Sukkah DecoratinWed. Oct. 4, at 4.30Fun for the whole family. Help buiand decorate the h.

Kabbalat Shabbat/Erev Sukkot Service Fri. Oct. 6, at 6 p.m.

Congregation-wide Shabbat/Sukkot Morning ServiceSat. Oct. 7, at 10 a.m.Bring your lulav and etrog. Singing,creative Torah study and child care will be integrated throughout the morning. Aft er the Service, enjoy a festive lunch with the synagogue community.

Lulav and etrog sets: If you would like to order a quality lulav and etrog ($40 for the set), please call Shelly Berenbaum (ext. 233), at the Temple, by Wed. Sept. 20, 2006. You can pick them up from the Temple offi ce on Th ur. Oct. 5 or Fri. Oct. 6, 2006, before 12 p.m.

Z’man Simchateinu — Season of our Rejoicing

Shemini Atzeret

Kabbalat Shabbat/Erev Shemini Atzeret Service Fri. Oct. 13, at 6 p.m.

Congregation-wide Shabbat/Shemini Atzeret/Yizkor ServiceSat. Oct. 14, at 10 a.m.Children’s programs and child care

be provided. A special luncheonwill follow the Service.

Simchat Torah

Flag Making and ParadeSat. Oct. 14, at 6 p.m.A must for all young children! Sponsored by HABSTY.

ConsecrationSat. Oct. 14, at 6.20 p.m.Again this year, Holy Blossom Temple will hold Consecration on Simchat Torah. Th e joy of our cel-ebration of Torah will be multiplied with the ruach of our youngest students of Torah, all dancing with their new scrolls. Join us for a

special Service for Grade 1 students and their families, followed by the congregational celebration. Simchat Torah Service and Celebration Sat. Oct. 14, at 7 p.m.All are welcome to attend this jub-ilant evening of rejoicing with the Torah to conclude our Tishrei Holy Days. We will dance the night away with Judy and David Gershon’s live band. A special invitation goes out to all Camp George campers and staff . We will also be launching our Torat Chaim (Living Torah) project on Simchat Torah. (For more details on Torat Chaim and all our 150th Anni-versary events, please see page 12.)

Call for volunteers:

The fall Festivals require a lot of helping

hands. If you can volunteer for any of the

Festivals, please call Shelly Berenbaum

(ext. 233), at the Temple. Community

service hours are available for high

school students.


Gerald Schwartz/Heather Reisman Centre for Jewish Learning at Holy Blossom Temple

Our Gerald Schwartz/Heather Reisman Centre for Jewish Learning at Holy Blossom Temple provides opportunities to come together for major public lectures, to study Torah and other Jewish literature, and to obtain the skills needed to lead a deeper Jewish life. For more details on all lectures and programs, please watch your mail for the 2006/2007 Gerald Schwartz/Heather Reisman Centre for Jewish Learning Calendar, call the School offi ce (ext. 256), at the Temple, or visit our Web site at www.holyblossom.org. Please remember to bring your Advance Seating Card, which will be sent to you with the Calendar, to all major lectures. Doors open, for our members who present their cards, one hour before lectures begin. All programs and lectures are open to the community, unless otherwise stated. To register for any program that requires pre-registration, please call Lissette Ilgner (ext. 238), at the Temple. For your convenience, our daytime pro-grams during the week are marked with this symbol:

The Marmur LecturesThree Ways of Hearing — The Shema Then and NowRabbi Dow MarmurWednesdays at 8 p.m., Sept. 13, 20 and 27Th e “Hear, O Israel” of the Shema goes far beyond the auditory; the word has many meanings. In these three lectures, Rabbi Dow Marmur will discuss three diff erent ways of responding to God in our time in an eff ort to add new perspectives to the High Holy Days and to suggest ways of formulating our own Jewish commitment:Sept. 13 — Th e Premodern Way: Obey, O Israel! Sept. 20 — Th e Modern Way: Understand, O Israel! Sept. 27 — Th e Postmodern Way: Listen, O Israel!

Advanced Hebrew Grammar Rabbi Edward Goldfarb

Tuesdays at 11.30 a.m., beginning Oct. 17 Join us for this advanced grammar class with special emphasis on parsing Biblical and prayerbook text. Open to Temple members only.

Sisterhood Torah Study Rabbi Edward Goldfarb

Wednesdays at 9.30 a.m.,beginning Oct. 18 Th is class will study the Second Book of

Kings, continuing to delve into the pas-sionate writings of our prophets. New and returning students are welcome.

The Yiddish NovelRabbi Edward Goldfarb

Wednesdays at 10.30 a.m., beginning Oct. 18We will continue our study of Yiddish literature including Th e Brothers Ashkenazi. Non-member fee: $60.

Reform Judaism from Geiger to BorowitzRabbi Michael Stroh, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Har Zion, and Executive Director, Toronto Board of Rabbis

Th ursdays at 10.30 a.m., Oct. 5 to 26Rabbi Michael Stroh discusses the develop-ment of Reform Judaism, from its origins to its brilliant future. Pre-registration required. Cost: $40.

Exploring the Jewish Character in Contemporary NovelsCynthia Good, Director, Creative Book Publishing Program, Humber College

Tuesdays at 9.30 a.m., Oct. 17 to Nov. 21How are Jewish characters depicted through novels today? We begin our read-ing with A Wall of Light by Edeet Ravel. For a booklist, please e-mail Cynthia Good at [email protected]. Pre-registration required. Cost: $60.

BB kBook Talks

Ariel Sharon: a Life in Times of Turmoil

Freddy Eytan Career Israeli Diplomat and Israel’s First Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Mon. Sept. 11, 2006, at 7.30 p.m.Freddy Eytan will discuss Israel and its struggles, its mortal dangers and its great victories since the founda-tion of the Jewish State — through the lens of the life of Ariel Sharon.


Rabbi Michael Marmur, Dean, Hebrew Union College, Jerusalem

Abraham Joshua Heschel:An Appreciation of GreatnessAbraham Joshua Heschel (1907–1972) was one of the most infl uential and profound Jewish fi gures of the 20th century. Who was he? Why have so many Jews and Christians seen him so diff erently? We will examine some of his work in an eff ort to explore the man and his infl uence on so many.

Fri. Oct. 27, 2006

6 p.m. | Kabbalat Shabbat Service, Dinner and Study: In Search of HeschelPre-registration required. Cost: $20 for adults; $10 for students.

Sat. Oct. 28, 2006

9 a.m. | Torah Study: Heschel’s Noah

10.30 a.m. | Shabbat Morning Sermon: Praying, Understanding, Doing — Noah as Ark-etype

12.30 p.m. | Lunch and Study Session: The Sons of Akiva and the Sons of Ishmael — The Deep Structure of JudaismPre-registration required. Cost: $15 for adults; $10 for students.

Scholar in Residence WeekendCaring for the Elderly: A Jewish ViewRabbi Jonathan Crane, Ph.D. Candidate in the Study of Religion, Specializing in Jewish Ethics, University of Toronto Wednesdays at 7.30 p.m., Oct. 18, 25 and Nov 1Th is course will explore the challenges and ethics of caring for the elderly — be it par-ents, spouses or others. Using Judaic texts, we will discover what issues we may face when caring for a loved one and making health-proxy decisions on issues we had not previously considered and discussed.

Metaphors of the AftermathElaine Newton, Professor, York UniversityTh ursdays at 7.30 p.m., Oct. 19 and 26Participants will look at two thought-pro-voking, poignant novels — Ian McEwan’s Saturday and Jonathan Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close — that mean-ingfully engage our own mood and moral dilemmas in a world disabled by 9/11. Th ese novels enlarge our understanding of the sense of vulnerability, and perhaps even cul-pability we all now experience. Saturday, set in London, presents one ominous day, seen through the consciousness of a thoughtful, skilled neurosurgeon, whose life is shaken by a chance run-in with street thugs. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close fol-lows a quirky, brilliant nine-year-old as he searches through New York City for the lock that fi ts a key left by his father, who died in the Twin Towers on Sept. 11th.

Book Launch: Washington Diaries Allan Gotlieb, Canada’s Former Ambassador to the United States (1981–1989)Tue. Dec. 12, 2006, at 7.30 p.m.Allan Gotlieb has written widely on inter-national law and diplomacy. He holds an M.A. from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and a law degree from Harvard. A prominent member of Canada’s business community, he serves on many boards and is a Companion of the Order of Canada. His new book, Washington Diaries, recounts his years in the U.S. capital during the Reagan and Mulroney era.

Learning Liturgy through Singing Jewish MusicCantor Benjamin Z. MaissnerSundays at 10 a.m. Holy Blossom Temple Singers learn the joy of liturgy during rehearsals with Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner, and contrib-ute greatly to the musical life of the Temple. New participants are always welcome. For more details, please call Mari Lynn Rusack (ext. 224), at the Temple.

