Growing a la Chelm. by Rabbi Karen Thomashow. The Chelm stories are outrageous and also poignant. One such favorite story is about a disagreement between two members of the community: do people grow from the feet up or the head down? The answer lies within this vBlog installment. The answer is also dedicated to this school year of learning. Kol HaKavod (a job well done) to all of our students of Torah! Read more »
By Cantor Maissner. Watch the short clips of videos and pictures to feel the electric atmosphere among the young children and adults who were present. Sam Glaser is a unique Jewish musical talent who devotes his life to bring renewed energy into our young people and adults alike. Sam was nominated by Moment Magazine as one of the top ten Jewish folk and popular singers. Sam has over 24 CDs and albums. His storytelling and teaching of Jewish Read more »
Our New Shinshinim (Israeli emissaries) for 2012-2013!! Gal (the boy) and Gefen (the girl) will join us in August as our new lovely, young Shinshinim for 2012-2013. (Or and Mai will be leaving in August 2012.) Gal and Gefen will divide their time between Holy Blossom Temple and Leo Baeck Day School. We are looking for Host Families for the coming year. Having one of these young emissaries live in your home is a true highlight – just ask Read more »
By Cantor Benjamin Maissner. Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration in Toronto has become a special event in the life of our city since the arrival of Consul General Amir Gissin. It is now a permanent feature to see the Israeli flag rise with pride and friendship over the Ontario Parliament building at Queen’s Park. Parliament members of all Parties gather outside in solidarity and devoted friendship to our Beloved State of Israel. I have witnessed Read more »
Thank you to Lev Madanik from everyone, past and present, here at Holy Blossom Temple. Enjoy Retirement! Click play to watch the video… Read more »
Wednesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. A block party in celebration of Israel’s birthday! And if you have travelled to Israel within the last year, we want to honour you (kids too!) with a group aliyah on Shabbat morning, April 21 at 10:30 am when Israeli Consul General Amir Gissin will address the congregation. Click accompanying image for details. Read more »
Counting Up, Not Down. by Rabbi Karen Thomashow. The question is asked as to why we count up the days between Passover and Shavuot, and not count down as is intuitive. The answer can be found here, by clicking on my blog this week. Please do follow-up by visiting www.notmyselftoday.ca. Not Myself Today is a campaign for Partners for Mental Health, a new national mental health organization focused on accelerating the social movement for Read more »
Sunday, May 13 at 11:00 a.m. Sam is a master of creating community through music. Holy Blossom Temple is proud to be bringing this popular singer-songwriter to Toronto. Grandparents and not-yet-member friends are welcome! Click the accompanying image for details. Read more »
As we anticipate the Memorial Tribute Concert in honour of Srul Irving Glick z’l with great excitement, I am thrilled to share with you a work in progress. Sunday April 22, 2012 at 8 pm three choirs will gather in our beautiful sanctuary to remember and celebrate the music of our beloved Srul Irving Glick z’l. It is ten years since we lost one of the great Jewish composers of our times. Srul Glick z’l was a dear friend, mentor and teacher Read more »
Like a dove in the cleft of the rock by Rabbi Karen Thomashow. As Passover approaches, I think of the Song of Songs, the biblical book which we read on Passover—an excerpt at the seder (Arise my love, my fair one, and come away…) and a full chapter on the first morning in synagogue (Like a lily among thorns, so is my beloved amongst the people…). Here, I describe my favorite verse from the Song of Songs and how a medieval interpretation Read more »
By Cantor Massiner. “SRUL IRVING GLICK REMEMBERED” A Memorial Concert April 22 at 8 p.m. Holy Blossom Temple Dear Friends: I cannot believe it is ten years since we lost one of the great Canadian and Jewish composers, Srul Irving Glick. It is as if he is eternally with us and his musical “Neshamah” radiates almost weekly within the walls of our Temple. His music enhances our services more than occasionally since I am so deeply Read more »
Yes, but only if they wear cowboy boots! For more information about Purim at Holy Blossom Temple, please click here. Read more »
Dear Family and Friends: David Shenk, the author of Forgetting: Alheizmer’s Portrait of an Epidemic, refers to Alzheimer’s disease as “death by a thousand subtractions.” Each month, Carol and I drove to Toronto to visit with my father and my sister, Judith. The ravages of the disease became all too clear with every passing trip. I know how hard it was for Judith, to witness, on a daily basis, the deterioration from learned scholar Read more »
In the first chapter of the Second Book of Samuel, when David learns of the death of Saul and Jonathan, he proclaims, “They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions”. And two chapters later when David learns of the death of Avner, he declares to his soldiers, and to all of Israel; “Know well that a Prince and a great man of Israel has died this day”. W. Gunther Plaut, father and husband, son and grandfather, brother Read more »
