It has been my honour to serve as the Chair of the Nominating Committee. My sincere thanks to the members: Nadine Charendoff, Dr. Michael Davis, Phyllis Denaburg, Mala Greenbaum, Rick Howard, Karen Kollins, Brian Lidsky, and Rob Sniderman. And special thanks to Abigail Carpenter-Winch, Director of Membership and Community Engagement, for her participation and support.
One of the responsibilities of the Nominating Committee is to propose nominees for election to the Board of Directors. This election takes place annually at the Temple’s Annual General Meeting, this year on Sunday, November 29, 2020, at 10:00 am.
We would like to thank all congregants who talked with us about their interest in serving on the Board of Directors. There is great talent among the Holy Blossom Temple membership and I encourage anyone who has an interest in taking on a greater leadership role to reach out to me, President Avra Rosen or Abigail at [email protected]. Your participation is always welcome.
In accordance with the Holy Blossom Temple By-Law, Sections 2.1 and 2.4, the following members are hereby nominated for election to the Board.
The Committee nominates as Officers:
Rick Howard [1] (2-year term) Vice President, At Large
Les Rothschild (2-year term) Vice President, Kehillah Kedoshah
Gerry Prendergast (for a second 2-year term) Vice President, Worship
The following Officers have one year remaining on their terms:
Avra Rosen, President
Ellen Cole, Vice President, Administration
Alison Schwartz, Vice President, Development
Aubrey Freeman, Vice President, Education
Adam Stiavnicky, Vice President, Finance
Darren Sukonick, Vice President, Membership
Jill Witkin, Vice President, Tikun Olam
Judy Winberg, Immediate Past President (Ex-Officio)
The Committee nominates as Directors for a three-year term:
Sarah McNally
Marla Spiegel
Daniel Wilson
The following Directors have two years remaining on their terms:
Corinne Black
Mike Morgulis
Avram Musafija
The following Directors have one year remaining on their terms:
Maddie Axelrod
Tom Friedland
Adam Sniderman
The committee expresses its appreciation to those Officers and Directors who have served the Temple and will be retiring from the Board at the end of this Board year:
Mark Goodman
Elana Paice Lidsky
Julie Solomon
Pursuant to our bylaw, additional candidates for any position may be nominated by members of the Temple. Nominations must be submitted in writing to Executive Director, Ron Polster ([email protected]), signed by at least 10 Temple members in good standing and by the nominated member, on or before Thursday, October 15, 2020.
Judy Winberg
Chair, Nominating Committee
[1] Conflict of interest declared. Rick Howard absent during discussion of this position.
The strength of our congregation is our membership.
And, because of our strength and the size of our congregation, it is important that the Temple Board of Directors be representative of our large and diverse membership.
It is an honour for me to serve as the Chair of the Nominating Committee. Together with past Chair, Rick Howard, Nadine Charendoff, Michael Davis, Phyllis Denaburg, Mala Greenbaum, Karen Kollins, Brian Lidsky and Rob Sniderman we invite you to consider an impactful way to ‘give back’ to your congregation by sharing your skills and strengths as a lay leader.
Holy Blossom’s Nominating Committee is charged with the responsibility of identifying congregants who have the interests and the skills to take on leadership roles at the Temple. We are always looking for members to serve on committees, chair events and ultimately to serve on the Board. New members are elected to the Temple Board of Directors on an annual basis.
If the notion of Board membership is one that you’d like to consider please let me know. Please contact me through Abigail Carpenter-Winch, Director of Membership and Community Engagement at 416 789-3291 X 232 so that we can set up a convenient time to talk.
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This week’s portion Va’era is packed full of leadership lessons.
God reminds Moses and Aaron, yet again, that God first appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and gave the name El Shaddai, and made a covenant with them. Now, with Moses, God reaffirms the covenant and identifies as YHVH. As in every other significant time in the Torah when someone’s name changes, so too it occurs at this pivotal moment with God.