Beginners’ HebrewDalia Alalouf, Hebrew Supervisor Wednesdays at 7.30 p.m.,beginning Oct. 18 (full-year program)Do you feel that it’s time to learn what your children and grandchildren are learning? Th en this is the course for you. Learn how to read Hebrew and feel comfortable in Temple Services. Limited to Temple members. Pre-registration required. Cost: $200 per year.

Fighting Islamism and Making Peace with Islam

Yossi Klein Halevi, Senior Fellow, Shalem Center, JerusalemWed. Nov. 15, 2006, at 8 p.m.

Th e challenge of confronting the ongo-ing threats posed by Islamism and the potential for making peace with Islam will be analyzed in the context of the current crisis facing Israel and, by extension, the West.

Co-sponsored by:


The Gerald Schwartz/Heather Reisman Fall 2006 Lecture Series at Holy Blossom Temple

In Exile or at Home?Refl ections on Israel, the Jews and and Anti-Semitism in a Precarious World

Even after enduring and surviving several millennia, even at a time of statehood and prosperity, Israel and World Jewry struggle for a place among the nations in an unbalanced and precarious world. What will be now as genocidal Islamism is on the march?

Does the West care and how will it respond? Four leading observers refl ect on these unavoidable questions.

Mon. Oct. 30Thomas Friedman Three-time Pulitzer winner, Thomas Friedman is the author of From Beirut to Jerusalem.

Introduction:Heather Reisman

Mon. Nov. 13Barbara AmielColumnist, Maclean's Magazine

Introduction: Robert Lantos

Mon. Nov. 20Malcolm Hoenlein Executive Vice Chair, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organization

Introduction: Rabbi Moshe Shulman

Mon. Nov. 27Ehud Ya’ariAssociate Editor, The Jerusalem Report

Introduction: Hershell Ezrin

All lectures begin at 8 p.m. Please remember to bring your Advance Seating Card. Doors open at 7 p.m., for members who present their cards.

Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah ProgramMondays at 7.30 p.m., beginning Oct. 23, 2006 (continuing through June 2008)

Have you ever considered celebrating Bar/Bat Mitzvah — even though you did not as a child? Join an active group of adults of all ages who wish to take this step to hone their Jewish skills. This four-semester course (over two years) will cover:• Introduction to Reform Judaism and Mitzvot, with Rabbi Jason Rosenberg• The Jewish Holiday Map, with Debbie Spiegel, Director of Education• God in History, with Rabbi Yael Splansky• Why Ideas Matter, with Rabbi John Moscowitz• Beginner and Intermediate Hebrew classes, with Lindi Rivers, Cantorial Soloist, and Dalia Alalouf, Hebrew School Supervisor

Cost: $250. For more details and registration, please call Debbie Spiegel (ext. 239), at the Temple.


I Educ

atio

n M

atte

rsChanges and new ways to learnb y D E B O R A H K . S P I E G E L , D i r e c t o r o f E d u c a t i o n

It’s hard to believe summer is over! We spent the summer preparing for another wonderful year of education for the Temple, and there are many things to look forward to this year.

Holy Blossom Temple Pre-School is abuzz with preparations for the new school year. Our hallways and classrooms will soon be fi lled with the sounds of our Nursery and Junior Kindergarten children singing, play-ing, laughing and learning with our most creative teachers. We are sure this will be a wonderful year for the Pre-School!

We are very excited about the changes in our Lower School (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6). We are introducing a new pro-gram for our Junior Kindergarten students, called Taste of Temple, which will begin Sun. Oct. 22, 2006. We hope it will give our younger members a great introduction to the Temple.

For Senior Kindergarten to Grade 6, many changes have been made to curricula. We look forward to new programs and op-portunities for all of our students. Th ese special programs will also coincide with the 150th Anniversary celebrations of the Tem-ple. We hope to engage all students in this wonderful occasion. Tours of the building and stories from our veterans are only some

of the activities planned for this exciting year.

More curriculum changes are afl oat for the Senior School (Grades 7 to 10). Th is program has

been completely revamped, and students now have more choice in their studies. Students will study a core curriculum course and register for an elective of their choice. Students will also have opportuni-ties to participate in youth group activities, to get involved in Temple-sponsored so-cial-action programs and to explore other social opportunities.

S C H W A R T Z / R E I S M A N C E N T R E

Learning is not restricted to our children however. Th e Gerald Schwartz/Heather Reisman Centre for Jewish Learning at Holy Blossom Temple has many opportunities for adult education. Please see page 6 and watch your mail for our adult education calendar, and then join us for what promises to be an extremely successful year.

From all of us in the Education depart-ment, shanah tova u’metuka, wishes for a healthy and sweet New Year.

Pre-School Principal Pam Hamovitch (right) and teacher Debbi Snider recently attended the Early Childhood Educators Conference, sponsored by the Coali-tion for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE). Entitled “Teaching the Whole Jewish Child: Torah, Tefillah and Exceptionalities,” the Conference discussed the creation of a nurturing, respectful, academic and Judaically inspiring environment for the children in our schools. It also offered teachers the chance to network with peers in other synagogue-based pre-schools across the country, to share ideas and experi-ences, and to gain insights from experts in the field. Debbi and Pam appreciated the opportunity to attend.

Teaching the Whole Child

CHILDREN'S CHOIRChildren from Grades 3 to 6 are invited to sing with the Holy Blossom Junior Choir, led by Cantorial Soloist Lindi Rivers. Rehearsals resume on Oct. 15, 2006, and are held on Sundays whenever there is Religious School. Each session starts at 12.15 p.m. and lasts one hour. Get ready for more performances, an expanded repertoire and lots of fun.

For more details, please call Lindi Rivers (ext. 252), at the Temple.

Make a note


HOW MANY MITZVOT CAN YOU DO WITH

just one act?

wo – with your purchase of State of Israel B O N D S.

By purchasing a bond — during the High Holy Days, or at any time — you help support the State of Israel. By donating that bond to the Holy Blossom Temple Foundation, you help support our extraordinary synagogue community. And there’s even something, beyond good feelings, in it for you: immediate tax advantages. Why not strengthen Israel and Holy Blossom Temple at the same time?

BUY BONDS. IT’S A WIN-WIN PLAN.

TFor more information, please call the Foundation offi ce (ext. 270), at the Temple.

Fou

ndat

ion

In honour of our 150th Anniversary,

Holy Blossom Temple Foundation has

created a series of beautiful new tribute

cards. The first in the series is our new

Shanah Tovah card, for you to send best

wishes for the New Year to your family

and friends.

For a donation of $20*, we would

be happy to personalize and send

your card ($15 per card if you order

more than six). You can also order

a package of 10 cards to send by

yourself, for $100. Tax receipts will

be issued.

Celebrate the spirit of the New Year, while helping us to strengthen Holy

Blossom Temple. To order cards, please call Deborah Tameanko (ext. 265),

at the Temple, or e-mail her your list at [email protected], by

Fri. Sept. 9, 2006.

* Effective Sept. 1, 2006, all tribute cards will increase in price from $18 to $20 and will also be available in packages of 10 for $100.

A N E W LO O K

F O R O U R 1 5 0 T H Y E A R

In celebration of Holy Blossom Temple’s 150th Anniversary, we have redesigned the Bulletin. Overall, the aim of our new design is to elevate the appearance of the Bulletin and make it more appealing to a broad age range of members, while remaining an easy-to-read and in-formative publication.

Th e use of green and gold (the Temple’s corporate colours) gives the Bulletin a warmer, friendlier look. While making it more invit-ing, the new colour palette also harmonizes the Bulletin with the rest of our 150th Anniversary mar-keting materials. Th e inside pages use subtle visual markers to dis-tinguish various sections for easier navigation, and refl ect a more seri-ous publication. Th e contemporary look, while attractive to younger readers, maintains its overall legibil-ity to appeal to more senior readers.


TThink how remarkable it is that Holy Blossom Temple is now within weeks of turning 150 years old. In this country alone, there are very few institutions — religious, civic or otherwise — that are 150 years old. When, in 1856, a number of Jews came together to build a fl edgling community, Canada itself was still a decade away from becoming a nation. Th ese original members coalesced, seeking what Jews always do in a new land: comfort and fellowship in community, a place for worshipping God and to accultur-ate their young to old ways in a new land — and not very far away, a small plot of land to lay their dead to rest.

Who knew that the cornerstone laid then would turn into one of the great synagogues of the world?

Who knew that 150 years later, what men like Joseph Lyons, Isaac Davis and A.G. Ascher founded, would develop into an institution so important to so many for so long?

Why has Holy Blossom Temple endured, indeed oft en succeeded?

