Welcome to Rosh Chodesh Sivan on Sunday, May 17, at 9:00 am – All are welcome!
The Women of Valour Series is generously sponsored by Robert Lantos in memory of his mother Agnes Lantos z”l
Zodiac sign – Gemini (The Twins)
Sivan, the third month of the Hebrew calendar, reflects the spiritual power of the number three—seen in Moses, the third child, and the three-day preparation to receive the Torah.
This month, we celebrate Shavuot, commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai over 3,300 years ago. Each year, we renew this sacred bond, likened by our sages to a wedding between G-d and the Jewish people.
The essence of Sivan is Tiferet—harmony and truth—a balance of justice and compassion, embodied by Moses and Aaron, and reflected in Gemini, the twins. The story of Ruth, read on Shavuot, reminds us of the courage to pursue a life of deeper purpose and truth.
By Lesley Simpson
I interviewed Dalia in late March 2026, before my bat mitzvah in May. At that time, Dalia said, “I still can’t believe this honour, eshet chayil for rosh chodesh. I’m the luckiest person on earth to be able to do what I love the most, teaching and helping out.”
I first met Dalia when I joined the HBT Monday night Aleph Bet class in the fall of 2025.
I joined because I have an Olympian level of Jewish curiosity. I was not planning to have a bat mitzvah; however, when I heard about the opportunity to learn cantillation, my interest was piqued, and I was terrified. “We leave nobody behind,” Dalia told us. She mentioned that once she did have a student faint, but that her system was foolproof. We had to trust the process.
Dalia created a pedagogical system for cantillation. With each parsha, she underlined different phrases in different colours. Red, blue or green pencil indicated which trope to use. We were given a recording of the tropes. As I progressed, I earned the right to add another colour to my parsha, Leviticus 25 8-13. I kept the parsha in my purse. For an English speaker, this skill of cantillation is not easy because there is the visual pattern recognition required to recognize and pronounce the Hebrew, as well as trope melodies. To make it more daunting, the trope itself is not in the Torah parchment.
What is surprising about Dalia is that Hebrew is not her first language. She was born in Bacau, Romania, in 1948 and immigrated to Israel in 1959. Romanian was her first language. She and her family moved to Neharia, and she learned Hebrew in Kibbutz Eyn Dor. The move was difficult for her family. Her mother, who spoke many languages, worked at a restaurant to keep the family afloat financially. Dalia was eleven years old when she landed in Israel and had no Jewish background. Being Jewish in Romania had been a liability with systemic discrimination in many quarters of society, from school to government. Dalia remembers the hatred towards Jews she experienced within the school system, where Jews were not given the same opportunities as others. Jews were singled out and humiliated. Subsequently, in her family, Judaism skipped a generation.
Her own parents did not observe Jewish rituals or traditions (She did not attend her first Passover Seder until she met her husband Jack when she was 19 years old, and his family’s Seder unfolded in Ladino!) But before she met Jack and landed in Israel, a new world opened for Dalia, and she learned Jewish texts as well as the Hebrew language.
“I attended school, then high school; I worked hard to catch up with all the Bible, Talmud, and Israeli literature I had missed in my early years. I bet this is where my understanding, compassion and patience towards students—kids and adults—comes from, knowing how difficult, strange, new things are and competing with others. Then I proceeded to study in teachers’ college in Beit Berl, Kfar Saba.
Dalia lived in Israel for eight years, and on April Fool’s Day, she met Jack, her future husband. He had served in the Israeli Air Force and, upon his discharge, looked for work in Israel. There was no work. He had a sister who lived in Canada who sponsored him. He arrived on a Friday in 1967 after the Six-Day War, and on Monday, he was hired at De Havilland Aircraft Company. This August, the couple will celebrate their 59th wedding anniversary.
“Teaching was in my DNA. I was always surrounded by children and tutored many. It was my real passion.” Dalia worked at Beth Am, Beth Tikvah and Beth David synagogues, and then applied to Holy Blossom Temple, which has been her “second home” since 1971.
“What makes teaching adults different is that they have chosen to learn. They are not being forced. Each person learns differently…. Each person I come into contact with is a gem.”
There is a quote from our Proverbs (22:6), which states:
חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכּ֑וֹ גַּ֥ם כִּי־יַ֝זְקִ֗ין לֹא־יָס֥וּר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃
Educate children in the way they each ought to go;
They will not swerve from it even in old age.
Excellence in Education, and particularly our value of Lifelong Learning, was one of the major reasons that I was so eager to join the team at Holy Blossom back in 2022.