According to Rabbi Sholom Noach Berezovsky, the Chasidic Slonimer Rebbe of Jerusalem, God’s expression of care changes with the needs of the time:
When God shifts from the ancient El Shaddai to God’s real name, YHVH, meaning, I will be what I will be, the relationship becomes more intimate. Since the older name’s meaning is obscure, Midrash takes the liberty to sermonize two components in shedai—sheh and dai, together meaning “it’s enough”—the Patriarchs got just enough of God that they needed. (Netivot Shalom on Ex. 6 translated by Reuven Greenvald)”
As leaders, this serves as a reminder that we too need to be aware of major events, and changes in the relationships we have with those whom we’re leading. What worked yesterday may not be appropriate any more today.
When God instructs Moses to confront Pharaoh yet again to announce 7 of the 10 plagues, it doesn’t go well. Moses complains to God while simultaneously distancing himself from the Israelites. “Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt worse with this people; and still You have not delivered Your people.”
How much does this sound like a middle-manager complaining to the boss? Moses is trying to remain in a safe and protected position. Moses is still not the leader God and the Israelites need him to be.
When Captain Miller and his squad are walking through the meadow on their way to rescue Private James Ryan, the soldiers tell him that the mission is fubar and Private Reiben asks for the captain’s opinion. He replies “I don’t complain to you Reiben, there’s a chain of command, gripes go up, not down. I don’t gripe to you, I don’t gripe in front of you, you’re a Ranger, you should know that.”
When pressed for his honest opinion, Miller replies
“In that case, I would say ‘This is an excellent mission, sir, with an extremely valuable objective, sir, worthy of my best efforts, sir, moreover I feel heartfelt sorrow for the mother of James Ryan and am willing to lay down my life and the lives of my men, especially you Reiben, to ease her suffering.’ ”
Back to Moses, who attempts twice to offer the excuse why he can’t be the leader, that he has a speech impediment, and therefore neither Israelite nor Pharaoh will listen to him.
Remembering Terry Jones who died yesterday, who directed and co-wrote the Monty Python movie “Life of Brian”, Pontius Pilate attempts to address the Hebrew crowd but he can’t pronounce the letter R. When, in response to his demand for a person to be released, the crowd gives him only names starting with the letter R, the first one being Roger. Pontius proclaims “Welease Wogah!” and laughter follows. As there is nobody named Roger in the jails, the crowd demands that Pontius welease Wodewick instead. It only gets worse when Pontius’ friend attempts to address the crowd, except he has a lisp.
People with speech impediments are often labelled and treated as if they have lower intelligence, even though there is no factual correlation between speech and intellect. Stephen Hawking is case and point.
While Moses has yet to put his total faith in God, God has total faith that Moses will perform, and God presents Moses with a solution to his speech impediment, to use others like his older brother, Aaron, to resolve the obstacle. This puts Moses back on track. Recall that his only prior example of conflict resolution was murder.
Moses, is still not an experienced leader of people. Sheep were easy, they don’t talk back, their needs are simple, and the flocks are small. People are not easy, neither is escaping en masse or evading an army.
On June 6 1944, General Eisenhower had a full staff underneath him, an industrial nation behind him, and months of preparation before he ordered 156,000 Allied soldiers ashore on D-Day.
By comparison, Moses is about to lead 600,000 Hebrew men, and their families, from Egypt, with only the help of God and a lot of blind faith but with no general staff, no board of directors, and no Transition committee. To give you a visual of 600,000 people, imagine 10 full Skydome arenas.
We often speak about congregants seeing Board members differently somehow, maybe not quite as Moses but we’re seen as leaders, providers, organizers, perhaps model congregants. Truthfully, most people can lead. While not everybody volunteers for a Board role, every congregant has needs and an opinion, and we must remember that we, too, are fellow congregants, we are not above them.
Golda Meir said it best when she told President Richard Nixon: “You are the president of 150 million Americans; I am the prime minister of six million prime ministers.”