Primarily because the congregation — led by professional and lay leaders, but sup-ported by generations of diligent and serious Jews — remained true to the requirements of Judaism and responsive to the needs of Jews. A venerable tradition was respected, as was the power of modernity — each generation

b y R A B B I J O H N M O S C O W I T Z

On turning 150 years old

refashioning things as they sought the delicate balance between the competing claims of the past and the future. I suspect this also: for

all the successes enjoyed by individual members and the congregation, a sense of modesty and self-restraint, a kind of elegant dignity, became the cultural norm of the congregation — as I think it does in any great religious community.

And what about the previous genera-tions’ utter lack of fear about the future? Th at courage saw a number of congrega-tional leaders of the Bond Street synagogue, in the mid 1930s, take upon their shoulders the responsibility to move uptown; and more than that, to build a vibrant future for the next generations, a congregational culture that would engage and inspire, teach and challenge. Th ey wanted Jews to feel comfortable in their world — and in the world at large.

What the 1938 generation accomplished is exactly our purpose now at the beginning of the 21st century: to ensure that our grandchil-dren, their children and grandchildren and beyond, have a vibrant synagogue community in which to learn and come together as Jews. Th e diff erence is that we will do this exactly

where we are now, at 1950 Bathurst Street.And so there is much to celebrate: 150

years, a synagogue as strong as ever, a future bright with promise, even as — or especially as — challenges now draw out our best. So let’s come together and celebrate on our Opening Event Weekend in September (see details below) and then on various occa-sions throughout this coming year.

In particular, we look forward with warmth and excitement to welcoming back Rabbi Harvey Fields and Cantor Sheldon Merel (who served as clergy at Holy Blossom from 1974 to 1982, and from 1969 to 1979 respectively), on the Shabbat of our Opening Event Weekend. Th e next day, it will be our privilege to host Rabbi Eric Yoffi e, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, and Can-ada’s Governor General MichaNlle Jean, as they help us celebrate our formal birthday. I hope all of you will join us then.

On behalf of the entire congregation then, this thank you to the 150th Committee led by Henrietta Chesnie: you have worked diligently and creatively for more than a year to organize the various events so that we may celebrate our good fortune. We are most grateful for your eff orts.

For more details on our 150th anniversary celebrations, please see pages 12 and 13.

Sun. Sept. 17, 2006Joining us for our Opening Event will be Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada

2 p.m. Formal Launch of our 150th AnniversaryGuest speaker Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, will formally launch our Anniversary celebrations.

3.30 p.m. Outdoor FestivalFor children and adults of all ages, our festival will feature musical entertainment, fun activities and light refreshments, the opening of our historical displays, and afternoon tea and sweets. Special guests Judy and David will entertain children and delight bubies and zaidies.

Celebrate our 150th Anniversary with us

Be part of history in the making!


LONG-T IME MEMBERS

At our Shabbat Service on Sat. Sept. 16, 2006, we will honour those members of the Temple whose roots in our Congregation go back several generations.

Almost 200 of our current members hail from families who have been part of our Temple community for more than 70 years. One of our congregants can even trace her roots to Isaac Davis, a founding member of this synagogue. If we haven’t heard from you yet about your long-time family connection to Holy Blossom, please call the Temple Archives (ext. 522 ) and leave a message.

O P E N I N G E V E N T

We are deeply honoured that Canada’s Governor General, the Right Honourable MichaNlle Jean, will attend the formal launch of our celebrations, along with our guest speaker, Rabbi Eric Yoffi e, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, and Emily and Eugene Grant, Honourary Chairs of the

Be part of history in the making!You are a member of Toronto’s fi rst synagogue. Please join us as we launch and celebrate a year of activities to mark this mfrom our youngest to our most senior members, from musical programs, to social action activities, to guest speakers, to socreceived in the mail last month, and watch the Bulletin and Temple Web site for updates throughout the year. Our theme ftogether. Our 150th Anniversary is an opportunity for us to understand and appreciate what the generations of earlier Tem

Opening Event. Aft er our Service, join us for an outdoor festival for all ages, under the big tent in the Ava Road parking lot. If you need a quiet moment, visit the Philip Smith Congregational Hall to view the wonderful historical displays and enjoy a cup of tea and a sweet.

T O R AT C H A I M L A U N C H

Torat Chaim (our Living Torah project), the centrepiece of our 150th year, will be launched at our Simchat Torah Service on Sat. Oct.14, 2006, when our Honourary Pres-ident, Jack Geller, will write the fi rst letter in our new scroll. Our aim is for every member of our congregation to write a letter in our new Torah. If you have not yet made your commitment please call Deborah Tameanko (ext. 265), in the Foundation offi ce.

T O U R O F O L D J E W I S H T O R O N T O

Join us on Sun. Oct. 22, 2006, as we explore the areas of Toronto in which the history of

Toronto’s Jewish Community began. We will meet at the Temple at 1 p.m. and proceed by bus to the Pape Avenue Cemetery — the very fi rst Jewish institution in Toronto (1849) — for the dedication of the cemetery as an Ontario historic site. We will then ex-plore sites of old Jewish Toronto, including the Temple’s former ‘homes’. We will return to the Temple at 5 p.m., for refreshments and an opportunity to view our archival dis-play. Th e cost is $30 and reservations are a must. For more information, please call the Temple (ext. 531). Please send your cheque to Holy Blossom Temple marked ‘Tours’.

C LO S I N G E V E N T

Th e Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) will honour Holy Blossom Temple on Sun. June 17, 2007, with a special concert featur-ing virtuoso clarinetist, Giora Feidman. Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner will also participate in the program. Tickets have been set aside for Holy Blossom members

Hortense and Ben Geldzaeler, with Rabbis Jacob Eisen and Abraham Feinberg, and the Geldzaeler’s daughter, Alfreda, and her husband Philip Henry, at Robbie Henry’s Consecration in 1954.

Hortense and Ben Geldzaeler.

CELEBRATE WITH US AS HOLY BLOSSOM TE

Mark Geldzaeler.


milestone event in the history of our Temple, our city and, indeed, Canadian Jewry. Th ere will be something for everyone, cial events to displays and, of course, the writing of our own Sefer Torah. Peruse the Calendar of Events, which you for our Anniversary year calls on us to honour the past, celebrate the present and imagine the future we can enjoy

mple members have bequeathed to us and to contemplate what we want to leave to the generations who will come aft er us.

and will be held for the next few months, so book your tickets as soon as possible.

We will hold a pre-concert Gala stand-up dinner party at Roy Th omson Hall. Tickets for the Gala and concert are $250 per per-son and include the best seats in the house. If you would like to attend the concert only, seats in all price ranges are on hold for Holy Blossom members. Everyone who attends this performance will enjoy anniversary cake and coff ee aft er the concert. To order tickets, call the TSO at (416) 598-3375, and quote the code “Blossom 07.”

If you are a TSO subscriber and already have your concert tickets but would like to attend the Gala and sit in the seats reserved for Temple members, call the TSO to credit you for what you’ve already paid and to move your seats into the Temple Gala sec-tion. If you want to attend the concert only but wish to sit in the seats reserved for Tem-ple members, the TSO will exchange your tickets for others in the same price range.

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T H E G E L D Z A E L E R FA M I LY

Emily and Eugene Grant, Honourary Patrons of our Opening Event Weekend, have connections with the congregation that go back several generations. Emily’s grandfather, Mark Geldzaeler, served the congregation for more than 40 years as as-sistant reader, teacher and dues collector. Mark’s son, Ben, Emily’s father, served the congregation as secretary and vice presi-dent. Emily’s mother, Hortense, became honourary president of Sisterhood in 1975, a position she held until her death in 2000.

Our congregation now includes the following members directly related to Mark Geldzaeler: Th elma Rose, Robbie and Carol Henry, and Barbara Weisfeld and their children.

T H E D A V I S FA M I LY

Carole Grossman and her three children, Jaimie, Melissa and Robbie, can trace their connection to the congregation back to

its very beginning in 1856. Carole’s great, great-grandfather, Isaac Davis, attended a meeting on Sept. 7, 1856, at which Holy Blossom was born. Isaac’s son, Henry, Carole’s great-grandfather, was an offi cer of the congregation. Henry’s son, Bertram, was a lifelong member as was his daughter, Joan, Carole’s mother.

Carole is a 5th-generation member of Holy Blossom; her children, 6th genera-tion and her grandchildren, 7th generation. While we have been able to trace the fami-lies of other members back to the late 1800s, to the best of our knowledge, Carole is the only one who is a direct descendent of one of the 17 founding members.

For more details on our 150th Anniversary events, click on the 150th icon on our Web site at www.holyblossom.org.

Isaac Davis, a founding member of our synagogue.

Joan Davis Freeman with her father Bertram Davis.

Carole Grossman with her grandchildren, Jack and July.

