Holy Blossom Temple, 1950 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON (2026)

06/02/2026

Yesterday, Holy Blossom Temple hosted Prime Minister Mark Carney as he addressed the growing crisis of antisemitism in Canada. RabbiYael Splansky's video remarks offered a powerful reflection on the importance of protecting Jewish life, strengthening our shared civic bonds, and ensuring that every Canadian can live openly and safely as themselves. We are proud to share her message.

05/13/2026

We are excited to announce that Holy Blossom Temple’s Youth Education Centre is entering a bold new chapter this Fall as The Honourable Irwin Cotler School of Holy Blossom Temple!

Named in honour of the Honourable Irwin Cotler, The Cotler School reflects our renewed commitment to raising proud, confident, knowledgeable Jewish children through Excellence in Jewish Education. Under the leadership of Dr. Cindy Kozierok, our new Director of Lifelong Learning, and Lisa Isen Baumal, Principal of Youth Education and Family Engagement, our students will have the opportunity to strengthen their Jewish identity and values.

📚 Registration for 2026-27 at The Cotler School is now open. Join us as we shape the next generation of Jewish Education at Holy Blossom Temple!

Register for Sunday mornings (JK - Grade 5) or Monday evenings (Grade 6-12): https://congregationconnect.tfaforms.net/f/YECRegistration26-27

For After School @ Holy B (JK - Grade 4) Monday to Friday, register and learn more here: https://holyblossom.org/after-school-holy-b/

Together, let’s carry this learning forward and make a gift to Excellence in Education today.
Donate online here: https://congregationconnect.tfaforms.net/f/HBTGDonation
or contact Joe Freedberg at [email protected].

05/11/2026

🎭✨ And that’s a wrap… WE ARE SOLD OUT ✨🎭

Thank you to our incredible community for the overwhelming support of North of Broadway: Celebrating 170 Years of Holy Blossom Temple! Tonight promises to be an unforgettable evening of music, storytelling, and Broadway magic in support of Excellence in Education.

From all of us at Holy Blossom Temple, thank you for helping us make this celebration so special. We can’t wait to roll the red carpet out for you!

05/08/2026

The countdown is ON! North of Broadway is ALMOST HERE!

For over 170 years, Holy Blossom Temple has stood at the heart of Canadian Jewish life, shaping community, nurturing connection, and carrying a shem tov that resonates far beyond our walls. Today, as our community continues to grow and flourish, this milestone celebration feels especially meaningful. There is so much to celebrate, and we hope you’ll play your part in this unforgettable evening.

And in case you missed it: our VIP Reception is now officially SOLD OUT! Concert & Dessert Reception Tickets are still available – but selling fast! Get your tickets here: https://holyblossom.org/north-of-broadway-2/

Celebrate Holy Blossom Temple: 170 Years Strong with us!

05/04/2026

🎭✨ ONE WEEK TO GO! ✨🎭

We are so excited for North of Broadway: Celebrating 170 Years of Holy Blossom Temple, and this show keeps getting even better!

We’re thrilled to spotlight another performer, Matthew Joseph! With his incredible stage presence and powerhouse vocals, Matthew is sure to bring even more magic to a night already filled with unforgettable Broadway hits and heart. From timeless classics to show-stopping numbers, this is your chance to celebrate the legacy of Jewish composers who helped shape Broadway, all while marking 170 years of Holy Blossom Temple in true theatrical style.

We are rolling out the red carpet! Join us for the VIP Cocktail Reception at 6:30 pm. Enjoy delicious bites and soak up the buzz before the show begins.

🎟️ Tickets are going fast, and you won’t want to miss this! Grab your seats now: https://holyblossom.org/north-of-broadway-2/

04/24/2026

With deep sorrow and profound gratitude, we mourn the passing of our beloved President, Eric Roher z”l.

Eric’s life was woven into the very fabric of Holy Blossom Temple. He was a proud, multi-generational member who both shaped and was shaped by this sacred community. His leadership, devotion, and deep love for our congregation will continue to guide us.

We will gather to honour Eric’s life and surround the Roher family with comfort this Sunday, April 26, at 1:00 pm at Holy Blossom Temple.

