A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | N i s a n / I y a r 5 7 6 9 1

by Alison Schwartz, Chair, Annual Contribution Campaign

The launch of the 2009–2010 Annual Contribution Campaign has caused me to refl ect on how

much I learned last year, in my fi rst experience as Campaign Chair.

I learned of the deep understanding and tremendous generosity of so many within our Holy Blossom community. No words are suffi cient to express our deep gratitude to everyone who contrib-uted to last year’s campaign; you have truly made a signifi cant diff erence in the life of our congregation.

I learned that many members — last year more than 25% — genuinely require some form of dues relief, includ-ing a large number of seniors on fi xed incomes. At Holy Blossom Temple, we value each of our members and cherish our ability to welcome all, regardless of their fi nancial circumstance. It is your contribution to the Annual Campaign that directly ensures that all who wish to join our congregation are able to do so.

I also learned — and was astonished by — the breadth and depth of the programs off ered and the level of inter-est and participation by our members. Our ability to present these programs is critical in ensuring that we maintain a dynamic future.

Finally, I learned, fi rst hand, that each of these necessary initiatives has real hard costs. Enormous and sometimes

Holy Blossom Tem ple BulletinApril 2009 | nisan/Iyar 5769

What I learned this yearPesach 2009/5769EREV PESACH Wed. Apr. 8, at 6 p.m.This pre-seder Service welcomes the Festival.

FIRST DAY PESACHThur. Apr. 9, at 10 a.m.Celebrate the Festival of Pesach during our Congregation-wide Service. Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner, the Holy Blossom Temple Singers and our Simcha Band will lead us in Songs of Freedom and Songs of Hallel. A festive kiddush lunch will follow the Service. Creative children’s programming is incorporated.

EREV SEVENTH DAY PESACHTue. Apr. 14, at 6 p.m.Please join us for our Erev Yom Tov Service.

SEVENTH DAY PESACH/YIZKORWed. Apr. 15, at 10 a.m.This Congregation-wide Service will celebrate the seventh day of Pesach and will include Yizkor. Services will be followed by a special kiddush lunch. Children’s programming is incorpo-rated throughout the morning.

painful work goes into ensuring that our fi scal house is in order so that we can balance our budget — making prudent and thoughtful expenditures. I now recognize that many daily aspects of Temple life that I had always taken for granted must be funded through this Campaign.

Holy Blossom Temple is an extraor-dinary place. It plays a critical and consequential role in the lives of many of its members and in Canada’s Jewish community. As Rabbi John Moscowitz wrote in the December issue of the Bulletin, “It won’t be easy. But we will ensure the future of this great synagogue, each of us separately and together.”

Th e opportunity to contribute to the future of our synagogue and our community has inspired me to again take on the role of Chair of the Annual Contribution Campaign.

In this capacity, I am asking all of you to please give meaningfully and generously in support of this essential campaign. In particular, to those of you who can give but have chosen not to do so in the past, I am asking you directly to help ensure the fi nancial well-being of our congregation.

To make your tax deductible gift to the 2009 -2010 Annual Contribution Campaign, please call Shannon Tramer (ext. 227), at the Temple.alisons18@hotmail.com

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d A I ly S e R v I c e SMonday to Friday at 7.30 a.m. | ShacharitMonday to Th ursday at 6 p.m. | MinchaSunday at 9 a.m. | Shacharit

On Fri. Apr. 10, 2009, Shacharit Service will be held at 9 a.m.

S H A B B AT S e R v I c e SFriday at 6 p.m. | Kabbalat ShabbatSaturday at 10.30 a.m. | Shabbat Morning and Family Shabbat Services

Tot Shabbat will be held on Apr. 3 (Service and dinner) and Apr. 17, 2009 (Service).

Shabbat Fusion will be held on Apr. 24, 2009, followed by a Shabbat dinner. Cost: $21 per person. All are welcome at this Service. Dinner afterward for those in their 20s and 30s.

Worship In This Issue ... In Perspective 3 | Holy Blossom Temple Foundation 4 | Cantor’s Notes 5 | The Gerald Schwartz/Heather Reisman Centre for Jewish Learning 6 | Supplementary Schools 8 | Our Israel 9 | Generation 9 א | Temple Cemeteries 10 | Seniors’ Programming 10 | Family Programming 11 | URJ Biennial Convention 11 | Shavuot 12 | Our Congregational Family 13 | The Last Word 16

The Bulletin is published 10 times a year by Holy Blossom Temple, 1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5P 3K9. Telephone: (416) 789-3291; Fax: (416) 789-9697; Email: templemail@holyblossom.org; Website: www.holyblossom.org. Honorary Pres i dent: John A. Geller; President: Larry Babins; Rabbis: John Moscowitz; Yael Splansky; Karen Thomashow; Edward Goldfarb; Cantor: Benjamin Z. Maissner; Cantorial Soloist: Lindi Rivers; 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: Elliott Jacobson; Bulletin Editor: Judy Nyman; Design and Production: nymanink.concepts that click Holy Blossom Temple was found ed in 1856 and is af fil i at ed with the Union for Reform Judaism and the Canadian Council for Reform Judaism.

HONOURING TRAVELLERS TO ISRAEL Sat. Apr. 25, 2009, at 10.30 a.m.

In anticipation of Yom Ha’Atzma’ut, we are honoured to host the Israeli Consul General in Toronto, Amir Gissin, who will speak on “Israel and the Middle East: New Realities.”

During the Service, we will honour (with a special aliyah) all Temple mem-bers who have travelled to Israel this past year.

If you wish to be honoured, please call Elana Fehler (ext. 221), at the Temple, or email efehler@holyblossom.org.

Amir Gissin

Yom Ha’Shoah(Holocaust Memorial Day)Mon. Apr. 20, at 7 p.m.Mary Hoppe will tell her remarkable story of survival — from the Lodz Ghetto, through multiple labour camps to her liberation from Dachau.

Yom Ha’Zikaron(Israel Remembrance Day)Tue. Apr. 28, at 6 p.m.Please join us to honour Israel’s fallen soldiers.

Yom Ha’Atzma’ut (Israel Independence Day)Tue. Apr. 28, at 6.30 p.m.After our Yom Ha’Zikaron Service, we will walk down Bathurst Streetto celebrate Israel’s 61st birthday with a neighbourhood street party, including entertainment, food, wine, Israeli products for sale and activities for the kids. We will join with Beth Tzedec and Beth Sholom Synagogue for our largest Yom Ha’Atzma’ut party to date. For more details, please see page 9.

Remembering and Remembering and Remembering and Remembering and Remembering and Celebrating 5769/2009Celebrating 5769/2009Celebrating 5769/2009Celebrating 5769/2009Celebrating 5769/2009Remembering and Remembering and Celebrating 5769/2009Remembering and Remembering and Remembering and Remembering and Remembering and Celebrating 5769/2009Remembering and Remembering and Celebrating 5769/2009Remembering and Remembering and Celebrating 5769/2009Remembering and Remembering and Remembering and Remembering and Celebrating 5769/2009Remembering and Remembering and

Mary Hoppe

A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | N i s a n / I y a r 5 7 6 9 3

Anti-Semitism again? | In Perspective by Rabbi John Moscowitz

I remember how differ-ent it was while grow-ing up in the American Midwest in the ’50s and ’60s. The nascent State

of Israel, a vibrant and inspiring democ-racy, basked in the admiration of the West. In particular, the kibbutz experi-ment and then the extraordinary come-from-behind Israeli victory in the 1967 war provided an aura about Israel. The world loved Israel then — and we Jews were also kind of sexy (“You Don’t Have To Be Jewish To Love Levy’s Rye Bread”; Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Sammy Davis Jr. joining our ranks).