EMPLE TURNS 150 YEARS OLD


Shabbat FusionFridays at 6.30 p.m., Oct. 27 and Nov. 24, 2006, and Jan. 26, Feb. 23, Mar. 30, Apr. 27, May 25 and June 29, 2007

Once a month over the past year, approx-

imately 75 young adults — single and attached,

members and non-members — have gathered

on the last Friday of the month to experience

a Shabbat evening of prayer, song and study

like no other. Against the backdrop of our

formal Sanctuary, intimacy is created by sitting

For more details on this program, please call Cynthia Silverman (ext. 276), at the Temple.

informally in a circle around the lower bimah. The fi ve musicians

bring a sound that is both old and new — tribal rhythms

from the Ugandan Jewish community; joyful niggunim from

the Chassidic infl uence of Shlomo Carlebach; and riff s of New

Orleans jazz and retro-funk. Everything old is new again with

this eclectic mix of sounds that gets the crowd up and dancing

to welcome in the Shabbat bride with the words of Lecha Dodi.

Instead of a sermon, the teachings are sprinkled throughout

the Service, which highlights the themes and logic of the

prayer book. Following the Service, a kiddush of good Israeli

wine and sushi invites people to linger for hours. All 20 and 30

somethings are welcome.

Annual General Meeting | Sun. Nov. 19, 2006, at 10 a.m.The Annual General Meeting provides a chance for every member of Holy Blossom Temple to have

a voice in the aff airs of the congregation. Please join us and take advantage of this opportunity to

become an informed, participating Temple member. (Please see pages 23 and 24 for a Notice of

the Annual General Meeting and a Proxy form.)

Board of Trustees Installation | Sat. Nov. 25, 2006, at 10.30 a.m.Please join us for a congregation-wide Shabbat Service, when Holy Blossom Temple’s new Board of

Directors will be installed. Child care and creative study programs will be provided. A kiddush lunch

will follow the Service.

Thank you — A special thank you to Lorraine Loeb, who will be stepping down as a Temple Offi cer

in November 2006, after many years of dedicated service to the Temple.

Annual General Meeting and Board Installation

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Jeffrey Wilson

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Aaron Lig

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Family Programming 2006

For more information, or to leave a message, please call the Seniors’ hotline (ext. 517), at the Temple.

Oct. 16 Torah Chaim Aft er a break for the High Holy Days, we will reconvene and take part in the Torat Chaim (Living Torah) project, the highlight of the Temple’s 150th Anniversary celebrations.

LU N C H and L E A R N in Retirement 2006

Join us for exciting daytime pro-gramming and socializing. Please bring your own dairy lunch and we will provide coff ee, tea and cookies. We meet at 12.30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Please mark your calendars for: Oct. 11, Nov. 8 and 22 and Dec. 6. Details about the programs will be in the next issue of the Bulletin.

11.30 a.m. Lunch, with our now-famous, delicious soups closes our morning. Cost: $2.

Th is year, in honour of the Temple’s 150th Anniversary, all our speakers will be members of our dynamic congregation.

Sept. 11 Five Years Later Rabbi John Moscowitz

Sept. 18 Our Temple at 150 Years | David Hart, Ken Wyman and Sheila Smolkin, Archives Committee

M O N D AYS @ the Temple

Mondays @ the Temple is gearing up for another year. We invite all seniors to our weekly program on Mondays, beginning on Sept.11, 2006. Our day begins at 10 a.m.with time to socialize with Temple members and friends, followed by an interesting pro-gram at 10.30 a.m. Melanie Nesbitt will be back to lead the group in gentle exercises at

ever! Mark your calendars for Sept. 8 (dinner) and Oct. 20 (Service). To RSVP, call Cynthia Silverman (ext. 276), at the Temple.

FP online

Do you have young children? If so, then sign up for Family Programming’s e-mail. Family Programming is the committee that puts together activities for families with young kids — Festival celebrations, social action days, fun get-togethers and

Tot Shabbat 2006

Tot Shabbat teaches our kids the joy of Shabbat. We incorporate music, prayer, stories, crafts and more to make Friday night the highlight of the week. Once a month, we follow up the Service with dinner. For a small fee, we provide the chicken; you bring a side dish. Not only do the kids have fun and not only do you get to spend some time meeting other families, but you get to be part of the easiest Shabbat dinner

more. Our upcoming activities are listed monthly in the Bulletin, but an even easier way to keep up to date is through our regular e-mails. To sign up, visit our Web site at www.holyblossom.org > Subscribe to E-mail > Family Programming.

Mark Sun. Oct 8, 2006, at 12.30 p.m. on your calendars for our Family Programming Sukkot party — games, crafts, music and edible sukkah! Watch the Bulletin and your e-mail for more details.


Holy Temple Stagecraft Company: The Cemetery ClubTh ur. Dec. 7 and Sat. Dec. 9, 2006, at 8 p.m., and Sun. Dec. 10, 2006, at 2.30 p.m.Th is heart-warming comedy by Ivan Menchell is about three widows and a widower, whose friendships are tested by memories and changes in their lives. Tickets are $15; $10 for seniors and students. For more details, please call the Stagecraft hotline (ext. 511) at the Temple.

Library HoursRegular hours resume Sept. 5, 2006.Sunday 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.Monday 1.30 to 8.30 p.m.Tuesday 1 to 6 p.m.Wednesday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 2 to 6 p.m.

Annual General Meeting and InstallationWed. Sept. 13, 2006, at 8 p.m.All members and potential members of Brotherhood, and all nominees for the Brotherhood Executive and Board of Direc-tors and their spouses, are invited to attend. Our offi cers and directors for 5767 will be installed and President Jeff Levy will deliver his annual report. Th ere will be a wine and cheese reception following the meeting.

Breakfast Club: Our Orthodox BeginningsDavid Hart, Temple ArchivistSun. Oct. 22, 2006, at 9.30 a.m.Holy Blossom began as an Orthodox con-gregation. Join us to learn about our early Orthodox rabbis. Th is is the fi rst in a series of programs about our 150-year history. Everyone is welcome.

would make the perfect gift for Yom Tov. We also have a large selection of candle sticks, kiddush cups, tallit and mezzuzot for those important life-cycle occasions. Regular shop hours resume the fi rst week of Sept-ember: open Monday to Friday 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., and Sundays 9.30 a.m. to 12 p.m., or make an appointment by calling ext. 234, at the Temple.

Ashkenaz FestivalTue. Aug. 29 to Mon. Sept. 4, 2006 Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre and Harbourfront CentreFor details, please call (416) 979-9901 or visit www.ashkenazfestival.com. Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation/Mount Sinai Hospital Fine Art Auction and Gala Dinner Tue. Sept. 26, 2006, at 6 p.m.Royal Ontario Museum For details, please e-mail [email protected].

UJA Day with the Argonauts Mon. Oct. 9, 2006, at 4 p.m.Rogers CentreSee note below.

UJA Day @ the Air Canada Centre: Maccabi Elite vs Toronto RaptorsTh ur. Oct. 19, 2006, at 7 p.m.To order tickets, please call Clayton Smith at (416) 815-6173. See note below.

Note — A portion of the proceeds of every ticket of both the UJA Argonauts and the Raptors games will go to sup-porting the UJA Federation's Israel Emergency Campaign. For details, please call Loriellen at (416) 635-2883, ext. 184, or e-mail [email protected].

Joining SisterhoodHave you ever thought about becoming actively involved in Holy Blossom Temple Sisterhood, but never taken advantage of the opportunity? We invite all Temple women to join and take an active role in Sisterhood. Come study with us, connect with like-minded Temple women and more than 90,000 women across North America, participate in our varied activities and dis-cover who we and the Women of Reform Judaism are.

Temple GatheringsTodah rabba to those Sisterhood women who helped out with the Gatherings Shabbat kiddish, by baking, setting up, host-ing and cleaning up aft er the lunch. Th is was another very successful event, enjoyed by so many of our members.

Membership Appreciation Brunch/Annual Raffl e DrawSun. Dec. 3, 2006, at 11 a.m.Th is year’s Project Raffl e draw will be held at our Membership Appreciation Brunch in celebration of the Temple’s 150th Anniversa-ry year. Raffl e books will be arriving in your mailboxes during the fi rst week of Septem-ber. Please return the ticket stubs as soon as possible, so you don’t miss out on any of our exciting prizes. First prize is a beauti-ful diamond and opal ring, valued at more than $2,200. Second prize is two tickets to the Holy Blossom Temple 150th Anniversary Gala at Roy Th omson Hall. Save the date for the Brunch and draw; bring a friend and get to know your Sisterhood.

