In the Shuk there were two merchants. They both sold the same things, but that was the only way they were alike. One was dishonest, the other was a person of great integrity. One took advantage of his customers, and the other never would. One said terrible things about the other, while the other refused to speak a bad word.
The son of the honest merchant could not understand how his father was eternally unbothered. How unfair it seemed for the other man to prosper, as their family struggled. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. “Abba, we should fight fire with fire! Run the business a bit more cutthroat! You are a good man! We deserve to live as well as he does!”
And the merchant looked at his son and said “My dear child. If my zechut, my merit, was so worthless to me, that I would throw it away to be like him, did I ever have it in the first place?”
In our current days, where the hatred of Israel and Jewish people seems more and more accepted, there is a very normal and rational mentality that can arise. I have felt it often myself in the last 300+ days since October 7th. A mentality that says “If the nations of the world do not want us, if they do not like us, if they in fact, hate us… then I should be free of my responsibilities to them. I don’t owe them anything.”
But as the merchant says to his son… if our good name was so worthless to us that we would throw it away for a few sheckles, just to prove a point, what merit did we have in the first place?
In the days we live in, it is more important than ever to hold ourselves to our ancestral standards. We are not abandoning our mission to be a light to the nations, nor our obligation to acts of hesed and tzedakah. This is who we are, it is what we stand for, and no amount of hatred, intimidation, lies or bias can take that away.
This summer our Holy Blossom Temple community has regularly volunteered to feed and clothe the struggling and unhoused on our streets with Ve’ahavta. You can sign up for a shift with friends, family, and community members here. We have reserved spots for Holy Blossom Temple Members on the Ve’ahavta van through October.
Every day, dedicated volunteers bring food to the Temple and distribute it anonymously at our tiny pantries on the corner of Bathurst and Dewborne. When you come to Holy Blossom; you can leave shelf-stable food at the Janis Rotman Tzedakah Centre directly inside the front doors. It never goes to waste.
Out of the Cold will begin again in just a few months on November 7th. We are always looking for new, and returning, volunteers to help us welcome our guests during the coldest months of the year. Our Out of the Cold isn’t just a hot meal; there is live music, games, coffee, camaraderie, and more. If you’d like to get involved, email [email protected].
Finally, in the coming months, Holy Blossom will be launching a support group for Israelis who are newcomers to Canada, just as our community has previously provided for refugees from other nations. Thousands are still evacuated, and our community will be there for those who chose Canada as a home. If you want to be involved from the start, email me at [email protected].
In the Talmud Yerushalmi, the students of Shimon Ben Shetach find a pearl in the saddlebags of a donkey they have just purchased for their rabbi. Rav Shimon was very poor and his students celebrated, this treasure would ease all his ills. Rav Shimon told them to return the gem, even though it was legally theirs, and his students could not understand why. When they returned the pearl to the gentile merchant, the merchant wept and exclaimed “Praises! Praises to the God of the Jews! Praises to the God of Shimon Ben Shetach.”
And then they understood, that was all the treasure their Rabbi needed.
Am Yisrael Chai.
As Israelis are bracing themselves for whatever may come and Jewish communities all over the world are on alert, I would first like to assure you that Holy Blossom Temple security systems – some seen, some hidden from view — have been reviewed and reinforced in recent days. Our Executive Director, Rachel Malach, our Senior Property and Facilities Manager, Bridgedat Ramcaran, and our very knowledgeable Chair of our Security Committee, Andrew Kirsch, are in constant contact with our local police, Division 13, and with the security department of the UJA. As we prepare for a beautiful High Holy Day season, many volunteers and professionals – including rabbis and cantors – are receiving expert training.
It is important that we are all vigilant. When you are walking through the neighbourhoods of our great city, the slogan, “If you see something, say something” is instructive. Something or someone out of the ordinary can be a reason to call 911. And yet, I am keenly aware that being safe and feeling safe are not necessarily the same thing. How do we help one another to feel safe? How do we keep from spooking ourselves and one another? The news of the day is frightening enough. We mustn’t make it worse by spinning anxiety for our children to absorb. We must not give haters the power to terrify us.
