Express your Jewish Self

HOLY BLOSSOM TEMPLE
Bulletin
December 2012
The
Fine
Arts
Express your
Jewish Self
Festival of Lights
Friday Dec 14, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.
The entire congregation is invited to our
multigenerational Chanukah party.
Enjoy live music, dreidel games, story telling
and latkes with all the trimmings. Bring your own
Chanukiyah and we will light the candles together.
Tot Shabbat and Kabbalat Shabbat services with our
own Neginah Band will follow at 6 p.m.
Saturday Dec 15, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.
Congregation-wide service with special guest, Rabbi
Noam Katz, Dean of Jewish Living for Camp George
and the Leo Baeck Day School.
Songs of Shabbat and Chanukah will raise up our
voices – both young and old. Creative learning
programs for our children will be incorporated
throughout the morning. A special invitation goes out
to our young families. A Chanukah lunch for all to
enjoy.
There are many HBT celebrations throughout the days and
nights of Chanukah. Visit holyblossom.org for details.
HOLY
BLOSSOM
TEMPLE
7
Bulletin
CONTENTS
5
Hiddur Mitzvah: The Aesthetics of Mitzvot
4
Art in Synagogue Music
A Stagecraft Family within the Temple
5
6
The Secret Life of a Holy Roller
7
Our Artist in Residence
8
Our Shinshin Artist in Residence
9
9
The Intersection of Art and Judaism 10
A contemporary, Canadian Jewish musical voice 12
art about us 13
A spiritual home for our members 14
10
Our Congregational Appeal Donors: Thank You 16
Our Congregational Family 20
Holy Blossom Calendar 23
3
13
Cover photo: Temple Players: 1959
Want to share a comment about the Bulletin?Email Robert Carnevale at rcarnevale@holyblossom.org.
Hiddur Mitzvah:
The
Aesthetics
of
Mitzvot
4
Reflections
Rabbi Yael Splansky
ysplansky@holyblossom.org
Our Sages often ask: “What is the minimum
requirement in order to fulfill this mitzvah?” A
sukkah must be at least large enough for one
person to sit at a table and eat a meal. A kiddush
cup must be large enough to hold at least four
and a half ounces of wine. Chanukah wicks must
burn for at least thirty minutes. These minimum
requirements were clarified in order to keep
Jewish life livable for the poor and to remind
everyone of the essence of each mitzvah. At the
same time, a life of mitzvot should be celebrated
in such a way as to delight the senses. Beautiful
sounds, pleasing fragrances, delicious tastes,
attractive textures, colors, and artistry transform
the mitzvot into Jewish expressions of joy and
honour; and beauty itself takes on a religious
dimension. The principle of enhancing a
mitzvah through aesthetics is called Hiddur
Mitzvah.
Rabbi Ishmael comments on the verse, “This is
my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2).
“Is it possible for a human being to add glory to
The Creator the Universe? (No,) What this really
means is: I shall glorify God in the way in which
I perform mitzvot. I shall prepare before God a
beautiful lulav, beautiful sukkah, beautiful tzitzit,
and beautiful tefillin.” (Midrash Mechilta, Shirata
3) The Talmud adds to this list “a beautiful shofar
and a beautiful Torah scroll, which is written
by a skilled scribe with fine ink and fine pen and
wrapped in beautiful silks.” (Shabbat 133b)
a life of mitzvot should be
celebrated in such a way as
to delight the senses
Think of all the ways we add to this list as well.
Just look at our Shabbat and Seder tables, the
mezuzah casings on our doorposts, our upcoming
Chanukah festivities,. These beautiful foods and
ritual objects serve a sacred purpose: reciprocity
of beauty through mitzvot. That is, a Jew
becomes beautiful as she or he performs a mitzvah
intended to “beautify God’s glory.”
a Jew becomes beautiful
as she or he performs a mitzvah
intended to “beautify God’s glory”
Always careful to fill form with substance, Holy
Blossom Temple devotes time and effort to
Hiddur Mitzvah in countless ways. Beautiful
music fills our sanctuaries and concert halls.
Words of poetry and fine literature are enjoyed
around study tables. Dramatic expressions of the
Jewish experience are told by Stagecraft, our own
in-house theatre troupe. Inspiring architecture
and works of art are created by silver smiths,
scribes, woodworkers, and textile artists.
Always mindful of fulfilling form with substance,
Holy Blossom Temple devotes time and effort
to Hiddur Mitzvah in countless ways. Beautiful
music fills our sanctuaries and concert halls.
Words of poetry and fine literature are enjoyed
around study tables. Dramatic expressions of the
Jewish experience are told by Stagecraft, our own
in-house theatre troupe. Inspiring architecture
and works of art, created by silver smiths, scribes,
woodworkers, and textile artists are displayed
in every corner of our building. The walls of
our school wing also come to life with the
masterpieces of our children and teens.
As Chanukah approaches, let’s delight in the
Mitzvah of bringing more beauty and light to
Gods world, and thereby, become ourselves a
more beautiful source of light.
Holy Blossom Temple
Art in Synagogue Music
Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner
bmaissner@holyblossom.org
“I will sing unto God while I am alive, I will sing praises
to my God while I endure.” ~ Psalm 104
“Worship the Lord with Happiness, come before
God with Gladness.” ~ Psalm 100
How else can we approach the sacred task of
“HIDUR MIZVAH”, the beautification of the
commandment of Prayer? Moses taught us the
Torah through “The SONG” - HASHIRAH
HAZOT”. The Talmud describes the duty of
the Levites as: “Dibru et ha- Shir.” Melody and
words of prayer were transformed into worship.
Chronicles describes the First Temple’s services
as overwhelmingly loud and boisterous. Later we
learn that the Second Temple’s ritual was virtually
somber and tranquil. Today as in ancient times
the very essence of “Art” in Synagogue music are
the elements organized into a highly ritual format.
We at Holy Blossom always had deep respect for
the preservation for the highest quality of our
musical traditions. The centrality, history and
importance of music at our Temple accompany
every facet of our musical lives. Worship music
has always rested upon the solid foundations,
principles and authentic Chant, Cantillation and
Synagogue Prayer modes - “Nussach Hat’filah.”
We practice with highest regard for the best of
Jewish choral repertoire, from Ancient “MiSinai
Tunes” to a warm comfort level of community
participation.
Our Worship Services
Shabbat Festivals and High Holy Day experiences
are inspirationally immersed in the seriousness of
soaring music. We are grateful to our committed
choristers both our Professional Choir mingled
into one family with our cadre of volunteers,
the sweet Temple Singers. This community of
music-making continues to enhance and uplift
our souls through every worship service. Over
the many decades we have taken great pride in
Bulletin • December 2012
our Temple Singers. In order to continue this
sacred legacy we need you and every music lover
out there. We need young and new people to
strengthen our musical forces. I personally invite
anyone interested, regardless of age or musical
background to join us in this endeavor. We
engage not only in the musical end of our prayers
but dwell deep into the meaning of our sacred
liturgy.
Newly Formed “NEGINAH BAND”
To enhance our Friday night vivacious Kabbalat
Shabbat Services, we introduced a new Band
made up of ten instrumentalists -- members of
the congregation who love to play. What lively
sound and music-making mingled with the
mystical text of welcoming the “Shabbat Bride.”
Our Band plays every second Friday night of the
month. We invite anyone who plays a musical
instrument to join us.
Musical Heritage Concert Series
The passion, energy and resources invested into
decades of the highest and most unique concert
series has made our congregation a “flagship”
in the movement on the subject of musical
activities. Renowned and international artists and
performers have embraced our Sanctuary with
their unique talent. The attached brochure points
clearly toward that goal.
This year, as in the past, we walk that path
of passion for Jewish music in a most diverse
program. Please help us to continue this legacy by
sponsoring, contributing and becoming part of
our community. And be uplifted and inspired
by the power of music.
Musical Notes
“My soul blesses you My God, and let all my innermost
being bless the Holy Name.” ~ Psalm 103
5
A Stagecraft Family
within the Temple
L
article by
Judy Malkin
stagecraft@holyblossom.org
“Let’s pretend!” It’s what every kid does, right? But in my case, I never outgrew
it. I was bitten by the acting bug in high school and appeared in two or three
productions during those years. The university I went to had a strong drama
department, and was home to a thriving community theatre, but I never had the
courage to audition.
In the fall of 1994, an article in the Bulletin caught my eye. Several members of
Temple had formed a drama group, and were reading a play. Anyone could join, so
I made a phone call and went to the next reading. The play was Sholem Asch’s God
of Vengeance, written in the 1920s and closed down after 8 performances because
it was deemed too provocative. The play is a story of a man who runs a brothel and
commissions a Torah scroll to be written, in the hope that the presence of the scroll
in his home will keep his daughter safe and prevent her from entering the family
business.
That was the start of Stagecraft. We mounted one performance of God of
Vengeance, and had a talk-back after the show, led by then-Senior Rabbi Dow
Marmur.
Stagecraft’s mission is “to produce plays with Jewish themes and content, and to
have fun, too!” Since the spring of 1995, we have produced more than 30 plays,
including some new work by Canadian playwrights.
