A Message of Introduction from Dr. Cindy Kozierok

A Message of Introduction from Dr. Cindy Kozierok, Director of Lifelong Learning

Shalom, Holy Blossom community! I’m delighted to introduce myself and to share a bit about the incredible journey ahead in Jewish education here at Holy Blossom Temple. Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know the spirit of this congregation, its commitment to learning, and its boldness in imagining what Jewish life can look like for the next generation. It is a great honour to play a part in such an exciting chapter in Holy Blossom’s story, and to join this team of outstanding professionals, lay leaders, and congregants who are guided by Rabbi Splansky’s visionary leadership. 

Learning has always been at the heart of my life, and it continues to guide the work I do. After a long career in the Toronto District School Board and many years of involvement in Jewish education and leadership across the Toronto Jewish community, I recently completed my doctorate in Jewish education at the Jewish Theological Seminary.  

Throughout this work, I have continued to be guided by curiosity and a wholehearted love of Judaism. I see Jewish learning as a sacred opportunity for experiential growth that reaches across life’s stages, in homes, communities, and classrooms.  

At its core, I believe education should nurture awe and joy, inviting each learner to grow and shape meaning for themselves. This vision echoes the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the thinkers whose writings continue to guide my approach to Jewish learning: “Never once in my life did I ask God for success or wisdom or power or fame. I asked for wonder, and He gave it to me.” 

As I begin this new chapter with you, that sense of wonder is exactly what I feel. Wonder at the vibrancy of this congregation, wonder at the possibilities ahead, and wonder at the privilege of helping shape the next era of Jewish learning at Holy Blossom.  

During my first weeks and months here, I will have much to learn about what makes Holy Blossom the wonderful place that it is. I hope to connect with as many of you as possible and to hear directly from you, the heart of HBT, about what you believe matters most in Jewish learning. Those conversations will help guide my work, because at its heart, the role of Director of Lifelong Learning is about supporting Jewish learning across the full arc of life, from babies to Bubbies, and everyone in between. Please reach out to me at [email protected]; my door is always open. 

On a personal note, I want to share that my whole family is excited to become part of the HBT community. My husband, Mark Vernon, and I have a blended family of six adult children – Jordyn, Moriah, and Tori Vernon and Michael, Solomon, and Elliot Joseph. They, along with their partners, have been cheering me on as I step into this role. Even Benny, our puppy, seems to sense that Holy Blossom is a special place! I am grateful for the warmth you have already shown us, and I look forward to introducing them all to you. 

Once again, I thank you for welcoming me so graciously and I look forward to the meaningful work ahead. I once heard an idea that resonated deeply with me: the future is not what will happen; it is what we will do.   

Let’s do this, together.