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PAST PRESIDENTS

Cheryl Grammer

2020-2023

Cheryl is a former strategy consultant with over 15 years experience advising large  Canadian companies on global operational strategy. She holds a Bachelor of  Applied  Science with Honours in Mechanical Engineering from U of T and an MBA  from the  Schulich School of Business. When she left the corporate world to focus  on her family  and philanthropic causes, she joined the board and executive of  Robbins Hebrew Academy (formerly United Synagogue Day School) and went on  to chair the Beth Tzedec-USDS joint Building Committee. After climbing  Kilimanjaro in 2011 she founded Grads Go Global, a grassroots charity created to unite Toronto’s high school grads in raising awareness and funds for Amani  Children’s Home, an organization dedicated to rescuing and educating street  children in Tanzania. Between 2012-2019 Grads Go Global raised over $200,000   for Amani, and Cheryl continues to sit on the board of Friends of Amani Canada. Cheryl and her husband Mark have been long term members of Habonim, where Mark celebrated his Bar Mitzvah over 40 years ago. More recently, their sons also celebrated their Bar Mitzvahs at Habonim. Cheryl joined the Habonim Board in 2017 and the executive in 2019, and has spearheaded many of the new programming initiatives. 

 

Joanie Smith

2017-2020                                                                                                                  

Joanie was a long time Habonim board member, bringing a wealth of volunteer and Jewish communal experience with her, including involvement with Israel Cancer Research Fund, the Ride to Conquer Cancer, the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning, along with chairing various school committees when her children were younger.  Joanie's leadership was instrumental in the fruition and success  of The New building.  Joanie and her husband Steven have two adult children who attended the Habonim Jewish Heritage School and were Bar/Bat Mitzvahed by Eli.

Ted Rechtshaffen

2010-2017

Ted Rechtshaffen presents award to Habonim Cantor Esther Ghan Firestone, the first female cantor in Canada.

Ted Rechtshaffen has been a member of Habonim since 1988, joined the Board as Treasurer in 2007, . He believes that Congregation Habonim provides an ideal home to a segment of the community that is looking for an open, meaningful, accepting and down to earth environment. The music is very good too!!

Outside of Habonim, Ted is President and CEO of TriDelta Financial and TriDelta Investment Counsel, a financial planning and investment firm. In addition, he writes a column on Personal Finance in the National Post.

Ted’s wife Cathy was also Registrar of the Jewish Heritage School at Habonim. They have 3 children, Hannah, Meyer and Owen.

Mon, December 2 2024 1 Kislev 5785