Stagecraft has engaged Temple members in new ways. As we have explored the
themes presented in various works, it’s made us think about how we relate to each
other, to Temple, to the wider Jewish community. It’s allowed us to live in another
person’s skin, at least for a while, and learn how other people think and feel and
react to their surroundings – and the audience sees that, too. Theatre in general is
valuable in any community because it allows us to explore new ideas in a safe and
accessible way. By “making believe” we can get into the skin of the other.
Our non-Jewish audience members have often told us that they have learned a
lot about Jewish life, Jewish practice, and Jewish thinking when they come to our
plays.
We have grown as a company over the 18 years (chai!) that we’ve been a Temple
group. We are always looking for new members and look forward to seeing new
faces as time goes on.
Many of the current members of Stagecraft have been with the group since the
beginning. We have been there for each other, through happy times and sad times,
and have become a family within the Temple.
Holy Blossom Temple
The Secret Life of a
Holy Roller
Lindi Rivers
article by
lrivers@holyblossom.org
I have a confession to make. It’s about a deeply personal relationship that I am having with
10 beautiful and unique members of our community. Each is different: tall, short,
with fine features or more bold ones, elegant or rugged. I am talking about our precious
Torah scrolls, and I have the privilege and the joy of rolling them to our sacred texts
throughout the Jewish calendar.
During most of the year only our Shacharit (morning service) and Shabbat scrolls need
setting weekly, but in preparation for the High Holy Day season, we read from 8 of our
scrolls. Usually Rabbi Splansky and I do the “holy rolling” together. We turn up our sleeves,
and I don exercise gloves (one only needs to roll one or two scrolls from one end to the
other to see the wisdom of gloves). As each passage, story, list, song or poem scroll by
we are quite literally seeing the early history of our people pass before our eyes. It
touches me every time. I see the Ten Commandments and imagine myself at the foot
of Sinai; Moses’ Song at the Sea with its unusual, artistic form; columns filled with
the wisdom, fears, pleas and struggles of our ancestors. I feel both grateful and
awestruck. I feel love for the scrolls themselves.
Perhaps this is why I am so drawn to cantillation, the system by which we string
together musical phrases to create the melodies for chanting our sacred texts,
according to specific symbols called trope, in Yiddish and ta’amei ha-mikra, in
Hebrew: literally “taste” or “sense” of the text. There are different cantillation
melodies for Torah, Haftarah, High Holy Days, Festivals, Lamentations (at
Tisha B’av), and The Book of Esther (at Purim). The trope signs indicate
tune, punctuation and accentuation for each phrase. The specific trope
combinations thus suggest their own commentary on the meaning of the text.
At its’ purist, it is an art form with complex rules of structure and execution,
beyond what we generally teach and what most of us will ever fully master.
I marvel to imagine that on days when Torah is read, Jews all over the
world chant roughly the same texts at the same time (okay, a little time zone
creativity here). It heightens my sense of being a part of the world’s Jewish
community. These ancient teachings are the roots upon which our people
stand, and chanting them gives strength to my own body and soul. I invite you
to learn to chant from our sacred texts, and to share in my not-so-secret love.
7
Lindi Rivers
Bulletin • December 2012
Youth Choir 2005
Our Artist in Residence
W
We are pleased to announce Holy Blossom Temple’s Artist-in-Residence, Temma
Gentles. Temma grew up in Heinz Warshauer’s Religious School. Holy Blossom
Temple was her home away from home. Here she learned, and later, here she taught
that to live a Jewish life is to be “enormously curious” and “creatively responsive.”
Having completed several major artworks for the sanctuary and Board Room, her
unplanned, but fortuitous, turn towards Judaic textiles came
when Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut, z’l asked her to weave him a tallit.
Temma is internationally recognized as a leading Jewish Textile Artist. Her work
is displayed in the four corners of the earth -- from Shanghai to Jerusalem, from
Los Angeles to Montreal. In addition to the large-scale sacred objects she creates
for synagogues – Torah mantels and chuppot, for example -- Temma also creates
personalized works of art for the individual – tallitot, tzedakah boxes, and ketubot.
Her award-winning art is always rooted in Jewish text and ideas and is often the
vehicle for bringing communities together. Watch for announcements about
upcoming workshops in which Temma will guide us in weaving together our own
talents, visions and good intensions to create something beautiful.
Temma considers that the essence of all her work is bringing stories to life, and
invites you to visit her website - temmagentles.com - to see that in practice.
Temma Gentles’ studio can be found in the space behind the Eisendrath stage.
Her textile sign will indicate when the studio is open to visitors. Come by and be
inspired!
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Holy Blossom Temple
Our Shinshin
Artist in Residence
W
article by
Gal Baruch
templemail@holyblossom.org
When I was in second grade, my art teacher told me that I will never be a real artist.
I think she said it because I talked too much in her class. I came back home and I
thought to myself, who is a real artist? I wasn’t sure, but I knew that I wanted to be
one. When I asked my friends, they told me that a real artist is the one who can paint
without going outside of the lines. So I tried for hours, but still I couldn’t do it. So I
came back to my teacher and I asked her, who is a real artist? She told me that a real
artist doesn’t disturb his teacher, can work on the same work for hours and doesn’t
bother classmates while they are working. I was then frustrated. I asked my mother the
same question. She told me that an artist is one that enjoys what he is doing.
I still wasn’t satisfied. I kept trying to do art even when I didn’t enjoy it. I wasn’t able
keep in the lines and everything became ugly. After few years I went to an art history
class. There I was exposed to the greatest artists. I then understood that a real artist
uses his art so that he can have an impact on people. An artist is able to change people’s
feelings without words. An artist can explain things that others will never understand.
An artist is not sure it is the right way or the only way but that this is the magic of art.
Sharing my love of art with my course at Holy Blossom is a unique way to show Israel
through Israeli artists. Israeli artists show what Israel used to be and what is today.
Israeli artists deal with many of the toughest of Israel’s issues in a very special way.
Through art, not only do we begin to understand them, we can feel them.
Gal is an aspiring artist who currently has 6 paintings on exhibit at the “Mishkan
Omanuyot” at the University of Haifa.
“Self portraits” by Gal Baruch
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Bulletin • December 2012
The Intersection of Art and Judaism
Daniel Abramson
and Rabbi Karen Thomashow
article by
A Conversation
kthomashow@holyblossom.org
I
will recognize the feeling of something special when you
beautify a mitzvah with your own work.
I had the privilege of sitting down with Daniel Abramson,
member of our community, artist, and Jewish day school
teacher. Here is the transcript from our conversation about
the intersection of art and our sacred tradition:
What type of medium is your art?
I work with a variety of media. In the past years I have been
doing a lot of calligraphy. At first I thought that text based
work was too direct, didactic, it tells the viewer exactly what to
think. After some exploration and seeing the work of artist like
Simon Glass who engage directly with text, I’ve really started
to see that text, words, especially when removed from their
context offer very interesting paths to understand meaning in a
broad and symbolic way. This seems especially true in Hebrew
when the root of a word can invoke images that reach far past
the immediate meaning. G’milut chasadim for example
has a link with Gamal (camel). The ideas seem so far apart,
but even in this weeks parsha camels figure prominently in a
narrative about kindness.
What has been your favorite Jewish art project of your own?
I have worked on several community art projects, mostly large
scale silk pieces. At Camp George the campers and staff all
made a tallit which is now used at camp when we recite Mi
Shebeirach as a community. I think that the idea that campers
created their own ritual object and then created their own way
of using it holds something really important. Anyone who has
ever taken time to bake their own challah for Shabbat dinner
10
What is your favorite Jewish art “out there?”
I tend to like work where an artist’s work invites you into a
struggle that they see about the world or about identity. I also
maintain a pretty broad definition of what counts as Jewish art.
I am very interested in seeing how the big ideas of religion are
understood in different ways, and looking for the differences
and commonalities. For example, I love the Donovan
collection housed at U of T because it gives me an opportunity
to read biblical narratives from a different vantage point, which
I think in turn helps me to see more of the core issues that they
present.
Do you see God in art?
I think that the inclination to create art is linked strongly to
the motivation for prayer so I feel that the expression of both
have some strong commonalities. An artist notices
something special or significant and uses her or his tools to
explore it and to show others what is inherently important in
that idea. Poetry does the same, and I think prayer does
the same as well. Scholars and Rabbis noticed what held
inherent importance in the world around us and crafted a
vocabulary to show others what they saw.
What do you think is the significance of art vis-à-vis the Jewish
people?
I think that art offers the Jewish people the same as it offers the
rest of the world. Art is a vehicle for observing and retelling the
stories about the world that are the most meaningful and from
which we have the most to learn. Art is also probably the best
tool to then imagine the world as it might otherwise be. If art
can bring our attention to what is broken in our world, then it
can equally show us options that we can aspire to in recreating
those things in the way that we feel they ought to be.
Thank you to Leo Baeck Day School, South Campus, for their gift of
FourSeasons – Painted Silk, which honours and celebrates their twenty-one
wonderful years with us at Holy Blossom Temple, and speaks to the strength of
our continued relationship.
The project was completed by Leo Baeck students under the direction of artist
Daniel Abramson.
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Bulletin • December 2012
A contemporary, Canadian
Jewish musical voice
I
Six years ago I had a conversation with Rabbi Splansky, which
continues to enrich my life to today.