Beyond that, even as I attended schools with very few Jews, I experi-enced almost no anti-Semitism. Once or twice I was told that I killed Christ — but children mindlessly parroting what they heard at home packed no punch; I knew they didn’t believe it. We were accepted, often admired, even if different.

In California in the early 1970s as a young anti-Vietnam War activist, I put up two posters, side by side, in my Venice apartment: one with Madame

Binh, the revolutionary leader of the Vietnamese fighting the Americans; and the other, a beautiful poster of Israel. No one, save a few uncomfortable Jews, thought it strange.

In rabbinical school in the late ’70s and early ’80s, I never heard anti-Semitism mentioned. It was from a world gone by — and those few Jews who went on about it seemed either hopelessly claimed by the Holocaust or way too passé. Here and there, the ugliness of Jew-hating raised its head, but always appeared the exception to the new reality: the world had changed and we all knew it. But maybe it hadn’t. Maybe we were wrong.

Is it since the beginning of the second intifada (fall 2000) that things got twisted, hateful again? Did we just miss earlier indications (the UN acquiescing toward anti-Semitism when Arafat did his gun-packing 1974 appearance; festering animosity in parts of the Muslim world, Europe and elsewhere)? Were we too sophisticated to notice new trends, to realize that an old and enduring hatred would not quit, and would announce itself in new forms?

The trend over the past several

decades has been to demonize Israel, while claiming that this demonization has nothing to do with Jews: the prob-lem is in Israeli policies, not the Jewish people. If only Israel would allow a Palestinian state, stop the check points, stop “apartheid behaviour” (thank you, Jimmy Carter).

Never mind, imperfect as Israel is, that it affords its Arab citizens equal political rights; never mind that access to education and health care is open to all Israeli citizens — however imper-fectly both policies and laws are applied at times. And never mind that Israel in 2000 offered more than 95% of the West Bank for a Palestinian state (and still would today, given appropriate security guarantees).

The new anti-Semitism, like the old one, is irrational and poisonous. It cannot be explained away or changed by our good behaviour, by public civility or by any rational explanation. Therefore it needs to be understood and fought — and if we Jews don’t fight on our own behalf, who will?jmoscowitz@holyblossom.org

Jonathan Harris, who attended Religious School and celebrated Bar

Mitzvah at Holy Blossom Temple many years ago, will succeed Eric

Petersiel as South Campus Principal of the Leo Baeck Day School.

Jonathan, and Eric — who will become Head of School for Leo Baeck —

will assume their new duties on July 1, 2009.

Jonathan joins Leo Baeck after serving on staff at the Fieldstone Day

School, in Toronto, where he taught and rose to Principal in 2006. Before

that, he taught in Hong Kong and at several schools in the Toronto area.

Jonathan, who grew up in Bradford, Ont., is married to Sari and they

have two children: Aidan, three and a half, and Sophia, 20 months.

New Leo Baeck PriNciPaL ‘comes home’

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People of the Book | Foundationby cheryl zeldin, Director of Development

For thousands of years, Jews have been known as the “People of the Book.” While in ancient times this

moniker specifi cally referred to Jewish devotion to and reliance on Torah, the meaning has expanded to encompass the tremendous signifi cance of books and learning through all aspects of modern Jewish life.

Holy Blossom Temple Foundation is honoured to administer funds that support the Sisterhood Library at Holy Blossom Temple.

Donors who view Jewish education as a priority now and in the future, continue to direct donations to support the Library. Donors have the option to establish a named fund, designating resources in support of the Library.

Currently, the Gurston & Lee Allen Library Endowment Fund, the Estate of Earl & Renee Lyons and the Lyle & Gilda Stanway Book Fund provide a source of funding for materials and programs off ered through the Library.

Temple leadershipTh e job of our Nominating Committee is to fi nd and endorse Holy Blossom Temple members who can best serve the Temple — on the Board and as Offi cers. We seek members with vision, commitment and involvement in Temple life.

Joining me on this year’s Nominating Committee are: Benjamin Applebaum (ex offi cio), Ari Burkes, Randy Cass, Jeff Denaburg, Jack Geller, Elana Paice Lidsky, Abe Neufeld, David Rosenberg, Nancy Ruth (Vice Chair), Fred Saunders, Neri Slan, Ruthe Schipper, Cary Solomon and Lisa Taylor.

Candidates for any Board or Offi cer position may be nominated by any member of the Temple. Such proposed nominations must be submitted, in writing, to the administrative offi ce. Submissions should be sent as soon as possible for consider-ation of the Nominating Committee.

For a copy of the nomination form, please call Shelly Berenbaum (ext. 233), at the Temple, or download it from our website, at www.holyblossom.org/documents.

— Barry Silver, Chair, Nominating Committee

New Foundation Board Member

Holy Blossom Temple Foundation is pleased to welcome Anita Lapidus as our new Board member. Anita

and her family have been Temple members since 1991, and last June, Anita celebrated Bat Mitzvah at the Temple. She is a member of the Baycrest Foundation Board, a past member of the Boards of Baycrest Centre and the downtown Jewish Community Centre, and the immediate past Chair of the Board of Family Service Toronto. She has served on many committees in gover-nance, communications, fundraising and executive director searches. She and her husband, Leon, have worked together for the past 30 years as principals in The MIBRO Group, and have two sons, Samuel, 30, and Jonathan, 28.

Th e Library draws people together in study and discussion, provides up-to-date educational information and inspires visitors with a wide variety of perspectives. Th e Library uses funds to purchase new books and electronic materials, and to support Library-based programs.

Recently, we were able to buy books for the Library Book Club, which meets monthly on Sunday mornings, and to enable a much-needed upgrade of the Library’s database.

Contributions to the Library Book Fund can be made in honour or mem-ory of friends and family. For a mini-mum donation of $20, a tribute card will be personalized and sent, informing honourees of your gift . For a mini-mum of $36, a book plate will also be inscribed and placed in a library book.

To make a donation in support of the Library, or for more information on any Temple funds, please call the Foundation offi ce (ext. 265), at the Temple.czeldin@holyblossom.org

At home in our shul Are you friendly and do you enjoy making people feel at home? If so, why not join the team of greeters who welcome worshippers to our sanctuaries every week.

For more details, please email Pnina Margolese at pmargolese @rogers.com.

A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | N i s a n / I y a r 5 7 6 9 5

Spectacular music at Holy Blossom | Cantor’s Notesby cantor Benjamin z. Maissner

Please join me on Sun. Apr. 12, 2009, at 8 p.m., for our second Musical Heritage Series Concert. In

celebration of Passover, “Every Mother’s Son: Jewish Songs of War and Peace” features vocalist Adrienne Cooper and pianist Marilyn Lerner and showcases songs in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew and English.

Striking projections by Israeli animator Mor Erlich provide the back-ground for this multimedia concert experience, covering four centuries of Jewish songs of war and peace.

Original compositions, in addition to songs by Bertholdt Brecht, Kurt Weill and Hanns Eisler, Marianne Faithfull and Phil Ochs, speak of the many aspects of war, while the original background art amplifi es the power of the musical arrangements.

Temple member Leonard Levy, a veteran of World War II, will introduce the concert. Leonard is a volunteer for the Dominion Institute, where war veterans visit classrooms in their communities to share and teach.

n e W A g e o F J e W I S H M U S I cTh e last concert in the series, “New Age

Marilyn LernerAdrienne Cooper

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of Jewish Music,” to be held on Th ur. May 21, 2009, features Mattan Klein and Seeds of Sun.

Seeds of Sun has established itself as the leading Israeli jazz ensemble in North America, blending original Israeli music with jazz and interna-tional music. Th e band has played on such prestigious stages as the Kennedy Centre in Washington, and has travelled as far as Vietnam, Hong Kong and the Philippines, introduc-ing a new and exciting sound of Israel to the world. Flutist and band leader, Mattan Klein, was born and raised in Jerusalem and has won several pres-tigious songwriting awards. Join me in celebrating Yom Yerushalayim with this young, innovative ensemble.