And while Moses is being shaped by God to take on a massive leadership role, with many successive goals leading to one giant goal, God is also helping Moses become a better leader by taking ownership of the task.
In Pirkei Avot 2, Rabbi Tarfon said “Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v’lo ata bein chorin libatel mimenah.” It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it. It continues, “the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.” For Moses, the reward seems to be one commandment leading to another, towards redemption and fulfilment of God’s covenant. For us, the reward is successful service to the congregation and ensuring that it continues for the next generations.
I offer a quote by William Arthur Ward about teachers as it applies to those in a leadership role “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”
And I’ll close with an aviation axiom that is as old as the Wright Brothers. “Learn from the mistakes of others, you won’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”
May we learn from Moses and Aaron’s mistakes, and successes, and may our service be better for it.
The Nominating Committee hereby provides its report to the Board of Directors of Holy Blossom Temple. We wish to thank all of the individuals who spoke, met and/or otherwise communicated to or with our Committee and its members to discuss their interest in serving on the Board of Directors or in some other capacity at Temple.
Elections are scheduled to be held at the Temple’s Annual General Meeting (this year on Sunday, November 17, 2019). The Nominating Committee hereby provides its report to the Congregation for consideration by members of the Temple at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday November 17, 2019 at 10:00 am.
The Committee would like to thank all the individuals who talked to its members on the phone or in person and those who met with the Committee to discuss in greater detail their interest in serving on the Board of Directors.
The Committee has nominated Board members consistent with Sections 2.1 and 2.4 of the Bylaw, as follows:
The Committee nominates as Officers:
President – Avra Rosen (1 year term)
Vice-President, Administration – Ellen Cole (2 year term) (Ellen will be stepping down from the final 2 years of her Term as a Director at the end of this Board year)
Vice-President, At Large – Les Rothschild(2 year term)
Vice-President, Education – Aubrey Freedman (2 year term)
Vice-President, Membership – Darren Sukonick (2 year term) (Darren will be stepping down from the final year of his term as V-P, At Large)
Immediate Past President(ex officio) – Judy Winberg
The Following Officers Have One Year Remaining on Their Term:
Vice-President, Development – Alison Schwartz
Vice-President, Finance – Adam Stiavnicky
Vice-President, Kehilah Kedoshah – Julie Solomon
Vice-President, Tikun Olam – Jill Witkin
Vice-President, Worship – Gerry Prendergast
The Committee Nominates as Directors For a Three Year Term:
Corinne Black
Rick Howard
Mike Morgulis
Avram Musafija
The Following Directors Have Two Years Left on Their Terms:
Tom Friedland
Adam Sniderman
Maddie Axelrod
The Following Directors Have One Year Left on Their Terms:
Elana Paice-Lidsky
Mark Goodman
The Committee Expresses Its Appreciation to those Officers and Directors Who Have Served the Temple Well and Will be Retiring from the Board at the End of This Board Year:
Dylan Aster
Cheryl Sylvester
Additional candidates for any position may be nominated by members of the Temple. Nominations must be submitted in writing to the administrative office of the Temple on or before Tuesday, October 15, signed by at least 10 Temple members in good standing and by the nominated member.
A new Holy Blossom Temple Board was elected at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday, November 18, 2018.
Sincere thanks to Rick Howard, Chair, and members of the Nominating Committee for putting forth these excellent candidates.