Why did the Patriots suffer a loss yesterday? Well, it is not that I have the exact answer. But in this “Fifth Quarter,” I do take a stab at one of the reasons that a football game is won or lost in the first place. And, in Jewish form, I suggest that this reason is applicable to our own lives. By the way, it is my home team’s quarterback Tom Brady himself who holds the wisdom behind the loss. Watch to learn more. And better luck next Read more »
Malcolm Lester is one of Canada’s finest publishers. Out of his fondness for Holy Blossom Temple and his interest in matters of the spirit, Malcolm took hold of our prayerbook project, brought together a tremendous team of professionals, and ushered the book to completion. Siddur Pirchei Kodesh is the result of Malcolm’s wise counsel and steadfast commitment. Hear his personal account of what this unique project means to him. This Read more »
The Glory of the German Jewish Musical Tradition February 3rd at 6 pm and Saturday, February 4th at 10.30 am Sermon in Song and Lecture after Kiddush at 1 pm With this short slide presentation we can experience the glorious audio sounds and visual structure of the once incredible community of German Jewry and its tradition which emanated from that corner of the world. Imagine the royalty of the music, its dignity within the structure of Berlin’s Read more »
Censorship – SOPA, PIPA, and the Talmud The internet, among other communities and places, seems to be dedicating this week to censorship. And is doing so, of course, because of the US government bills: the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect Intellectual Property Act. The Jewish community knows a lot about censorship. Primarily, the Talmud is a great source of reflection on this topic—not directly, in fact, but by way of how words in the Talmud Read more »
SHABBAT SHIRA February 3rd at 6 pm and Saturday, February 4th at 10.30 am Sermon in Song and Lecture after Kiddush at 1pm The intense sounds fill our Sanctuary as we enter our preparations in high gear for Shabbat Shira. Witness our Temple Singers as they are fully engaged and enveloped in the original sounds of our German Musical Synagogal tradition. This short clip demonstrates the intensity and seriousness of mastering the music of Read more »
SHABBAT SHIRA FEBRUARY 3 & 4, 2012 This Shabbat Shira is dedicated to pre WWII German Jewry and is directly connected to the Cantors Assembly Mission “A MUSICAL JOURNEY OF HERITAGE AND HEALING” which I will be leading this coming June 28th – July 4th 2012. The haunting melodies of our synagogal chants have, throughout the centuries, exercised powerful enchantment on our people’s minds and hearts and contributed substantially Read more »
SHABBAT SHIRA KABBALAT SHABBAT FEBRUARY 3, 2012 AT 6 PM CANTOR MAISSNER & LINDI RIVERS AND OUR HBT SIMCHAH BAND The Passion Of Chassidic Music “Mitzvah G’dolah Lihiyot B’simchah” Chasidic doctrine emphasizes that the greatest Mitzvah is to “Be In Joy”. Its expression through song and dance have been important values of the Chasidic movement since its beginnings in the second half of the eighteenth century. This idealization Read more »
If you have been following the Israeli news landscape regarding gender segregation in Israel recently, you may wish to reflect on the rabbinic law that supports such gender segregation amongst the ultra-Orthodox community. It turns out that the rabbinic law is a recent or modern law and not from the Torah or the Talmud. It begs many questions, therefore. Watch this blog for a reflection on this topic, and consider visiting this website for Read more »
Our new Siddur “Pirchei Kodesh” has been received very favourably by many of our worshipers. Friendly, informative, scholarly and full of surprises makes the Siddur a viable addition to our life at Holy Blossom. There are a few new passages throughout the Siddur which perhaps are not immediately familiar or recognizable. It is for that reason that I am happy to provide some learning tools — I am recording sections of the new passages which Read more »
A work in progress – a video clip demonstrating our accompanist, Nadia Adler, and myself researching original music of the German Jewish Tradition. Friday Night Live: with our Simchah Band “The Passion of Chassidic Music” Shabbat Morning: Origin and discipline of German Ashkenaz tradition. The Sahbbat in which we read (chant) the Song of Moses (Exodus Ch 15) sung at the crossing of the Red Sea is celebrated across the world with special Read more »
Ever wanted to know more about the function of the shammash (or ninth candle)? Wish to begin to get in the Chanukah singing and blessing spirit? Want to see the clergy of Holy Blossom play with video optics? Watch our first ever Chanukah Short! And see you on Friday December 23rd, at 4:30pm! Happy Chanukah! (In order of appearance in the video): Rabbi John Moscowitz Cantor Beny Maissner Cantorial Soloist Lindi Rivers Rabbi Read more »