It is not too late to support the Musical Heritage Concert Series. For details on becoming a donor, please call the Holy Blossom Foundation (ext. 265), at the Temple. For tickets to the concerts, please call Mari Lynn Rusak (ext. 224), at the Temple.bmaissner@holyblossom.org

Sisterhood KallahRabbi John MoscowitzThur. May 14, 2009, at 9.30 a.m.The donalda Club For details, please see page 6.

Judaica ShopJewish Life is measured by the cycle of the year, marked by holidays and memories. Why not enhance your

H O LY B L O S S O M T E M P L E

seder table? Just in time for Pesach, the Judaica Shop has a variety of seder plates, matzah covers, a� komen bags and Hagadahs. We have also just received a limited quantity of The Torah: a Women’s Commentary.

Shop hours are Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Sunday from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

If you are unable to shop when we are open, please call the Shop (ext. 234), at the Temple, to make an appointment. We are also looking for Shop volunteers. If you are interested, please leave a mes-sage on the Sisterhood hotline (ext. 514), at the Temple. 

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

The Gerald Schwartz/Heather Reisman Centre for Jewish Learning strives to engage our community to join together for stimu-lating lectures, to study Torah and to acquire the skills needed to lead a meaningful Jewish life. For more details or to register for a program, please call ext. 256, at the Temple. All programs and lectures are open to the community, unless otherwise stated. For your convenience, our weekday daytime programs are marked with the following symbol .

Ongoing learning and specialized classes

Shabbat Torah Study: Speaking with God, Learning from Heschel and Soloveitchik Rabbi John MoscowitzSaturdays at 9 a.m., ongoingAll are welcome regardless of background.

Learning Liturgy through Singing Jewish MusicCantor Benjamin Z. MaissnerSundays at 10 a.m., ongoingNew participants are welcome. For more details, please call Mari Lynn Rusak (ext. 224), at the Temple.

Conversational Hebrew 101Dalia Alalouf, Supervisor, Hebrew SchoolMondays at 8.30 p.m., ongoingRegistration required.

Advanced Hebrew GrammarRabbi Edward Goldfarb

Tuesdays at 11 a.m., ongoingOpen to Temple members only.

Sisterhood Torah Study Rabbi Edward Goldfarb

Wednesdays at 9.30 a.m., ongoingNew and returning students are welcome.

The Yiddish NovelRabbi Edward Goldfarb

Wednesdays at 11 a.m., ongoing

Why Soloveitchik MattersRabbi John Moscowitz Mondays at 7.30 p.m. Apr. 6, 13 and 27, and May 4, 2009 (no class Apr. 20) Please note new dates.Animated by ideas, Judaism is a system of thought and a way to live, which makes most sense when those ideas are articu-lated and understood. One of the fore-most teachers of Judaism as a coherent, compelling and intellectual tradition was Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik (1900 –1993).

This Is the Dawning of the Age of LeviticusRabbi Michael Stroh, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Har Zion

Thursdays at 10.30 a.m. Apr. 16 to 30, 2009The third book of the Torah deals with priestly matters such as the conduct of the priests, the Ark, the Tabernacle and sacrifice. It is the core of Jewish religion

according to the Torah. What can all this mean to a Jewish People that has not had a Temple for 2,000 years? What can this mean to liberal Jews?

Library Book ClubJanna NadlerTuesdays at 9.45 a.m. Our long-standing book club has been an inspiration to all who attend. We invite you to participate in any or all sessions. Non-members are welcome.Apr. 21, 2009 | Fault Lines by Nancy HustonThis award-winning bestseller is told through the eyes of four six-year-old children.May 19, 2009 | A Pigeon and A Boy by Meir ShalevDuring the 1948 Israeli War of Independence, pigeons were used to deliver battlefield messages. Before his death, a young pigeon handler dispatches one last pigeon.

Sisterhood Kallah: Thinking with the Rav

Rabbi John Moscowitz Thur. May 14, 2009, at 9.30 a.m. The Donalda Club

Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik was perhaps the pre-eminent rabbinic thinker of the 20th century. We will explore, in detail, a section of his book, Fate and Destiny, which provides a profound picture of the individual Jew as an integral part of the drama of Jewish history and destiny. For more details or to register for this full-day event, please call the Sisterhood hotline (ext. 514), at the Temple.

A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | N i s a n / I y a r 5 7 6 9 7

Healing, Heresy and Hell: Jesus in the Talmud Rabbi Jonathan Crane, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Toronto, and Reform Rabbi on Campus, Hillel of Greater TorontoThursdays at 7.30 p.m. Apr. 23 to May 7, 2009Jews who composed the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmuds took Jesus seriously — if not as a historical person, then at least as a literary character. Encounter their interpretations of Jesus’ feats of healing, his trial and execution, and what he experienced after death. If these Jewish texts offer counter-narratives to the New Testament, what might this suggest for contemporary interfaith study and dialogue?

Uniting the Higher and the Lower (the Heavenly and the Earthly) JerusalemRabbi Yoel GlickWed. May 20, 2009, at 7.30 p.m.Enjoy an evening of teaching and medi-ation in honour of Yom Yerushalyim (Jerusalem Day).

Waiting for GodRabbi Dow MarmurThursdays at 7.30 p.m., June 4 to 25, 2009This is not an allusion to Beckett’s play but a reference to the view of David Weiss Halivni, one of the most impor-tant Jewish scholars of our time. He is

Professor Gabi Ben-Dor

Mon. May 11, 2009, at 8 p.m. Strategic Problems Facing Israel Today

Wed. May 13, 2009, at 8 p.m. Bombs and Sticks: A New Era in the National Security of Israel.

Prof. Ben-Dor works at the Strategic Dialogue Center in Israel.

This series is made possible by the Harry & Blanche Posen Memorial Lecture Fund.

Blanche & Harry Posen Lecture Series

among those who see Auschwitz as evidence of the absence of God, but he believes that it is possible to make God discernable to us again – just as at Sinai. We will study and discuss aspects of his theology, as well as relat-ed thoughts of three other contempo-rary Jewish teachers.

From Tragedy to Hope: An Inspiring evening of conversation with Isadore Sharp

“Our western regional vice president in Vancouver called to ask if we would support a young man who lost a leg to cancer and was running across Canada on an artificial limb to raise money for cancer research.

“‘Wherever we have a hotel,’ I said, ‘we’ll supply him with food and accommodation.’“The Toronto Star carried a story on this young man, Terry Fox, and when Eddie Creed

called me about it, Rosalie and I decided we had to do more.”

Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy, by Isadore Sharp. Published by Viking Canada, an imprint of Penguin Group International: Excerpt from Chapter 8: Chris Sharp and Terry Fox, page 76

At a ceremony honouring the 25th anniversary of Terry Fox’s Toronto stop on his Marathon, Isadore Sharp (at the podium), Founder, Chair and CEO of the Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts, addresses the crowd.

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Isadore Sharp will share his soon-to-be published memoirs Tue. May 19, 2009, at 8 p.m.To purchase tickets ($36 including copy of memoirs), please call the Foundation office (ext. 265), at the Temple, or visit www.holyblossom.org/sharpevent.

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

The Sharps ardently went on to initiate the corporate sponsorship program supporting the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope. They also founded the annual Terry Fox Run Program (the largest single-day fund-raising event for cancer research worldwide, having raised more than $400 million to date). To this day, they dedicate the Terry Fox Run Program to the memory of their son, Christopher, who they lost to cancer in 1978.

