Yom Kippur Afternoon Study Sessions & Learning Experiences
Thursday, October 2, 1:30-2:45 pm
The State of Canadian Jewry
An Open Conversation between Minister Evan Solomon and Professor David Koffman
In the Main Sanctuary (and livestreamed in real time, for congregants only)
For members joining us online, please go to www.holyblossom.org/hhd and enter the password that was provided to you in your ticket package.
About the Study Session
Who better to reflect on the moment than a Cabinet Minister and former leading Canadian journalist, together with a professor and scholar of Canadian Jewish history? Minister Solomon and Professor Koffman will ask the questions that keep us up at night and, in the spirit of the holyday, will get at the heart of the matters which face Canadian Jewry today.
In advance of this study session, we encourage everyone to read Professor Koffman’s recent article on today’s Canadian Jewish experience, “Two Inward Turns,” which appeared in this summer’s issue of Sources: A Journal of Ideas, published by The Shalom Hartman Institute: https://www.sourcesjournal.org/articles/two-inward-turns-canadian-jews-since-multiculturalism-since-october-8-and-since-trumps-annexationist-threat
Bios for Evan Solomon & David S. Koffman
Evan Solomon is the newly elected Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and Canada’s newly appointed Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation. He is a long-serving and leading reporter and host for Canadian News outlets, including CTV News, CFRB Radio, and Maclean’s Magazine. His family’s Holy Blossom Temple roots are generations’ deep. We look forward to welcoming him home for these High Holydays.
David S. Koffman is the J. Richard Shiff Chair for the Study of Canadian Jewry, an Associate Professor of modern Jewish history in the Department of History at York University, the Associate Director of the Israel & Golda Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Studies, and the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes. David grew up at Holy Blossom Temple.
Because This Thing is Very Close to You: Where Sacred Text and Art Meet
With Daniel Abramson, Temple Brotherhood President, Member of the Temple Board, and leading Jewish Educator
Room 209 (2nd floor of the David Feldman Education Centre)
About the Study Session
Based on the Yom Kippur Morning Torah Reading (Deuteronomy 30), this session will take a close look at the form and aesthetics of Sofrut, Hebrew calligraphy. No prior knowledge of Hebrew is needed to participate in this session.
Daniel Abramson Bio
Daniel Abramson is the Curriculum Development Director for the Tikkun Project at The Leo Baeck Day School in Toronto. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from OCAD University and a Master of Education from the University of Toronto and specializes in experiential and arts-based education. Daniel is the creator of “The Sofer’s Sketchbook”, a resource for Jewish Educators for fostering strong personal connections to Jewish sacred text.
The Five (plus One) “Afflictions” of Yom Kippur
With Rabbi Ed Treister
In the Lantern Board Room (3rd Floor, at the top of the spiral staircase)
About the Study Session
The Mishnah calls for abstaining from five pleasures on Yom Kippur. Where do these prohibitions come from? What is their purpose? And how might they enhance our Yom Kippur experience?
Rabbi Ed Treister Bio
Rabbi Edward S. Treister did his undergraduate studies in Modern Languages at the University of Toronto and then went on to Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati where he earned his MAHL and received rabbinic ordination. He later earned a doctorate in education from the University of Houston, and an honorary Doctor of Divinity from HUC.
Rabbi Treister served in both Canada and the US. He was rabbi at Temple Rodeph Shalom in Dollard des Ormeaux in Montreal for eight years and later in Houston Texas for fifteen years as rabbi at Congregation Beth Am, a Conservative congregation, and at Congregation Shaarei Tzedek, a Reform congregation. After earning his doctorate, he took the position of Executive Director of the Central Agency for Jewish Education in Louisville, KY. He also taught as adjunct faculty at the University of Houston, teaching courses in education and classical Hebrew language.
In 1996, Rabbi Treister and his family acted on a long-held aspiration and made aliyah to Israel. He continued to function as an educator, teaching English and Jewish Cultural Studies in the Israeli secular high school system and served as English language instructor and course coordinator at the Open University. In addition, he served as “occasional rabbi” in his Masorti congregation in Kfar Saba. Rabbi Treister has published a number of articles in the Central Conference of American Rabbis Journal on liturgy and Bible. On his retirement, he returned to Toronto where he continues to take courses at U of T and is part of the Holy Blossom community each Shabbat.
Judaism’s Red Lines & The Rule of Law
With Rabbi Shalom Schachter
In the Rabbinic Library (3rd floor, David Feldman Education Centre)
About the Study Session
We are witnessing a global veering away from the “rule of law.” How does this growing direction impact us as Canadians? And what does Jewish law have to say about it? This session will explore what our Sages have said about respect for the “rule of law” and its importance for societal wellbeing.
Rabbi Schachter Bio
Rabbi Schachter is a labor lawyer and human rights and economic equality advocate. Rabbi Shalom Schachter has not only served Jewish communities from Alberta to Quebec in Synagogues across the denominational spectrum, but also serves as a rabbi on cruise ships travelling the world.