Shiva details and donation information can be found here: https://holyblossom.org/honouring-eric-roher-zl/

May the memory of Eric Roher, Arieh ben David v’Lailah, always be for a blessing.

04/14/2026

🎭✨ ONE MONTH TO GO! ✨🎭

Cue the lights. Cue the music. The countdown is ON!

We’re just ONE MONTH away from North of Broadway: Celebrating 170 Years of Holy Blossom Temple, and this special message from Louise Pitre is giving us all the chills!

We sure hope you have your tickets for an unforgettable evening of Broadway’s most iconic music, celebrating the extraordinary legacy of Jewish composers who helped shape the stage we love today. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be swept into the magic of dazzling performances, incredible talent, and a night full of Holy Blossom heart and history.

Upgrade your experience with our VIP Cocktail Reception at 6:30 pm! Walk the red carpet, indulge in delicious bites, and soak in the excitement before the show begins!

Don’t wait! Tickets are selling fast! Secure your seats and be part of something truly special. Learn more & get your tickets here: https://holyblossom.org/north-of-broadway-2/

Let’s celebrate 170 years in style…Broadway style 🎶

03/23/2026

From synagogue to synagogue, coast to coast, our music tells our story. Celebrate 100 years of Reform Jewish Music with an unforgettable evening of song, spirit, and community! 🎶 Musical Gems of the Canadian Reform Synagogue: March 25 @ 7:30 pm. We can’t wait to sing with you! Get your tickets here: https://holyblossom.org/event/musical-gems-of-the-canadian-reform-synagogue/

03/13/2026

חזק חזק ונתחזק
Be Strong. Be Strong
And let us strengthen one another
Shabbat Shalom

03/11/2026

You may have heard the news of reports that there was an incident at Holy Blossom Temple. Two signs posted outside the Temple referencing the City of Toronto’s recently established "bubble zone bylaw" were removed and were found on the ground. There was no damage to the building, and the matter has been reported. We also contacted our elected officials at all levels to further illustrate that our community is counting on them at this time.

When the bylaw was established and the required signage was put up, we added an accompanying sign of our own. We stand by its message today.

L'Shalom

02/13/2026

This shehecheyanu moment we have been dreaming of for years is finally here 🚊✨

3 minutes and 31 seconds. That’s all it takes to get from Forest Hill Station to Holy Blossom Temple! We’re more connected than ever and becoming a truly urban congregation. No more worrying about parking on the High Holy Days. Easier access for our kids, teens, and families. Some possibilities we can already imagine…and so many more still to come.

Take full advantage of the new LRT stop. Bring your friends. Come to Holy Blossom. It is time to celebrate that we are on the line! It’s easier than ever to join the Holy Blossom Community: https://holyblossom.org/membership/

01/27/2026

We must remember. We must remember the six million Jewish lives lost in the Holocaust. We must remember the millions more lost, persecuted, and voices silenced. Their memory lives on in our prayers, our learning, and our community.

As the darkness of antisemitism spreads, honouring this day asks us to hold both memory and hope with care. To refuse indifference. To protect one another. To carry life forward with courage and light. We must remember not only to mourn, but to promise that our light endures 🕯️

01/25/2026

Epic snow outside, big thinking inside ❄️❄️❄️ Our Board retreat plowed ahead through Toronto’s snowstorm, proof that when purpose calls, even a blizzard can’t slow the conversation. We’re so grateful to Rick Lash for guiding us with insight, clarity, and heart. If today was any indication, his book Once Upon a Leader is a must-read for anyone thinking about leadership in times of growth and change.

Boots at the door, vision on the table, and a lot of gratitude for meaningful learning together

01/22/2026

Measha Brueggergosman-Lee invites us into a world shaped by music and myth. In celebration of Shabbat Shira, we are thrilled to welcome back Opera Atelier for an intimate performance of Debussy and Sondheim, featuring Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, Cantor David Rosen, and pianist Christopher Bagan.

🎶🌲 We cannot wait to welcome you into the forest on Sunday, February 1! Learn more & join us here: https://holyblossom.org/event/shabbat-shira-celebration-with-opera-atelier/

This musical afternoon will be enhanced by live visual art from Elizabeth Greisman. Join us on this journey that blends sound, story, and image. With thanks to Katalin Schafer for generously sponsoring this event.

