Reflection on Volunteering in Israel

By Arieh Waldman

Hello from Jerusalem. By the time you read this, it will be 3 weeks since I arrived in Israel on Dec 1st. I spent the first 2 weeks in the Jerusalem area and the 3rd week down near Rehovoth and Hadera. Thanks to a discussion with a friend of mine in Toronto, it occurred to me I might be able to do something positive here in Israel as I am healthy and speak Hebrew. And with the blessings of my wife, Val, and children, I bought a ticket with El Al through New York. It turns out the healthy part is important and the Hebrew part, while good, is not essential.

Before leaving, I contacted some “Civil” organizations in Jerusalem and they sent me some forms to fill out. What was I able to do here? The first job was delivering two suitcases I brought with me from Toronto full of warm undergarments and toques (Canadian-speak for knitted hats). The toques were knit by people from Ottawa and Toronto and went to “Sole” soldiers (soldiers without family in Israel; usually new immigrants) serving on various fronts here in Israel. The undergarments were donated by friends and congregants of HBT, along with some letters from the kids at HBT. The second job was to donate blood to Magen David Adom (spoiler alert – if you are over 65, get a note from your MD that you can donate).

After having a good cup of coffee with some additional nourishment, I then proceeded to work in a warehouse packing boxes of essentials to be sent to evacuees from the destroyed settlements near Gaza. Very organized and all done by volunteers from all walks of life. The next 8 days saw me working in agriculture planting butter lettuce (“silk lettuce” in Hebrew), pulling weeds on the same organic farm; working at Hadassah Hospital in the cafeteria or delivering clean bedding (2 shifts); accompanying a sight-impaired evacuee to medical appointments (2x); and helping an elderly couple fix some mosquito screening on one of their doors.

As I said above, Hebrew is good albeit not essential to help out and do what I did. In the end, I was able to visit my friends and family and volunteer a fair amount. In all cases, being here was received well and with gratitude; I truly feel It has encouraged all the people with whom I had contact, despite the tough times we are all going through.

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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Samuel Kaye

Learning from Latkes 

In Chelm, the city of fools, it was an undisputed fact that Rivka made the finest latkes. They were fluffy as a cloud on the inside, perfectly crispy outside, and always came out of the oil golden brown. Everyone always wanted to know how she did it, but Rivka kept it a secret from everyone. One year, her neighbour, Sorela, had enough. She needed to know the secret! She dispatched her faithful husband Herschel to spy on Rivka as the latkes were made.  

Herschel snuck up to Rivka’s window undetected and started to take diligent and accurate notes. Writing down everything she did, how long she did it for, exactly how much of any ingredient she used. He returned to his wife and their kitchen with the recipe for the most perfect latkes!  

Sorela began to cook. “What’s the first step?”  

Herschel read aloud “Take 5 potatoes.”  

Sorela looked up in shock. “5 Potatoes? Are we rich? We’ll use 2 potatoes, that’s a much more reasonable number. What’s next?”  

Herschel consulted his notes. “Take 1 onion and slice it very fine.”  

Sorela grimaced. “Sliced onion? You want me to cry? I’ll chop it like we always do. Next?”  

“Crack open and add in 3 eggs.” 

“Herschel, you know I hate eggs…” and so on and so on. Sorela cooked up the latkes, ‘following’ the stolen recipe at every step along the way. And yet, when she finished, her latkes came out the same way that they always did!  

“You fool!” She cried out. “Oy! She must have known you were watching and tricked you! These taste just like my latkes!”  

 

As a child that was one of my favourite stories about the ‘wise folks’ of Chelm. They were so silly. If you do everything the way you always do, how could you possibly expect a different outcome? Who could possibly be so foolish?  

Oy.  

I’m sure many of you feel like you are stuck in a loop right now. Heartbreaking news coming out of Israel daily, the spike of antisemitism in North America and Canada, and of course the constant buzz of social media amplifying what feels like only the worst voices. It’s easy to feel trapped like we’re getting the same result again and again. What can we do to break this cycle for ourselves?  

We can’t change the war or the terrible loss that comes with it. We can’t battle each antisemitic comment made on the internet. Some of us can’t even unplug, our younger generations know that this isn’t an option!  

What can we do? We have the power to change how we respond. 

You can choose to walk away from conversations which have no value. 

You can choose to engage with people who will lift your spirit and give you hope.    

You can choose to show the world who we really are, by being a light in dark times. 

In a world full of people, wondering why a ‘new recipe’ is giving them the same old results – may we be blessed with the wisdom to make choices that will lead us to better outcomes.   

Chag Urim Sameach!  