I knew that we had a reputation for deep learning, for engaged students, for high-level scholarship, and prestigious guest teachers, and I couldn’t wait to be a part of it all.
I have been proven right since, with one of the most rewarding pieces of my role being when I get to be part of those educational moments: whether it’s on the occasions I get to teach Torah study or a class series, or when I’m with our students on Sunday morning, or when a scholar-in-residence comes to town.
With our rich history in, and valuing of, Jewish education, it feels so special and appropriate that on the evening of May 11, as we mark 170 years of Holy Blossom Temple, education will be our key focus.
As we enjoy our magnificent “North of Broadway” event, we will celebrate our community, leadership, and resilience, and dedicate this night to Excellence in Education with a red carpet and spectacular musical performances!
Join us also for some very exciting announcements about the future of Education at Holy Blossom Temple, as we both honour our history and invest in the next generation of our vibrant congregation.
Beginning with a VIP cocktail reception at 6:30 pm, the doors for general admission will open at 7:30 pm, and all are welcome to join for a delicious dessert following the concert.
For more information and to buy your tickets, click HERE.
Tell your family, tell your friends, bring them along, spread the word, and we can’t wait to see you there!
At all ages and stages, and in every generation, may our reputation for educational excellence precede us.
To the next 170 years!
Rabbi Sampson Rafael Hirsch, the 19th-century German founder of Neo-Orthodoxy, taught that “The catechism of the Jew is his calendar.” By this, he meant that unlike many other religions, Judaism has no set or required principles of faith, but that the Jewish calendar of holydays tells us who we are, where we come from, and what sacred values are required of us.
While there is a hierarchy of Jewish holydays and not all of our sacred days are created equally, it is noteworthy that the Jewish calendar is not sealed forever, but continues to grow. We are about to enter into the period of time shaped by three new holydays – Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), Yom HaZikaron (Remembrance Day for the Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror in Israel), and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day). Each one has its own fascinating backstory of how it was first established in Israel and then radiated throughout the Diaspora. Each one has its own rituals, liturgies, and melodies, which are still in the making. Taken together, these three days give voice to the fact that we are living in the wake of historic events that are of biblical proportion.
On Yom HaShoah, still dumbstruck, we light six candles to commemorate the systematic extermination of six million Jews. Every single day of the year is the Yahrtzeit of thousands of lives that were brutally cut short, but Yom HaShoah “protects” the rest of the calendar from the weight of those senseless deaths. We assign all sorrow and tears to one single day, so that we can live more fully on the other days of the year. This coming Monday evening, six congregant-families, who are descendants of survivors, will light six candles. By their light, we will hear Saul Shulman tell his remarkable story of survival. A special invitation goes to children aged ten and older, as they will be the last generation to be able to hear the first-hand testimonials of survivors. The simplicity of the ritual is the most fitting tribute to the profound loss, from which our people have still not recovered.
On Yom HaZikaron, Israelis spend the day going to visit the graves of their relatives and brothers-in-arms who fell in one of Israel’s many wars. They go to the graves of the family and friends, who were civilians in the wrong place at the wrong time, and fell victim to terror. It is the most solemn day, marked by the wail of the siren, when nearly the entire country stops to stand still and silent. On Tuesday evening, April 21, when Yom HaZikaron draws to a close, we will gather with local Israeli families to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them as they remember personal losses. Understanding that we are one family, we will embrace them and show that they are not alone, even though they are more than an ocean away from the graves of their dear ones.
And then, in what can only be described as emotional whiplash, the tears of Yom HaZikaron give way to the dance of Yom HaAtzmaut. After our service of mournful poetry and prayer, created in partnership with the World Zionist Congress, our commemoration turns to celebration. With Israeli food, art, and dance, we will fulfill the promise of the Psalmist: “Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.” Together with local Israeli families, we will celebrate the miracle of the State of Israel. For one day, we will set aside the news of the day and social media alerts. For one day, we will set aside the political debates and the necessary work of correcting the many problems of the imperfect Jewish state. For one day, we will turn to simply marvel at our people’s return to our ancestral homeland. We will simply celebrate the wonder of the fact that we can sing with full voices: “Am Yisrael Chai!”
I hope you will join us for these relatively new Jewish holydays. These sacred days help us to face history as it unfolds in real time, and through these days, we write ourselves into the never-ending story of the Jewish People.
Shabbat Shalom.
By Cantorial Soloist Lindi Rivers
On March 25, the Reform Cantors and Cantorial Soloists of Canada (RCCC) presented a wonderful concert during which I was honoured for 20 years at Holy Blossom Temple, as well as my installation as President of the Guild of Temple Musicians. I was especially touched to be recognized by Cantor Josh Breitzer, President of the American Conference of Cantors, who also shared a moving message from the GTM immediate past president, David Shukiar.