An invitation to bring music for a Friday night Rabbi’s tisch,
has grown into a monthly service which now boasts a dedicated
ensemble of six award winning World and Indie
music artists, a specially developed
repertoire of songs for prayer
and, most importantly, a unique
community of participants of all ages
and diverse backgrounds who gather
together to bring in Shabbat.
What is Shabbat Fusion?
Shabbat Fusion is what happens
when the tones of a Persian lute meet
the twang of a mandolin and when
Ashkenazy melodies weave with
Sephardic-influenced compositions
for new Jewish music.
Shabbat Fusion is the blending of
many voices joined in song and
prayer to greet the Sabbath Bride.
The ensemble is Mark Weinstock, Aaron Lightstone, Jeffrey
Wilson, Ernie Tollar and Sundar Viswanathan. Over the past six
years, I have had the pleasure of creating music together with
these musicians and developing it further with our Shabbat
Fusion community and congregations throughout Toronto and
across North America.
article by
Aviva Chernick
via templemail@holyblossom.org
Together with these musicians and others, I have now
completed arranging and recording a nine-song album of this
devotional music to be released at a concert December 5th. This
is a celebration not only for me and the musicians with whom
I collaborate, but also for you, for our community, which has
been integral in nurturing a contemporary, Canadian Jewish
musical voice.
Keep your ears open as an arrangement
of Bo’i Kalah (with the ensemble Jaffa
Road), one of the songs first shared
at Shabbat Fusion, has been heard
playing on CBC radio. We did that
together.
So, why not mark the last Friday
night of every month from now until
June (except for December) in your
calendar. Plan to come for 6:20 to hear
the musical meditation and to stay
after for a sushi Kiddush.
I hope you will join Rabbi
Thomashow, the Shabbat Fusion
ensemble, our very special community
and me as we continue to grow in this adventure.
I will also look forward to sharing the further celebration of this
music with you and the greater community on December 5th.
12
Holy Blossom Temple
art about us
article by
Joyce Zemans
via templemail@holyblossom.org
Invited to write about the value and importance of art at HBT,
I began to consider the influence that art at HBT has had on
my own life and determined that, for this occasion, given the
limitations of time and space, I will highlight a few of my own
personal connections with art at HBT.
I grew up in the grandeur of the Sanctuary and its stained glass
windows. It seems to me, now, that my understanding of the
Torah, traditions and values must have been shaped in part by
my experience, as a young child, of contemplating the stern
imposing Moses on high, his right hand raised, his left firmly
embracing the commandments, with the dynamic patterns
of brilliant blues and reds of the glass
exquisitely backlit by the piercing rays
of the sun. I have always been fascinated
by the “Age of the Prophets” window
in which the lion and the lamb lie in
stately harmony, with the edict, “Thou
Shall Learn War No More”. (I taught
grade 8 religious school for ten years and
the prophetic texts were central to that
curriculum.) The holidays, rituals and
symbols are all there – as are the twelve
tribes of Israel in Peter Haworth’s, now
wonderfully restored, Rose Window.
to call worshippers to assemble, and ornamental stone bowls
once located in the courtyard of the now destroyed synagogue.
Though the memorial stone recording the community’s history
from the first building of the synagogue in 1163 into the 16th
century remained in China, rubbings of it were also included in
the exhibition.
There are many works of art at HBT that evoke memories of
our history as a congregation and as a people, and there are
regular temporary exhibitions in the Cecile and Harry Pearl Art
Gallery, but there are two works at HBT that have come to have
particular meaning and resonance for me.
In 1991, Temple dedicated the “Memorial
to the Holocaust” by Israeli sculptor
Zipora Gendler in the courtyard. Though
abstract, “this white wall-sculpture
addresses the themes of memory, survival
and hope.” The artist recounts that
“the relief sculpture was inspired by the
physical structure of the courtyard – the
deep niche along the wall [where it was
installed]. The narrative of the holocaust
emerged from the forms that developed
around the niche.” She writes: “The six
interlaced erupting beams portrayed for
me the six million Jews murdered during
In boardroom study sessions and
the holocaust. The singular figure on the
meetings, my eye is invariably drawn to a
right portrays ‘the surviving observer’ – the
more recent interpretation of the twelve
Hasidic Head artist Sorel Etrog (1959)
‘phoenix’.” Today, the courtyard designed
tribes – Chagall’s wonderful serigraphs,
by landscape architect Steven Moorhead, is
evoking flights of imagination, attempts to
a place of stillness and contemplation and I often find myself
link image and biblical text, and memories of the stained glass
drawn to it or standing by the window on the third floor outside
windows at the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem.
the Chapel, engaged by the power of the work.
My interest in art and art history has led to my participation,
The last piece I will mention is Sorel Etrog’s marvelous Hasidic
from time to time, in particular Temple art activities. Some
Head (1959) which stands by the entrance to the synagogue
readers will remember the “Jews of K’aifeng” a remarkable
on Bathurst Street. One of Etrog’s earliest bronze sculptures,
exhibition installed at HBT from 1971 to 1984 – a partnership
this powerful work greets worshippers and visitors alike. A
between HBT and the Royal Ontario Museum. The exhibition,
monumental image, both solid and graceful at the same time,
drawn from the Museum’s Bishop White collection, offered a
its complex elements never cease to fascinate me. I am grateful
glimpse of the history of Jews who may have found their way
for its presence and for the work of the Temple art committees,
to K’aifeng in Honan Province in northern China as early as
those who continue to make art an important part of our HBT
the destruction of the second Temple. It included, among other
experience.
objects, a wooden Torah case, a black stone originally used
Bulletin • December 2012
13
A spiritual home for our
members and a beacon for
the community
14
From The Board
Harvey Schipper
president@holyblossom.org
Oncologists of a certain age often receive calls
from friends and relatives, not our patients,
seeking counsel, and perhaps a touch of wisdom,
from a different perspective on wrenching choices.
Often the question is “What to do with my life
now that this incurable tumour has returned?” I
received such a call last week as I was preparing
this, my first Bulletin message to you as your
President. The surprise in this call came from
the Orthodox son of these lifelong friends, who
prefaced the conversation by saying that he hoped
that in my new role I would not forget the Out
of The Cold Program.
“Ah,” he said, “we use this program as an example
in our community of the importance of Jewish
principles in our relations with the rest of the
world. Why, now…because we are about to speak
acutely of legacy, and of the meaning of days.”
“How do you know about this?”, I asked, “You
have lived a life of religious study in Jerusalem for
years, you have never been to Toronto, let alone
Holy Blossom, and what brings this to mind
now?”
The phone call reminded me that equally
important are the intimate, little things that we
do. Providing shelter for the dispossessed, without
reference to faith, speaks volumes of our purpose
as Jews and Temple members. It is the same soul
that is there for baby namings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs,
The ripples of what we do at Holy Blossom have
been felt far and wide for 150 years. We often
cite our great rabbis, our religious scholarship,
our music, and the prescience of our education
programs. Barack Obama cited the catalytic role
of the Reform Movement in the Civil Rights
struggle. We were large players in that.
Photo: “Stones” by Harvey Schipper
Holy Blossom Temple
marriages, conversions, deaths, and all manner of life crises for
our members, writ on the world stage.
We have for some months been engaged in one of those periods
in our history where there has been some change. Questions
have been asked. Some of us perceive a sense of rancor. In the
coming months, as before, we will continue, energized, with
clarity of direction and leadership that will position us for the
next generation, as a spiritual home for our members and a
beacon for the community.
I, along with the incoming officers, met over the summer to
prepare an activity schedule for Temple leaders for the coming
term. The goal is to position Temple for the future: worship,
education, youth, Israel, our physical building, our place in both
the Reform Movement and in our community. We have been
astonished by the degree of engagement of our members, by
the depth of talent eagerly offered, and by the passion to come
together in our grand tradition. You will hear much more about
this in the coming months.
So, when toward the end of the call the Chassidic son and his
mother thanked me for my advice, and then asked me, “How
do I know you will not forget Out of the Cold”, I could answer
with confidence that Temple is strong, the history is deep, the
values are clear, and the talent and energy is fully present as we
move forward.
I ntrodu c in g Ou r N e w B o a r d o f D i r e c tors
President: Harvey Schipper
Vice President: Phyllis Denaburg
Financial Secretary: Ronna Rubin
Treasurer: Cary Solomon
Recording Secretary: Lisa Taylor
Immediate Past President: Mark S. Anshan
Directors:
Elected for a two year term
Jeff Dicker
Tom Friedland
Joan Garson
Rick Howard
Jonathan King
Merle Kriss
Alberto Quiroz
Vanessa Yakobson
Bulletin • December 2012
Elected for a one year term:
Lynn Gluckman
Carole Sterling
Directors continuing their term:
Janice Babins
Owen Duckman
Eric Roher
Philip Smith
Past Presidents:
Larry Babins
David Baskin
Barry Borden
Henrietta Chesnie
Morris Cooper
Alan Garfinkel
Jack Geller, Honorary Past President
Diana Goodman
Elliott Jacobson
Richard Krelstein
Richard Lorie
Nancy Ruth
Barry Silver
Sheila Smolkin
Fred Zemans
Wardens:
Marilyn Farber
David Hart
Leonard Levy
Mary Seldon
Auxiliaries:
Ruthe Schipper,
Sisterhood President
15
Thank you to our Holy Blossom Congregational Appeal Donors!