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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Yael Splansky

My Three Days in Israel

 

I have recently returned from Israel, where the mood is heavy and the mission is focused. I know we are feeling it here, too, and our Chanukah celebrations are not as bright as in years past. 

 

Many have asked about what I witnessed in Israel.  To be honest, it’s taken me many days to unpack all I learned from this very short trip. Shabbat I shared a number of the testimonials I heard and the things I experienced. The sermon is entitled “Becoming Israel.”   You can listen here:

 

 

I’ll have more to share in the coming weeks. 

 

Rally for Israel 

 

I’m very proud of the countless congregants — young and old — who showed up for the Rally for Israel in Ottawa. I’m grateful for the organizers at CIJA and the UJA and for my amazing Holy Blossom colleagues for pushing through the bumps in the road and through the cold and snow. Nothing can get between us and our love for Israel.  

 

For those who couldn’t be on Parliament Hill in body, but were with us in spirit, here is the link to the rally.  There was a great range of voices. I was asked to offer a prayer for the hostages. That comes in at the 2:32 mark, right after two families of hostages spoke. It was very moving to be with them at this fragile time. 

 

 

A Chanukah gift for you 

 

We now have 137 seats reserved in our sanctuary.   

As you prepare to light the Chanukah candles this evening (Chanukah candles first, then Shabbat candles), I invite you to read this poem written by my childhood friend, Rabbi Hanna Yerushalmi. 

 

“These Lights of Ours — HaNerot Hallalu” 

 

These lights of ours  

Are eminently holy 

And more ancient 

Than our imaginings, 

Bursting into beams 

Shining, shimmering 

Splendid lamps 

To illuminate our way. 

 

Reflected and radiating 

From torch to torch 

From eternal light to 

Towering pillars of fire, 

Shards and sparks, 

From soul to living soul 

Making dark corners glow  

And stone hears thaw. 

 

These lights have travelled  

Through time and Torah, 

Braided wick and walled city, 

Vast exiles and small villages, 

Cracks and conquests, 

Faint and refracted 

Or blinding, spilling forth  

In crests and waves. 

 

Now these lights roam 

Anew, winding further 

Deep into dim tunnels 

To those who were taken. 

There are no menorahs there, 

But light there is, we pray! 

These ancient lights need 

Our imaginings once again. 

 

And so, as we strike the match  

here, 

May they sense the light  

there. 

And as we pray for a miracle  

here, 

May it come to be real  

there. 

 

Amen.  A thousand amens. 

 

 

Shabbat Shalom, everyone.  May it be a Shabbat filled with ancient and new light. 

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What does Piluta mean? Transcribing Esther, by Rabbi Barkin

What does Piluta mean? Transcribing Esther, by Rabbi Barkin

By Jeff Denaburg

What does Piluta mean? I searched Hebrew dictionaries and the internet, but couldn’t find a mention of the Hebrew word piluta.

When you’re translating a book from Hebrew to English, you want to convey the exact meaning of the original. You want to know what the author was thinking when they wrote each sentence. So every word is important.

Fortunately, in translating the historical novel, Esther, I had the benefit of being able to consult the author, Rabbi Nir Barkin.

Nir Barkin is the Senior Rabbi at Kehilat Yozma in Modi’in, Israel, and also a friend of Holy Blossom Temple. His autobiographical fiction describes his colourful Sephardi and Ashkenazi ancestry. The story is personal, but also a history of the Zionist journey and creation of the State of Israel. It paints a vivid picture of life in Jerusalem in the years before and after Israel’s independence. And there’s a twist, a family secret that the author uncovers over the course of the story.

We published an English version of his novel because Nir has many friends in North America who are interested in reading it.

Esther is now available in our Judaica Shop, run by the Women of Holy Blossom.

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Tot Shabbat: Celebrating the Joy of Prayer

Tot Shabbat: Celebrating the Joy of Prayer

By Ben Hertzman

My family and I have been members of Holy Blossom Temple (HBT) for as long as I can remember.  My whole upbringing was at HBT – from religious school, Bar Mitzvah, confirmation, and marriage, Holy Blossom has been a pivotal fixture in my life.

When my wife Danna and I welcomed our first son Oliver to our family just over two years ago, we started to attend the family programming at HBT.  One of the program offerings, Tot Shabbat, was high on our list.

The first Tot Shabbat we attended was on a snowy December night. So snowy in fact that maybe just 15 people showed up in total (including Rabbi Kaye and Dr. Marky). Regardless, we loved it, so we continued to attend Tot Shabbat in the months that followed.

As the months passed, we noticed that the service was starting to get some more traction with attendees, particularly as Rabbi Baruchel began her outreach efforts.