Track Listing: 6. HANSHAMAH LACK 7. HAVEIN YAKIR LI EFRAIM 8. MIZMOR L’TODAH 9. LO TEDA MILCHAMAH 10. OSE SHALOM Read more »
The Three Ms Nostalgic Memories Concert – November 8th 2011 – was indeed amazing. With a packed house a warm and welcoming sympathetic audience, the three of us – Yossi Malovany, Yakov Motzen, and myself, shared with the public our life stories in songs, of early years growing up in Tel Aviv of the 50’s. We saluted and remembered with warm feelings our mentors and teachers, our beloved Hazzanim Shlomo Ravitz Z’L and the one and only, the Read more »
Jewish Hair. While this could be the topic of a popular play or an autobiography for many of us, it is truly a significant theme in our tradition. Here I elucidate one biblical reference to hair as it teaches us something about our best selves. Our tradition has understood the power of hair for eras. In this way, that Movember used hair as a way in which to galvanize support is entirely sensible. Many thanks to Joda Eisenberg, member of Read more »
The Three Ms Nostalgic Memories Concert – November 8th 2011 – was indeed amazing. With a packed house and a warm and welcoming audience, the three of us – Yossi Malovany, Yakov Motzen, and myself, shared with the public our life stories in songs, which our mentor and teacher, the beloved Hazzan Shlomo Ravitz Z’L had entrenched in us. This Cantorial selection is but one of the many prayers we studied as children way back then in 1950’s Read more »
Money may be Occupying our minds. One of the motivating and unifying ideas at the heart of the Occupy movement is the use of money. Our tradition is not want for responses to this general topic. Rabbi Steven Leder, our scholar-in-residence last Shabbat, wrote a book in fact a number of years ago about money and our tradition, entitled “More Money Than God.” Two ideas from his excellent book resonate with me this week. Please watch to Read more »
The complete video of Benny Morris: What Must Israel Do To Survive – And Thrive? lecture – November 17, 2011 at 8 p.m. Part of the Gerald Schwartz / Heather Reisman Fall Lecture Series at Holy Blossom Temple. To learn about our upcoming lecture, with Mark Steyn – Dec. 1 at 8 pm, click here. Read more »
The complete video of Yossi Klein Halevi’s What Must Israel Do To Survive – And Thrive? lecture - November 10, 2011 at 8 p.m. Part of the Gerald Schwartz / Heather Reisman Fall Lecture Series at Holy Blossom Temple. To learn about the third lecture in this series, with Benny Morris – Nov 17 at 8 pm, click here. Read more »
This vBlog post is dedicated to National Blog Post Month. The topic for this entry is how Torah’s account of creation and science’s account of evolution are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary. It is my interpretation that the artistry of Kathy Dolgy Ludwig takes this point one step further, by reminding us that the elements of the world which were created eras ago remain with us as our world continues to evolve. The sun Read more »
Watch this video and see our first and second year student teachers at Holy Blossom Temple. They devote their time, once or twice a week, to work with students from Grades JK-6 in Religious School and Hebrew School. These students have all given their time and energy for the benefit of our students. We are indebted to our student teachers and look forward to their continued successes. Read more »
The children of Rabbi W. Gunther and Elizabeth Plaut—Judith Plaut, Rabbi Jonathan and Carol Plaut—remember their parents, and reflect on their decision to dedicate Siddur Pirchei Kodesh in their honour. Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut was rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple from 1961—1977, at which time he was named the synagogue’s Sr. Scholar. Today—November 1, 2011—he turns ninety-nine. Read more »
Chag Sameach on this Simchat Torah. There is a beautiful parable for the occasion, which asks us to consider the essence of joy. Is joy for ourselves or for the sake of others or for both? Click on the video window and consider the meaning of the parable for yourself, especially during this week of many historic events. Shabbat Shalom too, Rabbi Karen Thomashow Read more »
This entry speaks to the Aseret Y’mei HaTeshuvah, the ten days of repentance, in which we are fully immersed at this time. At a time of introspection and contemplation, a quotation from the mouth of Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein spoke to some of our tendencies at this time. Gemar Chatimah Tovah—may we all be sealed in the book of life and blessing. Rabbi Karen Thomashow To view more of Rabbi Thomashow’s vBlogs, please click Read more »
Watch this video. Somehow in three minutes or so, it manages to capture the essence of the Holy Day: the sense of joy, concern, awe evoked in equal measure as one more year has come and gone. Click here to visit Rabbi Moscowitz Blog and watch! Read more »
Sharyn Salsberg Ezrin and Hershell Ezrin, beloved members of our synagogue, regulars in shul, leaders of services here and in the homes of our members, together with the Plaut Family, have made this book possible with very generous financial support. Their motivation, while responsive to the communal need, is very personal—and their gift to our congregation, one that keeps alive the memory of loved ones. (Watch for an upcoming video on the Read more »