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H O LY B L O S S O M T E M P L E

STA G E C R A F T C O M PA N Y

God of Vengeance B Y S H O L E M A S C H

� ur. June 4 and Sat. June 6, 2009, at 8 p.m. Sun. June 7, 2009, at 2 p.m.

In a world marred by oppression and exploitation, a deluded, violent man seeks spiritual redemption.

For more details, please call the Stagecra� hotline (ext. 511), at the Temple.

by debbie Spiegel, Director of Education

Th e life-cycle event of Confi rmation has been a mainstay at Holy Blossom Temple for almost 100 years.

Recently, at a community lecture, I found a congregant standing on a chair looking at the beautiful wall of black and white Confi rmation photographs, in order to fi nd her picture, her classmates and her memories from her days as a student at the Temple Religious School. I found her as she was coming down from the chair smiling broadly. “Yes,” she said, “I just needed to make sure that the picture was there. I knew it would be there, but needed to see it for myself.” For a brief moment, this woman was brought back to her days as a teenager at Holy Blossom.

I oft en see grandparents, with their children and grandchildren, standing at that wall repeating the same story. I am constantly reminded about Confi rmation

In a world marred by oppression and exploitation, In a world marred by oppression and exploitation, a deluded, violent man seeks spiritual redemption.a deluded, violent man seeks spiritual redemption.In a world marred by oppression and exploitation, In a world marred by oppression and exploitation,

| Supplementary Schools

and its past importance as a congrega-tional celebration. While Confi rmation has continued it’s prominence, with its celebration on Erev Shavuot, over the years the event has become less of a congregational celebration, and more of a Service in which only families of Confi rmands, and a few others, join in the celebration of Shavuot and of Confi rmation itself.

It is important that we, as a commu-nity, celebrate and acknowledge the accomplishments of our youth — gradu-ates from our Grade 10 class. We have raised the bar in celebrating with them; each year we plan a trip to Israel with the Grade 10 class, as one part of the celebra-tion of their commitment to Jewish life, education and learning. We want to continue to share our collective pride in their accomplishments by celebrating together as a community.

Th is year and in years to follow,

Confi rmation will take place on the Shabbat closest to Shavuot, in order to share with the entire community the joy we feel toward our graduates. We will honour them as a part of the Shabbat Service that morning. Please be sure to join us for Confi rmation on May 30, 2009, at 10.30 a.m.

P R e - S c H o o l R e g I S T R AT I o nBefore you know it, the 2010/2011 school year will be here. Temple members may now register their children for September 2010. Children must be three or four years of age by Dec. 31, 2010, to be eligi-ble for our nursery or junior kindergarten programs. For an application, please call Pam Hamovitch (ext. 240), at the Temple, or email phamovitch@holyblossom.org. Please note: a few spaces remain in our aft ernoon programs for next fall (2009). dspiegel@holyblossom.org

confirmationHonouring the old and creating the new

Leo Baeck Day School Alumni Reunion

Thur. June 11, 2009, at 7 p.m.Temple emanu-el (where it all

began …)

All students and staff who

were at the school from 1974

to 1994 are invited to attend.

For more details, please email

Elysa Greisman at egreisman@

leobaeck.ca.

A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | N i s a n / I y a r 5 7 6 9 9

by Jeff denaburg, Co-Chair, Israel Committee

Th is year, the theme of our annual Yom Ha’Atzma’ut (Israel Independence Day) celebration, which we will celebrate aft er the Yom Ha’Zikaron Service, will be Tel Aviv’s centennial.

yo M H A’ z I k A R o n T U e . A P R . 2 8 , 2 0 0 9 , AT 6 P. M .We will commemorate Israel’s Memorial Day for soldiers lost defending the coun-try in a special Yom Ha’Zikaron Service at Holy Blossom. We will then follow the Israeli tradition of rapid transition from the solemnity of Yom Ha’Zikaron to the lively Yom Ha’Atzma’ut celebration.

yo M H A’ AT z M A’ U T T U e . A P R . 2 8 , 2 0 0 9 , AT 6 . 3 0 P. M .We will assemble in the Ava Road parking lot, and march to Beth Tzedec Congregation, with fl ags waving and

music playing. We will be joining with Beth Tzedec and Beth Sholom Synagogue in a neighbourhood event — a demonstra-tion of both Jewish unity and neighbour-hood camaraderie. Th e Yom Ha’Atzma’ut celebration will be in the style of an outdoor street fair for people of all ages.

Some of the highlights will be: enter-tainment, including live entertainment • Israeli dinner and snack food • Israeli folk dancing led by our Israeli shlichot • Israeli shuk (market) • wine tasting • Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball • special activities for children • displays by Israel-related organizations • a birthday cake for Tel Aviv and Israel.

Th e progress made over the past decades in Tel Aviv, and in Israel gener-ally, has been miraculous. Please join us to celebrate this important birthday.jeff@denaburg.org

Tel Aviv – the centennial celebration | Our Israel

In 1909, 60 fami-lies bought a desolate plot of sand on the Mediterranean coast, north of the city of Jaff a.

Th e people collected 60 white and 60 grey seashells and created a ‘seashell lottery’ to equitably distribute the land among the founders. Th ey wrote the names of the families on the white seashells and the numbers of the planned properties on the grey seashells. Th ey placed the seashells in two separate hats, and took out one grey and one white seashell from the respective hats. And so was born the fi rst modern Hebrew-speaking metropolis.

Today, the Tel Aviv/ Jaff a area consists of 2.5 million people, about one-third of Israel’s population. Tel Aviv is Israel’s centre of commerce and culture, and is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Help build a home and hope for a family in need!

Hands-on Mitzvah Project: Habitat for Humanity House Build*

June 2009Register: 8.15 a.m. | Build: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Generation א is pleased to participate in Habitat for Human-ity’s Adopt-a-Day Challenge Build. Bring your steel-toed boots and your muscles to take part in this exciting initiative that will enable a worthy family to own a simple home of its own.

The maximum number of participants for the build is 30, so reserve your spot early! If you would like to be a part of the day by helping with registration or serving lunch, we need you too.

Registration required. For more details or to register, please visit www.holyblossom.org or email Rabbi Karen Thomashow, at kthomashow@holyblossom.org.

*exact date and location to be announced

shabbat Fusion dinnerFriday evening, Apr. 24, 2009, following Shabbat Fusion WorshipPlease register by Apr. 23, 2009, by emailing generationaleph@holyblossom.org.Cost: $18 per person.

Lunch Hour study: Jewish Theology (Buber, Cohen and Heschel) Wednesdays at 12 p.m.Apr. 22 and 29, and May 6, 2009starbucks (corner of yonge st. and davisville ave., second fl oor) Come for as many sessions as you would like. While the sessions will build on one another, they will also be quite accessible individually. No prior study of the topic necessary. Complimentary co� ee and tea will be served.

10 w w w. h o l y b l o s s o m . o r g

Holy Blossom Temple cemeteriesWe would like to welcome Michael Gould to the Holy Blossom Temple staff. In addition to being our new assistant facili-ties manager, Michael is responsible for Holy Blossom Temple Memorial Park, on Brimley Road. Michael brings a wealth of experience to the Temple and is looking forward to helping our members.

M e M o R I A l PA R k F lo W e R P l A n T I n gFlower planting for the 2009 season will take place after May 18, 2009, weather permitting. Letters for our annual flower planting were mailed in early March. If you wish to have flowers planted for a loved one at Holy Blossom Temple Memorial Park, please call Hayley Nuttall (ext. 246), at the Temple, or email hnuttall@holyblossom.org to discuss both annual and perpetual flow-er planting options. If you have special requests or concerns, please contact Michael Gould (ext. 535), at the Temple, or email mgould@holyblossom.org.