Rabbi Schachter was raised in the spirit of the Jewish prophetic tradition of speaking truth to power. He hasn’t hesitated to express this Divine mandate as it governs the leadership of the Jewish people. He was profiled by Faith in Canada and was the successful litigant in the Supreme Court of Canada case Schachter vs The Queen that established parental income support on a non-discriminatory basis and which extended the scope of judicial remedies to correct under-inclusive legislation. The outcome of the decision has been relied upon by the High Court in Israel to further equality in that country.
Rav Shalom is a proud Zionist motivated to achieve the goals in Israel’s Declaration of Independence to become a Jewish and democratic state concerned with the well-being of ALL its inhabitants.
Be a Goat Whisperer: Back by popular demand!
Weather permitting, from 10:30 am until 2:30 pm, in the ECC Playground, entrance from the laneway between Dewbourne and Ava Rd. Come by before or after services.
About the Study Session
Did you know that goats have been a symbol of the Jewish People since ancient times? Think: Chad Gad Ya.
Did you know that in biblical times, our ancestors would symbolically place their sins on the head of a goat and send it off into the wilderness? Think: Scapegoat. (See Leviticus 16)
All children are invited to bring their parents or grandparents to the playground next door to visit with the goats. Tell them about your regrets from the past year and how you plan to do better in the year ahead.
Rain or Shine.
Please note: Teachers and goat-herders will be on-site, but this is not a drop-off program. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Instrumental Music, Private Prayer & Reflection
With Cellist Beth Silver
In the Mishkan (2nd floor)
About the Study Session
Against the backdrop of the single voice of the cello, choose your favourite seat in the quiet and cool of the Mishkan for private meditation. One after another, congregants are welcome to ascend to the open Ark to offer private prayers for the new year. A collection of High Holy Day-themed readings will be provided for those who wish. The Plaut Torah Commentaries and the compilation of Jewish wisdom at the front of the Machzor (High Holyday Prayerbook) are also available for your personal contemplation.
Beth Silver Bio
Beth Silver (M.Mus) is thrilled to be part of a community in which she can thrive on her intuition and creativity through her instrument, the cello.
Performances with various chamber projects have brought her to manifold festivals around the world, from Austria to Scotland to the US, and of course here at home in Canada. She has been presented across Canada by Jeunesses Musicales, Prairie Debut, and Debut Atlantic as part of the Ladom Ensemble, which she joined in 2018. Her longtime duo with pianist Jenna Richards has been performing for diverse audiences in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes since 2013. Beth is also the newest member of Eastern European polyphonic singing band BLISK.
A number of stage and recording projects have called upon her to arrange string parts, and she appears on records ranging from singer-songwriter to prog rock, folk to funk, classical to jazz, R & B to Flamenco, some of which have received nominations from the Juno Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards and Bubbe Music Awards. Her studio work also includes soundtracks for movies, television, commercials and video games, and she has worked with playwrights, directors and sound designers to write, program and record music for theatre.
Through playing with Grammy-nominated Yiddish Glory, Beth has since developed a role in the global klezmer community, finding a unique voice for cello in the genre and representing Canada on the world stage. She has shared stages with the world’s leading klezmorim, performing in New York, Europe, and of course on a few remotely recorded pandemic projects. Her ongoing research in Jewish and Eastern European music has time and again brought her to Romania, which then gave way to collaborations with Cluj-Napoca’s Jewish History Museum to uncover and resurrect Maramureșean Jewish musical archives.
She is the recipient of grants from the Canada Council and her awards include a Canadian Folk Music Award for her arranging and playing, as well as the Ben Steinberg Musical Legacy Award recognizing musical achievement in the Canadian Jewish community.
Contemplative Walk
With Wendy Melvin
Weather permitting, meet on the green grass just outside the main entrance by the Welcome Desk
About the Study Session
Holy Blossom Walking Club will host a special Contemplative Walk through Cedarvale Park. The pace of our walk will be slow and mindful as we engage in rich conversation and inspirations taken from the Rabbis’ sermons, personal gratitude and commitments for a blessed year ahead. Please join us for fresh air, light exercise, and uplifting conversations with fellow congregants. This is an all-ages event.
Wendy Melvin Bio
Wendy Melvin is a member of the Holy Blossom Temple Board and a Masters 100 Metre competitive sprinter. She has led HBTogether’s walking group twice weekly after weekday Shacharit since September 14, 2021. The experience has been uplifting and has given participating congregants a chance to meet new friends and partake in safe exercise and contemplation.
People of the Book: Choose-Your-Own-Adventure
With Caroline Ingvaldsen, volunteer Librarian and Women of Holy Blossom’s Representative to the Temple Board
In the Max Enkin Library at the northeast corner of the Schwartz/Reisman Atrium
About the Study Session
Holy Grounds Café is closed, of course, but the bookshelves of our Max Enkin Library are well-stocked. Our Holy Blossom Temple Librarian, Caroline Ingvaldsen, will be on hand to help you find materials of interest. A collection of High Holy Day-themed readings will also be provided for private study.
