Meet Our New Director of Community Engagement
We are delighted to announce that, following a thorough search that yielded a number of wonderful, qualified candidates, Tema Smith will soon be joining Holy Blossom as our first, Director of Community Engagement. This position, together with our new database management software, will enable Temple to transform the way it engages with each member and member-to-be. Tema will join our team of Senior Staff. She will work with Rabbi Splansky on engagement and with Russ Joseph with respect to membership metrics. Her lay partner is our extraordinary Chair of the Department of Membership, Cheryl Sylvester.
Tema Smith, a third-generation Torontonian, returned to Toronto in 2008 and has since, personally and professionally, dedicated her skills and conviction to Toronto’s Jewish community. She comes to Holy Blossom Temple from Congregation Darchei Noam, where she was the Manager of Membership and Communications since 2012. She formerly held the roles of Programming Co–Chair at Limmud Toronto, Programming Coordinator of Makom: Creative Downtown Judaism, and Project Coordinator of the Canadian National Task Force on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research.
A sought after speaker on issues of Jewish diversity, Tema has presented or facilitated conversations at events such as the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, Limmud Toronto, and Where Sinai Meets Spadina: Downtown Tikkun Leyl Shavuot.
Tema is a Professional Affiliate of Big Tent Judaism, an organization dedicated to creating pathways to Jewish life for those who feel unaffiliated, marginalized, or disenfranchised from mainstream Jewish life. She is also affiliated with Be’chol Lashon, an organization that advocates for ethnic, cultural, and racial inclusiveness in the Jewish community.
Tema holds a BA (Hon) in Cultural Studies and Philosophy from Trent University, and was a Master’s student under the Canada Research Chair in Modern Jewish Thought at McMaster University. She has also studied as a visiting graduate student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
We thank those who joined us in crafting the ambitious job description and in the interview process: Joan Garson, Rick Howard, Rachel Jacobson, Jill Kamin and Cheryl Sylvester.
Holy Blossom Temple acknowledges the invaluable support of the Board of the Holy Blossom Temple Foundation and the chair, Elliott Jacobson, in assisting in making this transformative position happen. The Foundation acts as the philanthropic arm of the Temple by receiving donations for a variety of internal funds, investing them wisely and then returning a portion of the proceeds to the Temple to support valuable causes. Upon a request from the Temple’s lay leadership, the Foundation has provided full funding for this position for the first two years. Thank you to the Foundation for sharing the Temple’s vision for the future. In order to support creative initiatives like this to further animate Temple life, please consider the HBT Foundation as a worthy recipient of your tzedakah.
Tema will be joining us on May 16th. I know you will join us in welcoming her to Holy Blossom.
[blankline][one_half]Rabbi Yael Splansky
Senior Rabbi[/one_half][one_half_last]Russ Joseph
Executive Director
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Welcome, Tema! We are so delighted that you are joining the team at HBT. We are very lucky and I hope that you will be very happy here.
Dear Lindi – I am so excited to be joining the team! I look forward to getting to know you as I settle into this new phase of my professional life.
This is an inspired action of the Temple leadership. Engagement and community development is a fundamental requirement of a modern religious institution. The lay leadership, the rabbi, and the foundation leadership are to be highly commended on their action and their selection.
To my mind, this action supersedes even the building initiative, based as it is on spirit and action. This provides the opportunity for significantly enhanced content and relationships within the structure of the improved physical surroundings.
This is really good news!
May Tema have a very warm welcome and lots of success going forward. Congratulations to her.
Dear Cheryl and David,
Thank you for the message of welcome! I look forward to meeting you – and to contributing to the strengthening of the HBT community.
So excited to work with Tema at HBT! She is a leader in the wider Jewish community, and I know she’ll do great things with our community!
Rabbi Helfman – It really will be great to work together. Here’s to many more mimouna pancakes!
Tema, I look forward to meeting you. Welcome to Holy Blossom. Your expertise will enhance our congregation. Chag Sameach.
Dear Arlene,
Thank you for your warm words of welcome. I look forward to getting to know you and the rest of the members of this amazing community in the coming weeks and months.
What great news for HBT – thanks to everyone for such an inspired choice. And a big welcome to Tema!
Dear Johanna,
Thank you for your welcoming words. I am also grateful to the Temple leadership for giving me this amazing opportunity!
I look forward to meeting you as I settle into this new and exciting role.
Congratulations to Temple leadership for having the wisdom to create this key position! Appears that you have hired a most qualified Jewish leader to fill this prime need. Welcome, Tema!
Dear Rifky,
Thank you for your kind words! I look forward to taking up the mantle of this new role – and to hopefully meeting you along with the rest of the Holy Blossom community as I settle in.
This is wonderful news!
Congratulations to Tema and to all of us!
Dear Alan,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I look forward to meeting you as I get to know the whole HBT community!
Wonderful news! Welcome, Tema. We look forward to supporting your important work for our community.
Dear Vanessa,
Thank you so much for your warm welcome – and for your commitment to support my work! The task of community building needs people like you! I look forward to meeting you as I get settled in.
Mazal tov and welcome! I’m looking forward to working with you, and I know that Holy Blossom will gain from your creativity.
Rabbi Satz –
I look forward to getting to know you better, and to learning from/working with you over the coming years!
I too want to add my personal greetings to you Tema. Your bio is very impressive and we all are looking forward to work with you and help you help us build a better more intense and creative sensitive community
Mazal tov on your appointment and good luck Beny
Dear Beny,
Thank you for your kind and generous words. I look forward to learning from you and your legacy as cantor of this amazing community, and to working with you in the years to come.
Tema, a big warm Holy B welcome to you!
I hope we will have a chance to chat, since you have so much great experience.
Dear Cynthia,
I also hope we have a chance to chat! In fact, I will make it a priority! I hope to welcome you to my office for a cup of coffee (or do you prefer tea?) as I get settled in.
Thank you for your warm welcome!
Welcome to our Holy Blossom FAMILY. We are delighted that you will be with us. We hope you will be happy here.
Dear Pnina,
Thank you for welcoming me so heartily into the family. I look forward to settling in and to meeting the many faces of the HBT community. I am exciting for what I think will be a fulfilling and meaningful opportunity to contribute to such a dynamic congregation.
Dear Tema, You will find Holy Blossom to be a lively and dynamic community. Your leadership is appreciated and valued by both the lay and congregational folks at HBT.
Welcome aboard!
Denise Gordon, Dennis Chow and family
Dear Denise and Dennis,
Thank you for your kind welcome. I’m so excited to get to know the HBT community.
I look forward to meeting you both in person!