So, let’s take a page from the book of the Israeli Olympiads in Paris. These young men and women are holding their heads high, representing their country and the Jewish People everywhere, and earning medals. Despite all that they, their friends, and families have had to face since October 7, or perhaps because of all that, they are laser-focused and seemingly fearless. Amidst tiers of security guarding them and booing crowds surrounding them, they carry on with their mission. They do not apologize for who they are nor for the Jewish State they represent. They do not apologize for winning nor for denying those who chant hateful slogans any victory — because the very definition of an athlete is to go as far and as fast as you can, to be as strong and as skilled as you can be. Moreover, the very definition of an Israeli is to be “a victim no more.” The Zionist movement was designed to train “the new Jew” to reject the victimhood, which punctuated so much of Jewish history before.
We know that many wish to divide the world today with the false binary of “oppressed” and “oppressor.” The Israelis I know and admire say: “I refuse to be either.” Let us learn to say the same here in the Diaspora. Let us agree that there is no glory in powerlessness and there is no shame in being powerful, so long as that power is used responsibly and for the good of all, as best we can.
May it be a Shabbat Shalom, a Shabbat of Peace for us, for Israel, and all the world.
This week our Holy Blossom Temple Advocacy Committee brings you a variety of ways to get involved in advocating for the Jewish people across Toronto and Canada.
by Teresa Quiroz, on behalf of Women of Holy Blossom
Preface
As previously communicated, this will be the last submission on the series of” About the month of …” This initiative was originated by Jill Kamin and passed to me. I learned a lot through my research for these articles, and I very much appreciated hearing from congregants who also did.
The Rosh Chodesh celebration is evolving to recognize Holy Blossom Temple women, from our past and present. As always, Women of Holy Blossom is indebted to those upon whose shoulders we stand, in sisterhood, spirituality, and social justice.
Av is the 5th month of the year counting from the month of Nissan. It means ‘Father’. During this month we the Jewish people, G/d and Torah become one. It is during this month that the destruction of the two temples happened. The expulsion of the Jews from Spain also happened during the month of AV. The month conjures up a mixture of conflicting moods. The Mishna says: “As AV enters, we diminish joy”. During this month one sees the true love of a Father (G/d) and his unconditional love for his children in spite of his children not following his commandments.
Rosh Chodesh AV is the beginning of the stricter mourning period for the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash – First and Second. The final Nine Days of Tisha B’AV and the Three Weeks are a time of intensified mourning. There are times when we’re told to be sad and this period is one of several during the year. And it is because without these times of sorrow and consolation, our joy would flow false and from sorrow joy will permeate. It is an opportunity to seek the 5th level of spirituality and to become one with G/d and this only happens through humility where we can understand the greatness of G/d.
The Tribe of the month is Shimon, from the word Shema, which attribute is to hear/listen and by Listening it will bring you closer to G/d hoping his commandments would be followed. In the previous month of Tammuz Reuben’s attribute was “to see”.
The permutation of the month of Av: (ה.ו.י.ה) is derived from Exodus Ch-9 V3
And bespeaks of plague, the letters begin reversed (ה.ו) but end in the correct order (י.ה). This indicates that while the judgment over the first half of the month is harsh and strict, the month concludes with Divine Mercy. In fact, the letters ‘yud’ and ‘heh’ are not only “in order” and connote Mercy; their numerical equivalent is 15. This reveals that the second half of G-d’s name for this month literally correlates to the last 15 days of Av, and corresponds to the teaching of the Talmud which states (Ta’anit 26b), “There are no greater days for the People of Israel like the 15th of Av and Yom Kippur”.
The letter of the month: is Tet, the letter for Tov (Good), which together TVB which adds to 15 day of AV. The word Tov is mentioned in the 5th chapter, 55A of the Gemara.
Chassidic teaching frowns upon sadness, an old Chassidic proverb goes, “Sadness is not a sin, but its effect on the person is worse than any sins.” The soul was sent to this world not to be, but to do; not to merely exist, but to achieve. To retreat into the self is to reverse the flow of life. Joy is revelation.