Watch and listen as Hirsh Goodman, a leading Israeli journalist and strategist, speaks about his book, “The Anatomy of Israel’s Survival” at Holy Blossom Temple, Toronto, September 22,2011. Goodman was surprisingly optimistic, as is his book. To learn more about all our upcoming Schwartz/Reisman Centre for Jewish Learning programs, please click here. Read more »
Every other week, I will publish a vBlog about Torah, the wisdom of other Jewish literature, and general topics of interest through a Jewish lens. I am inspired by colleagues’ blogs, the general blogosphere, and Maimonides, who said that we have not fulfilled the study of Torah until we teach others. In other words, in addition to continuing to study Torah on my own, and in a community of students, I am commited to the sacred responsiblity Read more »
Welcome back to the Holy Blossom Religious School. As we approach Rosh Hashana, the students learn many elements of the Holy Day. Rabbi Thomashow speaks to the Grade 2 classes about the shofar. Watch as they count her tekiah! To learn more about everything our Religious School program offers, please click here. Read more »
Learn with Cantor Maissner a beautiful melody for “El Adon”—the liturgy and melody part of the liturgical library of the Jews, and soon to be part of ours, too, at Holy Blossom. Siddur Pirchei Kodesh will have much already very familiar and some that is new. Learn “El Adon” here and be ready to sing it Shabbat morning October 29, 2011, 10:30 am! This is a book to have at home, no less than in shul. And it’s a book for dedications, Read more »
Watch Our Temple Singers rehearse for the High Holy Days. Our volunteer choir rehearses once a week and sings at least twice a month during Shabbat and holiday Services. Song at Holy Blossom is an integral part of the prayer service, which allows for participation in the religious life of our synagogue. More singers are always welcome. For more information about Temple Singers, please click here to contact Mari Lynn Rusak. Read more »
Please watch this video interview with Rabbi Moscowitz and Rabbi Splansky, Siddur Editor, about the launch and value of Siddur Pirchei Kodesh to Our Community. This is a book to have at home, no less than in shul. And it’s a book for dedications, to remember loved ones as well as to pay honour on special occasions. See below to order your copy of our Siddur Pirchei Kodesh. Please click here to order Siddur Pirchei Kodesh for your home ◦ Please Read more »
Mondays at the Temple. Please click image to watch video. Started in 2003, Mondays at the Temple is for Senior Members of our Congregation. Put together by a group of dedicated volunteers, this video is a taste of what the program offers. The day provides an opportunity for Seniors to get together and build friendships all within the synagogue community. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., each Monday, the Temple offers a variety of opportunities Read more »
Or Shalem and Mai Levi will be joining us at the end of August 2011. They, as our past Shinshinim, will join us at Holy Blossom Temple and the Leo Baeck Day School south campus. They will be living with host families – if you are interested in hosting, please click here to contact Debbie Spiegel for more information. OUR SHINSHINIM FOR 2011-2012 OR SHALEM AND MAI LEVI Who are they?? Or Shalem is from Har Hadar, a community Read more »
Rabbi Splansky and Elana Paice, Temple member and Confirmation Teacher, go ziplining at Camp George. July 5, 2011. I write to you from Camp George on beautiful Maple Lake, near Parry Sound. The ruach (camp spirit) is high as campers and staff are enjoying the first week of the summer and the extra sunshine that’s come with it. Holy Blossom is well represented here. To read more from Rabbi Splansky’s “Camp George: a Jewish Classroom Read more »
Want a few minutes of great joy? Watch what the legendary singer Paul Simon does when a woman near the stage at a recent Simon concert yells out to him, “I learned to play the guitar on that song”. To read more of Rabbi Moscowitz’s Blog Entry: Six Minutes of Joy! Watch Paul Simon Give a Wonderful Gift – Click here. Read more »
With the Sanctuary full of congregants, guests and over two hundred Cantors attending the National Convention of the Cantors Assembly, the Shinonome Chorus, the Japanese choir from Beit Shalom Japan, moved everyone in attendance to tears as they invoked a memorial song in memory of the tragedy that has befallen their people. As they sang and delved into the prayer with the depth of their emotions, we all stood up in solidarity for the victims Read more »
Watch Marc Kielburger of Free The Children greet and thank the Holy Blossom community for our help in building the Kisurani All Girls School in western Kenya. And watch the tour Marc gives of the (now) newly opened school, as he explains why the school is so important to the Kisurani community and beyond. With thanks to our Social Action Committee for their leadership and dedication to this project! Our Featured Video: The Kisurani All Girls Read more »