For flower planting at Pardes Shalom Cemetery, please call (416) 635-2883, ext. 5211.

n e W c e M e T e R y P lo T SWe have 100 new plots available at Holy Blossom Temple Memorial Park. The

plots are $3,000 each plus GST. We also have plots available in the Holy Blossom Temple section at Pardes Shalom Cemetery, on Dufferin Street. These plots are currently $1,900 plus GST. To purchase a plot, please call Hayley Nuttall.

U n v e I l I n g S If you have an unveiling coming up, our clergy would like to offer their support. Please choose from among the following Sundays in 2009 for family and friends to gather for the dedication of a monument: May 3, May 24, June 14, July 12, Aug. 23, Sept. 13 and Oct. 25. This ceremony does not require a clergy’s presence and some families prefer to conduct the unveiling themselves, using our prayer pamphlets. To make arrangements for an unveiling, please call Hayley Nuttall.—Walter Seaton, Chair, House CommitteeMichael Gould

Elana Fehler (ext. 221), at the Temple, before Apr. 24 . Please note, we will not meet during Pesach on Apr. 13. Other upcom-ing programs, starting at 10 a.m., include:

Apr. 20 Poland, a Jewish Perspective | Bernice Starkman and Sheila PinkusJoin us to hear about a personal journey to Warsaw, Kielce and the surrounding small shtetls, as well as Krakow and Auschwitz.

M o n d ays @ the Temple

We invite all seniors to attend our annual Yom Ha’Atzma’ut program on Mon. Apr. 27, at 12.30 p.m. Our celebration of Israel’s birthday will begin with a festive lunch and will be followed by musical entertain-ment with Yitzhak Argaman, an Israeli-born musician who is widely known for his ability to capture the true spirit of Israel. If you need a ride, please call

May 4 Current Events | Doug Haddow, Retired Vice Principal and Speaker on World Events.

w e d n e s d ays @ the Temple

Apr. 29, at 1 p.m. Almonds and RaisinsThis documentary examines the dozens of Yiddish-language talking films made in the United States and Europe between the release of The Jazz Singer in 1927 and the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. Cost: $1.

For more information, or to offer to drive participants, please call the Seniors’ hotline (ext. 517), at the Temple.

2009

A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | N i s a n / I y a r 5 7 6 9 11

Family Programming 2009

To register for the Holiday Cooking Workshop, Mitzvah Day or Family Camp Retreat, or to volunteer to help with the planning for Mitzvah Day, please call Elana Fehler (ext. 532), at the Temple, or email efehler@holyblossom.org.

Tot Shabbat Fridays at 6 p.m.Mark your calendars for our April/May dates: Apr. 3 (Service and dinner), Apr. 17 (Service and craft), May 1 (Service and dinner) and May 15 (Service and craft).

Shabbat Morning Family ServicesApr. 4, 18 and 25, and May 2, 9, 16 and 30This come-as-you-are Service is a family- friendly, informal way to celebrate Shabbat. Children and teens help to lead the Service. Children’s programming of music, storytell-ing and creative learning are integrated throughout the morning. A simple kiddush lunch follows so all can meet and greet.

Holiday Cooking Workshop: Pesach –– For Your Seder TableSun. Apr. 5, at 12.30 p.m.Join Dahlia Organ, from the Academy of Artisans, in the Temple kitchen. All food is dairy and organic. The ingredients are

kosher-for-Passover, but the kitchen is not. Cost: $22 for members, $25 for non-members.

Family Mitzvah Day Sun. Apr. 26, at 12.30 p.m.Holy Blossom Temple Family Programming and the Leo Baeck Day School Parent Association invite parents and children of all ages to strengthen our community and beyond with seven simultaneous hands-on mitzvah projects. Do your part to make a difference and have fun at the same time. Our Grade 7 students are collecting new and like-new Judaica to share with our sister congregations in Belarus and the Ukraine. Please drop off tallitot, candlesticks, mezzuzot, seder plates and Judaic jewellery in the Temple offi ce so we can polish and wrap these gifts for others to enjoy.

Family Camp Retreat Weekend Fri. May 22 to Sun. May 24Camp George, Parry SoundMake a memory of Shabbat by the lake. Canoeing to a nearby island, ropes course,

Maccabiah games, nature trails, Havdal-lah bonfi re, comfy dormitory-like accom-modations and lots of quality family time with new and old friends makes this weekend getaway a highlight of the year. Cost: $180 per adult, $95 per child older than two years. Confi dential subsidies available through the generosity of donors to the Holy Blossom Temple Foundation.

Noam McCready enjoys some zip lining during last year’s Family Camp.

Union for Reform Judaism Biennial Convention — volunteers needed Wed. Nov. 4 to Sun. Nov. 8, 2009 More than 4,500 Reform Jews are coming to Toronto for the Biennial, the largest Jewish convention in North America. The countdown is on to fi ll Holy Blossom’s 300 shifts and we need your help! If you volunteer for one three-hour timeslot, you can attend Biennial for free that day.

Do not miss this exciting opportunity. For details on volunteering, please call the Biennial hotline (ext. 536), at the Temple, or email biennial@holyblossom.org. To learn more about the Biennel, visit www.urj.org/biennial.

12 w w w. h o l y b l o s s o m . o r g

Brotherhood Breakfast club Sun. April 5, 2009 at 9.30 a.m.| Rabbi daniel gottliebRabbi Gottlieb is the Course Director of the Jewish Information Class of Greater Toronto sponsored by the Canadian Council for Reform Judaism.

Sun. May 3, 2009 at 9.30 a.m.| Speaker to be announcedPlease join us Sundays at 9.30 a.m., for breakfast and an interesting speaker. Watch for details on the Brotherhood website at www.hbtbrotherhood.ca.

Photography group | Tue. Apr. 21, 2009, at 7.30 p.m. For details, please visit www.hbtbrotherhood.ca/photogroup.

Brotherhood All Members Meeting |Wed. Apr. 22, 2009, at 7.30 p.m.All men of Holy Blossom are invited to this open meeting to begin our planning for 5770.

Holy B’s Baseball | Sunday mornings, May to SeptemberThe Holy B’s, our entry in the Inter-Synagogue Baseball League, is beginning another season. We play slow-pitch baseball and have players of all skill levels. If you are interested in playing and can commit to a full season, please call the Broth-erhood hotline (ext. 530), at the Temple, or email brotherhood@holyblossom.org.

B e r e av e m e n t S u p p o rt G ro u pHelen Gia Levin, Grief � erapist

Wednesdays at 7 p.m., Apr. 22

and 29, and May 6 and 13, 2009

If you have lost a loved one, come

to the Temple to � nd strength

and comfort. To register, please

call Hayley Nu� all (ext. 246),

at the Temple, or email

hnu� all@holyblossom.org.

Thur. May 28, 20096 p.m. | Erev Shavuot Service 9.30 p.m. | Tikkun Leil Shavuot Do You Really Believe That? — Our Rabbis debate and discuss what happened at Sinai. Rabbis Moscowitz, Splansky, Thomashow and Goldfarb have their own views about Revelation. They will briefl y delineate those views, debate among themselves, and then open up the discussion to all.

Fri. May 29, 200910 a.m. | Congregation-wide Shavuot Morning ServiceThe Service will include: Songs of Hallel; Yizkor; a special blessing for all babies born in the congregation in the past year; and an aliyah in honour of our Grade 10 CHAT students.

Sat. May 30, 2009, Shabbat morning10.30 a.m. | Confi rmationPlease join the congregation to honour our Confi rmation students and celebrate with their families. For more details, please refer back to page 8.

