In Tribute to Dr. Marvin Tile

Past President, Holy Blossom Temple Foundation

“Dr. Marvin Tile was a towering figure in the world of medicine, a pioneer in orthopaedic surgery, a teacher of generations, and a leader whose innovations at Sunnybrook Hospital continue to save and transform lives. He was admired across the globe for his brilliance and his vision. Yet what truly defined him was not only his contribution to medicine, but his humility, his devotion to family, and his ever-deepening relationship with Jewish life and community.” (Stephen Tile, excerpt from his eulogy)

Marvin never lost sight of the values taught to him by his father, Sam Tile: work hard, think before you speak, remain humble, and above all, love your family. His son, Stephen, reflected in his eulogy:
“He was a selfless warrior who only wanted the best for others. He asked for nothing in return – from anyone. As his world shrank in recent years and he got out less, he treasured every Shabbat, every Yom Tov, and every simcha. It is hard to imagine this Rosh Hashana or Pesach without him at the head of the table. But we will do our best.”

A central pillar of Marvin’s life was his remarkable partnership with his beloved Esther. Together they built a home, raised a family, and shared 71 years of unwavering devotion. Rabbi Samuel Kaye beautifully captured this love story:
“Everyone here knows how dedicated Marvin and Esther were to each other; they were the star around which the other orbited for 71 years. To leave the other’s side was unthinkable. To not share in the other one’s joy was impossible. No illness has ever dimmed the unshakable care – the true love – between them.”

Watch the touching video of Marvin and Esther’s 70th Anniversary Aliyah here: https://youtu.be/WOwqFuzQrhc

In his later years, Marvin experienced what his family called a transformation of spirit. The man who once worked tirelessly through the High Holy Days became a regular presence at Holy Blossom Temple services. Whether in person or, more recently, logging in online, he found joy, purpose, and community in prayer and reflection.

As Rabbi Yael Splansky recalled, Marvin’s Jewish identity was deeply bound up with his professional calling:
“In 1964, just before Marvin was appointed to Sunnybrook’s surgical staff, the Jewish refugee and theologian named Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, was invited to address the annual meeting of the American Medical Association. There he taught: “Medicine is prayer in the form of a deed.”

Over the years, Marvin came to the conclusion that as a man of science, he was also a man of faith. Just days ago, when I visited at his bedside, Marvin clarified further that he was not an atheist, but an agnostic – a Spinoza Jew. Marvin believed that to draw near to the natural world is to draw near to God. Dr. Tile devoted himself to the study of the natural world – its wonder, its brokenness, its repair. For him, these were religious acts. For him, “Medicine is prayer in the form of a deed.” For him, prayer prompted fixing, contributing, leading, loving. It’s no wonder that for a Sunnybrook plaque dedicated in honour of his leadership, Marvin chose the Hebrew words “Tikun Olam” – “To Mend the World.”

Today our sadness is overwhelming, but our gratitude overwhelms even our sadness. His memory will be for eternal blessing.

A Letter to My Community,

My name is Taiga. I own a contemporary art gallery in Toronto, founded by my Jewish immigrant grandmother in 1973. I was raised to treat artists like family, with the understanding that my home is their home, and we are united in support for one another. And I believed this sincerely…until October 7th.

Overnight, my friends and colleagues – people whose work I had collected and adored, whose careers I had followed with encouragement and enthusiasm – had raised their fists not in solidarity with Jewish suffering, but against us.

I learned that here, in my own city, Jewish exhibitions were being protested. Our national photography festival was boycotted because its title sponsor invested in Israeli tech. Many of my colleagues survived by dissociating, some endured horrific public backlash for being Jewish, and a handful left the field altogether. I was consumed by rage, embarrassment, and sadness. Like living next to a waterfall and realizing I no longer registered the thunderous sound, it had instead taken on a physical weight in my body. The joy and belonging felt within the Toronto arts industry were replaced by anxiety and alienation.

In May 2025, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel. Immersion within the rich artistic landscape and diverse community lifted that familiar weight off my shoulders as though it had never been, replaced instead with connection and inspiration. When our wheels touched down in Toronto, the weight returned in full force. Except…now I noticed it. Now I could name it. And my deep sense of horrified betrayal became impossible to ignore.

In that clarity, I saw two paths: abandon the art world (and with it, my career), or dig deep into my love of the arts, extend my hand to the colleagues and friends who I know are also hurting, and together create renewed purpose for us all.

I chose the latter.

The Reframe Arts Fellowship is a curated, immersive arts and culture pilgrimage to Israel for Jews and our non-Jewish friends with a passion for the arts. Whether a working artist, consultant, curator, seasoned collector, or someone who enjoys engaging with visual arts and architecture, Reframe is for anyone interested in exploring Israel through that lens. The purpose of Reframe is to create a space for learning, reflection, and restoration. By submerging ourselves in the art, architecture, history and heritage of Israel, and by engaging with the people who make up that community, we can begin to heal the wounds that have shaken our confidence in the art world at home. Reframe is an opportunity to reconnect with culture, purpose, and each other through our shared passion.

Our mission is twofold:

• To give Jews with a passion for the arts a space of reconnection, reflection, and restoration through heritage and community
• To offer our brave and curious allies a rare opportunity for firsthand experience and context, engaging with Israeli culture, and gaining new context and clarity on a topic too often distorted by headlines

We’ve had wonderful responses to date. Our first cohort is fully booked and will run September 5-10. The second cohort is scheduled for January 2026. The trips will include a mix of Jews and non-Jews in the arts. We will be spending a week touring museums, galleries, and artist studios; sharing meals, exploring architecture, and bearing witness to October 7th by visiting monuments and listening to survivors. Educating ourselves. Engaging with our community. Strengthening our resolve. Inoculating ourselves against hatred with real, lived experience.

Reframe is now a StandWithUs Canada initiative, created to advance our shared commitment to education, cultural engagement, and combating misinformation. All donations to the Reframe Arts Fellowship are eligible for charitable tax receipts. As a StandWithUs Canada program, Reframe strives to champion firsthand experience over headlines, curiosity over ideology, and the belief that storytelling, art, and presence have the power to reframe the narrative.

In a conversation with Rabbi Splansky, she suggested Reframe might be of interest to the Holy Blossom community. I invite you to take a look at the website Reframe Arts Fellowship

for more information. If this resonates with you, I look forward to hearing from you. If you think it would resonate with someone you know, please share.

 

Am Israel Chai,

Taiga Bentley