Caroline Ingvaldsen Bio
Caroline Ingvaldsen is the daughter of Holocaust survivors, She was the first in my family to be born in Canada. Raised in Toronto in a Yiddish-speaking, strictly secular home, she did not receive a religious education. The birth of her children prompted an interest in Judaism and so in 1989, her family joined Holy Blossom Temple.
Over the years her involvement in Temple deepened. The turning point was participation in the Adult Bnei Mitzvah class which led to involvement in Sisterhood, now Women of Holy Blossom, and soon after Temple Singers, then chanting Torah.
Since her retirement from the Toronto Public Library five years ago, she has become the Librarian Volunteer at Temple, providing library services to Temple’s ECC, YEC and Senior School and moderating the HBTogether Book Club. Chair of Temple Singers and Recording Secretary of Women of Holy Blossom. She has also participated in the Dorot, Interfaith, Musical Heritage, REDI (Racial Equity Diversity & Inclusion), Tikkun Olam, Volunteer and Worship Committees.
Today her primary personal passions are her grandchildren. Her pastimes include the family country cottage, swimming all year round, and, of course, reading!
Teen Experience: Bridging the Gap through Dialogue
with Stephen Kalman, Holy Blossom Temple’s new Youth Engagement Coordinator
In the Youth Lounge (3rd floor, at the top of the spiral staircase)
About the Study Session
Yom Kippur isn’t only about apologizing to God — it’s also about repairing relationships with others. In this session, our teens will explore how dialogue can help us bridge the gaps between people — in our communities, families, and ourselves.
Stephen Kalman Bio
Stephen Kalman brings a strong background in Jewish programming, youth leadership, and community building, with experience spanning various youth groups: NFTY NEL, NFTY EIE in Israel, Camp George, and his undergraduate studies in Interactive Communications at Reichman University. His passion for inclusivity and Jewish identity has led him to create meaningful youth experiences both locally and abroad, including his time leading programs for Italian children with The English Camp Company. Known for his warm, easygoing nature and ability to connect with diverse groups, Stephen is committed to fostering a strong sense of belonging and leadership among our youth.
Art Gallery: Giant Watercolours
In the Lower Level Gallery at the base of the spiral staircase
About the Study Session
Immerse yourself in a world of colour. Our current exhibition, “Giant Watercolours” by Kathy Dolgy-Ludwig. Enjoy the solitude and creativity of the artwork and the stories they tell. Exhibition on display until October 15. A self-guided experience.
Exhibit curated by Elizabeth Greisman
This exhibit is sponsored by the Yosef Wosk Family Foundation in loving memory of Essie Arnold, a longtime member and volunteer of Holy Blossom Temple.
Kathy Dolgy-Ludwig Bio
My BA and BArch are from the University of Toronto, the city where I grew up, received my AOCAD thesis degree and taught art criticism at OCAD University. My MFA is from Chelsea College of the London Institute. I have had studios on Lake Chemong, Ontario, on Toronto Island and in Allenby Toronto, London’s Oval and Bagley’s Lane, Foggy Bottom and Capitol Hill in Washington DC, Gulfport Florida, the Adirondacks, Bushwick and Williamsburg and DUMBO Brooklyn, Greenwich Village and Hell’s Kitchen and Columbus Circle in Manhattan, and Paris in the 6th and 7th arrondissements. All these places are in my paintings. I have had over twenty solo shows in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Florida, Paris, London, South Korea, and Toronto, and many juried group exhibits. My work is in the permanent collections of the Pentagon, New York Mayor’s Office, National Arts Club, Playboy, London Globe Theatre, the American University of Paris, Chelsea Arts Club, and corporate and private collections in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, France, Australia, England, and Scotland.
My paintings are featured in publications such as the New York Times, New York Daily News, NYU Humanus, L.A. Times, and the Toronto Star, the Toronto Sun, and the Canadian national Globe & Mail, as well as news interviews most recently for the American University in Paris and in Washington DC. I have awards, residencies, and fellowships from freeDimensional and A.I.R. Gallery, selected by jurors from the Metropolitan Museum, London Royal Academy, The Brooklyn Rail, NYU Tisch, and Art in America.
My biographical website, about my journey as an artist, my current projects, and my upcoming exhibitions, is www.KatherineDolgyLudwig.com. My website of paintings for sale is www.LudwigPictures.com. My website of fashion, and home and office decor for sale, made from my original painting designs, is www.LudwigExpress.com. My most recent retrospective exhibition of 28 paintings made in Paris and London was at the Chelsea Arts Club in London. My resume is here.
Explore Jacob’s Tower
Entrance from the 3rd floor, to the left of the spiral staircase
“Jacob had a dream; Behold! A stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were ascending and descending upon it.” (Genesis 28:12)
Climb three flights to behold a 360-degree view of the city down to the lakefront. Learn about young Jacob Hertzman z”l, who loved Holy Blossom and loved the quiet contemplation our tower inspires.
Please note: Children must be accompanied by an adult.