We are pleased to report that we have raised $469,000 from the wonderful generosity of the donors listed below.
Our Congregational Appeal makes membership at Holy Blossom possible for all who wish to belong. Many in our congregation face
financial hardships. Funds from this appeal directly subsidize membership fees, ensuring membership for all regardless of financial
circumstance. It is through this campaign that we truly ensure that our community continues to be an inclusive and vibrant centre of
Jewish life.
It’s not too late to make a contribution to this year’s Congregational Appeal - the need remains great - with your help we can reach
the milestone of $500,000. Please consider making a gift now. You will still receive a tax receipt for the current year, and have your
congregational support recognized in the next Bulletin and on our website. Please call Loriellen Karam (ext 227) at the Temple to
make your gift today.
Thanks again to our generous donors!
Benefactor
$7,200+
David Baskin & Joan Garson
Fran & Lawrence Bloomberg
In Memory of Beryl Borsook - Borsook, Freedman
and Zucker Families
Michael & Janette Diamond and Family
Wendy & Elliott Eisen
Angela & David Feldman
Lloyd & Gladys Fogler
Patricia & Richard Fogler
Chuck & Marilyn Gold
Robert Lantos
Sam & Micki Mizrahi
Gerald Schwartz & Heather Reisman
Gaye & Andrew Stein
Carole & Dr. Bernard Zucker and Family
Patron
16
$3,600+
Earl Bederman & Ann MacPherson
Elizabeth & Reuben Bromstein
Joseph Burnett & Colleen Kennedy
Tom & Karen Ehrlich and Family
Jacqueline & Tom Friedland
Joy & Barry Gales
Sybil Geller & Jack Geller, Q.C.
Anita & Michael Greenstein
Leon & Anita Lapidus and Family
In Loving Memory of Burtha Liss - Henry Liss and Family
Donald & Lorraine Loeb
Rachel & Harvin Pitch
Larry Rosen & Susan Jackson and Family
Alison & Alan Schwartz
Henryz’l & Mary Seldon
Rabbi Yael Splansky & Dr. Adam Sol
Vanessa & Ari Yakobson and Family
Denise Zarn & James Shenkman
Anonymous
Sponsor
$1,800+
Pam & Michael Albert and Family
Mark S. Anshan & Brenda Spiegler
Terry Axelrod, Heather Shapiro, Madlyn, Daniel, Simon
and Charlotte Axelrod
Janice & Larry Babins
Renette & David Berman
Harvey Borden
Debra & Barry Campbell
Alice & Ron Charach
Richard & Sara Charney
George & Susan Cohon
Greg Coleman & Jill Witkin
Esther Zeller Cooper & Morris Cooper
Crawford - Ritchie Family
Jeff & Phyllis Denaburg and Family
Carey Diamond & Tina Urman
George & Lois Fine
Helena & David Fine
Jack & Gloriaz’l Fine
Hugh Furneaux & Penny Fine
Frances & Bernard Goldman
Diana & Marvin Goodman
Mark Goodman & Avra Rosen
Allan & Sondra Gotlieb
Sheldon Inwentash & Lynn Factor, Nicole, Raquel
and Jakson Inwentash
John B. Laskin & Holly Goren Laskin
Earl & Jordanna Lipson
Rabbi Dow & Fredzia Marmur
The Melman Family
Lesley & Ron Miller
Karen Minden & Harvey Schipper
Dr. Stephen Pearl
Stephen & Suzie Pustil and Family
Val & Anita Rachlis
Rhonda Richer & Tim Lipa
Lisa Ritchie & David Carroll
Judith & Jack Rose
Joy Rosen & Lawrence Freedman
Holy Blossom Temple
Rosenkrantz Family
Erika Rubin & Adam Breslin
Dr. Shia & Jocelyne Salem
Lorne, Maureen and Alex Saltman
Brenda & Fred Saunders
Julia & Michael Sax
Lionel & Carol Schipper
Michael & Jackie Shulman
Judith Simmonds
Lise & Luke Sklar
Larry & Donna Smith
Mr. Cary Solomon
Francie & Martin Storm
Esther & Marvin Tile
Florence & Milton Winberg
Jack & Judy Winberg
The Wittlin Family
Rose Wolfe
Elizabeth Wolfe & Paul Schnier
Helene Zelovitzky
Joyce & Fred Zemans
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Leader
$1,200+
Gordon Arbess & Sharon Neiss and Family
Michael & Barbara Baker
Warren Blatt & Joanne Godel
Susan & James Bookbinder
Elen, Howard, Bryan and Jennifer Brodie
Michael & Phyllis Cincinatus & Family
Jeff Dicker & Sandi Smith
Maxine & Victor Drevnig
Robert & Ruth Ehrlich
Tamara & Gary Fine
Randall Friedland & Jean Anderson
Sid & Vicky Goldhart
Jane & Robert Herman
Sharon Herman
Jennifer Hunter
Steven Hurowitz & Diane Osak
Elise Kane Cachia
David & Susan Linds
Lipson-Kogut Family
Ilyse Lustig & Ted Margel
Carolin & Jerry Michaels
Ann & Gary Posen
Debbie Redner & Benjamin Applebaum
Eric & Beth Roher
Michael Rotsztain & Fay Greenholtz and Family
Ronna Rubin & Philip Smith
Eric Rumack & Susan York
Nancy Ruth and Family
Lili & Michael Shain
Joyce & Barry Spiegel
Bulletin • December 2012
Marvin & Sharon Ungerman
Kalle Vaga & Dorothy Hasinoff
Supporter
$600+
Marilyn & Alvin Abram
Advanced Technology Group
Dr. Benjamin Barankin & Dr. Kimberly Liu
Susan Baskin
Naomi Bell
Eileen & David Berger
Corinne & Neil Berinstein
Dr. Martin & Harriet Blackstein
Ellen & Murray Blankstein
Bonnie Bloomberg
Phyllis & Paul Bordo
Marlene & Andy Borins
Andrew & Lara Brodkin
Jason & Jennifer Burstein
Deborah Chesnie Cooper
Henrietta Chesnie
Sharon Clavir
Clean Chem Distributors
Dr. Annalee Cohen & Dr. Franklin Pulver
Elise & Richard Cohen
Judith & Marshall Cohen
Jeffrey & Dianne Cole
Peter Collins & Kris Langille
Barbara & Richard Conway
Bonnie Croll & Robert Henry and Family
Peter & Susan Dan
Miriam & Marvin Dryer
Owen, Nancy, Julia, Allison and Lily Duckman
Arnold & Ricky Englander
Larry Enkin
Anne Freeman
Stephen & Jill Fremes and Family
Ruth Gales
Shelley & Arthur Gans
Zita Gardner and Family
Randi & Alan Garfinkel
Howard & Carole Gelfand
Marilyn & David Gluskin
Stanley L. & Jo Ann Gold
Joanne Goldberg
Bonnie & Ronnie Goldstein
Howard & Mindy Goodman
The Gotlieb Family
Aviva, Matt, Jessie & Allie Gottlieb
Jennifer M. Gray
Kathy & Maurice Green
Barbara L. Grossman
Susan & Harold Grossman
Murray Hart & Jill Kamin
Alan & Joan Heavenrich
Frances & Paul Hellen
Drs. Elaine Herer & Stephen Holzapfel
Dr. & Mrs. Dane Hershberg
Howard Family
17
18
Dr. Ivan & Diana Hronsky
Imperial Coffee & Services Inc.
The Ingvaldsen Family
Into-Electronics Inc.