(front row) Jill Witkin, Corinne Black, Judy Winberg, Geraldine Prendergast, Julie Solomon (back row) Rabbi Yael Splansky, Tom Friedland, Alison Schwartz, Mike Morgulis, Ellen T. Cole, Adam Stiavnicky, Darren Sukonick, Adam Sniderman, Maddie Axelrod
The 2018-2019 Holy Blossom Temple Board of Directors:
Joan Garson: Immediate Past President
Judy Winberg: President
Darren Sukonick: Vice President at Large
Avra Rosen: Vice President, Administration
Alison Schwartz: Vice President, Development
Dylan Aster: Vice President, Education
Adam Stiavnicky: Vice President, Finance
Julie Solomon: Vice President, Kehillah Kedoshah (Sacred Community)
Cheryl Sylvester: Vice President, Membership
Jill Witkin: Vice President, Tikkun Olam (Social Justice) and Israel
Gerry Prendergast: Vice President, Worship
Maddie Axelrod: Director
Ellen T. Cole: Director
Elana Paice Lidsky: Director
Mark Goodman: Director
Tom Friedland: Director
Adam Sniderman: Director
Corinne Black: Director, Sisterhood
Mike Morgulis: Director, Brotherhood
Sheila Smolkin: Past President representative
Barry Silver: Past President representative
And, sincere thanks to those Board members who completed their term:
Jeff Denaburg
Jascha Jabes
Jeff Meilach
Mark Schlossberg
Vanessa Yacobson
Holy Blossom Temple
Sunday, November 18, 2018, at 10:00 a.m.
Holy Blossom Temple members in good standing are invited to join us at our Annual General Meeting on Sunday, November 18, 2018. Morning Services begin at 9:00 a.m. in the Youth Chapel, followed by breakfast sponsored by Holy Blossom Temple Brotherhood & Sisterhood. The meeting will commence at 10:00 a.m. in the Philip Smith Congregational Hall.
NATURE OF THE BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED:
1. approve the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Members, held on November 19, 2017;
2. elect the Board of Directors and Officers;
3. receive an update on the financial position of the Temple for the year ended June 30, 2018*;
4. appoint auditors for the 2018/2019 fiscal year and authorize the Board of Directors to fix their remuneration; and
5. receive various reports from Temple leadership.
*PLEASE NOTE: The audited financial statements, will, regrettably, not be ready for presentation on November 18th. Accordingly, following the presentation of the above-noted items, the meeting will be adjourned until 6:30 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2018, at Temple. At the meeting on December 13th, the audited financial statements will be presented following their approval by the Board.
ELECTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS and OFFICERS
The following Officers and Directors have been nominated by the Nominating Committee for election at the meeting. In addition, a general call for nominations was circulated to the Congregation and no further nominees were put forward.
The Committee nominates as Officers for a two-year term:
President: Judy Winberg (1 year remaining in term)
Vice President at Large: Darren Sukonick (1 year remaining in term)
Vice President Administration (and Secretary/Treasurer): Avra Rosen (1 year remaining in term)
Vice President Development: Alison Schwartz (nominated for a 2-year term)
Vice President Education: Dylan Aster (1 year remaining in term)
Vice President Finance (and Financial Secretary): Adam Stiavnicky (nominated for a 2-year term)
Vice President Kehillah Kedosha (“Sacred Community”): Julie Solomon (nominated for a 2-year term)
Vice President Membership: Cheryl Sylvester (1 year remaining in term)
Vice President Tikkun Olam (“Social Justice”) and Israel: Jill Witkin (nominated for a 2-year term)
Vice President Worship: Gerry Prendergast (nominated for a 2-year term)
The Directors at Large will be:
Maddie Axlerod (nominated for a 3-year term)
Ellen Cole (nominated for a 3-year term)
Tom Friedland (nominated for a 3-year term)
Adam Sniderman (nominated for a 3-year term)
Elana Paice-Lidsky (2 years remaining in term)
Mark Goodman (2 years remaining in term)
Jeff Baker (1 year remaining in term)
Corinne Black (1 year remaining in term)
Mike Morgulis (1 year remaining in term)
In accordance with the By-law, the Board will also include, as Ex-Officio members:
Immediate Past President: Joan Garson (voting member)
Senior Rabbi; Executive Director; and two President’s Council Nominees (all non-voting members)
The Committee expresses its appreciation to those directors who have served the Temple well and will be retiring from the Board:
Jeff Denaburg
Jascha Jabes
Jeff Meilach
Mark Schlossberg
Vanessa Yakobson
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Avra Rosen, Secretary
Toronto, Canada, October 14, 2018
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The Nominating Committee hereby provides its report to the Congregation for consideration by members of the Temple at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday, November 18, 2018.