Judaica ShopDon’t forget our gift shop when you’re look-ing for that perfect host or hostess gift . We currently have a beautiful selection of items, including honey jars and special dishes, that

Events and Announcements


We would like to welcome the following people to the Holy Blossom Temple family:

Stephanie & Marc Benjamin, and Jack and Georgia

Linna Chercover & Jason BaschMarilyn & Gil Cornblum, and MaxwellDimitra & Michael Davidson, and Jacqueline

and BryannKeren & Ryan Groll, and CharlieRochelle Lissack & Oren LapskerDavid Malamed, and Dylan and HarleyLiza Mauer & Andrew Sheiner, and Lucas,

Gabrielle, Sophie and CharlesMarni & David Morrow, and Ryan, Matthew

and JaimieCarolyn & Bernard Schwartz, and Lyle,

Anndra and JarrodShelley & Daniel Sonshine, and BayleyLaura SteinRachel Wolfson & David Bain, and Lily

and JamieJill & Mark Ziedenberg, and Madison

and Aaron

Rabbi Dow Marmur, on being installed as an Honorary Fellow of the University of St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto.

Mel Springman, on receiving the Carol Creighton Award for exemplary contribution to the public service and legal profession.

B I R T H SLiza Fromer & Josh Gerstein on the birth of

their son Samson Fromer Gerstein. Proud grandparents are Elizabeth & David Fromer and Rita & Ben Gerstein. Proud great-grandmothers are Jessie Gerster, Gerda Gottlieb and Mildred Bullas.

Our Congregational Family

Th e congregation sympathizes with the recentlybereaved families of:Dorothy Atlin, stepmother of Gordon AtlinMarvin Bederman, husband of Dyan

Bederman, father of Melissa Bederman, Jodi Leanse and Keri Miller, brother of Earl Bederman, Victor Bederman and Rhoda Nussbaum

Dr. Samuel Birenbaum, husband of Gloria Pollock-Birenbaum, father of Rhonda Cowley, David Birenbaum and Neil Birenbaum, brother of Abraham Birenbaum, Isaac Birenbaum and Louis Birenbaum

Sylvia Davine Bloomberg, mother of Lawrence Bloomberg, Ronald Bloomberg and Joy Closner, sister of Sam Davine and Ruth Harris

Joeseph Blumes, husband of Esther Blumes, father of Jacob Blumes, Jeddidayah Blumes, Joy De la Ren and Vallry Waldman, brother of Syma Ellenhorn

E N G A G E M E N T S

Caryn Hershhorn, daughter of Sandi & Ron Hershhorn, and Hartley Springman, son of Leslie & Mel Springman, who will be married in spring 2007.

Harriet & Barry Sklar on the engagement of their son, Robert Sklar, to Robyn Temins, daughter of Marianne & Larry Temins, who will be married in October 2006. Proud grandmother is Ruth Sklar.

Blanche Brunswick, mother of Susan Brawer, Andrea Brunswick and Stephen Brunswick, sister of Gordon Ross

Stanley Cohen, husband of Sheila Engel Cohen, father of Dana Cohen and Jonathan Cohen, brother of Howard (Hushy) Cohen

Dr. Stephen Cole, husband of Reissa Schrager-Cole, father of Hilary Cole, son of Shoshana Cole, brother of Dr. Edward Cole

Norman Drache, husband of Iris Drache, father of Daniel Drache, Michael Drache and Miriam Dryer, brother of Myer Drache, Rose Drache and Sam Drache

Ann Drevnig, mother of Richard Drevnig, Victor Drevnig and Harriet Green, sister of David Rubinoff

Dr. Abraham Eisen, husband of Joyce Eisen, father of Lewis Eisen, Mark Eisen, Mitchell Eisen, Paul Eisen and Pam Goldarb, brother of Sonia Smith

Manuel Th eodore Gold, husband of Elayne Maron, father of Dr. Joanne Cummings, Lynda Gold, Nancy Gold and Norman Gold, brother of Dr. Michael Gold

David Gordon, husband of Sybil Gordon, father of Barbara Gordon Davis, Alan Gordon and Barry Gordon, brother of Ethel Goldsmith and Jules Gordon

Esther HermantHarold Metter, father of Terry Gaisin and Fred

MetterRuben (Ruby) Moranis, father of Steven

Moranis, brother of Jules MoranisKatherine Perlman, mother of Linda Goldman,

Cynthia Sugar and Brenda Proulx, sister of Morris Rosen

Pauline Rosen, wife of Ralph Rosen, mother of Carl Rosen, David Rosen and Sara Rosen

Ruth Sadowski, wife of Marvin Sadowski, mother of Carol Herzog, Jeff rey Sadowski and Richard Sadowski, sister of George Fine and Jack Fine

Samuel Spivak, husband of Anna Spivak, father of Allan Spivak, Howard Spivak and Lorne Spivak, brother of Ida Abrams and Manuel Spivak

Mark Stein, husband of Victoria Stein, father of Caroline Berger, Lisa Cohen, Andrew Stein, Keith Stein, Bennett Stein, Chelsea Stein, Fielding Stein and Harrison Stein

B ’ N E I M I T Z V A H

Sept. 9, 2006/16 Elul 5766Ellie Goodman, daughter of Bonnie Merling Goodman & David Goodman

Sept. 9, 2006/16 Elul 5766Eric Wilson, son of Shari & Michael Wilson

Sept. 9, 2006/16 Elul 5766 Jesse Shulman, son of Drs. Charlene Linzon & Geoff rey Shulman


Jacob Starkman Sept. 15Rose Lieberman 16Oscar Plotnick 16Lily Silver 16Basil Belick 17Annie Stern 17Rachael Sussman 17

* Inadvertently omitted from the last issue of the

Bulletin.

E A R L A N D M A R I LY N D A N S O N FA R B E R C A M P S C H O L A R S H I P F U N D

Barney Danson, Congratulations: Marilyn Farber and Family

J E A N F I N E S E N I O R S F U N D

Joseph Blume, In Memory: Sheila & Bob Smolkin; Paula & Allan Warren

Jean Fine, Yahrzeit: Penny Fine & Hugh Furneaux; Arielle and Adrienne Furneaux

Mona Levenstein, Special Birthday: Daisy & Syd Jacobs

Etta Ginsburg McEwan, Happy Birthday: Ann, Joe, Dina and Zahaza Fisher

Mondays @ the Temple Volunteers, In Apprecation: Paula Moshonas

Hillary & Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, Mazal Tov: Paula Moshonas

General: Sally & Ben Jacobson

F LO R A L F U N D

Ellie Robyn Goodman, Bat Mitzvah: Bonnie & David Goodman

Eric Wilson, Bar Mitzvah: Shari & Michael Wilson

H O LY B LO S S O M T E M P L E F O U N D AT I O N F U N D

Hymie Baltzan, In Memory: Susan & Barry Borden; Lorraine & Donald Loeb; Ellen & Dwayne Wright

Sam Birenbaum, In Memory: Daisy & Syd Jacobs

Sylvia Davine Bloomberg, In Memory of Mother: Lorraine & Donald Loeb

Barry Borden, In Appreciation: Bea & Saul Sidlofsky

Barry Borden, Special Birthday: Joyce & Barry Spiegel

Stanley Cohen, In Memory: Lorraine & Donald Loeb; Jordana Loeb & Leonard Drimmer; Myrna Sandler

Heather Crawford, In Honour: Barbara OrganRuth Crocker, Congratulations: Sybil & Jack

GellerJack Diamond, Congratulations: Lorraine &

Donald LoebMildred Franklin, In Memory of Mother:

Lorraine & Donald LoebDeborah & Marvin Gans, Birth of

Granddaughter: Sybil & Jack GellerDebbie & Marvin Gans, Mazal Tov: Shelly &

Art GansMichael Larkin, In Apprecation: Team full

support and Lisa Taylor

Name Date

Lights will be kindled in the Sanctuary, for seven days, starting the Saturday evening before the anniversary date, to mark the yahrzeit of the following:

Name DateHannah Perly* Aug. 18Martin Bloom Sept. 3Jeannette Brown 3William Kap 3Elliott Pepper 4Rosa Shabsay 4Samuel Bernstein 5Isador Marcus 5Frederick Bookman 6Benjamin Nathanson 6David Vise 6Maxwell Kurt Bochner 7Sarah Firestone 7Harry Goldman 7Harry Rubin 7Janet Finsten 8Jacob Phillip Tarshis 8Lucille Allen 9Rose Freedman 9Faye Malowane 9Murray Shafran 10Selma Goodfellow 11Samuel David Pollack 11Arna Potashin 11Allan Webber 11Morris Ginsburg 12Diane Kardish 12Belle Krangle 13Frederick Oberndorff er 13Jack Wecksler 13Fred Biback 14Pauline Hutner 14Betty Hyman 14Ethel Posen 14Max Robins 14Doris Beverly Wiseman 14Vera Bernstein 15Harold H. Siegal 15

1 5 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y C E L E B R AT I O N F U N D