Rachel Jacobson
Cecile Kaufman Stein
Hilary & David Kettner
Dr. Stuart & Francie Klein
Richard & Sydney Krelstein and Family
Merle Kriss
Harriette Laing
Jeff Leibel & Nancy Gebel
Mariam Leitman & Craig Perkins
Judith Leranbaum
Larry & Faigie Librach
Jean & Richard Lorie
Ben & Jill Lustig
Hope & Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner
Michael & Randi Marrus
Dr. Keith & Suzette Meloff
Shelley & Sharon Miller
Modern Laundry & Dry Cleaning
Sylvia & Harvey Naftolin
Michelle & Gavin Naimer and Family
Elke & Melville Olsberg and Family
Randolph & Julia Paisley
Bernice & Yitz Penciner
Marty Perlmutar & Gillian Hawker
Alison & Gary Polan
Ted & Merle Rachlin
Lee & Hessie Rimon
Judy & Carl Ritchie
Cantorial Soloist Lindi & Dr. Stephen Rivers
Razelle Roebuck & David MacCoy
Cheryl Rosen & Daniel Drucker
Arlene Roth
Florence & Irving Rother
Sheila & Melvyn Rubinoff
Marlene & Robert L. Ruderman
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Rumack
Marvin & Victoria Sadowski
Leslie Joy Salmons
Rivanne Sandler
Ethel Sapera
Matthew Sapera & Darren Sukonick
Doreen & Alan Saskin
Lawrence & Ruth Sax
Robert Schipper
Ted & Terri Schipper
Walter Seaton
Anci Shafran
Grace & Ted Shafran
Bonnie & Mel Shear
Donna & Stanley Shenkman
Deborah Siegel & Eric Beutel
Mike Silver
Gerald & Judy Slan
Peter & Neri Slan
Lawrence Smith & Marsha Elser
Bob & Sheila Smolkin
Ethel Solomon
Janis & Gary Soren
David & Susan Speigel and Family
Randy & Debbie Spiegel and Family
Phyllis & Dr. Manuel Spivak
Susan & Ray Stancer
Dr. Harold & Anne Stein
Stan & Marlene Stein
Norma & George Steiner
Carole & Jay Sterling
Linda & Jay Swartz
Dr. Lorne & Mrs. Sharon Tarshis
Maureen & David Tartick
Gloria & Seymour Temkin
Shirley & Leon Tessler
Sidney Troister & Claudia Blumberger
John & Rosie Uster
Dr. Yvonne Verbeeten
Craig & Kimberley Walters
Lila & Allan Weiss
Dr. Rhonda Wilansky & Mr. Israel Ben-Ishai
Lawrence & Lori Wilder
Diane & Jonathan Wilson
Shari & Michael Wilson and Family
Judy Winberg & Andy Pollack
Phyllis & Alan Wintraub
Stanley & Rosalind Witkin
Linda Wolfe
Dorothy & William Wolfson
Betty Young
Zemans-Ronthal Family
Anonymous
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Friend
$599
or
less
Elaine & Joel Abrams
Carol Abugov
Eric Adelson & Andrea Himel
Naomi & Saul Akler
Shirley & Scarlat Albright
Jan & Keith Allin
Claire Angus & Mark Caplan
Gordon & Sandy Atlin
Lisa & Aaron Baumal
Janet Witkin Ber & David Ber
Shelly Berenbaum & Chuck Litman
Gail Berman
Susan Berman
Holy Blossom Temple
Linda & Howard Book
Beverley Borins
Allan & Judy Borodin
Paulette Brodey
Dorothy Brown
Sally Chodorcove
Sara Clodman
Michael S. Cole
Robert Cooper
Gladys Cotton
Dimitra & Michael Davidson
Mrs. Goldie Davis
Clare & Monte Denaburg
Iris Drache
Judy Druyan
Mildred Eisenberg
Maxanne Ezer
Marilyn Farber
Janice Feuer & Andrew Morrison
Elissa & David L. Fingold
Isabel Freeman
Nora & John Freund
Etta Ginsberg McEwan
Mary & Jose Goldman
Mildred & Sheldon Goldstein
Claire Goodman
Jane & Gary Griesdorf
David Hart
Esther & Cyril Hersh
Jill Hertzman
Helen & Joe Hochberg
Sandra Kamenir
Ellen Karabanow
Mark & Loriellen Karam
Allan Kates & Danielle Himel
Rose Kates
Paula Kirsh
Jeffrey & Natalie Kirsh
Edith Kirzner
Mr. Robert Klotz & Ms. Lyn Feldman
Marie Knaul
Shirley Kofman
Ahuva Krieger
Samuel Lapidus
Fern Lebo & Alan Brudner
Brian Lidsky & Elana Paice Lidsky
Irwin & Carol Lightman
Peter & Eleanor Loebel
Saul Mandelbaum & Melissa Nutik
Pnina Margolese
Andrea McKellar
Justine Melman
Kaylee Miller
Maxine Minden
Ted Moses
Norkem Water Treatment
Barbara Organ
Shoshana & David Paice
Bulletin • December 2012
Deborah Perkins-Leitman
Clifton Pezim
Philip Ber Holdings Inc.
Dr. Sheila Pollock z’l
Mark & Joy Resnick
Georgina Rigor
Alan Ruth
Adele Sager
Dr. Mark & Mrs. Susan Sager
Ruthe Schipper & Jerry Rotstein
Annalee & Brian Schnurr
Harold Segal
Tobye & Sydney Sennet
Helen & Edward Sheffman
Eleanor & Jack Shuber
Julius Silver
Myrna & Harvey Silver
Alma & Paul Simonsky
Anne Sniderman
Minnie Snitzer
Joan Solway
Doris Sommer-Rotenberg
Sara Speigel
Theodore Spevick
Martin Stern
Rosalie Sussman
Ann D. B. Sutton
Lisa Taylor
Rabbi Karen Thomashow & Dr. Yonatan Eyal
Eileen & Paul Tichauer
Irwin & Tema Title
Joan Tucker
Debby Vigoda
Paula & Alan Warren
Herb & Joy Wolfson
Harriet Wolman
Gloria Wunder
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19
Welcome to Our
Congregational Family
Welcome
We are delighted to welcome the
following new members to Holy
Blossom Temple:
n
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n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Austin Bahadur & Clara Lavery
John & Robyn Berman, Sydney
and Jaymie
Nate Charach
Joshua Cooper & Michelle Levine
Konopny, Alexis, Michael, Ryan and Alexis
Rachel & Justin Cooper and Roslyn
Liron Davis
Bob & Marlene Goldman, Luke and Emma
Ron & Amy Heckmann
Maurice Kalman
Joshua Kay & Elizabeth Horrocks
Noah & Rebecca Leibel
Pavle Levkovic
Rebekah Lobosco
Janice & Jeff Maser, Haley and Justin
Alex & Sharon Mazelow
Kate Melnyk & Ian Salonin
Carolyn Offman & Neil Dankoff, Jack,
Jordyn and Matt
Goldie Rivers
Jeremy & Lauren Rosenbaum, Jake
and Ruby
Beverley & Les Rothschild
Sonia Schwartz
Craig & Erica Shepherd, Sophie and
Hayley
Samara & David Starkman, Jack
and Micah
Herb & Andrea Veisman, Caleb
and Cameron
Cathryn & Shawn Walderman, Alexandra,
Leigh, Ryan and Cole
Sheldon & June Zimmerman
Mazal Tov
n
20
David Alexander Gold, son of E. Sheldon
and RoseMarie Gold on receiving his PhD from
York University at the 2012 Fall Convocation.
David is now living in St. Louis.
n
Elliott Jacobson who
has been awarded the
Queen Elizabeth II
Diamond Jubilee medal,
to recognize his volunteer
service with the Canadian
Liver Foundation.
Births
n Jennifer & Solomon
Birenbaum, on the birth of another
daughter, Daniela Birenbaum,
and sister to Talia, Samuel and
Alexandra. Proud grandparents
are Isaac & Marilyn Birenbaum;
Brenda Gottlieb; and Michael
Gottlieb. Proud great grandparents
are Shaela Gottlieb; Bernie Gottlieb
and May Love.
n Rachel & Justin Cooper,
on the birth of a daughter,
Roslyn Frances Cooper. Proud
grandparents are Julia & David
Sommers; Gail Cooper; and
Richard Cooper. Proud great
grandparents are Milton Cooper;
Amos Sommers; and Adele Roberts.
n Lou & Shelly Dale, on the
birth of a granddaughter, Tessa
Abby Schell. Proud parents are
Jennifer & Christopher Schell
and sister to Adam & Kyle. Other
proud grandparents are Deb & Rod
Schell. Proud great grand parents
are Shirley & Scarlat Albright; Gail
& Manny Dombrofsky; Teresa
Foulds and Helen & Ken Schell.
n Shelly & Chuck Litman on the
birth of a grandson, Ronen Yosef
Shoham. Proud parents are Marni
& Ran Shoham, a baby brother for
sister Noa. Other proud
grandparents are Franklina &
Gideon Shoham of Calgary.
B’nei Mitzvah
n 17 Kislev 5773/
December 1, 2012
Rachel Lehner,
daughter of Susan &
Jason Lehner
n 2 Tevet 5773/
December 15, 2012/
Allan Fabrykant,
son of Silvia Derasner
n Charlotte & Sam Schwartz,
on the birth of a granddaughter,
Miriam Pearl Biro. Proud parents
are Dina & Elliot Biro and sister to
Saul. Other proud grandparents are
Sharon & John Biro and great
grandmothers are Rose Liberman
and Eva Halasz.
n Phyllis Wintraub on the birth
of a granddaughter, Lila Kate
Richter. Proud parents are Karen
& Jon Richter and sister to
Hannah, Jack, Sara and Esti. Other
proud grandparents are Alan
Wintraub; Linda & Melvyn
Richter of PA.
Engagements &
Weddings
n Laura Fogler, daughter
of Gary & Barbara Fogler,
grandparents are Lloyd &
Gladys Fogler, and Mendy
Sharf announce her
engagement to Hartley
Blumenfeld, son of Charles
Blumenfeld and Andrea
Shapiro, grandparents are
Sam & Emma Shapiro, and
Claire Blumenfeld
n Shelley and Arthur Gans
are pleased to announce
the marriage of their son,
Geoffrey Gans to Robyn
Shyllit, daughter of Esther
Shyllit and Joe Shyllit on
September 9, 2012. Proud
grandmothers are Evelyn
Smith and Dina Shyllit
n Wendy & Sid Paul announce the engagement of
their son Zachary Paul
to Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg, son of Rose & Fred
Mikelberg of Vancouver.