The Committee would like to thank all the individuals who talked to our Committee members on the phone or in person and those who met with the Committee to discuss in greater detail their interest in serving on the Board of Directors.
The Committee has nominated Board members consistent with Sections 2.1 and 2.4 of the Bylaw, as follows:
The Committee nominates as Officers:
President: Judy Winberg (1 year remaining on term)
Vice President At Large: Darren Sukonick (2-year term)
Vice President Administration: Avra Rosen* (1-year term)
Vice President Development: Alison Schwartz (2-year term)
Vice President Education: Dylan Aster (1 year remaining on term)
Vice President Finance: Adam Stiavnicky**, *** (2-year term)
Vice President Kehillah Kedosha (“Sacred Community”)****: Julie Solomon (2-year term)
Vice President Tikkun Olam (“Social Justice”) and Israel: Jill Witkin (2-year term)
Vice President Membership: Cheryl Sylvester (1-year term)
Vice President Worship: Gerry Prendergast (2-year term)
Immediate Past President (ex officio): Joan Garson (1 year remaining on term)
*** Adam will be stepping down from his final year as a Director to be elected as an Officer
**** Jill Witkin will be stepping down from this position to enable Julie’s election
The Committee nominates as Directors for a three-year term
Maddie Axelrod
Ellen Cole
Tom Friedland
Adam Sniderman
The following Directors have two years remaining on their terms:
Elana Paice-Lidsky
Mark Goodman
The following Directors have one year remaining on their terms:
Jeff Baker
Corrine Black
Mike Morgulis (completing the unexpired term of Steve Rayson)
The Committee expresses its appreciation to those directors who have served the Temple well and will be retiring from the Board:
Jeff Denaburg
Jascha Jabes
Jeff Meilach
Mark Schlossberg
Vanessa Yakobson
Additional candidates for any position may be nominated by members of the Temple. Nominations must be submitted in writing to the administrative office of the Temple on or before Wednesday, October 17, 2018, signed by at least 10 Temple members in good standing and by the nominated member.
Jewish Family & Child proudly presents a gala in honour of our 150th anniversary
Join us for an evening of delicious food, great company and an interactive exhibit where you will be invited to walk through the decades and experience Jewish life in Toronto since 1868. The night continues with live entertainment and comedic footage from Jewish Folks Telling Jokes.
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Members of Holy Blossom know and truly feel that our Temple is in the midst of tremendous excitement, growth and renewal of space and spirit. Keeping the ball rolling in a positive direction, however, is not only the responsibility and passion of our committed and effective clergy and staff, but of HBT members as well.
Holy Blossom’s Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying, vetting and nominating Temple members to become directors or officers on the Board of Directors of our Temple, the lay leadership of the entire institution.
We are, therefore, very much seeking a few additional talented and interested individuals to become members of the Nominating Committee, joining our current members. We have a lot of fun and fulfill an important role in the life of our Temple. The main thrust of our work (which requires commitment to participating in some meetings and making some phone calls, but does not involve a significant time commitment) takes place over the next few months.
We are also looking for people who are interested in actually becoming members of the Board for the new Board year that will commence in November 2018. Whether an individual brings experience and/or passion for Temple in general or has specific skills in finance, administration, education, worship, etc., we would welcome such people’s names being put forward. Again, the time commitment is not overly onerous and the rewards of your involvement are significant.
If you seek a position on the Nominating Committee or Board, you can rest assured that your application will be both appreciated and seriously considered. Even if there is ultimately not a fit from the perspective of one or both parties for one of these roles for whatever reason, we will absolutely look to get each interested member involved in helping with some other committee, program or facet of Temple life.
Please accept this note as both a sincere invitation and challenge to get involved. Ask not what your Temple can do for you…
Please contact Judy Amsterdam at [email protected] and a member of the Nominating Committee will be sure to be in touch to chat further!
