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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Jordan Helfman

Danny Fenster is coming home.   You may not know the name in the Canadian press, but Danny grew up not far from where I was born, is friends with some of my university classmates, and is a member of the Reform Jewish community around Detroit,…
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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Jordan Helfman

Though my feet are still here in Canada, I had two moments abroad this week which I want to mention, both centred around sacred memory. Honouring Memory through Learning  Those that were in Shabbat Torah Study this past week will remember…
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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Jordan Helfman

Fragility of Life - Fragility of Structure As I was building a shack in my back yard this past week, someone nearby commented on how it looked pretty secure - except that the holes in the roof could be a slight problem for the rain. Now…
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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Jordan Helfman

Olympic Fervor In a letter to the small yet learned and pious Jewish community in Yemen, Maimonides comments on the idea of what makes a great nation.  He teaches that while others may have bigger numbers, the Jewish people is special because…
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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Jordan Helfman

A Complex Canada Day In a recent article for Truah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, Canadian rabbi, Jesse Paikin, teaches about a moment in last week's Torah portion when Balaam's eyes are finally opened to see what was in front of him…
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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Jordan Helfman

The Fabric of Canada What makes the fabric of Canada so beautiful is that it is knit in so many bright and diverse colours.  Multiple identities are highlighted and made more beautiful through how other strands reinforce their difference.…
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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Jordan Helfman

This Saturday night, the World Union of Progressive Judaism conference, which I co-chaired with Nitzan Barak (Israel) and Hannah Verhulst (the Netherlands) drew to a close. It was a strange thing to be in my home, with over 1,000 participants…
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Rabbinic Reflection: Rabbi Jordan Helfman

Bridging the World Towards Kindness   https://youtu.be/P2QwfQrtDB0   Olam Chesed Yibaneh -   We must build our world from loving-kindness.   The world is a big place – and there are gaps between what…

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Founded in 1856, Holy Blossom Temple is Toronto’s first synagogue with a rich history of tradition and modernity in our religious and spiritual expression.

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