In Memoriam
n 9 Tevet 5773/
December 22, 2012
Chloe Gordon-Chow,
daughter of Denise
Gordon & Dennis
Chow
n 18 Tevet 5773/
December 31, 2012
Rachel Perelmutar,
daughter of Dena
Perelmutar
In Israel
n 21 Tevet 5773/
January 3, 2013
Jacob Young, son of
Lisa & John Young
In Israel
n 15 Shevat 5773/
January 26, 2013
Theo Bager, son of
Jodi & Steven Bager
n Arnold Bader, brother
of Saundra Sherman, Ethel
Lamster and Molly Moses,
father of Fran Bader and
Marlene Bader-Higgins
n Richard Bain, son
of Ruth Bain, husband
of Harriet Bain, father
of Vanessa Bain, David
Bain and brother of Karen
Klawans
n Bernie Baum, husband
of Penny Baum, brother
of Lionel Baum, father of
Cheryl Ferguson, Michael
Baum, Lisa Baum and Daniel
Baum
n Sean Blumberg, son of
Henry & Marcia Blumberg,
brother of Mark Blumberg,
Jonathan Blumberg
and Kevin Blumberg
n Hilde Breuer, mother of
Eric Breuer, John Breuer
and Ellen Yackness
n Gloria Bass Fine, wife
of Jack Fine, mother of Steven
Bass and Ken Bass, stepmother of Janet Fine, Harry
Fine, Joanne Schwebel
and Walter Fine
n Ruth Goldbloom, wife of
Richard Goldbloom, mother
of David Goldbloom. Alan
Goldbloom and Barbara
Hughes, sister of Harold
Schwartz
n Mervin Gollom, brother
of Kaylee Miller, husband of
Debby Gollom, father of Alan
Gollom, Mindy Khu
and Joanne Lockwood
n Norman Goodis,
husband of Edith Atkin
Goodis, father of Lyle Goodis
and Michael Goodis
n Erwin Greenberg,
husband of Hilde Greenberg,
father of Barbara Bregman
and Bethellyn Rosenthal
n Leo Hardoon, father
of Paulette Borsook, Liza
Holy Blossom Temple
Bergschneider and Daniel Hardoon
n Belle Hodes, mother of Robert
Hodes, Lyle Hodes and Ben Hodes
n Lorraine Iverson, wife of Earle
Iverson, mother of Tami Reiken and
Hana Iverson
n Florence Kobrick, mother of
Ronald Kobrick
n Morrie Konick, brother of Eve
Pascoe
n Gertie Kopilis, mother of Aubrey
Kaplan, Loraine Erdman and Sandra
Durbach
n Camille Liberbaum, husband of
Suzanne Liberbaum, father of Rachel
Liberbaum, brother of Lilian Schacter
n Bernard Ludwig, husband of
Margaret Florence-Ludwig, father
of Samuel Ludwig, Caren Shoychet,
Florence Gwartz and John Ludwig,
brother of Beverley Borins
n Michael Manson, father of Harry
Manson and Johanna Manson
n Albert Musafija, husband of Sara
Ina, father of Mair Musafija, Tamara
Musafija and Mirjam Musafija
n Linse Penturn, daughter of Edith
Penturn, sister of James Penturn
and John Penturn
n Gerson Pollock, husband of
Marilyn Pollock, father of Linda Barnett
n Sylvia Roth, wife of Sidney Roth,
mother of Arlene Roth, Myles Roth and
Carol Saltzman, sister of Evelyn Young
n Brigitte Shefer, wife of Moty
Shefer, daughter of Jojo Beinglas, sister
of Dalia Alalouf, mother of Limor Ovaia
and Shirley Reichberg
n Lottie Sinaisky, mother of Sydney
Sennet and Risa Lang
n Bertha Sklar, mother of Luke
Sklar, Mark Sklar and David Sklar
n Sharon Sutton, wife of Melvin
Sutton, mother of Howard Sutton
and Jeffrey Sutton
n Kay Tartick, mother of David
Tartick and Adrienne Kossman, brother
of Alvin Schrage and Richard Schrage
n Margaret Weisberg, mother of
Allan Weisberg, Paul Weisberg, Barbara
Givon and Nancy Weisbord, sister of
Francis Biderman
We thank our generous donors
Brotherhood Mitzvah Fund
John Sweet, In Honour: Alexandrina
& Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Sami and James Cooper
Youth Awards Fund
Joe Grajer, In Memory: Sami & James
Cooper
Pam & Michael Albert, In Honour:
Sami & James Cooper
Glenna Finkelstein, In Memory: Sami
& James Cooper
Danson Family Camp
Scholarship
Isabel Coleman, In Honour: Jill &
Ben Lustig and Family
Jean Fine Seniors Fund
Eva Shapira, In Honour: Rosaline
Rose and Ruth Green
Dr. Bernie Ludwig, In Memory: Sheila
& Bob Smolkin; Marilyn Hahn.
Mary Shannan, In Memory: Linda &
Abe Neufeld
Walter Seaton, In Honour: Mondays
@ the Temple
Phyllis Keller, In Honour: Mondays @
the Temple
Gardiner Family Fund
Allen Gardner, Yahrzeit: Dee-Dee
& Gary Shiffman and Family
Earl Gardner, Yahrzeit: Dee-Dee
& Gary Shiffman and Family
Gertrude Gardner, Yahrzeit: Dee-Dee
& Gary Shiffman and Family
Rabbi Edward & Fagi
Goldfarb Fund for Jewish
Literacy
Esther Tile, In Honour: Rabbi Edward
& Fagi Goldfarb
David Baskin, In Honour: Rabbi
Edward & Fagi Goldfarb
Henry Goldbach, In Honour: Rabbi
Edward & Fagi Goldfarb
Thelma Siegel, Yahrzeit: Rabbi
Edward & Fagi Goldfarb
Irving Siegel, Yahrzeit: Rabbi Edward
& Fagi Goldfarb
Max Goldfarb, Yahrzeit: Rabbi Edward
& Fagi Goldfarb
Rose Goldfarb, Yahrzeit: Rabbi
Edward & Fagi Goldfarb
Rabbi Edward & Fagi Goldfarb,
In Honour: Mary Seldon
Raisa Berkowitz, In Honour: Lindi
& Steve Rivers
Rabbi Edward & Fagi Goldfarb,
In Honour: Etta Ginsberg McEwan
Bulletin • December 2012
Holy Blossom Temple
Accessibility Fund
Julius Kirschner, In Honour: Susan
& Brian Fishman and Family
Ellen & Robert Pike, In Honour:
Susan & Brian Fishman and Family
Holy Blossom Temple
Foundation
Esther Tile, In Honour: Nancy Ruth
Sarah Willinsky & Daniel Berens,
In Honour: Carmen and Emil Horvath
Mr. & Mrs. Bernie Schwartz, In
Honour: Barbara & Floyd Stern
Mr. & Mrs. Max Rotstein, In Honour:
Rosalind & Stanley Witkin
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Gans, In Honour:
Rosalind & Stanley Witkin
Dr. Marvin Tile, In Honour: Sheila
Smolkin
Molly Frankel, In Memory: Shelley
& Stan Mintz
Randi & Alan Garfinkel, In Honour:
Carmen and Emil Horvath
Warren Sinukoff, In Honour: Shelley
& Arthur Gans
Dorothy Hasinoff & Kalle Vaga,
In Honour: Maureen Wright & Larry
Mogelonsky
S. Calvert Kogan, In Memory:
Ron Kogan
Hilda Breuer, In Memory:
Sally Libman
Donald Bierstock, In Memory:
Sally Libman
Rosetta Sterne, In Memory:
Sally Libman
Arnold Freedman, In Memory:
Esther & Cyril Hersh
Holy Blossom Temple
Renewal Project
Dr. Shia Salem, In Honour:
Fine Arts Committee
Ann & Gary Posen, In Honour:
Caryl & Bert Barruch
Diana Goodman, In Honour:
The Birthday Girls
Emily & Eugene Grant, In Honour:
Barbara Weisfeld
Annalee Schurr, In Honour:
Bikur Cholim Executive
Valerie Fish, In Honour:
Bikur Cholim Executive
Ruth & Hank Rosen, In Honour:
Esther & Cyril Hersh
Isenberg Family Endowment
Fund
Jack Buchman, In Honour: Carol
& Steve Pilon
Roy Waisberg, In Memory: Carol
& Steve Pilon and Family
Lillian Burke, In Memory: Carol
& Steve Pilon and Family
Jacob’s Tower Fund
Henrietta Chesnie, In Honour:
Diana & Marvin Goodman
Nathan Peck, In Memory:
Marilyn Shesko & David Hertzman
Florence Cooper, In Honour:
Marilyn Shesko & David Hertzman
Norman Goodis, In Memory:
Jill Hertzman; Marilyn Shesko
& David Hertzman.
Esther Bloch Shesko, Yahrzeit:
Marilyn Hertzman
Joan Kerbel Leadership
Development Fund
Gail & Garry Goodman, In Honour:
HBT Sisterhood; The Okorfskys.