Shavuot – Z’man Matan Torateinu — The Time of the Giving of our TorahThur. May 28, 2009Thur. May 28, 20096 p.m. | Erev Shavuot Service 6 p.m. | Erev Shavuot Service 9.30 p.m. | Tikkun Leil Shavuot 9.30 p.m. | Tikkun Leil Shavuot Do You Really Believe That?Do You Really Believe That? — Our — Our Rabbis debate and discuss what happened at Sinai. Rabbis Moscowitz, Splansky, Thomashow and Goldfarb have their own views Rabbis debate and discuss what happened at Sinai. Rabbis Moscowitz, Splansky, Thomashow and Goldfarb have their own views about Revelation. They will briefl y delineate those views, debate among themabout Revelation. They will briefl y delineate those views, debate among themselves, and then open up the discussion to all. selves, and then open up the discussion to all.

Fri. May 29, 2009Fri. May 29, 200910 a.m. | Congregation-wide Shavuot Morning Service10 a.m. | Congregation-wide Shavuot Morning ServiceThe Service will include: Songs of Hallel; Yizkor; a special blessing for all babies born in the congregation in the past year; and an The Service will include: Songs of Hallel; Yizkor; a special blessing for all babies born in the congregation in the past year; and an aliyah in honour of our Grade 10 CHAT students.aliyah in honour of our Grade 10 CHAT students.

Sat. May 30, 2009, Shabbat morningSat. May 30, 2009, Shabbat morning10.30 a.m. | Confi rmation10.30 a.m. | Confi rmationPlease join the congregation to honour our Confi rmation students and celebrate with their families. For more details, please refer back Please join the congregation to honour our Confi rmation students and celebrate with their families. For more details, please refer back to page 8. to page 8.

Shavuot – Z’man Matan Torateinu — The Time of the Giving of our TorahShavuot – Z’man Matan Torateinu — The Time of the Giving of our Torah

A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | N i s a n / I y a r 5 7 6 9 13

Our Congregational Family

Mazal TovKathryn L. Smithen, on receiving her law

degree from Osgoode Law School in 2008.

B I R T H SKimberly Liu & Benjamin Barankin, on the

birth of a daughter, Alexis Sara Barankin. Proud grandparents are Tatyana & Friom (Frank) Barankin and Ruby & Alfred Liu. Proud great-grandmother is Choi Shiu Fai.

Leslie Gelfand Bockner & Richard Bockner, on the birth of their son, Ryan Charles Bockner. Proud grandparents are Shirley & Donald Bockner and Carole & Howard Gelfand. Proud great-grandmothers are Rose Bockner & Stella Rosilio.

Batya and Enrique Tabak, on the birth of their granddaughter, Hunter Chloe Craig, daughter of Miriam Tabak and Michael Craig, sister to Jordan Taylor. Other proud grandparents are Patricia & John Craig.

Jamie Rose Dennis & Kevin Dennis, on the birth of their son, Jack Taylor Dennis. Proud grandparents are Arlene & Martin Dennis and Issie and the late Tessa Rose. Proud great-grandparents are Bernard Dennis, Susan Pearl Dennis and Gordon Saltzman.

Helen & Joe Feldmann and Virginia & Carl Solomon, on the birth of a granddaughter, Seraphina Frances Solomon Feldmann, daughter of Diana Solomon & Adam Feldmann. Proud great-grandmother is Cyla Feldmann.

Tania & Jonathan Freedman, on the birth of a son, Joshua Roland Freedman. Proud grandparents are Maxine & David Charzewski and Allan and the late Rosalind Freedman.

Arlene Roth, on the birth of a granddaughter, Shiloh Love Hiebert, daughter of Rebecca & Sheldon Hiebert and sister to Malacai & Jonah. Other proud grandparents are Ron Hershfi eld and Luella & Tony Hiebert. Proud great-grandparents are Janet Hershfi eld and Sylvia & Sidney Roth.

Merle Kriss, on the birth of a grandson, Judah Isaac Kriss, son of Naomi & Alan Kriss.

Other proud grandparents are Randi & Michael Marrus.

Dana & Jonathan Mansoor, on the birth of a daughter, Julia Danielle Mansoor, sister to Raquel. Proud grandparents are Arlene & Fred Faber and Ronnie & Fred Mansoor.

Gary & Ann Posen, on the birth of a grand-son, James David Parat, son of Leslie & Daryl Parat. Other proud grandparents are Ann & Dan Parat. Proud great-grandmoth-er is Pearl Braidberg.

Happy Iscove, on the birth of a grandson in Israel, Itai Peled, son of Rachel Iscove Peled & Hagai Peled. Other proud grand-parents are Melvyn Iscove and Sylvia & Shaul Polopodin. Proud great-grandpar-ents are Rosalyn & Seymour Loketz.

Jennifer & Daniel Pollack, on the birth of a daughter, Abigail Janet Pollack, sister to Aliza Sarah. Proud grandparents are Sylvia & Crawford MacIntyre and Nancy & Lloyd Pollack.

Gertrude Goldman, on the birth of a great-granddaughter, Marlie Sydney Schatzky, daughter of Jodi & Mark Schatzky. Other proud grandparents are Debbie Eisner & Craig Stretton and Jeff Eisner and Linda Schatzky. Proud great-grandmother is Bronya Waksbaum.

Carla & Alain Baudot, on the birth of a grand-son, Nathan Joshua Sommer, son of Laure Pnina Baudot & Leor Sommer, brother to Rachel. Other proud grandparents are Ruth & Simcha Sommer. Proud great-grandmothers are Lucienne Baudot and Mina Slotwiner.

Shawnee & Hersh Glickman, on the birth of a grandson, Ryan Isaac Ungerman, son of Jessy & Steve Ungerman. Other proud grandparents are Paul Slan and Sally & Alan Ungerman. Proud great-grandmother is Jean Borowsky.

Happy Iscove, on the birth of a granddaughter, Maya Rose Vidal, daughter of Naomi & Jacky Vidal. Other proud grandparents are Melvyn Iscove and Margot & Felix Vidal. Proud great-grandparents are Rosalyn & Seymour Loketz.

24 Nisan 5769/Apr. 18, 2009 Jeff Carroll, son of Lisa Ritchie & Dave Carroll

1 Iyar 5769/Apr. 25, 2009Samantha Richmond, daughter of Joanne & Darren Richmond

8 Iyar 5769/May 2, 2009Emily Albert, daughter of Pam & Michael Albert

8 Iyar 5769/May 2, 2009Rachel Strauss, daughter of Ruth Hussman & Barry Strauss

13 Iyar 5769/May 7, 2009Mitchell Wortsman, son of Wendy Noss & Jerald Wortsman

15 Iyar 576/May 9, 2009Evan Cole, son of Dianne & Jeff rey Cole

15 Iyar 576/May 9, 2009Lily Hacker, daughter of Linda Hacker & Marvin Pludwinski

B ’ n e I M I T z v A H

In Memoriam

Henry Cassel, husband of Esther Cas-sel, father of Andrew Cassel, Richard Cassel, Cori Gould, Marshal Gould and Steven Gould

Gitte Crangle, wife of Leslie Crangle, mother of Gary Crangle and Larry Crangle

Hy Day, husband of Layah Day, father of

14 w w w. h o l y b l o s s o m . o r g

J e A n F I n e S e n I o R S F U n d

Philip Eisenberg, In Memory: Sheila & Bob Smolkin

S A M U e l & n ATA l I e F I n e B U R S A R y F U n d

Henry Cassel, In Memory: Victoria Cochran &

Marvin Sadowski

F lo R A l F U n d

Emily Albert, Bat Mitzvah: Pam & Michael Albert

Jeff Carroll, Bar Mitzvah: Lisa Ritchie & Dave Carroll

Evan Cole, Bar Mitzvah: Dianne & Jeffrey Cole

Lily Hacker, Bat Mitzvah: Linda Hacker & Marvin

Pludwinski

Samantha Richmond, Bat Mitzvah: Joanne & Darren

Richmond

Rachel Strauss, Bat Mitzvah: Ruth Hussman & Barry

Strauss

Mitchell Wortsman, Bar Mitzvah: Wendy Noss &

Jerald Wortsman

g e n e R AT I o n א F U n d

Nancy Sara Bigio, Yahrzeit: Matilda Bigio

S A U l & A d A g R e e n W o o d S c H o l A R S H I P F U n d

Ada Greenwood, In Memory: Arlene & Al Israel

e S T H e R H A n d S M e M o R I A l F U n d

Esther Hands, Yahrzeit: Sharon & Stanley Clavir and

Family; Cynthia & Brian Hands and Family; Harold

Zener

H o ly B lo S S o M T e M P l e F o U n d AT I o n

Janice Babins, In Honour: Teresa & Alberto Quiroz

and Family

Larry Babins, In Honour: Merna Glowinski and Family

Gitte Crangle, In Memory: Wendy & Elliott Eisen;

