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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261028T110000
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SUMMARY:The Story of the Jewish People – An Ongoing Discussion
DESCRIPTION:The Story of the Jewish People – An Ongoing Discussion\nwith Mark Goodman \nWednesdays\, September 16-December 31\, 11:00 am \nJewish history is best understood as the story of a people shaped by myth\, memory\, law\, custom\, migration\, adaptation\, and endurance across more than two millennia and six continents. From the biblical narratives of covenant and exile\, rebuke and redemption\, to the post-biblical accounts shaped by recurring forces of persecution and emancipation\, catastrophe and renewal\, Jewish life has developed through constant interaction between inward tradition and outward pressure. \nAt the center of Jewish history stands a religious tradition built on covenant\, sacred law\, communal memory\, and interpretation. The biblical period establishes foundational themes: the relationship between God and Israel\, the importance of Torah\, and the repeated tension between faithfulness and disruption. After the destruction of the First and Second Temples\, Judaism increasingly became a tradition of text\, study\, and practice rather than one centred on a single sacred site. Rabbinic Judaism developed institutions\, commentaries\, and legal frameworks that allowed Jewish identity to survive dispersion and lay the groundwork for a culture built around language\, ritual\, education\, calendar\, family life\, and community organization. At the same time\, Jews in different regions developed distinctive cultural forms: Hebrew\, Aramaic\, Yiddish\, Ladino\, local liturgies\, and philosophical traditions. Over time\, internal diversity became one of the defining features of Jewish civilization. \nJewish history also involves the changing ways Jews organized themselves as communities and negotiated their place in larger political systems. In antiquity\, Israelites moved from a tribal confederation to monarchy\, exile\, and postexilic restoration. In later centuries\, Jews lived under empires\, kingdoms\, caliphates\, city-states\, and modern nation-states. Their legal status varied widely\, from relative autonomy to heavy restriction\, depending on time and place. \nEncounters with surrounding peoples\, religions\, and states have always shaped them. These relations included both exchange and conflict. Jews lived among Babylonians\, Persians\, Greeks\, Romans\, Christians\, Muslims\, and modern secular societies\, and each setting produced distinctive patterns of coexistence and pressure. Sometimes Jews served as intermediaries in trade\, scholarship\, or administration; at other times they were marginalized\, expelled\, forced to convert\, or targeted by violence. \nThroughout all periods\, Jewish history reflects both vulnerability and resilience in the face of changing external worlds. During the course of the program\, we will examine the arc of the Jewish story\, gain an understanding of the challenges and responses\, and explore the relationship between our present-day existence and that of past generations. Please join us on Wednesday at 11 am\, either in person or on Zoom. \nREGISTER HERE TO JOIN US!  \nClick the links below to download some reading materials for this discussion \nHELLENISTIC AND ROMAN ERAS.\nKey events in Medieval Ashkenazi Jewish history\nMEDIEVAL PERIOD\nThe Intellectual Leadership of Medieval Jewish Society in Europe\nWhat were the Mishnah and the Talmud\nWho Was Rashi \n70 C.E. and its Consequences \nChronology\nIn the beginning\nThe creation and evolution of Jewish texts \nChanuka\nChart: Chronological Landmarks of the Ancient Near Eastern\nHellenistic and Roman Eras
URL:https://holyblossom.org/event/the-story-of-the-jewish-people/2026-10-28/
CATEGORIES:HBT Programs & Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://holyblossom.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/JewishHistory.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261028T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261028T203000
DTSTAMP:20260930T125911Z
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SUMMARY:YAD: Next Gen: An Evening of Friendship and Dialogue with IDI
DESCRIPTION:YAD: Next Gen: An Evening of Friendship and Dialogue with IDI\nWednesday\, October 28\, 7:00 pm \nHoly Blossom is delighted to welcome university students and young professionals from the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI)\, a predominantly Turkish Muslim community. Over the last few years\, we have built a meaningful friendship with IDI\, including through our annual Iftar Friendship Dinners. \nThis gathering is a wonderful opportunity to bring the next generation of our two communities together. We’ll spend a relaxed evening at Temple with a tour of the building\, an open Q&A\, some refreshments\, and plenty of time simply to talk and get to know one another. \nWe’d love to have our university students and YAD members join us to welcome our guests\, make some new connections\, and enjoy an evening together! \nRegister here!
URL:https://holyblossom.org/event/yad-next-gen-an-evening-of-friendship-and-dialogue-with-idi/
CATEGORIES:HBT Programs & Events
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://holyblossom.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IDI_YAD2026.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261028T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261028T210000
DTSTAMP:20260916T132336Z
CREATED:20260903T223147Z
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SUMMARY:The Elephant in the Room
DESCRIPTION:The Elephant in the Room\nA gathering for Jewish women who want to begin conversations with non-Jewish friends about antisemitism \nWednesday\, October 28\, 7:00 pm \nMany Jewish women are imagining conversations they wish they could have.\nWith a friend who has gone quiet.\nWith a neighbour who does not understand why this moment feels so fraught.\nWith a colleague who wants to be supportive but does not know what to ask.\nWith someone we care about but are afraid to speak to honestly.\nWe may want our friends to understand more about antisemitism\, Jewish life\, or what this moment feels like in Canada and in our city. We may want them to ask better questions\, stand closer\, notice what we see\, or simply stay in relationship with us when the conversation is hard. \nBut many of us hesitate to initiate the conversations that can enable these actions.\nWe worry we will say the wrong thing or that the conversation will become tense or political. We worry we aren’t prepared\, are too tired\, or too angry. \nThis evening is designed to help us begin. \nJoin Women’s Advocacy Group of Women of Holy Blossom for a practical\, thoughtful\, and hopeful program about having difficult conversations with friends\, neighbours\, and people in our wider circles. \nRather than offering a lecture or a script\, the evening will focus on real examples of conversations that have worked. We’ll hear from pairs of friends who have navigated these moments together: why they chose to have the conversation\, what made it possible\, what felt difficult\, and what helped them stay open to one another. Together\, we will look at what made those conversations successful\, including how expectations were set\, what preparation helped\, and what practices allowed the conversation to remain honest\, respectful\, and human. \nParticipants will also have time for guided table discussion to reflect on what we hope our friends might know\, do\, or feel after a conversation and why that matters. We’ll also talk about what holds us back from taking the first step. \nThe evening will close with practical resources and next steps. \nThis program is for women+ and gender fluid and nonbinary folks who want to move toward conversation\, not conflict\, and who want to speak with more confidence\, listen with more curiosity\, and build bridges where trust may still be possible. \nIf you’re willing to consider that a conversation you have been avoiding may be worth starting\, this is a great next step. \nParticipants will leave with: \n\nA clearer sense of what they hope a conversation with a friend could make possible.\nReal examples of how difficult conversations can be opened with care.\nPractical tools for preparing\, setting expectations\, and staying grounded.\nResources to support future conversations.\nA first step toward beginning a conversation in their own life.\n\nRegister here
URL:https://holyblossom.org/event/the-elephant-in-the-room/
CATEGORIES:HBT Programs & Events
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