eblasts

Dear members,

I wanted to share thoughts with you about recent happenings at Habonim and the historic nature of events that have occurred in our congregation just the past couple of weeks.

On July 16th, the groundbreaking for our new synagogue took place under somewhat unusual circumstances. With thunderstorms in the area and a deluge of rain, ceremonies were moved to the premises of our loyal friends at the Grace Tabernacle church, across the street from the construction site, emblematic of Habonim’s friendship with people of all faiths.

We received good wishes from our aboriginal friends and a warm message of friendship and gratitude for the exemplary work Habonim members have pursued in support of so many beyond our congregation. We also heard from Holocaust survivors and their descendants about how much the new building means to them, and received greetings and encouraging words from politicians from every level of government.

When the rain stopped, we were able to move back across the street - outdoors for the ceremonial groundbreaking pictures. Miraculously, a rainbow suddenly appeared overhead, creating an absolutely picturesque backdrop for the event! May that rainbow be a symbol of hope and peace, in memory of the Holocaust survivors who had the foresight to establish our unique congregation and for all who will have the good fortune of using the new building for many years to come.

The capital campaign has been extremely successful – we had raised $9.6 million as of the date of the groundbreaking, but with costs projected at about $13.5 million and our goal of being mortgage free, the Board has been hard at work to secure additional contributions.

In this regard, I am extremely grateful to report that, last week, we received a $2 million commitment from the Sherman family, enabling Honey & Barry’s z”l legacy of exceptional generosity to live on as part of Habonim.

Honey, a daughter of Holocaust survivors, participated on the March of the Living, and was deeply committed to Holocaust education, and very much enjoyed attending Habonim’s High Holiday services with members of her family last year. And although Barry was a self-proclaimed non-believer, he could always be counted on to support the social and humanitarian efforts Habonim is so often involved in.

This remarkable gift is yet one more example of the positive impact Barry and Honey, and now their children, continue to have on our community and beyond.

The Sherman gift has set the stage for a strong finish to the campaign as we continue to reach out to long-time members yet to make their gift and to new members who will benefit from the new building for many years to come. The campaign now stands at $11.6 million and our financial goal of a mortgage-free building is clearly in sight! Equally important, is the goal of 100% membership participation in the campaign. If you have not made your commitment yet, or would like to add to one you have already made, I would welcome a call from you to discuss your participation.

Please remember: No gift is too small! Every dollar counts and will help us continue to build the beautiful community that Habonim is to so many.

Unfortunately, not all news is good. Habonim lost a valued member of our congregation this month. Barrie Rose, a visionary leader and philanthropist in Toronto’s Jewish community, passed away on July 15th, just one day before the ground breaking ceremony. A truly progressive thinker and a supporter of numerous causes within and outside the Jewish community, Barrie was one of our lead donors to the capital campaign and a true friend of Habonim. He will be deeply missed but his memory will live on through the numerous good projects he supported over the years.

The past few weeks’ events have been of historic significance for our congregation. The groundbreaking - rainbow and all, a hugely significant gift from the Sherman family, and, sadly, the loss of one of our treasured members.

As we begin to prepare for the New Year, these events should serve as reminders to all of us of the importance of doing good and the very special place Habonim holds in the hearts of those we touch.

I look forward to seeing all of you at our 2018 Habonim High Holiday services, once again held at Leo Baeck School – and, of course, at our 2019 High Holiday services in our NEW building!

May we all continue to go from strength to strength,

Eli Rubenstein

Religious Leader

             Habonim Groundbreaking, July 16, 2018