If you’ve ever stood up here you’ll understand me when I say this is so daunting. When I consider the others, who have stood before me – the infants in their parents’ arms, the six-year-olds at their Consecration ceremonies, youth on the verge of adulthood as they become b’nei mitzvah and then a few years later when they return for Confirmation I am humbled.
So many in this congregation and so many in the greater Toronto Jewish community have stood under a chuppah and been married on this bema.
Beloved rabbis, brilliant speakers, great leaders, and so many strong Congregational Presidents. And now me. This is daunting!
In preparation for addressing you this morning I met with Rabbi Splansky. I told her it is far more appropriate that she deliver the sermon. Obviously, she declined. She told me that it is for me to deliver an address this morning.
She is so wise. She is so thoughtful. She told me that today’s Torah portion, Vayishlach is dramatic. It’s rich with meaning. She told me we’d have such fun preparing for this. I do love her spirit.
Vayishlach is the story of a journey and a reunion. It’s the story of Jacob planning for a reunion with his twin brother Esau. In this week’s parashah, Jacob and Esau hadn’t seen each other for twenty years. Their parting years earlier was dramatic, painful and even life-changing. In anticipation of meeting again, Jacob was terribly worried and he wanted to make sure he did everything he could to ensure success. He planned each detail. He considered what to take with as gifts – how many she-goats, and he-goats and camels and cows. He wanted to get it right.
Several of the Torah commentaries offered that Jacob was apprehensive. Not once, but twice in the story it was said that Jacob was frightened. Apparently, as Rabbi Splansky taught me when something in the Torah is mentioned more than once, it’s very important.
Rabbi Plaut in his commentary suggested that “The time has come to face the past and in doing so we can secure the future”
Vayishlach is a dramatic story. There is one aspect of it that for me, is especially meaningful and that is the notion of preparing for a journey, and then, embarking on the journey itself.
This week’s Torah portion is about Jacob’s journey. Well, we too at Holy Blossom Temple, are on a journey.
I think about how Holy Blossom has been preparing and how we are now on the journey toward the reunion of this sacred place, the Sanctuary, with the school wing. For so many years our two houses, like Jacob and Esau were living separately.
To get from one to the other was circuitous and difficult. In preparation for bringing the two together, to make the physical space one, there has been careful planning.
About 9 years ago while the new building was still in the early planning stages I was first joined the Transition Committee to help think about how we might continue to operate the congregation while at the same time taking on a massive building project. We talked about how we might have to operate offsite entirely. We talked about where we might hold High Holy Days services if we were without the sanctuary. We investigated alternate locations like the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the then Skydome, the Downsview hangars. We talked about renting tents.
We worked with the Leo Baeck Day School to understand their needs and visited other schools in the city to investigate rental of alternate temporary venues.
There has been meticulous planning that included consultation with the many stakeholders and users of the building. Together with the architects from Diamond Schmidt, we met with groups of congregants who use the building – those who come for daily minyan, those who come for Adult Education programs, the parents of our preschools and the youth in religious school.
We met youth leaders and the organizers of our Monday’s at the Temple Seniors group.
We met with the archivists, the Sisterhood, the Brotherhood, and the OOTC leadership.
Members of the Building Committee have been involved over the many years in detailed planning meetings with our architects and all the associated consultants on security, sound, wayfinding, IT, kitchen, furniture etc. etc. etc.
All this meticulous planning has been taking place and now, look outside. We are truly in the midst of a major building project.
The construction of the new atrium, library, administrative offices, Judaica shop, café, staircase and the Family chapel is happening now and we are planning for the day next year when this house, the house of Tefillah, or prayer, will be physically joined to the house of Midrash, of learning with the new house, the house of Knesset or gathering.
We’ve been calling this the Renewal of Space.
The equally important part of this journey is Renewal of Spirit – Over the past years, our membership has remained strong and even increased while other synagogues’ membership numbers are in decline. We took a risk when we introduced the Terumah membership model in which families with young children are welcomed and asked to decide themselves what membership fee they can contribute. We do not turn any congregant or family away because of an inability to give the full sustaining membership fee.