Eleanor & Buddy Krangle

Arthur Freeman, In Memory: Beverley Alcock; Joyce

Fletcher; Leo Tucker

Tillie Leslie, In Memory: Susan & Barry Borden

Margaret O’Loughlin, In Memory: Janice & Larry

Babins

Susan Robertson, In Memory: Cynthia & Mike

Wyman and Family

Rhoda Silver, In Memory: Joan Garson & David

Baskin

Jeffrey Snider, In Memory: Janice & Larry Babins;

Sylvia Miller

Barry Spiegel, In Memory: Janice & Larry Babins

General: Shiri Levi; Lucille Lorie Fund

H o ly B lo S S o M T e M P l e R e n e W A l P R o J e c T F U n d

Janice Babins, In Honour: Shelly Berenbaum & Chuck

Litman

Ruth Mesbur, Happy Birthday: Fay Greenholtz &

Michael Rotsztain

I S e n B e R g FA M I ly e n d o W M e n T F U n d

Ivgenia Goldfarb, In Memory: Carol & Steve Pilon

Arthur Gryfe, In Memory: Carol & Steve Pilon

I S R A e l S T U d y F U n d

Sandra Atlin, Happy Birthday: Sheila & David

Freeman

Dot & Bert Danson, Happy Anniversary: Helen

Glazer

J A c o B ’ S T o W e R F U n d

Aaron Hermant, In Memory: Jill Hertzman and

Family

Margaret O’Loughlin, In Memory: Jill Hertzman

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

Holy Blossom Temple Sisterhood, In Honour: Myrna

Ross

Margaret O’Loughlin, In Memory: Jan & Keith Allin;

Sue & Steve Garmaise; Gail & Gary Goodman;

Holy Blossom Temple Sisterhood; Pnina Margolese;

Arlene Roth

Rhoda Silver, In Memory: Holy Blossom Temple

Sisterhood; Pnina Margolese

l I B R A R y B o o k F U n d

Marcia Hebscher, Yahrzeit: Melodie Hebscher & Tom

Markowitz

Edward Karabanow, Yahrzeit: Ellen Karabanow

Joel Schwartz, In Memory: Irene Borins Ash & Irv

Ash

Mary Seldon, In Appreciation: Anne Freeman

Ida & Ron Tugg, Happy Anniversary: Anne Freeman

d o W & 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

Edith Kirzner, Happy Birthday: Ellen Karabanow

Linda Neufeld, In Honour: Etta Ginsberg McEwan

Margaret O’Loughlin, In Memory: Etta Ginsberg

McEwan; Ellen Karabanow

Rhoda Silver, In Memory: Ellen Karabanow

M U S I c A l H e R I TA g e F U n d

Beryl Borsook, Happy Birthday: Alice Waldman Lewis

Kathy & Maurice Green, Mazal Tov: Razelle Roebuck

& David MacCoy

Aaron Hermant, In Memory: Razelle Roebuck &

David MacCoy

George Koralek, Happy Birthday: Mary &

Henry Seldon

Anna Day, Dalia Day and Martin Day, and brother of Sam Day

Sidney Fromer, husband of Norma Fromer, father of Susan Fromer-Persiko, Lorne Fromer and Nitz Wexler

Nettie Gordon, wife of Jules Gordon, mother of Louise Vininsky Ferron, Adrienne Hicks and Bruce Gordon, sister of Carmen Robinson, Pauline Gertler and Mortimer Zuckerman

James Klady, husband of Syble Klady, father of Zoe Margolis, Leonard Klady and Libby Zivot

Mac Klein, father of Zoe Klein and Rhonda Freeman, brother of Hilda Kurin and Pearl Baker

Tillie Leslie, mother of David Leslie, Ellen Eisen and Raisyl Wagman

Harold Minden, husband of Maxine Minden, father of Karen Minden, Nancy Honsberger and Marilyn Cutler

Lotte Molot, mother of Helen Held, John Molot and Lewis Molot

Margaret O’Loughlin, mother of Barbara Burke, Ann O’Loughlin and Geraldine Prendergast

Lynn Romberg, mother of Bonnie Shanoff Ury and Nancy Shanoff, sister of Joseph Fried

Joel Schwartz, son of Julie & Larry Schwartz, brother of Jonathan Schwartz

Lee Sommers, mother of Howard Sommers and Susan Sommers Geyer

We thank our generous donors

A d o P T A FA M I ly F U n d

Sofia Ludwig, Mazal Tov: Myrna Ross

W I l l I A M A n S H A n yo U T H A W A R d e n d o W M e n T

F U n d

Nettie Gordon, In Memory: Jean Anshan

Tillie Leslie, In Memory: Jean Anshan

d A n S o n FA M I ly c A M P S c H o l A R S H I P F U n d

Dot & Bert Danson, Happy Anniversary: Marilyn

Farber; Estelle & Irv Liss; Marjorie & Syd

Rosenfield

e A R l & M A R I ly n d A n S o n FA R B e R

e n d o W M e n T F U n d

Helen Tizel, Happy Birthday: Helen & Philip Mosoff

A p r i l 2 0 0 9 | N i s a n / I y a r 5 7 6 9 15

Holy Blossom Temple Foundation

The Holy Blossom Temple Foundation raises funds to

support Temple activities, programs and projects.

To make a donation to any of our existing funds,

please call Janice Feuer at (416) 789-3291, ext. 265.

To establish a new fund or learn more about

philanthropic opportunities, please call Cheryl Zeldin,

Director of Development (ext. 260), at the Temple.

We appreciate your support

Holy Blossom Temple appreciates all donations to our

funds; however, due to rising costs, cards will only be

sent for donations of $20 or more. We will continue to

recognize all donations in the Bulletin.

Nine percent of all donations and investment income

is generally set aside to help with administration costs

and special initiatives.

We apologize but due to space constraints, not all do-

nations will appear in the Bulletin issue closest to the

date on which the contribution was made. Donations

in this issue were received by February 28, 2009.

