Women of Valour Series Honours Freda Muscovitch

Rosh Chodesh Nissan

Thursday, March 19, 7:30 am

Nissan, known as Chodesh Ha’Aviv — the Month of Spring — marks the Biblical New Year. It is a time of awakening, hope, and renewal, as creation itself emerges from winter’s stillness into vibrant life.

Nissan is the month of double miracles. Its name contains two Hebrew letters Nun (נ), symbolizing the miracles through which Hashem redeemed us from slavery in Egypt.

The Zodiac sign of the month is Aries. Its spiritual attribute is speech, corresponding to the Hebrew letter ה (Hei) — reminding us of our sacred responsibility to retell the story of the Exodus through the Haggadah at Pesach.

The limb associated with Nissan is the right foot, teaching us to step forward boldly. With intention and faith, we begin our 49-day journey of growth and transformation from Pesach to Shavuot.

The tribe of the month is Yehuda, king among the twelve tribes, embodying leadership, gratitude, and strength.

During Nissan, we rejoice together — Heaven and Earth united — the spiritual from Hashem and the physical from humanity. This harmony is reflected in our heartfelt greeting:

Chag Pesach Kasher V’Sameach
Kasher — for the sake of Heaven.
Sameach — for our joy here on Earth.

Each Rosh Chodesh, we share stories of our own Women of Valour (Eshet Chayil) — women whose strength, wisdom, voice, and dedication uplift and transform our community.

On this Rosh Chodesh Nissan, we are honoured to recognize:  Freda Muscovitch

May this new month bring renewal, redemption, unity, and revealed miracles for us all.

The Women of Valour Series is generously sponsored by Robert Lantos in memory of his mother Agnes Lantos z”l

A Tribute to Freda Ariella Muscovitch — A Woman of Valour

By Alberto Quiroz

Freda Ariella Muscovitch was born in Haifa, Israel, and lovingly named after her great-grandmother, Savta Raba.

 In 1959, her father accepted a teaching position with the Jewish community in Edmonton. On a freezing Edmonton morning, Freda was sent alone to find her new school. Imagine the courage that required! From that moment, Freda carried within her a profound empathy for immigrants, refugees, and all who arrive in new places searching for belonging. That understanding would later become the foundation of her lifelong commitment to social justice.

Determined to chart her own path, Freda left Edmonton to attend the University of British Columbia. Destiny intervened when she met Arthur, a talented architect from Winnipeg and the love of her life. Together, they built a partnership defined by shared dreams, intellectual curiosity, and mutual support.

 Life carried them across cities and continents—from London, England, to Toronto. Freda pursued postgraduate studies at the London School of Economics while Arthur continued his architectural career. Eventually, they returned to Toronto, where she would find not only a home, but a community.

 In 1978, Freda and her family joined Holy Blossom Temple. She immediately immersed herself in community life—singing in the choir, building friendships, and dedicating herself to social action.

Her leadership shone most brightly in the creation of Holy Blossom Temple’s Out of the Cold program in 1995. Alongside Rabbi Dov Marmur, Freda prepared volunteers, learned from partner communities, and built the foundation for one of the Temple’s most meaningful initiatives.

But Freda’s compassion did not stop there. She brought members of the Roma community into dialogue with congregations across the GTA in a program titled “Why the Roma”, challenging assumptions and replacing stereotypes with understanding. Years later, during the Syrian refugee crisis, Freda once again stepped forward, working alongside Jacqueline Friedland to help families rebuild their lives in Toronto.

Freda has remained grateful to the Holy Blossom Temple community for the love and strength it gave her—especially during her battle with ovarian cancer. She marked her 60th birthday by establishing the first Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Today, Freda’s legacy lives across generations. Her sons, Zak and Noam, were married at Holy Blossom Temple. Freda’s family now includes five beloved grandchildren and two cherished adoptive sons, Saul and Aaron.

Freda has given Holy Blossom Temple far more than her time. She has helped shape a community known across Canada not only for prayer and tradition, but for compassion, courage, and action.

Her story teaches us that belonging is not something we find alone. It is something we create together.