Last January when there was a terrorist attack at a mosque in Quebec City, it was our own Rabbi Splansky who led us, and inspired other synagogues and churches to participate in an active show of support by creating human Rings of Peace around mosques in our city.
That one act of caring, or tikkun olam brought international acclaim and a personal phone call of congratulations from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to our Rabbi.
Three years ago, as the Vice President of the Department of Education I participated in a Youth Education Task Force.
The Task Force helped inform us that we needed to look at things a little differently. And so, there have been significant changes to the b’nei mitzvah program and to the grade 6 & 7 curriculum. There have been scheduling changes for the younger children and there have been significantly more programs and activities created not only for the children enrolled in our religious school, but for all the children of our member families. I am referring to those the children who do not come for religious school because they attend Jewish day schools. There are also many children who participate in no formal Jewish education whatsoever. When we talk about the children or Holy Blossom Temple we can no longer only think of those children enrolled in religious school.
Holy Blossom has throughout its history served as a collective conscience for our members and for others in the city who cannot stand by when they see social injustice and suffering. Our beloved Rabbi Plaut rallied communities here in Toronto and across Canada and in 1962 invited Dr. Martin Luther King to speak here on non-violence and racial justice.
When boatloads of refugees from Viet Nam were being expelled from their country it was Holy Blossom Temple who organized and served as a model for other congregations to adopt Vietnamese families.
And again, in 2017 when there is an even greater global refugee crisis members of Holy Blossom Temple are actively involved as sponsors for two Syrian families.
I could go on and recount so many examples of the good work, the renewal of spirit that is happening here at Holy Blossom Temple.
And so, we are this journey of the renewal of space and renewal of spirit.
Well, I too am on a journey.
I know that some of you must we wondering about me. Who is she? Why is she the President? What does she have to offer?
Many of you have heard me say that I am a member of Holy Blossom by choice. That means that I don’t have the years and years of family history but it also means that joining Holy Blossom was a deliberate choice that was made by my husband, Jack and me. When I was a child growing up in Toronto my paternal grandfather, Jacob Libman, was an active member of the Kelczer congregation, a small Orthodox shul where the only spoken language was Yiddish.
I attended family Hanukah parties with my other Zaida, Sam Feldt, who was an active member of Beth Sholom Congregation. My grandfather, one of the earliest JNF Negev Dinner honourees had a strong influence on me when he taught me about the then new country called Israel.
I grew up knowing that I was Jewish but equally important was that I was a Zionist.
I attended Sunday school at a little house on Bathurst Street that went on to become Beth David Congregation, and when the current Adath Israel opened in our neighbourhood my family joined.
And that’s where Jack and I were married 42 years ago.
I always knew about Holy Blossom Temple. How could a Jew grow up in Toronto and not know about Holy Blossom Temple? I had friends who loved coming here for Saturday school, I learned about social justice because of Rabbi Plaut’s strong voice and international acclaim. I’ve come to appreciate the rich history of Holy Blossom Temple from conversations with our brilliant archivists.
Next week, I am going to Boston to attend the URJ’s- the Union of Reform Judaism’s biennial convention. It’s just a small gathering for 5000 North American Reform Jews. There are fewer things that make me feel prouder to be a member of Holy Blossom than when I attend URJ events at which we are revered and cited as trend setting and forward thinking. The esteem in which we are held across the leadership of the Reform movement in North America is real.
A significant part of my journey took place during the two years that I participated in the Adult B’Nei mitzvah program and on the morning of my 60th birthday I stood on this bema and chanted Torah for the first time in my life.
Many of you who are the “regular’s” who attend each Shabbat morning are coming to know me better. Please continue to introduce yourselves to me. Please continue to welcome me. I told Rabbi Splansky that I have so much to more to learn but that the more I am with you on Shabbat the more I am appreciating the value of prayer, and the value of community and I am truly enjoying this part of my Jewish journey.