General: Emily & Eugene Grant

A C C E S S I B I L I T Y F U N D

Joseph Blume, In Memory: Etta Ginsberg McEwan

Etta Ginsberg McEwan, Special Birthday: Ellen Karabanow; Judy Malkin & Elliott Jacobson; Val & Arieh Waldman; Linda & Gordon Wolfe

Glenda Mindlin and Committee, In Appreciation: Etta Ginsberg McEwan

Gordon Wolfe, In Honour: Etta Ginsberg McEwan

A I D F O R S U R V I V O R S O F T E R R O R I S M F U N D

Tobe Blumenstein, Special Birthday: Daisy & Syd Jacobs

Julius Ciechanowski, In Memory: Alison, Alan, Dana and Jared Schwartz

Louise & Murray Cornblum, In Apprecation: Frances & Murray Ellis

Faigie & Sid Lynas, Congratulations: Frances & Murray Ellis

Bea & Saul Sidlofsky, Mazal Tov: Terrye & Jack Kuper

Mary & Paul Spring, Congratulations: Frances & Murray Ellis

Sue Joel & Gene Stewart, 35th Wedding Anniversary: Terrye & Jack Kuper

R U T H B O R D E N M E M O R I A L YO U T H A W A R D F U N D

Barry Borden, Happy Father’s Day: Karen Borden & Nelson Switzer

Harvey Borden, Happy Birthday: Susan & Barry Borden

Jay Wunder, Mazal Tov: Susan & Barry Borden

Harold Louis Stulberg, husband of Sybil Stulberg, father of Andrea Iceruk, Howard Stulberg, Jay Stulberg and Stuart Stulberg, brother of Mary Katz

Daniel Zoltynski


Rosalyn Leese, In Memory: Robin & Noah Belman and Family; Cindy & Michael Berg; Sharon Citron & Andrew Himel and Family; Ellen, Ricky, Corey, Lindsay and Ryan Cosman; Elly Daniels; Brenlee & Allen Gales; Lorna D’Onofrio Glickman; Sharon & Zvi Gorlick; Terry & Brent Kirshenbaum and family; Edith Krupski; Judy Banhs Otis; Sandy & Albert Page; Lianne Pollock & Laurie Johnson and family; Th e Rossens; Wendy Shully; Karen & David Smith; Splendid Chocolates; Lora & Steven Steinhauer and Family; Lisa & Ralph Summerfi eld; Zipporah & Arnold Schonberg and Family; Miri, Mohr and Danielle Schneiderman; Robert, Jan, Dean and Natalie Simonsky; Marna & Bernie Snitman

Ruby Moranis, In Memory: Esther & Cyril Hersh and family

Judy Nyman, In Appreciation: Pam & Michael Albert

Hillary & Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, Mazal Tov: Randi & Alan Garfi nkel; Wendy & Elliott Eisen

Doris & Ted Rosenstock, Wedding Anniversary: Mindy & Howard Goodman

Fred Saunders, In Honour: Barbara OrganBea & Saul Sidlofsky, Birth of Grandson:

Esther & Marvin Tile; Sybil & Jack GellerBea & Saul Sidlofsky, Mazal Tov: Myrna

SandlerJudy & Gerald Slan, 40th Wedding Anniversary:

Henrietta ChesnieRabbi Yael Splansky & Adam Sol, Mazal Tov:

Ellen KarabanowShirley Staiman, 80th Birthday: Cynthia & Brian

HandsMarvin Tile, In Honour: Barbara OrganGeneral: Susan & David Speigel

I S E N B E R G E N D O W M E N T F U N D

Ruth & Sy Margel, 50th Wedding Anniversary: Sandy & Chris Grivas

I S R A E L S T U D Y F U N D

Mira Lyon, Good Luck: Sheila & Bob Smolkin

J A C O B ’ S T O W E R F U N D

Marilyn Shesko & David Hertzman, Mazal Tov on Forthcoming Marriage: Vivian & Oswald Barmasch; Tobie & Ted Bekhor; Edra Berrin & Harry Kaplan; Marlene & Andi Borins; Irene Cohen & Marvin Baskin; Roz & Murray Collis; Doran Crocker; Marilyn

& Allen Davis; Linda Dutsch & Michael Shmukler; Susan & Jayme Farber; Elayne, Jeremy, Lauren and Allison Freeman; Ruth & Alby Garbe; Jacqueline & Bernard Goldfarb; Florence & Harold Hertzman; Marla & Gordon Hertzman and Family; Susan Jacobson & Barry Collis; Bayla Katz and Shelley Katz; Vicky & Roberto Lentino; Fern Lukofsky & Leonard Dezenhouse; Ronit Little; Myles Lipton; Rodney & Claire Meranda; Rhonda & Jennifer Polasky; Shirley Ray; Eva & Bruce Rames; Ruthie Roher; Joan & Paul Rosenberg; Tessa Rose; Eva Ryterband & Lance Levy; Deborah Saltzman; Dr. Paul Schwartz; Chris Seagram; Gwynne Schwartz; Pyllis & Morris Schwartz; Rochelle & Mark Stenzler; Aunt Riva & Uncle Murray Swartz; Ellen & Jerry Sigesmund and Family; Bonnie & Jack Tepperman; Terry & Jeff rey Weiss; Ella & Michael Wharton; Martha & Stan Wise; Merrilee & Rob Yarmo

J O A N K E R B E L L E A D E R S H I P D E V E LO P M E N T F U N D

Joan Kerbel, Yahrzeit: Irving GreenIke Morgulis, Mazal Tov: Gail & Gary

GoodmanHillary & Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, Birth of

Talia Shoshana: Holy Blossom Temple Sisterhood

Mary Seldon, Special Birthday: Gail & Gary Goodman

L I B R A R Y B O O K F U N D

May Applebaum, Special Birthday: Jean & Lewis Applebaum

Barry Borden, Happy Birthday: Francie & Martin Shorm

Anne Dublin, In Appreciation: Julie KirshNora & John Freund, In Honour: Shira Bell Roseanne Mason, In Apprecation: Jackie &

Michael Shulman Marlene Ruderman, Special Birthday: Daisy &

Syd JacobsEsther & Seymour Siegel, Anniversary: Jean &

Lewis Applebaum and Family Barry Borden, Happy Birthday: Francie &

Martin StormJessica Waintman, Congratulations: Morty &

Judy Hersh

D O W A N D F R E D Z I A M A R M U R P R O G R A M F O R E D U C AT I O N A L E X C E L L E N C E

Samuel Birenbaum, In Memory: Lila & Allan Weiss

Etta Ginsberg McEwan, Special Birthday: Mimi & Malcolm Kronby

Fredzia & Rabbi Dow Marmur, Wedding Anniversary: Penny Fine & Hugh Furneaux; Virginia & Carl Solomon; Phyllis & Manny Spivak

M U S I C A L L E G A C Y F U N D

Paul Bell, Yahrzeit: Naomi BellJoseph Blume, In Memory: Michelle Katz &

Larry Blumenthal, and Mira and Jesse; Holy Blossom Temple Singers; Pnina Margolese; Glenda and Allison Mindlin

Stanley Cohen, In Memory: Sharon & Shelley Miller

Dawn Davis, In Memory: Holy Blossom Temple Singers; Pnina Margolese

O U T O F T H E C O L D F U N D

Joseph Blumes, In Memory: Gail & Gary Goodman; Ron Hart

Rosalind Brott, Yahrzeit: Joy Rosen & Larry Freedman and Family

Stan Cohen, In Memory: Shelley & Art Gans; Nancy Prusski; Lesley Shore; Annalee & Brian Schnurr

Gitte & Leslie Crangle, Anniversary: Marta & Sydney Collins; Reta Newman

Fran Ellis, 65th Birthday: Mary & Paul SpringAnastasia Gianopolis, In Memory: Th e Zener

Family Kathy & Maurice Green, In Apprecation:

Andrea & Andrew StevensLarry Hausman, Special Birthday: Karen, Evan,

Faryl, Lez and Brad HausmanDylan Landau, Bat Mitzvah: Ada & Benny

Kozlowski; Barbara & Sy LandauMadison McCloskey, Mazel Tov: Th e Crawford-

RitchiesGary Posen, In Appreciation: Naomi BellKatherine Perlman, In Memory: Marlene Fine

& Malcolm Alexandroff ; Janette & Michael Diamond; Ellen & Bobby Eisenberg; Joy Futerman; Shelley & Art Gans; Rita Kagan and Family; Tillie Leslie; Penny & Marty Off man and Family; Nancy Prusski; Jackie & Michael Shulman; Deenna Sigel; Lynn & Skip Sigel; Rhoda & Robert Vineberg; Lori Weitzman & Peter Kalichman; Cheryl, Jim, Jonathon and Dori Zener

Bella Sherman, Speedy Recovery: Marlene & Joe Smith


Contacts for Donations

To make a donation to any of our existing funds, please call the Foundation Offi ce, at (416) 789-3291, ext. 265.