Just two days later, we gathered again for a truly joyous and beautiful celebration of this milestone for the congregation and me. The Kabbalat Shabbat service was especially meaningful, enriched by the presence and participation of cherished colleagues and friends from the cantorial world. I feel profoundly blessed, surrounded by such warmth, generosity, and community. The outpouring of love and appreciation was both humbling and deeply nourishing.
I am sincerely grateful to my HBT colleagues and to everyone whose care and effort made this evening so moving and memorable. And to you, our beloved congregants, thank you for celebrating with me. Your presence, kind words, and heartfelt good wishes mean more than I can express.
I would like to share an excerpt from my remarks during the March 27 celebration.
“It would be easy and accurate to say that time flies, but so much has happened in these twenty years. They have been filled with meaningful services, vibrant events, deep learning, spiritual growth, a good deal of joy, laughter, and a few challenges, just keep things interesting. Through it all, this congregation and its leadership have been a sustaining force for our Temple life and for me personally. You lifted and held my family and me at our most challenging time, reminding me that this Temple is not just a congregation, but a lifelong wellspring of strength and comfort. Our congregants and our staff care about one another. Whether a multi-generational family or newcomer, whatever brings you through our doors, it’s inspiring to watch you inhabit and create fulfilling ways to be in sacred community together.
Our congregants have always been the soul of this community. I am humbled by the dedication, generosity, and heart of our daily service and shiva leaders; our Torah, Haftarah, and Megillah chanters; and the patience and talent of our B’nai Mitzvah tutors. Along with our Brotherhood and Women of Holy Blossom, and dozens of volunteers, Temple is not just growing, it’s blossoming, with seeds planted steadily over many years. The energy is palpable, and the future looks good.
I’ve had the privilege of working with remarkable Rabbis, Cantors, and staff through many transformations, evolutions…and occasionally revolutions: in our team configurations, our building, our outlook, and our reach. It’s an honour to be part of Team HBT, to do what I love, surrounded by brilliant, kind, and dedicated colleagues, and to stand side by side with exceptional partners.
Along the way, I’ve worked, studied, prayed, and led with eleven associate, assistant, or adjunct rabbis, two senior rabbis, three rabbi emeriti, and two senior cantors, each bringing their own gifts while leaving a lasting impression on this Temple and on me. And that’s just the clergy. There have also been four executive directors, nine Temple presidents and more impressive staff and board members than I can count, and I have learned from each one. I feel humbled, honoured and very lucky.
I will always be deeply grateful to Cantor Beny Maissner, Alav HaShalom, who brought me here in 2005, trusted me with his congregation and his bimah, and laid the foundation for me to grow into the Cantorial Soloist I’ve become. The past six years working alongside Cantor David Rosen have allowed me to discover and express new layers of my cantorial identity. It has been deeply meaningful… and I’m happy to say, also a lot of fun.
To my clergy colleagues: Rabbi Splansky, Rabbi Kaye, Rabbi McCarroll, Rabbi Baruchel, and Cantor Rosen, you are not only exceptional in your work, but you are extraordinary people. It is a privilege to be part of this gifted team, and I know we still have much important work ahead of us. Yael, you have been part of my journey from the very beginning. Your support has been constant, generous, and profound. Thank you for everything.”
Thank you for 20 years and counting. May we continue to go from strength to strength, and may it truly be a Shabbat of Shalom.
As you likely read yesterday, Rabbi Splansky represented the congregation at the City Hall Pesach Celebration on Monday night. We hope that you will take the time to read her remarks, which are presented here, and bring them to your friends and family in the coming days, including at your own seders. Rabbi’s message, that the government is responsible for protecting its Jewish citizens, is vital. As Rabbi wrote to the congregation yesterday, we are all very focused on protection right now. Physical protection, which is a key element of the work that we are doing here as your Advocacy Committee. Spiritual protection, like the important work of prayer and study at the Shul. Emotional protection, like the celebration of our holidays with friends, family and community.
In the coming months, Holy Blossom Temple is redoubling its efforts in all these forms of protection. Our Advocacy work remains an important element of physical protection, one that needs the active involvement of our community and its allies. This will include new opportunities to engage elected officials and in conversation with thoughtful experts speaking to the moment. We appreciate your continued support.
Tonight is Pesach. From our families to yours, we wish you a meaningful and joyful celebration of freedom and redemption.
Learn more about Advocacy here.
1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M5P 3K9
(416) 789-3291
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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.