Lotte Molot, In Memory: Holy Blossom Temple

Singers; Razelle Roebuck & David MacCoy; Mari

Lynn Rusak

Louis Pritzker, Yahrzeit: Sharyn Salsberg Ezrin &

Hershell Ezrin

o l S B e R g R U T S AT z F U n d

Rhoda Silver, In Memory: Elke & Melville Olsberg

o U T o F T H e c o l d F U n d

Sheila Bacher, Happy Birthday: Marilyn Hahn

Talia Caplan, Mazal Tov: Judy & Michael Aiken

Eugene Genewski, In Honour: Holy Blossom Temple

Brotherhood

Gail & Gary Goodman, Mazal Tov: Gary, Larry and

Leslie Crangle

Andrea Katz, Mazal Tov: Marilyn Hahn

Isaac Morgulis, In Honour: Holy Blossom Temple

Brotherhood

Saleh Mukamal, Yahrzeit: Bernice Mukamal

and Family

Ann & Gary Posen, Mazal Tov: Caryl & Bert Barruch;

Sheila & Bob Smolkin

Gary Posen, In Appreciation: Jeff Karabanow

Joseph Shub, Yahrzeit: Bonnie & Neil Blonder

Rhoda Silver, In Memory: Ann & Gary Posen

Rose Slan, In Memory: Virginia & Carl Solomon

Vivienne Stevens, Happy Birthday: Kathy &

Maurice Green

Irving P. Sussman, In Memory: The Olsberg Family

Dr. Joseph Weinstock, Happy Birthday: Marilyn &

David Gluskin

General: The Harold & Ethel Freeman Foundation;

Brenda & Fred Saunders; Wilansky Family Fund

H A R R y & c e c I l e P e A R l yo U T H A W A R d

e n d o W M e n T F U n d

Elise Grossberg, In Memory: Barbara & David Payne;

Stephen Pearl; Joyce & Fred Zemans

P l A U T M A n o R F U n d

Lynn Romberg, In Memory: The Plaut Family

H A R R y & B l A n c H e P o S e n M e M o R I A l l e c T U R e

F U n d

Arnold Cohen, Yahrzeit: Joy & Charles Cohen

Blanche Posen, Yahrzeit: Joy & Charles Cohen; Joyce

& Barry Spiegel

L. William Spiegel, Yahrzeit: Joy & Charles Cohen;

Joyce & Barry Spiegel

P R Ay e R B o o k F U n d

Dr. Paul Gluckstern, Yahrzeit: Betty & Jack

Bloomberg

Harold Minden, In Memory: Brenda & Fred Saunders

Rhoda Silver, In Memory: Brenda & Fred Saunders

P R o J e c T T I k v A H F U n d

Meyer Fehler, Yahrzeit: Elana Fehler; Ron Fehler;

Carol Poplack

Irving Gerstein, Mazal Tov: Sheila Pollock

Corin & Mark Greenberg, Mazal Tov: Alice & Ron

Charach

Michael Larkin, In Appreciation: Carla Baudot

Members of the Family Service, In Appreciation:

Carla Baudot

Rabbi Jason Rosenberg, In Appreciation:

Carla Baudot

Joel Schwartz, In Memory: Sybil & Jack Geller; Gail &

Barry Silver and Family

Rhoda Silver, In Memory: Sandy & Gordon Atlin;

Charlotte Baker; Wendy Bellack-Viner; Arlene &

Jerry Conn; Sarita Dotan; Susanne & Stuart Egier;

Jodi & Bruce Feldman; Ruth Gelber; Gail & Gary

Goodman; Harold Mandelbaum; Avra Rosen &

Mark Goodman; Julie & Larry Schwartz

Rabbi Yael Splansky, In Appreciation: Carla Baudot

Rabbi Karen Thomashow, In Appreciation:

Carla Baudot

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 Appreciation:

Holy Blossom Temple Chavurah; The Sweet Family

Rabbi Yael Splansky, In Appreciation: The Baum/

Lutchin Family; Ifrah Family; Sharon Neiss &

Gordon Arbess; Elana Paice Lidsky & Brian Lidsky

and Family; Jared Rosenstock

Rabbi Karen Thomashow, In Appreciation: The

Baum/Lutchin Family; The Family of

Lynn Romberg

Rabbi Edward Goldfarb, In Appreciation:

Anne Freeman

Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner, In Appreciation: The

Family of Lynn Romberg; The Sweet Family

Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner: Arthur Gryfe, In

Memory: Melodie Hebscher & Tom Markowitz

Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner: Jacob Markowitz,

Yahrzeit: Melodie Hebscher & Tom Markowitz

Cantorial Soloist Lindi Rivers, In Appreciation:

Anne Freeman

Cantorial Soloist Lindi Rivers, Mazal Tov: Sharyn &

Hershell Ezrin

R A l P H R o g e R S c H o l A R S H I P F U n d

Joel Schwartz, In Memory: Jackie & Howard Roger

lU l A & I R v I n g S A U n d e R S e n d o W M e n T F U n d

Gitte Crangle, In Memory: Brenda & Fred Saunders

S H A c H A R I T F U n d

Lou Epstein, Yahrzeit: Michael Epstein

Katy & Kalman Geller, Yahrzeits: Sybil & Jack Geller

David Gold, Yahrzeit: Esther & Marvin Tile

David Goodman, Yahrzeit: Mel Goodman

Issie Guberman, Yahrzeit: Judith Wilansky

Ethel Hebscher, Yahrzeit: Melodie Hebscher &

Tom Markowitz

Charles Hershfield, Yahrzeit: Janet Hershfield and Family

Norman Learner, Yahrzeit: Julie & Larry Schwartz

Bella Altman Leiken, Yahrzeit: Helen & Joseph

Hochberg and Family

Zigmond Neufeld, Yahrzeit: The Neufeld Family

Sofi Oiffer, Yahrzeit: Gaye & Andy Stein

Molly & William Shoichet, Yahrzeits: Shirley &

Leon Tessler

Joseph Sklar, Yahrzeit: Lise & Luke Sklar and Family

Adele Stein, Yahrzeit: Gaye & Andy Stein

g o R d o n A n d l I n d A W o l F e FA M I ly yo U T H

A W A R d e n d o W M e n T F U n d

Rhoda Silver, In Memory: Linda Wolfe

yo U T H A W A R d S F U n d

Claire & Mark Caplan, Mazal Tov: Ellen Karabanow

Aaron Hermant, In Memory: Tania Blumenthal and

Family; Mary & Henry Seldon

Happy Iscove, Mazal Tov: Barbara Grossman

Melvyn Iscove, Mazal Tov: Barbara Grossman

Eric Petersiel, In Honour: Susanne Egier

daiyeinu | The Last Word

Moses’ name is absent from the Haggadah. The rabbis who constructed the seder feared we might give

full credit to Moses, our human rescuer, for freeing us from slavery, so they designed our Haggadah to focus our praise on God, the ultimate Redeemer. No less than 15 stanzas of “Daiyeinu” come to drive home the point. “… If God had split the sea for us, but did not bring us through it onto dry land, Daiyeinu! It would have been enough for us …” e x P R e S S I o n o F g R AT I T U d eOur Sages say we should “wear out our lips by saying the word Daiyeinu” (Leviticus Rabbah 35:12). Added to the seder not much more than 1,100 years ago, Daiyeinu makes for one of the most memorable moments of the seder, not

only because of the repetitive tune, but because Daiyeinu is the simplest expression of gratitude. Daiyeinu is a litany of praise for the One who show-ers us with countless blessings.

It instructs us to limit our expecta-tions and reduce our intake, and share what we have with others.

“If God had brought the plague upon the Egyptians, but not given us their wealth, it would have been enough for us.” This verse distinguishes protection from material satisfaction. It asks: how much do we really need? And how do we distinguish between what we need and what we merely want?

l I v I n g W I T H l e S SMany are learning to do with less these days. The exercise may come from necessity, but it also brings with it a religious insight. Just as God made

sure there was enough manna to go around and that our shoes did not wear out in the desert, God provides for our needs during this stage of our journey as well.

When is enough really enough? The 14th-century Spanish commenta-tor Abudarham asks if we really mean what we say when we recite Daiyeinu. Would it really have been enough if “God had brought us to Mount Sinai, but not given us the Torah,” for example? Would we be satisfied with that much less?

At this year’s seder table, let us ask the same question. Consider the verses we might add to our own renditions of Daiyeinu. “If God had provided us with x, but not y, it would have been enough for us …” Sometimes less is more; sometimes less is still enough for us; and sometimes less is Daiyeinu.ysplansky@holbyblossom.org

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by Rabbi yael Splansky