Linda & Abe Neufeld, In Honour:
HBT Sisterhood
Janice & Larry Babins, In Honour:
HBT Sisterhood
Daisy & Sydney Jacobs, In Honour:
HBT Sisterhood
Jackie & Howard Roger, In Honour:
HBT Sisterhood
Pauline & Jack Toker, In Honour:
Carol & Lionel Schipper
Gertie Kopilis, In Memory:
HBT Sisterhood
Janice & Larry Babins, In Honour:
Jill & Murray Kamin
Kiddush Fund
General Donation: Virginia & Carl
Solomon; Sam & Ilana Goodman;
Emma Prentice.
Library Book Fund
Brigitte Shefer, In Memory:
Dinah Borovoy
Sylvia Roth, In Memory: Karen Emsig
Dow & Fredzia Marmur
Program for Educational
Excellence
Elissa & David Fingold, In Honour:
Ellen Karabanow and Anthony
Karabanow
Belle Hodes, In Memory: Sybil
& Jack Geller
Esther & Marvin Tile, In Honour:
Ellen Karabanow
Musical Heritage Fund
General donation: Varda Berenstein
Helen Brodziak & Jack Kuglemass,
In Honour: Mary Seldon
Vallry & Arieh Waldman, In Honour:
Mary Seldon
Dr. Adriana Berbece, In Appreciation:
Marla Powers
David Abells, In Honour: Mary Seldon
Brigitte Shefer, In Memory:
Matilda Bigio
The Holy Blossom Temple Singers,
In Honour: The Goldfarb Family
Nadia Adler, In Honour: Helena
& David Fine
Joyce & Barry Spiegel, In Honour:
Susan & Ray Stancer
Kay Tartick, In Memory: Helen Lyon
Shoshana Sage, In Honour:
Holy Blossom Temple Singers
Ruth & Hank Rosen, In Honour:
Shirley & Marvin Latchman
Musical Legacy Fund
Temple Singers, In Appreciation:
Marla Powers
Nadejda Adler, In Honour:
The Gordon-Chow Family
Sharon Friendly, In Honour:
Georganne Greenstein & Joel Wagman
Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner,
In Appreciation: Marla Powers
Efim Adler, In Honour: Alexandrina
& Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Out of the Cold Fund
General Donation: Nurit & Martin
Bloomberg
Rhoda Lipton Di Zitti, In Memory:
Julia & Michael Sax
Val & Arieh Waldman, In Honour:
Tania & Brian Blumenthal and Family
Pearl Cappe, In Honour: Beverly
& Milton Israel and Family
Danielle & Heath Applebaum,
In Honour: Janet & Michael Ryval
Alta Karpenko & Jonathan Ryval,
In Honour: Janet & Michael Ryval
Kathy & Maurice Green, In Honour:
Ellen Karabanow
Shelly Berenbaum & Chuck Litman,
In Honour: Janice Feuer
Eidan Taxon, In Honour:
Ruthe Simonsky
Jenny Klotz, In Memory:
Susan Berman
Merv Gollom, In Memory:
Joy & Charles Cohen
Jack Applebaum, In Memory:
Allan Wexler
Sheila Bacher, In Honour:
Marilyn Hahn
Razelle Roebuck, In Honour:
Kathy & Maurice Green
Earl Bederman, In Honour: Kathy
& Maurice Green
Claudia Blumberger, In Honour:
Kathy & Maurice Green
Donna Silver, In Honour: Kathy
& Maurice Green
Happy Iscove, In Appreciation:
21
The Arbess Family
Dorothy Hasinoff & Kalle Vaga,
In Honour: Mrs. Una Coghlan; Susan
Waterfield & John Razulif.
Bernard Ludwig, In Memory:
Sheila Bacher
Bill Gula, In Honour: Bonnie Croll
& Robert Henry
Alan MacPherson, In Memory:
Elaine & David Wolpin; Marsha Slivka
and Family; Kathy & Maurice Green.
Rabbi James Prosnit & Wendy
Bloch, In Honour: Annalee & Brian
Schnurr
Henry Glover, In Memory: Marsha
& Harry Glicksman
Pauline & Jack Toker, In Honour:
Mimi Hollenberg; Elaine & Bernard
Davis; Barbara & Manley Walters;
Eleanor Steinberg; Arlene & Sam
Klapman; June & Robert Filler; Sheila
Loftus; Janet & Norman Shiner and
Family; Lois & George Fine; Shay &
Maurice Wechsler; Judith & Victor J.
Goldberg and Family; Raylene & Nassie
Godel; Ruth & Robert Ehrlich; Debbie
Molot and Family.
Out of the Cold Volunteer,
In Honour: Ann MacPherson
& Earl Bederman
Gertie Kopilis, In Memory: Grace &
Harvey Brooker; Glenda Mindlin
Happy Iscove, In Honour: Audrey
& Janet Shiner
Ruth & Hank Rosen, In Honour:
Susan Himel & Neil Kozloff and Family
Harry & Cecile Pearl Youth Award
Endowment Fund
Oscar Kofman, In Memory: Joyce
& Fred Zemans
Rabbi Gunther W. Plaut
Memorial Fund
Gertrude Kruger, In Memory: Judith
Plaut
Rabbi Gunther W. Plaut, In Memory:
Nancy-Gay & Max Rotstein; Liesl Wolfe
Neuburger; Frances & Phil Shapiro.
Prayer Book Fund
22
Marlene & Robert Ruderman, In
Appreciation: Debby Vigoda and Family
Lori & Ernie Gershan, In
Appreciation: Debby Vigoda and Family
Albert (Bert) Abugov, Yahrzeit: Carol
Abugov and Family
Zale Skolnik, In Honour: Judi Swartz
& Bob Skolnik
Vallry & Arieh Waldman, In Honour:
Alexandrina & Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Jeff Levy, In Honour: Alexandrina
& Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Melville Olsberg, In Honour:
Alexandrina & Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
David Gershon, In Honour:
Alexandrina & Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Dr. Marvin Tile, In Honour:
Alexandrina & Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Gordon Winemaker, In Honour:
Holly & John Laskin and Family
Harry Greenwood, In Memory: Faye
Greenwood & Family
Lucy Waverman, In Honour: Bikur
Cholim Committee
Project Tikvah
Shelly Berenbaum & Chuck Litman,
In Honour: Gail & Barry Silver
Rabbi’s Discretionary Funds
Rabbi John Moscowitz,
In Appreciation: Annalee & Brian
Schnurr. In Honour: Marilyn & Jack
Newman and Family; Joanne Cohen;
Myrna Ross; Dorothy Hasinoff
& Kalle Vaga.
Rabbi Yael Splansky, In Appreciation:
David Hart; Donna & Mark Weinstock
and Family; The Arbess Family; The
Shiner Family; Sami & James Cooper;
The Moranis Family; Mariam Leitman
& Craig Perkins; Elissa & David L.
Fingold; Janis & Gary Soren.
In Honour: Myrna Ross.
Rabbi Karen Thomashow, In
Appreciation: Phyllis Benjamin;
Harriette Laing; Paula Kirsh; David
Hart; Donna & Mark Weinstock and
Family; The Arbess Family; Myrna Ross;
Elissa & David L. Fingold; The
Lieberman Family; Harry Manson. In
Honour: Myrna Ross; Evelyn Epino
& Eitan Waldman; Elizabeth Tarshis
& Rick Lash.
Rabbi Edward Goldfarb, In
Appreciation: Rina Fishbein and Family;
Shelly & Arthur Gans and Geoff Gans
& Robyn Shyllit; The Arbess Family. In
Honour: Ellen Karabanow; Daisy
& Sydney Jacobs; Cynthia Good.
Rabbi Edward & Fagi Goldfarb,
In Honour: Daisy & Sidney Jacobs.
Rabbi Dow Marmur & Fredzia
Marmur, In Appreciation: Irene &
Bernie Frolic. In Honour: Alexandrina
& Jeffrey Canto-Thaler.
Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner, In
Appreciation: Shelly & Arthur Gans
and Geoff Gans & Robyn Shyllit; The
Arbess Family; Marian Leitman &
Craig Perkins; The Moranis Family;
Elissa & David L. Fingold; The
Lieberman Family.
Cantorial Soloist Lindi Rivers,
In Appreciation: Rina Fishbein and
Family; Dorothy Hasinoff & Kalle Vaga;
Elissa & David L. Fingold; Janis
& Gary Soren.
Dorothy Hasinoff & Kalle Vaga,
In Honour (Rabbi Splansky’s fund):
Diana Ginpil
Henry Kay, In Memory (Rabbi
Splansky’s fund): Susan & Brian
Fishman and Family.
Mel Sarett, In Honour (Rabbi
Splansky’s fund): Edyse & Norm Fisher.
Glenna Finkelstein, In Memory
(Rabbi Splansky’s fund): Susan
& Brian Fishman
Mae Shapiro, In Memory (Rabbi
Thomashow’s fund): Debbie
& Irwin Thomashow.
Cantorial Soloist Lindi Rivers,
In Honour (Rabbi Thomashow’s fund):
Sandra & David Sandler.
Rabbi John Moscowitz, In
Appreciation (Cantor Benjamin Z.
Maissner’s fund): Marla Powers.
Pnina Margolese, In Appreciation
(Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner’s
fund): Marla Powers.
Caroline Ingvaldsen, In Appreciation
(Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner’s
fund): Marla Powers.
Jennifer Hunter, In Appreciation
(Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner’s
fund): Marla Powers.
