Religious School

Our Vision

The vision of Holy Blossom Temple Religious School is to create an atmosphere of warmth, excitement and love of Jewish learning in which students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 (Lower School) and Grades 7-10 (Senior School) acquire:

  • Commitment/love of Judaism and Israel
  • Jewish values, skills and knowledge
  • Values of life-long Jewish learning and service to the community

Through a combination of creative and didactic learning experiences we aim to build a sense of community and belonging to Holy Blossom Temple, to the Jewish communities within Toronto and Canada, the broader Reform movement and Israel.

The development of skills and knowledge are meant to enable Jewish young people to read Hebrew, participate comfortably and capably in worship services, and master the basic skills required to study Torah, Haftarah and the holy days.

To attain these goals, we rely on an integrated curriculum and experiential/creative teaching models. Success depends upon dynamic, enthusiastic and Jewishly learned teachers, home/family support and commitment, and appropriate, responsible allocation of resources.

It is our hope that all our Confirmation students will join in a trip to Israel upon completion of their formal studies at Holy Blossom Temple.

Or Shalem and Mai Levi are the new Shinshinim at Holy Blossom Temple and Leo Baeck Day School South campus

For more information click here to send an email to Deborah Spiegel, Director of Education, or call 416-789-3291, ext.239.

Click here to download our Student Registration Application

Click here to download our 2011 Education Guide Book

Click here to downlad our current Academic Calendar

 

The Religious School News Archive

Religious School Reflection from a Grade 10 Confirmand

Confirmation Class 2012

Sam, a Grade 10 Confirmand, reflects on his experience at Holy Blossom Temple Religious School this past year. We thank Sam for his thoughts. Please join us as we celebrate our Confirmands and their accomplishments as a part of our Shabbat services, on May 26, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. We look forward to rejoicing with all of our Confirmands and their families. Good evening and Shabbat shalom. I find this time of year bittersweet, because although Read more »

Watch the New Video from Gal and Geffen!

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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 »

Why you should go to the Religious School Israel News Session…

Israel News

Click to play. Meet with Our Shinshinim, Or and Mai for a casual, pizza dinner and discussion on the latest news from Israel Fun and Easy: Bring a Friend or Two! We will meet once a month The First Session is: November 28, 2011 Meet in the Activity Room at 6:00 P.M. Click here to RSVP Debbie Spiegel   Read more »

Grade 7 Retreat

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This past Shabbat, Nov 18-20 a hearty group of Grade 7 students joined by their teachers, and members of HABSTY’s (our Grades 9-12 youth group) Executive, ventured to the YMCA Cedar Glen retreat centre for a wonderful Shabbat. Students prayed together, played together and studied together in a fun, caring and joyful atmosphere. The reaction of our students ranged from “awesome”, to “amazing”, to “I’m sorry I have to leave!” Read more »

Grade 5 Family Education program

Teacher, Mia Levin works with last year’s Grade 5 students

On Sunday, parents, grandparents and Grade 5 students gathered together to study prayer and some of its concepts. Rabbi Yael Splansky gave our group an overview of prayer, looking at blessings and the types of blessings in our siddur. (It was a wonderful opportunity to show off our beautiful new prayer book, Siddur Pirchei Kodesh.) Rabbi Splansky focused on three kinds of blessing, those of request, those of thanks, and those of praise. Read more »

For the benefit of our students… Religious School Student Teachers

Student Teacher_Screenshot

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 »

Saving His Life: A Prayer For Gilad Shalit’s Safe Return

Gilad Shalit

Holy Blossom is fortunate to have with us two young Israelis—Or Shalem and Mai Levy—for their year  of service to Israel and to the Jewish world prior to their entering the army. They are sensitive and smart, attractive models for the younger members of our community, appealing to all who come to know them. At Succot services on Thursday morning, Or and Mai read this prayer, one they wrote, in hopes of Gilad Shalit’s speedy and safe return. Read more »

Video: Welcome Back to the Holy Blossom Religious School

Religious School Screen grab

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 »

We welcome our new Shinshinim for 2011-2012.

Shinshinim

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 »