Holy Blossom Temple, a Reform Synagogue, is rooted in the three pillars of Judaism – Torah – Avodah – and Gimilut Chasadim. While we honour our past, our present and our future is an opportunity for all to share in dynamic and continued growth and excitement for our historic Congregation. We offer many opportunities for you to connect to Judaism through study, prayer and social action.

Please take some time to familiarize yourself with our Congregation. As you browse our Web site you will quickly learn about us and see the vast array of opportunities for one’s engagement at Holy Blossom. If Judaism matters to you, you will find something significant here at Holy Blossom for you. You will find relationships – connections to others who share your interest and that of your family. You will find a commitment to excellence.

If you are new to Toronto or looking to join a synagogue, we welcome you in to our congregation and our community. I believe that everyone who participates in our community has something to contribute to it. Consider how you can find your niche at Holy Blossom. Or even better, contact me so that we talk about it together.

Barry Silver, President

bsilver@holyblossom.org

Membership information

President's address to the congregation, Installation, November 24, 2007

Shabbat Shalom

While reflecting on what I was going to say this morning I realized what an amazing time it is, and how privileged I am to be President of this great Congregation. I am filled with a sense of awe, excitement, thanksgiving and optimism. Allow me to explain.

We, the lay leadership, have been and will continue to be charged with the responsibility of the stewardship of this historic Congregation as we continue to move toward our goal of renewal. This journey we are on is not one of a sole proprietorship, but rather one of a collaborative effort of lay leadership, staff and congregation.  During this past year and now as we continue our journey, this congregation has been the beneficiary of an unprecedented commitment of volunteerism and lay leadership working together for the generations that will follow. Recently Rabbi David Wolpe who spoke from this pulpit during The Schwartz-Reisman Lecture series, wrote: “In a world that cherishes individuality, it is important to remember how desperately we need one and another”.  This statement is true and especially pertinent at Holy Blossom. We have continued to lay the groundwork to help strengthen this Congregation.

Through the efforts of many people, too many to name, we have developed and will continue to encourage the various opportunities for dialogue and congregational involvement. It is this level of engagement that will help ensure that we will build our house and that we will build and strengthen our own community. A strong community gives each one a sense of being and belonging. Engagement should not be and must not be for renewal alone but for all areas within Temple. Engagement will help strengthen our Synagogue, our community for years to come and by extension, engagement will strengthen the three pillars of our being: Torah, Avodah, and Gimmilut Hassidim. As we strengthen ourselves from within, Holy Blossom Temple will grow as a desirable and sought after synagogue especially as younger families continue to relocate to our main catchment area. Last Shabbat we honoured and welcomed our new members at a special Kiddush following services. Yes, there were some seniors who joined to be with their families, but the vast majority was the younger generation with young children. One set of young parents brought their five week old son. That speaks volumes. Another congregant who spoke to me last week is now fully engaged on one of Temple’s committees. I am also encouraged by the fact, that even this week, we are continuing to receive requests for new member applications and we continue to receive completed applications as well. By no means is our work done, we are just beginning.

Also for the first time that I know of, we have and are accepting children of non-members into our religious school. This was approved by the Board this year and we have 11 children in our primary grades. Considering that we did not do any widespread advertising, 11 new students is an outstanding feat, and remember that the students’ parents are paying the full cost of educating their child at Temple. That in itself has to be a testament to education here at Temple. These parents have made a conscious decision about their children’s Jewish education. This is exciting! What is also good is the fact there are 11 more young children to engage with the students already at Holy Blossom. This too is exciting! As we develop a plan to continue to foster this area of our outreach we must and will work to encourage these parents to become members, part of our Temple family.

While I’m reflecting on education, let us not forget about our valued, strategic partner, the Leo Baeck Day School. Operating near capacity now and with the plans for their new school, who among us does not believe that the Leo Baeck Day School will be a destination for parents looking to send their children to a Jewish day school, especially people living in this area? Yes, some will be members of other synagogues, but many will not. This has been, is, and will continue to be, an opportunity for engagement and membership. More often than not, children can be the ambassadors that help propel parents into our Synagogue. Ultimately it is up to us, leadership in concert, with our senior staff, and support staff, to help bring any and all families into our congregation and into our community. It is everyone’s responsibility and dare I say our duty to make our new members welcome. Therefore, I would hope each one of us would move from our comfort zone to extend our hand to members we do not know and help them feel comfortable and at ease at Holy Blossom as we do.  We are better at doing this today than we were prior, but there is still more that we can do. It is my belief that through direct one-on-one interaction with our new members, young or old, we stand a better chance of maintaining their connection, their membership with Holy Blossom. The interaction and connecting has to take place early on and it can not be a “one-off”, a one time occurrence.  It must be done on a consistent basis as we need to nurture our new members. They deserve our support. Remember, regardless of how long each of us has been a member we are but one of the many spokes in the wheel that makes up Holy Blossom. My optimism is tied directly to our fundraising success to date.  As we have said, we have commitments in excess of $13,000,000.00 from congregants who have the ability to donate at the leadership gift level.

