Are you expecting, whether through birth or adoption? B’sha’ah tovah, we pray that joy and mazal tovs are in the future. Holy Blossom wants to celebrate with you as we welcome your new baby into the Covenant.
One of our rabbis would love to be with you as we welcome your baby into the Covenant and our community. We can also provide you with a list of our recommended mohelim (ritual circumcisers) who are doctors and trained by the Brit Milah Program of Reform Judaism, including our member Dr. Rhonda Wilansky. A Reform-trained Mohel will lead your family in an egalitarian and modern service in partnership with Holy Blossom clergy.
All of this can be arranged by contacting Rebekah Lobosco Gilli at 416.789.3291 ext. 255 or emailing [email protected].
Consecration is a beautiful and meaningful life-cycle event marking the beginning of a child’s formal Jewish education and emphasizing the value of Jewish learning and the study of Torah. At Holy Blossom Temple, we have a long-standing tradition of celebrating Consecration in Grade 1. Consecration occurs on Simchat Torah, with a special service for Consecration families where each child receives a small Torah and is blessed by parents and a rabbi. This service is then followed by the congregational celebration of Simchat Torah, where our Consecrands and their families are celebrated by the whole Holy Blossom Community.
All members of the Holy Blossom community who are in Grade 1 – YEC students, Day School students alike, participate in Consecration. We run a pre-consecration program for students and parents the Sunday prior to Consecration, to learn about the meaning behind consecration, and offer participants an ‘up-close and personal’ experience with the Torah.
Becoming a Jewish Adult at Holy Blossom Temple
Mazal Tov! This is an exciting time for you, your family and your congregation. When a Jewish child is born, the community prays that they will be blessed with Torah, Chuppah, u’Ma’asim tovim (the study of Torah, the covenant of marriage and the performance of good deeds). B’nei Mitzvah marks the start of the transition from childhood to adulthood (age 13) when children assume responsibilities and rewards for their own religious practice and learning. On becoming B’nei Mitzvah (Bar/Bat/Perach), children can come to understand their place within our congregation and within the Jewish People.
Jewish learning is a life-long pursuit. It is Holy Blossom’s hope and expectation that each student will honour this commitment by continuing his/her studies through Confirmation (Grade 10) and beyond.
Our B’nei Mitzvah Program prepares the child and their families, well in advance, for the upcoming Simcha; to reflect on the meaning of B’nei Mitzvah; and to become acquainted with the customs and standards of Holy Blossom Temple, as developed by fellow congregants, the Board of Trustees, the Rabbis, Cantor(s) and Educators. We will work closely with you to make your Simcha meaningful.
For information about our program, or to book a Bar/Bat/Perach Mitzvah contact Iris Spitz at [email protected] or call (416)-789-3291, ext 224.
To let us know what date you are looking to reserve for your child to become a Bar/Bat/Perach Mitzvah click here!
Confirmation is unique to Reform Judaism and has been observed at Holy Blossom for more than 70 years.
Confirmation takes place in Grade 10, with a ceremony that takes place on the Shabbat closest to Shavuot. Holy Blossom’s Confirmation program prepares students to take their own place in our community, helping teens identify where and how their Judaism fits into their lives and shapes their identity. Confirmation students participate in a year-long group learning experience on Monday nights, as a part of our YEC’s JTEM program. Throughout the year, in addition to bonding as a cohort, Confirmation students study with members of our clergy, learn from other community leaders, explore topics of personal interest, develop leadership skills, and create and run special programs and events for the YEC’s senior school and JTEM students, and lead a part of the congregational service. Confirmation students volunteer in the YEC as madrichim, as well as in other areas of our congregation. Every other year, there is a Confirmation Israel trip over March break, in which all students are encouraged to participate.
Confirmation at Holy Blossom is of course not complete without a group picture that is added to our Wall of Confirmands, spanning almost a century of Confirmation students.
A wedding is a momentous occasion, both as a milestone in a couple’s life and in terms of the planning and preparation needed for such a celebration. Holy Blossom Temple is here for you throughout the process of planning your Simcha. Just as each couple is unique, we will work with you to make your wedding a true reflection of you and your families.
Holy Blossom Temple, and our Rabbis and Cantors, are proud to officiate at LGBTQ weddings.
If you are interested in having your wedding at Holy Blossom Temple, or a wedding officiated by a member of our clergy, please call Rebekah Lobosco Gilli at 416.789.3291 ext. 255 or email [email protected]. She will help you get the planning process started.
Many members celebrating life-cycle events are interested in making donations to our Foundation to commemorate their special occasions. Among the many ways to contribute, establishing an endowment fund in the family’s name is a wonderful way to celebrate the simchas and achievements of loved ones or to honour their memory. Endowment funds support the pillars of our Temple — Torah (study), Avodah (worship), Gemilut Chasadim (deeds of social responsibility) and the building of a vibrant synagogue community.
As families mark each stage of life, they can continue to contribute to their fund. A growing fund will not only honour the family name in perpetuity but will ensure that our synagogue will continue to bring joy at every stage of life — from generation to generation.
For information on establishing a family endowment fund, please call the Foundation Office at (416) 789-3291, ext. 265.
To make a donation in honour or in memory of someone special click here
As a member of Holy Blossom Temple, we are here to support you in your time of need, with guidance and counselling both before and after a loss.
Click here to download our Guide for Mourners.
If you need to contact Holy Blossom Temple regarding a death or a funeral, and the Temple office is closed, please call 416-565-7561 until 10 p.m.; after 10 pm please contact the funeral home of your choice listed below. To ensure we are available to you in your time of need, we do answer this emergency phone on Shabbat and on holy days.
1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M5P 3K9
(416) 789-3291
[email protected]
Emergency Funeral Contact
Cell: 416-565-7561
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.