Ken Yehi Ratzon,
Shacharit Service: Monday, August 5, 2024, 7:30 am ET, in-person or via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/93902401402?pwd=dGlOR2dEcGs1RVc0OVFwdkFtOVo5UT09
password: 667580
For upcoming dates and why Rosh Chodesh is special for women, see https://holyblossom.org/rosh-chodesh/
By: Paula Haras
As I sat in the pain after the trauma that followed Jews everywhere around the world like a shadow of darkness post-October 7, I fought with the uncomfortableness within myself as to how to go about daily life as a kindergarten teacher who is Jewish in a world that has suddenly been turned upside down.
Daily I arrived at work using every bit of willed effort I could fabricate to behave professionally, do my job and maintain somewhat friendly. As days passed, I grew more and more angry by the silence of colleagues who went about their normal lives while Synagogues here in Canada became targets of vandalism, and chants on the streets calling for the death of the Jews became normalized. It seemed the only thing I could feel towards the silence I saw was anger and I didn’t even know what to do with all this anger.
One night on my endless scrolling on social media to numb myself through avoiding the hostilities of reality, I came across a post on a friend’s Facebook reading that there was a UJA trip to Israel for educators who work in the public school system. I immediately showed interest. It was obvious to me that I needed to go home and be with my family and so it started, a purpose, a goal, a positive hope to keep me going and something to look forward to that would hopefully get me through the difficult days… I was waiting to go to the Promised Land to feel connected with people who shared the same feelings as me about the war, about Judaism, about so many things, and what better opportunity than to do that with other educators who already have so many things in common with me. Just the thought of going to Israel felt like a gift. The spiritual connection started before I even got there.
After months of waiting, the time finally came. I packed my suitcase. I was going home.
My mission trip (Binat Halev) had begun, a blessing that I will never forget. This particular trip was a mission trip where educators from Canada, and group leaders from JFC-UIA and UJA would experience heavy, emotional content that has now been embedded in my DNA.
We went into Kibbutz Be’eri where we met with Lotan Pinyan who survived the Hamas attack on October 7. He told us about the atrocities that took place on this kibbutz and we heard about the murders, slaughters and burning alive of people in his community. We stood in the burnt-down home of his in-laws, who were also killed by Hamas on this day, while he told us what happened to them.
The kibbutz was a community of 1000 people. 450 Terrorists came into the kibbutz and raped and murdered 101 people. As well, 11 people were brutally kidnapped by Hamas and of that 11, 5 were also killed in captivity. (These numbers include only the atrocities and murders of this kibbutz. The number of people murdered and taken into captivity as hostages is much higher as it happened in other kibbutz and at a music festival for peace).
What Lotan also mentioned is that the homes that seemed to be targeted first were those that had signs that kids lived in the house like for example, a bike or toys in the front of the house.
This is the thinking of Terrorists. Heartbreaking to hear but the stories must be heard because they are not just stories. These are people’s families and friends. Their stories must be told and remembered.
We also went to the site of the Nova Festival. What I saw there is nothing I can put into words.
The Nova Festival…It was the part in the nightmare on October 7, where the Hamas terrorists massacred innocent young people at a musical festival that was at a concert about peace.
As I walked off the bus, I heard background sounds of war because this site is very close to the Gaza border).
It is important to note that while this October 7 massacre happened in Israel, not all the victims killed on this night at the concert were Jewish or Israeli. It was a concert about peace so the range of young people there was a collection of groups and nationalities. Hamas didn’t select and just killed as many peaceful people as possible. The faces on the posters of the victims became blurry as I walked on the site, I couldn’t help but think of my daughters and how easily they would have been there themselves, had they been in Israel at the time.
During my stay in Israel, I also had the opportunity to hear the testimonies from Adi’s parents (Yaron and Jacqui) I then heard testimony from Galit Lapidot, the aunt of Tiferit Lapidot who was one of the young women kidnapped and killed from Nova festival by Hamas.