To learn more about how you can support the Holy Blos som Tem ple Foundation, or to establish a new fund, please call Deborah Tameanko, at (416) 789-3291, ext. 265.

To make a donation to One Family Fund (Aid to Survivors of Terror), please call (416) 644-4955.

To make a donation to MAZON Canada, please call (416) 783-7554.

To make a donation to the Toronto Community Forest Fund, please call Sybil Gor don at (416) 489-5709.

We appreciate your supportHoly Blossom Temple appreciates all donations to our funds; how ev er due to rising costs, cards will only be sent for donations of $20 or more. We will con tin ue to rec og nize all donations in the Bulletin.

We apologize but due to space constraints, not all do na tions will ap pear in the Bulletin issue closest to the date on which the con tri bu tion was made. Donations in this issue were received by July 10, 2006.

P R AY E R B O O K A N D W O R S H I P F U N D

Elsie & Herman Berger, In Memory: Barbara & Floyd Stern, and Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren

Clare & Monte Denaburg, Wedding Anniversary: Margaret & David Hart

Joseph David Freedman, Graduation: Lou & Ida Goldberg

Sylvia Hyman, In Honour: Binnie HymanFloyd Prager, In Memory: Barbara & Floyd

Stern

P R O J E C T T I K V A H F U N D

Dr. Marvin Tile, Congratulations: Gail & Barry Silver

Judy Nyman, In Apprecation: Gail & Barry Silver

Hillary & Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, Mazal Tov: Gail & Barry Silver

Maureen Wright & Larry Mogelonsky, Wedding Anniversary: Nancy Siller

R A B B I S ’ A N D C A N T O R ’ S D I S C R E T I O N A R Y F U N D S

Rabbi John Moscowitz, In Apprecation: Celia Baltzan, Nina Baltzan, Gail Schloss and Jackie & Michael Shulman; Syrelle Bernstein; Ronnie Brott; June Dennis and Family; Julian & Andree Heller; Binnie Hyman; Wayne & Marlene Pulver; Phyllis & Manny Spivak

Rabbi Yael Splansky, In Appreciation: Ronnie Brott; Nancy & Owen Duckman; Jonathan, Hannah, Lily and Sophie Graff ; Andree Heller; Julian Heller; Linda & Sam Pack, and Jessica; Judy & Carl Ritchie; Judy & Gerald Slan; Neri & Peter Slan, and Joshua and Adam; Phyllis & Manny Spivak

Rabbi Yael Splansky: Stan Cohen, In Memory: Janice Bereskin & Ira Barkin and family

Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, In Appreciation: Ronnie Brott; Julian & Andree Heller; Vera Mandel

Hillary & Rabbi Jason Rosenberg: Birth of Talia: Liza Fromer & Josh Gerstein; Fran, Berney and Sari Goldman; Myrna Ross; Phyllis & Manny Spivak; Esther & Marvin Tile

Rabbi Dow Marmur, In Appreciation: Phyllis & Manny Spivak

Rabbi Edward Goldfarb, In Appreciation: Susan Berger; Phyllis & Manny Spivak

Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner, In Appreciation: Karen & Larry Hausman; Wayne & Marlene Pulver; Judy & Carl Ritchie; Phyllis & Manny Spivak

Lindi Rivers, Cantorial Soloist, In Apprecation: Celia Baltzan, Nina Baltzan and Gail Schloss and Jackie & Michael Shulman; Judy & Carl Ritchie

N A N C Y R U T H E D U C AT I O N F U N D

Hillary & Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, Mazal Tov: Nancy Ruth

S H A C H A R I T F U N D

Lilian Black, Yahrzeit: Corinne Black & Richard Vrooman

Doris Charach, Yahrzeit: Alice & Ron CharachElliot Collins, Yahrzeit: Alan MarcusEarl Farber, Yahrzeit: Marilyn FarberHarry Firestone, Yahrzeit: Shirley FirestoneLeah Gold, Yahrzeit: Esther & Marvin TileTerri Greenberg, Yahrzeit: Paula MoshonasWolf Kampelmacher, Yahrzeit: Judy & Julian

DruyanHarry Klein, Yahrzeit: Eric KleinTillie Levitt, Yahrzeit: Joan & Donald

GranatsteinWalter Levitt, Yahrzeit: Joan & Donald

GranatsteinQueenie Singer Lewis, Yahrzeit: Paula

MoshonasIsadore Margolese, Yahrzeit: Pnina MargoleseCatherine Pless, Yahrzeit: Dora TrackHenry Rosen, Yahrzeit: Clara RosenElizabeth & Harry Rubin, Yahrzeit: Jeanne

KamarnerArnold Sandler, In Memory: Tracy Sandler &

Kenneth Herlin and Jonathan and Madeleine Mark Solomon, Yahrzeit: Joan TuckerBetty & Barney Wolfe, Yahrzeit: Carole AbugovGeneral: Alicia Slepoy

A L & D O R A T R A C K S C H O L A R S H I P F U N D

Maxine Minden, Special Birthday: Dora Track and Family

L E O N A R D W O L F E E D U C AT I O N A L F U N D

Kitty Cohen, Speedy Recovery: Honey WolfeHerbert Evered, Speedy Recovery: Honey

Wolfe and Carol Dale

YO U T H A W A R D S

Adam Charney, Confi rmation: Richard & Sara Charney, and Andrew and Laura

Confi rmation Class 2006, Mazal Tov: Richard & Sara Charney; Henrietta Chesnie; Greenbaum Family; Alan & Joan Heavenrich

and Family; Nancy Ruth; Henry & Mary Seldon; Sennet Family; Simonsky Family; Sommers Family

Robert Denaburg, Mazal Tov: Margaret & David Hart

Emma Leese, Confi rmation: Teri, David and Rebecca Leese

Joshua Richman, Confi rmation: Gerry Richman & Malcolm Gould; Mattie Richman

Harry Rotman, In Memory: Shoshana & David Paice; Rosanne Brown & Joel Weinstein

Natalie Simonsky, Confi rmation: Simonsky Family

Kevin Wiener, Confi rmation: Lillyann & Bill Wiener

Hillary & Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, Birth of Talia: Susan & Barry Borden; Leo Baeck Day School; Clare & Monte Denaburg; Sarita Dotan; Michelle Katz & Larry Blumenthal, Mira and Jesse; Judy Malkin & Elliott Jacobson; Sheila & Bob Smolkin

S I N G E R / S M I T H YO U T H A W A R D E N D O W M E N T F U N D

Brad Gotkin, Get Well Soon: Alexis Singer & Brian Nichols


The Bulletin is published 11 times a year, between September and June, by Holy Blossom Temple, 1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5P 3K9. Telephone: (416) 789-3291; Fax: (416) 789-9697; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.holyblossom.org. Honorary Pres i dent: John A. Geller; President: Alan Garfi nkel; Senior Rabbi: John Moscowitz; Associate Rabbi: Yael Splansky; Associate Rabbi: Jason Rosenberg; Rabbi: Edward Goldfarb; Cantor: Benjamin Z. Maissner; Director of Education: Deborah K. Spiegel; Rabbi Emeritus: Dow Marmur; Senior Schol ar: W. Gunther Plaut; Executive Director: Benjamin Applebaum; Holy Blossom Temple Foundation Chair: Judy Nyman; Bulletin Committee Chair: Richard Rotman; Bulletin Editor: Judy Nyman.

Design and Production: Holy Blossom Temple was found ed in 1856 and is affi l i at ed with the Union for Reform Judaism and the Canadian Council for Reform Judaism.

For Worship Services, please see page 2. For High Holy Day and Festival Services, please see pages 4 and 5.As dates and times may change without notice, please confi rm all information by calling the Temple – at any time – to access This Week @ Holy Blossom recording.