By June of this year, we were seeing record attendance. Yet, Tot Shabbat was to be put on hold for the remainder of the summer.

Historically, much of the HBT family programming would stop for the summer. But, as a young family in the city, we are constantly in search of activities.

I approached Rabbi Kaye and said, “Tot Shabbat is wonderful – we would love to see it continue during the summertime.  I see so many families are enjoying it.  If it is a matter of funding, I can help with that”.  We were so thrilled that we were able to bring Tot Shabbat back for July and August.

The momentum continued to build – with each successive Tot Shabbat, attendance grew. Services took place outside on the front lawn. There was pizza, freezies, and picnic blankets. For Sukkot, the services were held in the Sukkah (with close to 150 attendees!). Many young families joined us, including many new to Holy Blossom.

We found so much joy in sponsoring the summertime Tot Shabbat that we decided to continue our support of the program for the rest of the year. It is marked on our calendar – the last Friday of every month.

For anyone with young children in their life, Tot Shabbat is one of the best ways to introduce them to the joy of prayer, Shabbat, community, and in particular Holy Blossom Temple. The service is short, light and lively. There is a sing-along, story-time, and a pizza dinner. With certainty, you will meet other young families, and may even reconnect with old friends.

My whole family attends – all the way from my 3-month-old Julian to my 98-year-old grandmother Florence (Oliver & Julian’s great-grandmother!).

I encourage all to attend, and, to invite anyone, even if they are not members of Holy Blossom to join us. It is a wonderful gateway to exploring all the wonderful programming the Temple has to offer for young families.

Mark your calendar & learn more about Tot Shabbat here!

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Lilith Salons: Feminism at its Finest

Lilith Salons: Feminism at its Finest

 

Women of Holy Blossom (WHB) invites those who identify as female and are 30-50 years of age to this unique literary discussion group. More free-flowing than a book club, less spiritual than a Rosh Chodesh group, and more informal than a lecture, Lilith Salons feature lively conversation in a safe and relaxed setting, with folks like you and unlike you. Thoughts, opinions, and vents of all kinds are welcomed.

 

With facilitator Sharon Neiss Arbess, author and Holy Blossom Board member, we will review a selection of articles from the most recent issue of Lilith Magazine, an independent, Jewish-American, and “frankly feminist” publication.

 

Participants will subscribe to Lilith Magazine, at this link, and commit to attending four in-person salons, between March and December of 2024. The day, time, and location will be determined by the group. This cohort’s capacity is limited, on a first-come-first-serve basis. So, don’t delay in registering at this link.

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Women of Holy Blossom Rosh Chodesh Tevet

Rosh Chodesh Tevet

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Tevet is the 10th month on the Jewish calendar, counting from Nisan. The number 10 is considered a holy number. Tevet is mentioned in the book of Esther and was acquired in Babylonia and shares a root with the Hebrew word tov, meaning “good”. A month that is good and a month that is holy.

The zodiac symbol is Capricorn, the goat (gedi). We find in the story of Rivka, where Jacob was sent to get “two good goats” for his father. Why two? It hints as the blessings he would receive would be good for him and also for his children (future generation). The limb of the month is the Liver (snake). In Kabbalah, there are three “rulers” of the body and soul, the brain, the heart, and the liver, which correspond respectively to Adam, Eve, and the snake.  The Tribe of the Month is Dan, which was the last tribe at the end of the queue when the tribes were wandering in the desert. Their job was to return lost items from the previous tribes and therefore they were doing good acts of kindness by finding and returning lost items.

The letter of the month is Ayin (ע) which means “Eye” or “to See” someone who is wise to see that G/d is in everything and everywhere.

The permutation for the month: is וּהיה and this can be found in the pasuk in Psalms 34- 4

גַּדְּל֣וּ לַֽיהֹוָ֣ה אִתִּ֑י וּנְרֽוֹמְמָ֖ה שְׁמ֣וֹ יַחְדָּֽו:

(Declare the greatness of the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together).

The word אתי(with me) which equals 411, How? א=1ת=400י=10

The word טבת also equals 411, How?ט=9ב=2ת=400

Both words above in the Gematria add up to 411 which means it is the month of “good”. This brings us to the significant meaning of “The body derives pleasure from the body”. We are encouraged to perform acts of kindness, and goodness/mitzvoth during this month as the simple act of giving and receiving are gratifying to both the receiver and the donor. Much-needed help is requested now more than ever.

Please donate (tzedakah) to help make this world a better world.

During this month the siege of Jerusalem happened “On the 10th day, on the 10th of the month Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia, came against Jerusalem and encamped against it”.