I also attended the Torah dedication ceremony for Hersh Goldberg-Polin and heard his mother speak, surrounded by a crowd of love and support. Their strength is one of which I’ve never seen. Their strong message is that we listen and keep telling their stories.
While hearing testimonies and stories and facts of people’s nightmares of October 7, I came to a realization that was unique about the people of Israel. There was something very much in common with almost every testimony of horror told: it was mind-blowing that every victim, or survivor, or family member, or witness spoke about how everyone in the moment of terrifying fear, helped one another. People did the most courageous unthinkable selfless acts to help whoever they could, and unlike any other war or catastrophe, the people of October 7 were running towards the war, towards the danger. It sounded almost unheard of because when there is danger of any kind, it is an instinct to run away from the danger, but instead of the fight or flight, there was a man-made miracle of people coming towards the Nova Festival, towards the Kibbutzim, towards the danger. People in other countries were joining the Israeli army. In Israel right then and there it dawned on me how much of a family we are and how much we stand together.
I have learned the extraordinary lesson that Israel is a nation of incredibly resilient people. The strength, spirit, and positive energy that they have even after everything they’ve been through is truly unmatchable.
Even in the most difficult of times, they shine their light as bright as they can and elevate hope.
They take their light and pass it to others around them and together, brighten the world.
A magnificent magic. Even after everything they have been through, I saw singing, dancing, and acts of mitzvot, wherever I went in Israel. They are guided by hope and use their hope as a goal to make things better they lift themselves limitlessly and bring others along with them. I must be clear that this was not my first time in Israel. While Israel is special whenever one goes, this time was different. This journey was healing. I left Canada feeling angry and isolated and arrived in Israel where the people I was with, the coordinators of my trip, and the people I met in Israel began to feel like a family it was interesting how in the same way a small child who is sad, finds comfort from his mother… my inner scared child inside me needed Israel. There is something very spiritual about being at the Kotel with other educators from Canada who also had a difficult year, hugging each other, and crying together. There is something truly magical about sharing experiences and ideas with facilitators, Rabbis, and peer educators. A Week of respect and love, compassion with tears and laughter, prayers, lessons, and fears turning into hope, good food, history, religion, and a l’chaim or two all in the promised land.
by Paul Kay
In late June/early July, I participated in Shalom Hartman Institute’s Community Leadership Program in Jerusalem. I had also allowed myself some days for visits. Michael Zats wrote this short poem (“Illusions”) in the aftermath of October 7th:
Amazing/ How everything looks/ Unchanged,
Even/ When nothing/ Remained/ The same.
The sense of illusion, deception even, in the contrast of the external and the internal, describes my experience.
I was last in Israel in early 2023 with my wife Temma Gentles. In our 26-years together we had three academic sabbaticals and multiple other visits. Temma had died in July 2023, so this trip was an opportunity to “close parentheses” on shared times with friends. The one and one-half years were insufficient to alter our outward appearances, but we all had large internal changes in our lives.
Israel too was changed. Yes, drivers many cars back in line still honked impatiently before the stoplight turned green; new construction continued apace; Tel Aviv sidewalk restaurants buzzed. If one somehow ignored the news and remained oblivious to the ubiquitous “bring them home” banners, one might be amazed by how everything looked unchanged. Yet conversations with friends and others quickly revealed an overwhelming mood of exhaustion, worry, despair, foreboding. Nothing was the same.
I heard many expressions of genuine appreciation for my visit. Friends welcomed the reminiscences about Temma, and my presence as a committed listener to hear and share about “Israel tomorrow”. Rabbi Splansky had asked if I would take letters from our youth to soldiers, thus making me a shaliach with a sacred mission to ensure a safe journey. My field trip from Hartman visited Sderot and the Nova Festival massacre site, where I was indeed fortunate to deliver the letters directly to a Zahal unit. The warm gratitude of the soldiers moved me deeply, and I could barely stammer todah, l’hatzliha, shalom.
Time and again people told, even implored, me to encourage others to visit Israel. Such palpable support helps make sense of the internal “nothing is the same”.
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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.