01/11/2026

We are shaken by the news of the arson attack on our sister-synagogue, Beth Israel Congregation of Jackson, Mississippi. A cornerstone of Southern Jewish life, it was bombed in 1967 by the Ku Klux Klan when its Toronto-native rabbi, Perry Nussbaum, courageously supported the civil rights movement. Now hatred has once again led to violence.

If you would like to help Beth Israel rebuild and replace its two Torah Scrolls, you can make a donation here: https://checkout.square.site/merchant/P9THETP8R9573/checkout/IUINAGVZSZLB3B6MWQXDPNUB

We stand in solidarity with the Beth Israel Congregation and pray for healing and resilience for this community and for the Jewish People everywhere.

12/16/2025

A season of gratitude and connection 🙏 We are deeply thankful for the support, friendship, and spirit shared between the staff of Holy Blossom Temple and Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. Coming together reminds us of the strength that grows when communities walk alongside one another. Wishing warmth, peace, and continued partnership in the season ahead. Chanukah Sameach and Merry Christmas!

12/15/2025

In the aftermath of the deadly attack on the Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach,
We stand with the Australian Jewish Community.
We mourn the fifteen whose lives were cut short.
We pray for the more than forty wounded.
We thank the first responders and the Muslim civilian who risked his life to stop one of the gunmen.
We call on our own elected officials to provide additional protections for our own Jewish communities of Canada.

בָּאנוּ חוֹשֶׁךְ לְגָרֵשׁ
בְּיָדֵינוּ אוֹר וָאֵשׁ
כָּל אֶחָד הוּא אוֹר קָטָן
וְכֻלָנוּ אוֹר אֵיתָן

We have come to banish the darkness. In our hands, a light. Everyone is a small flame and together, a great source of light!

11/18/2025

You know the words, now hear the story of Hannah Senesh tomorrow night at Holy Blossom Temple as we welcome acclaimed author Douglas Century. This is sure to be a powerful and revealing evening as he presents a new portrait of Hannah Senesh, the heroic poet, paratrooper, and resistance fighter remembered as a beacon of hope during the Holocaust. The evening will also feature a tribute through song inspired by the poetry of Hannah Senesh, performed by Cantor David Rosen, Tal Katz, and our Temple Singers, as well as a question period moderated by Cynthia Good.

Crash of the Heavens: An Evening with Author Douglas Century

“My God, my God, may it never end – the sand and the sea, the rustle of the water, the brilliance of the sky, the prayer of man”
אלי, אלי,
שלא יגמר לעולם
החול והים
רשרוש של המים
ברק השמים
תפילת האדם

11/17/2025

Our kehillah kedoshah came together for our second annual Shabbat of Welcome this past Shabbat to celebrate the light we create when everyone is welcomed, seen, and embraced.

In the glow of Shabbat, we are reminded that Holy Blossom Temple is more than a synagogue, it is our spiritual home where our stories, our prayers, and our hearts meet. May we continue to grow together in blessings, in joy, and in sacred purpose ✨🕯️🕯️✨

11/07/2025

🩷⚡️Don’t you want to come to Holy Blossom 🩷⚡️It was so wonderful seeing everyone over the High Holy Days and Fall Festivals, you know Shabbat comes every week, right? And next Friday, November 14, is our Shabbat of Welcome! It’s the perfect time to welcome and be welcomed! Learn more & join us here: https://holyblossom.org/shabbat-of-welcome-2/

All you gotta do is like and share this video with your friends and family and...meet us at HBT, where Kabbalat Shabbat is always awesome ✡️🕯🕯

10/28/2025

⚾ What a grand slam of a night! Even though the Jays didn’t clinch the win, our Holy Blossom fans hit it out of the park with spirit, snacks, and smiles 💙

Thanks to everyone who came out to watch Game 3 together. After 18 (chai!) innings, we can all agree, that game had life in it! A big shout-out to our MVPs, the Holy Blossom Temple Brotherhood, for their support to make this major league evening a reality. The series isn’t over till it’s over LET’S GO BLUE JAYS!

Holy Blossom Temple