Wed. Aug. 23 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study

Sat. Aug. 26 9 a.m. Torah Study

Wed. Aug. 30 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study

Sat. Sept. 2 9 a.m. Torah Study

Wed. Sept. 6 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study

Fri. Sept. 8 6 p.m. Tot Shabbat Service and Dinner


Sun. Sept. 10 9 a.m. First Day of Religious School Grades 1 to 6

Mon. Sept. 11 10 a.m. Mondays @ the Temple 7.30 p.m. Book Talk — Ariel Sharon: a Life in Times of Turmoil, with Freddy Eytan

Wed. Sept. 13 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study 8 p.m. The Marmur Lectures, with Rabbi Dow Marmur 8 p.m. Brotherhood Annual General Meeting and Installation

Sat. Sept. 16 9 a.m. Torah Study 9.30 p.m. Selichot Lecture, with David Novak

Sun. Sept. 17 2 p.m. Formal Launch of 150th Anniversary and Outdoor Festival

Mon. Sept. 18 10 a.m. Mondays @ the Temple 6.30 p.m. First Day of Senior School Grades 7 to 10

Wed. Sept. 20 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study 8 p.m. The Marmur Lectures, with Rabbi Dow Marmur


Mon. Sept. 25 10 a.m. Mondays @ the Temple

Wed. Sept. 27 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study 10.30 a.m. The Yiddish Novel 8 p.m. The Marmur Lectures, with Rabbi Dow Marmur


Wed. Oct. 4 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study 4.30 p.m. Sukkah Decorating

Thur. Oct. 5 10.30 a.m. Reform Judaism from Geiger to Borowitz, with Rabbi Michael Stroh

Sat. Oct. 7 9 a.m. Torah Study

Sun. Oct. 8 12.30 p.m. Family Programming Sukkot Party

Wed. Oct. 11 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study 10.30 a.m. The Yiddish Novel 12.30 p.m. Lunch and Learn in Retirement

Thur. Oct. 12 10.30 a.m. Reform Judaism from Geiger to Borowitz, with Rabbi Michael Stroh 6.30 p.m. Out of the Cold Sign-Up

Sat. Oct. 14 9 a.m. Torah Study 6 p.m. Simchat Torah Flag Making and Parade 6.20 p.m. Consecration

Sun. Oct. 15 9 a.m. Religious School Resumes

Mon. Oct. 16 10 a.m. Mondays @ the Temple

Tue. Oct. 17 9.30 a.m. Exploring the Jewish Character in Contemporary Novels, with Cynthia Good 11.30 a.m. Advanced Hebrew Grammar

Wed. Oct. 18 9.30 a.m. Sisterhood Torah Study 10.30 a.m. The Yiddish Novel 7.30 p.m. Beginners’ Hebrew 7.30 p.m. Caring for the Elderly, with Rabbi Jonathan Crane

Thur. Oct. 19 10.30 a.m. Reform Judaism from Geiger to Borowitz, with Rabbi Michael Stroh 7.30 p.m. Metaphors of the Aftermath, with Professor Elaine Newton

Sat. Oct. 21 9 a.m. Torah Study

Sun. Oct. 22 9.30 a.m. Brotherhood Breakfast Club

Mon. Oct. 23 10 a.m. Mondays @ the Temple 7.30 p.m. Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program

This month @ HOLY BLOSSOM September/October 2006Elul/Tishrei 5766/5767


O T

he L

ast W

ord Generation

b y R A B B I YA E L S P L A N S K Y

Our 150th anniversary is as much about looking forward as it is about looking back. Our confi dence in our future rests in our pride in the successes and truly in-spiring moments that make up our past.

Temple Board member Rob Steiner is particularly sensitive to understanding the needs of the 20- and 30-something generation. In discussing a future vision for the Temple, he has coined the verb “to shteibelize,” saying that within the great range of impressive things a large congregation like ours can do, the next generation, in particular, craves intimate settings in order to develop relationships with one another and with God.

S H A B B AT F U S I O N

Shabbat Fusion has done just that — shteibelized our grand Sanctuary — for those in their 20s and 30s. Some come

regularly each month and others stop in from time to time, but all agree Shabbat Fusion invites them into the doors of the synagogue in a way

nothing else would. Th eir Jewish identity is important to

them, but oft en they don’t know where to begin to nurture it or give it expression. Th ey feel they’ve been forgotten because of the lack of off erings in the Jewish com-munity for their stage of life — between being kids and having kids of their own. I admire Holy Blossom’s leadership for co-sponsoring Generation initiatives with UJA Federation, which has provided many grants for this purpose. Providing a relevant and joyful experience now, we hope, will one day translate into membership and leadership.

One of the psalms, which begins the Kabbalat Shabbat Service, demands, “Sing a new song to God.” Holy Blossom Temple has reached 150 years because it has found a new song, a new voice in every generation — so may it be for the next 150 years. (See page 14 for details on next year’s Shabbat Fusion.)

M AT E R N I T Y L E A V E

On a personal note, Adam and I are ex-pecting a baby, due the end of September. I will be on maternity leave for six months. During that time, I will bring my family to the Temple for Shabbat, holidays and 150th Anniversary celebrations. I look for-ward to returning to my offi ce in April 2007. I am most grateful to my colleagues, the Temple’s lay leaders and my tremendous as-sistant, Cynthia Silverman. Together, they will ensure everything runs smoothly in my absence.

Holy Blossom Temple supports Israel in many ways, including through: the many courses and public lectures by leading fi gures; tzedakah projects; and the work of our Israel Committee. One of the easiest ways to keep up to date on what’s happening now in Israel is to visit our Israel Table, located just inside the Dewbourne Avenue entrance of the shul. The table contains articles from various publications and e-mails, chosen by our rabbis. In this time of crisis in Israel, it is more important than ever to keep up to date on the current situation facing our People. The following Web sites are a good place to start:• Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy (www.cija.ca) is a non-partisan, umbrella organization for

Jewish community advocacy efforts, helping to increase support for Israel and strengthen the Canada-Israel relationship.

• Canada Israel Committee’s (www.cicweb.ca/crisis/index.cfm) CRISIS Web page provides daily updates on the situation in Israel, key messages and current advocacy strategy.

• Give Israel Your United Support (www.giyus.org) offers a ‘megaphone’ that you can download to receive desktop alerts on key articles and surveys, enabling you to click the alert to easily voice your opinion.

For more ways to connect, visit the Temple’s Web site, at www.holyblossom.org > Israel and Word Jewry > Support Israel > Israel-specifi c links.

Supporting Israel means action


Holy Blossom TempleNotice of Annual General Meeting of the Members

Holy Blossom Temple members are invited to join us at our Annual General Meeting, on Sun. Nov. 19,

2006, at 10 a.m. Hear what our Temple leadership plans for our future, ask questions and elect our new

Board of Directors. Please take advantage of this opportunity to be an informed, participating member of

this wonderful congregation.

All Temple members are entitled to a vote, in person or by proxy, at meetings. Your vote is important to

the future direction of the Temple and we encourage all members to make themselves heard. If you are un-

able to attend the Annual General Meeting, you may vote by proxy by completing the form on the reverse

side and returning it to the Temple offi ce no later than Tue. Nov. 7, 2006.

Th e following slate of offi cers and directors for the 2006/2007 will be presented for election at the meeting:

O F F I C E R S

President: Barry Silver; Vice President: Larry Babins; Financial Secretary: Tom Ehrlich; Treasurer: Pam

Albert; Recording Secretary: Cary Solomon.

B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S

Directors proposed to be nominated for a one-year term: Alberto Quiroz

Directors proposed to be nominated for the fi rst year of a two-year term: Terry Axelrod, David Blinick,

Michael Davis, Paul Hellen, Melanie Nesbitt, Michael Sherman and Neri Slan

Directors who will be continuing their second term: Janice Babins, David Greenberg, Gillian Helfi eld,

Erin O’Connor, Fred Saunders and Allison Schwartz

Additional candidates for any position may be nominated by members of the Temple. Such nominations

shall be submitted in writing to the administrative offi ce of the Temple not later than 60 days (Mon. Set. 18,

2006) before the Annual General Meeting, signed by at least 10 members of the Temple and by each member

so nominated.

For more details on the procedure for the nomination and election to the Board of Directors, download

a copy of our bylaws from the Temple Web site, at www.holyblossom.org/bylaws, or call the Temple offi ce

(ext. 233).

A G E N D A

Th e purpose of the meeting is to:

1. approve the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Members, held on Nov. 27, 2005;

2. elect members of the congregation to the Board of Directors for a one- or two-year term;

3. approve the annual fi nancial statements of the congregation for the year ended June 30, 2006;

4. appoint auditors and accountants and authorize the Board of Directors to fi x their remuneration; and

5. transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Instrument of Proxy

Holy Blossom TempleFax (416) 789-9697

Th e undersigned member of Holy Blossom Temple hereby nominates, constitutes and appoints

Alan Garfi nkel or

as proxy of the undersigned to attend the Annual General Meeting of Holy Blossom Temple of Toronto to

be held on the 19th day of November, 2006, and any adjournment thereof, and to vote and otherwise act

thereat for and on behalf and in the name of the undersigned in respect of all matters that may come be-

fore the meeting, the undersigned hereby ratifying and confi rming and agreeing to ratify and confi rm all

that such proxy may lawfully do by virtue hereof. Th e undersigned proxy must be fi led with or faxed to the

Executive Director of the Temple no later than Tue. Nov. 7, 2006.

Dated this day of , 2006

Signature

Print Name

Telephone Number

1950 Bathurst StreetToronto, ON M5P 3K9

Canada PostPublications Mail

Sales Agreement No. 40063407

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