A little more about me since I was asked to explain: I have been a life member of Canadian Hadassah WIZO, the Women’s International Zionist Organization, for over 40 years and have served on both the National and Toronto Executive Boards. I have been recognized for leadership and philanthropy by the Israel Cancer Research Fund and UJA’s Book of Life. One great source of personal pride, one for which I received the Shem Tov- the good name award was for having served as the President of the Board of Jewish Family and Child Services of Greater Toronto. I tell you this not to boast but rather in the hope that it gives you some comfort in knowing that I have a strong commitment to good governance and that leadership is not entirely new to me.
I am a proud Jewish Canadian with a deep love for our tradition, our culture, and for the State of Israel. I think a lot about our Jewish future here and around the world– I think about our children and grandchildren, and those who will follow them. I wonder if we’re doing enough to inspire the next generations to continue to practice a meaningful form of Judaism so that our traditions continue and in fact, that our Jewish population grows.
The values of Holy Blossom Temple are clearly stated in our Statement of Identity and include compassionate and courageous leadership; Love of Israel and the Jewish people; honouring the past while boldly preparing for the future; social responsibility, Tikkun Olam, and tzedakah.
The values of compassion and kindness guide me in everything that I do. I think that my values and those of Holy Blossom Temple are well aligned.
And so, my personal Jewish journey and the Holy Blossom journey have come together. What comes next?
What am I looking forward to…?
I am so excited to know that in the coming year we will be in our beautiful new building.
I am committed building a strong membership that is welcoming and inclusive.
I continue to be committed to excellence in education.
I welcome the creation of a new Communications Advisory Group and professional staff to dream with them.
I look forward to being a part of a strong and responsive Board.
I want to pay tribute for a moment to and offer my most sincere thank you to the Past Presidents of Holy Blossom. So many have reached out to me, offered support, took me aside to share a story. I thank them for their warmth and encouragement. I promise that I will continue to seek them out because their wisdom will guide me.
I want to make special mention of our immediate Past President, Joan Garson and her unwavering passion for Holy Blossom Temple and her unqualified support for me. It has been an honour to serve with Joan as a Vice President under her leadership. Joan, I have said this many times but I say it again, you are inspiring. Thank you.
I would not have accepted the nomination to be your President if weren’t for the strength of the other members of the Board. Thank you to each of you who are continuing on the Board and a special welcome and mazel tov to our three newest members.
Please know that all of us on the Board are here to serve and to represent you, the congregation. Seek us out and support us in our efforts to ensure the health and strength of the vibrant community that we are.
I would be remiss if I did not pay tribute to our clergy– Most sincere thanks to Rabbi Splansky. You have been my rabbi, and now you are my partner. Thanks also to Rabbis Moscowitz, Helfman and Satz and Cantor Beny Maissner and Cantorial Soloist Lindi Rivers. I have learned so much from all of you.
To Russ Joseph, Executive Director, and Debbie Spiegel, Director of Education with whom I have worked so closely over the past three years, my most sincere thanks for your support and your guidance.
And, with great admiration my thanks to the dedicated staff who work behind the scenes at Holy Blossom Temple.
And of course, my darling husband, Jack. I would never have accepted this positon were it not for Jack’s support. My children too have encouraged me to take on this role and I so appreciate their support. I love you all.
And so, like Jacob in his preparations for the reunion with his twin, I too have been deliberate in my preparations, hopeful for the future and I too am just a little frightened.
I give you my word that I will do everything I can to serve well in this most auspicious role.
And now, as we do at the end of each Shabbat morning service I offer these words on behalf of the Board of Directors…
https://holyblossom.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/judy_0.jpg322350Holy Blossomhttps://holyblossom.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/logo-new-2-300x142.pngHoly Blossom2017-12-13 10:12:542017-12-13 10:12:54Saturday, December 2, 2017: Judy Winberg President Address and Sermon