While fundraising at the major donor level continues, we have now turned our attention and focus to the lay leadership. Lay leadership has a responsibility to each other and to all congregants. It is an expectation that lay leadership will lead by example.  This applies to all areas of Temple life including fundraising. In point of fact, this is outlined in the responsibilities of Board Members. Our target for the Temple and Foundation Board members is 100% participation in our capital campaign.  I believe that this goal is within reach and should be attained in the next couple of weeks. My optimism for our success is further enhanced by the detailed work underway in planning the overall capital campaign by our capital campaign chairs, the Foundation office, the professional staff and advisors. 

Last year when I stood in this very spot, I concluded my remarks with the following, quoting the words of the writer and educator Leonard Fein, the founder of Mazon, the Jewish Response to Hunger. He wrote: “Religion does not come to answer questions we cannot otherwise answer; it comes to insist on questions we might not otherwise ask.  Here then, is religion’s most insistent, most urgent question: What will you do? That question does not call for speculation; it calls for commitment, it calls for action.”   And now one year later I am able to say with full conviction that each of you did answer the question. You did contribute, each of you in your own way and yes it was an exciting time. We spent countless hours on the phone – at meetings – on our computers – and we didn’t always agree, but we listened to each other.  I have been at the Board table for over 16 years. I am able to say that during these many years I have never seen such a high intensive level of engagement by so many.

You gave of yourself and then you gave more and continue to do so, because you are committed to this Congregation, as am I. To those of you, whose terms have ended, thank you. To those of you are coming on the Board for the first time, we welcome you, we salute you for agreeing to serve, and we look forward to your contribution to this synagogue.

As I have said in private and will acknowledge this morning, my optimism for the future is because I have come to understand and fully believe in what Rabbi Moscowitz said to me 18 months ago, prior to my becoming president. Rabbi Moscowitz said to me that our congregation is blessed with outstanding human capital.  This is absolutely true. We have many congregants who are able and willing to be a vital and active part of this congregation. This augers well for the future of the congregation. With your dedication and belief in it, Holy Blossom will be in good hands.

A personal reflection: This congregation is blessed to have had many fine past presidents and wardens. One is not born a president, and past presidents have had their successes and challenges. With that said, I wish to thank those past presidents and wardens who provided me with an ear to listen and in many cases advice to ponder.

My calls were always answered. By the same token you have called me with constructive suggestions. I thank you and I know we will continue to talk. I value your council.

To Rabbi Moscowitz and the members of the senior staff, thank you for your support.  You are always available to me and our Board.

To Cantor Maissner a special thank you. As many of you know, last Sunday in my report to the Congregation, I moved away from my written text on a couple of occasions and by doing so neglected to mention and thank the Cantor. Beny, please accept my regrets. Our musical program at Temple is what it is because of you and all you efforts. Know this as well. Although I am supposedly tone deaf, I would be pleased to sing with you at Roy Thomson Hall once again. 

Thank you as well to Lindi Rivers and all to of our choirs here at Temple. All of you are integral parts of Holy Blossom.

As we continue to work together: congregants, senior staff and an unparalleled group of lay leaders, toward our goal of renewal, engagement infused with new members young and old, adults and children, and a successful capital campaign, may we all do so with a sense of awe, excitement, thanksgiving and optimism,  for our congregation.

In  conclusion another quotation from Rabbi Wolpe, who said “If we are wise, the screen and the cell phone will periodically give way to the outreached human hand, for it is not good, and never has been good to be alone”. May we all continue to work together and go from strength to strength as we strive to build this sacred congregation and community, and then we will be able to say with one voice in unison and with great vigour and conviction, ashrei yoshevi veitecha, od yehalelucha selah. “Happy are those who dwell in Your house: they shall sing your praises forever.”

Shabbat Shalom