Tevet begins with the last days of Chanukah internalizing the message of the ever-increasing lights of our candles, the light reminding us of the power of good over evil—we can reveal the good that is hidden in our lives and the world around us. May the Chanukah lights illuminate and radiate joy, health and contentment over you and your loved ones.  Ken Yehi Ratzon.

by Teresa Quiroz, on behalf of Women of Holy Blossom

 

Shacharit Service: Wednesday, December 13, 2023, ET, in-person or via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/93902401402?pwd=dGlOR2dEcGs1RVc0OVFwdkFtOVo5UT09

Password: 667580

For other upcoming dates and why Rosh Chodesh is special for women see https://holyblossom.org/rosh-chodesh/

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Igniting our Hearts this Chanukah

Igniting our Hearts this Chanukah

by Sharoni Sibony

The idea for IGNITE came from Rabbi Aaron Levy, the founding rabbi and executive director of Makom: Creative Downtown Judaism, who, many years ago, said to me that Toronto needed a cross-communal, multi-faceted, intergenerational festival to mark Chanukah in the model of the Downtown Tikkun Leil Shavuot, through which we had brought together nearly 700 people a year for many years. The opportunity at Chanukah, he said, was that we could celebrate with music and experiential arts practices. Last year, Holy Blossom was the proud host of the inaugural IGNITE: Tikkun Leil Chanukah, a festival of Jewish culture and learning. This year, we’re once again collaborating with our neighbours and a dozen community partners, but Beth Tzedec will be the physical host.

It feels much harder to approach the bright joy of Chanukah in the midst of acute grief. It’s certainly been a harder planning process, with everyone’s attention rightly pulled toward the war. But we’ve crafted the program with this very much in mind.

We’ll gather together to deepen into the complexities of the Chanukah season. We’re taking our inspiration from the ways in which light and darkness collaborate and commingle like our joys and levities in conversation with our sadnesses, terrors, fears, and confusions. As the days get shorter and quiet darkness settles us in – or settles in us – for a season of hibernation, we’ll come together before this hibernation to stand and sing and learn alongside each other in a holiday of rededication – perhaps painful, perhaps slow, perhaps before we’re ready or sure of how to proceed. As Leonard Cohen writes in his poem, “Rededication,”

and we are almost too tired to begin again
with miracles and leaves
and lingering on steps in sudden sun

Like the Maccabees before us, we will struggle to rebuild from the rubble of war, and it may not yet be time to embark on that project when we gather together for the first night of our festival. But we know that the devotional practices of learning across communities and deepening into our creative selves are both acts of renewal that can serve as a soft landing place in a season of tumult. And we know that Chanukah lets us reflect on the growth of increasing light, a gradual process of transition and transformation, not a hard, crisp overnight change. We hope that out of the rubble in our hearts, we can rededicate ourselves to hope.

To that end, we have a stellar line-up of learning and entertainment opportunities to spark your Chanukah experience. Rabbi Yael Splansky will be co-teaching a session with Aviva Chernick on “songs and psalms of courage,” so you can study and sing with them together. Rabbi Sam Kaye will be introducing us to a Hassidic text on what makes the miracle of Chanukah unique and sacred. I’ll be co-teaching with my chevruta, Maxine Lee Ewaschuk, on the curious case of the people of Talmudic Tadmor and the halachot of Chanukah candle-lighting, then we’ll do some art about theethical dimensions of Chanukah halachot. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are history studies, Torah studies, Yiddish stories, a kumzitz, hands-on art-making, Zumbanukah (bring your comfy shoes), singing niggunim in the dark, social justice reflections spun from the dreidel, the queer miraculous… all designed to tease out the deep and varied themes of the Chanukah holiday with sensitivity and care, and ultimately with celebration.

We open at 6 PM with a cross-communal, intergenerational candle-lighting gathering, and then you can choose from a number of options – including a program for kids ages 5-12. After 7:30 PM, kids go home and teens and adults are welcome to come and go any time between the opening and closing circles (the closing circle is set to end at 1 AM for the night owls). To be clear, there are no special sessions for teens this year, but teens are welcome at any and all of the study sessions. And, between the study sessions, there will be micro-concerts produced by the Ashkenaz Festival – short musical performances featuring Aviva Rajsky, Roman Kekhman and Maayan Band. Come early or late; stay a little or stay the whole time. Kosher food will also be available for purchase at the dinner break.

So, please join us and bring your friends from the Holy Blossom community and beyond. It’s going to be a very special holiday, after all.

Learn more & join us at IGNITE! Tikkun Leil Chanukah: A Festival of Jewish Culture & Learning

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Founded in 1856, Holy Blossom Temple is Toronto’s first synagogue with a rich history of tradition and modernity in our religious and spiritual expression.

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