Judy Winberg, In Appreciation
(Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner’s fund):
Marla Powers.
Jill Kamin, In Appreciation (Cantor
Benjamin Z. Maissner’s fund):
Marla Powers.
Bella Shupak, In Appreciation
(Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner’s fund):
Marla Powers.
Susan Chernow, In Appreciation
(Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner’s
fund): Marla Powers.
Denise Gordon, In Appreciation
(Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner’s
fund): Marla Powers.
Dennis Chow, In Appreciation
(Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner’s fund):
Marla Powers.
Nancy Ruth Educational
Fund
General Donation: Nancy Ruth
Nancy Ruth, In Honour: Alexandrina
& Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Lorraine Sandler Tribute
Endowment Fund
Lorraine Sandler, In Honour:
Hamovitch Family
Klein Family, In Honour: Lorraine
& Alan Sandler
Arbess Family, In Honour: Lorraine
& Alan Sandler
Sandra & Steven Moranis, In
Honour: Cathy & Lorne Greenbaum
Shacharit Breakfast Fund
Miriam Cohen, Yahrzeit: Sue & Lou
Devor
Saul Fishbein, In Memory: Rina
Fishbein
Nathan Peck, In Memory: Wendy
& Ronnie Peck and Family
Bessie Salemn, Yahrzeit: Jocelyne
& Shia Salem
Ann Borovoy, Yahrzeit: Dinah Borovoy
Sadie Lewin, Yahrzeit: Dinah Borovoy
Matthews Verbeeten, Yahrzeit:
Yvonne Verbeeten
Serene Bodor, Yahrzeit: Agnes Lantos
Edward Krause, Yahrzeit: Shelley
Krause-Levine & Martin Levine
Violet Kassel, Yahrzeit: William Kassel
Max Kassel, Yahrzeit: William Kassel
Asher Lerenbaum, Yahrzeit: Susan
Mogil
Frances Erdell, Yahrzeit: Carol Collin
Max Yack, In Memory: Ellen and Susan
Yack
Sam Rotholc, Yahrzeit: Sandra
Rotholc-King
Henry Clavir, Yahrzeit: Isabel Schwartz
Lillian Smith, Yahrzeit: Leonard Smith
Louis Smith, Yahrzeit: Leonard Smith
William Pitch, Yahrzeit: Harvin Pitch
Mayer Joseph Fogel, Yahrzeit:
Rosie Uster
Ida Sue Freedman, Yahrzeit: Marla
Powers
Max Hoffman, Yahrzeit: Bernice
& Yitz Penciner
Harry Penciner, Yahrzeit: Bernice
& Yitz Penciner
Selig Patchen, Yahrzeit: Marilyn Hahn
Evelyn Davis, Yahrzeit: Julia Sax
Kay Tartick, In Memory: The Tartick
Family
Sydney Ezrin, Yahrzeit: Hershel Ezrin
Erin Belman, Yahrzeit: The Family of
Erin Belman
Morley Pape, Yarhrzeit: Michael Cole
Rose Gyarmati, Yahrzeit: Magda Weisz
Pauline Shaperom, Yahrzeit: Gail
& Gary Goodman
Anne Tile, In Memory: Esther &
Marvin Tile and Family
Seiga Gold, In Memory: Esther
& Marvin Tile and Family
Bella Zweig, In Memory: Esther
& Marvin Tile and Family
Samuel Tile, In Memory: Esther
& Marvin Tile and Family
Devy Herlin, Yahrzeit: Ken Herlin
Lisa Brown, Yahrzeit: Jennifer
& Jay Brown
Toba Sussman, Yahrzeit:
Rosalie Sussman
Julian Druyan, Yahrzeit: Judy Druyan
Sheldon Lipsey, Yahrzeit: Helen Lyon
Harry Leitman, Yahrzeit:
Mariam Leitman
Joseph Windish, Yahrzeit: Marie Knaul
Karen Goldblatt, Yahrzeit: Barry
Goldblatt
Minnie-Mae Kamenir, Yahrzeit:
Sandra Kamenir
Bernice Palef, Yahrzeit: Barbara
& John Greenberg
Stanley H. Davis, Yahrzeit: Julia
& Michael Sax
Gertie Kopilis, In Memory: Linda
& Abe Neufeld
Kate Witkin, Yahrzeit: Stan Witkin
Joshua Brodey, Yahrzeit:
Paulette Brodey
David Klein, Yahrzeit: Veronica Mandel
Murray Greenberg, Yahrzeit: Barbara
& John Greenberg
Hilde Breuer, In Memory: Eric Breuer
Al & Dora Track Fund
Living with Dementia Patients,
In Honour: Sandy Atlin
Living with Dementia Program
Organizers, In Appreciation:
Vera Baumal
Morris Vigoda Tribute Fund
Linse Penturn, In Memory:
Debby Vigoda
Bernard Ludwig, In Memory:
Debby Vigoda
Leonard Wolfe Memorial
Educational Fund
Marcelle Esses, In Honour:
Honey Wolfe
Denise Bond, In Memory:
Honey Wolfe
Denise Bond, In Memory:
Carol Dale Youth Awards Fund
General Donation: Sheryl Brodey
& Richard Borins
David Baskin, In Honour: Esther
Zeller & Morris Cooper and Family
Abraham Freuerlich-Berecz, Yahrzeit:
Helene Barto
Brigitte Shefer, In Memory:
Debbie & Randy Spiegel
Brigette Shefer, In Memory:
Holy Blossom Temple and Religious
School
Ellen Karabanow, In Honour:
The Birthday Girls
Happy Iscove, In Honour:
Alexandrina & Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Mai Levi, In Honour: Alexandrina
& Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Or Shalem, In Honour: Alexandrina
& Jeffrey Canto-Thaler
Jacob Glaizel, In Honour: Jocelynn
& Fred Engle
Noah Yakobson, In Honour: Eleanor
& Zishe Wittlin
Chloe Gordon-Chow, In Honour:
Debbie & Randy Spiegel
Holy Blossom Temple
Life at Holy Blossom
For all programs between Dec. 1, 2012-Jan 31, 2013
Monday
December 3, 10, 17;
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28
December 3
10:30 a.m.
Mondays @ the Temple
January 14
6:30 p.m.
January 21
6:30 p.m.
Israel and The United Church, A Conversation between Bruce
Gregerson and Rabbi Dow Marmur,
Jewish Genealogy Family History: Digging Roots and Growing
Trees, Carolynne Veffer
Family Programming, Screening of: ‘Race to Nowhere’
7:30 p.m.
Exploring the Jesus Triangle, Prof. Barrie Wilson
8:00 p.m.
Tuesday
January 15-29
Wednesday
ongoing
7:00 p.m.
9:30 a.m.
Adult B’nei Mitzvah Class
Tora Study - Talmud, Rabbi Teri Appleby sponsored by Sisterhood
10:30 a.m.
Deuteronomy: the First Jewish Reform Movement,
Rabbi Michael Stroh
The End of the Shul as We Know It? Crisis and Renewal in North
American Synagogues, Keynote speaker, Professor Jonathan
Sarna, sponsored by Holy Blossom Temple, Beth Tzedec
Congregation and Centre for Jewish Studies at University of
Toronto, taking place at Beth Tzedec
Final class Western Art Music from a Jewish Perspective
Ayn Rand & Martin Buber: What Can They Teach Us?
Rabbi Michael Stroh, sponsored by Brotherhood
Toward a New Ozick, Sharoni Sibony
Thursday
December 6, final class
December 6
7:30 p.m.
Dec 6
December 27, January 3-31
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
January 17-31
10:00 a.m.
!
Friday
Dec. 7, Jan. 4, Feb. 1,
6:00 p.m.
Tot & Hot Shot Shabbat Service & Dinner
5:30 p.m.
Tot Shabbat Service & Craft
Dec. 21, Jan. 18, Feb 15,
New sessions begins
Little Blossoms
January 11 – March 22
9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 a.m.
(No class February 15)
Saturday
Weekly Torah Study - ongoing
December 15
9:00 a.m.
after kiddush
Timely Insights, Timeless Wisdom Rabbi Yael Splansky
Rosh Hodesh Beit Midrash, Marla Powers, facilitator
Sunday
ongoing
December 16
10:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
Temple Singers, Cantor Benjamin Maissner
Sunday Book Club, Sharon Singer
1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5P 3K9
416.789.3291 • www.holyblossom.org
23
Daily
Mon. to Fri.
Mon. to Thur.
Sun.
Services
Shabbat
Fri.
Sat.
Sat.
Dec. 7
Dec. 21
Jan. 4
Jan 18
Services
6:00 p.m.
10:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
Shabbat
Shabbat
Nov. 30, Jan. 25, Feb. 22
6:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
Kabbalat Shabbat Services
Shabbat Morning Service
Family Shabbat Service
(Service & Pot Luck dinner)
(Service & Craft)
(Service & Pot Luck dinner)
(Service & Craft)
Fusion
Shacharit
Dec. 25, Dec 26, Jan 1
Shacharit
Ma’ariv
Shacharit
6:30 pm
9:00 a.m.
!
To t
7:30 a.m.
6:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m.
1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5P 3K9
416.789.3291 • www.holyblossom.org