Reflections from our summer interns

As their summer internship at Holy Blossom comes to a close, our interns reflect on their time spent with us! It was our honour to welcome these two bright students into the Holy Blossom family for the past eight weeks. They brought spirit, dedication, and talent to their roles and we are so grateful for their contributions to Temple life. Kol HaKavod Amy and Ben!

Amy Lester

A summer of disappointment quickly turned around for me when I saw an email about a Holy Blossom internship.

From my time on the HABSTY board and working at the Youth Education Centre, I had already fostered a deep appreciation of the Holy Blossom community. A summer internship was the perfect opportunity to learn about communication and technology while employing Jewish values.

Throughout the eight weeks of this internship, I have learned so much! My supervisors Deanna and Abigail were wonderful in allowing me to explore my own areas of interest while being able to contribute to Temple life. I wanted to focus on social action as it is relevant to my social work education. With this focus in mind, I spent time with the Women’s Advocacy Group planning a seminar on the #MeToo movement, as well as working on a talk about ‘Anxiety in the Time of COVID.’ I also assisted members who were unfamiliar with Zoom and enjoyed chatting with the members of the community.

Ben, the other summer intern, and I wanted to do something special to raise money for the temple. We put together a “FUNdraiser” where we had different guests join us virtually every night for a week. We were joined by Rose Reisman, a well-known chef, multiple comedians, musicians and authors.

My summer experience allowed me to learn from talented and dedicated people and gave me a deeper appreciation for all the hard work that happens behind the scenes at Holy Blossom. It has been a great experience to prepare me for my future career. I am very thankful for this experience at a temple where I already felt at home.

Ben Rosenberg

My internship at Holy Blossom Temple has reinforced my craving to be a part of this special community. Connecting with not only congregants, but volunteers, and dedicated staff members have shown me the dedication and love people have for the blossoming of Jewish life that occurs at the Temple. Although I have been a member since I was born, this experience has inspired me and reminded me why it’s important, to stay active and engaged with the community that has always cared for me.

Throughout the summer I learned the structures and initiatives that exist in order to maintain this vibrant organization that works to support each and every member in the best way they can. I was then given the opportunity to take my own initiative, along with the other intern Amy, in developing a strategy that would both engage and unite congregants, as well as help support future Holy Blossom activities. After a couple of weeks of planning and organizing, we launched our FUNdraiser, a week of virtual events. Having the opportunity to work independently on the project, prepared me for many of the professional responsibilities I may encounter as I grow older.

This internship provided me with an experience where I could not only learn, but actively engage in areas that aligned with my interests. Specifically, my interest in digital design, video editing, and animation prompted me with opportunities that included the creation of digital content for Holy Blossom marketing and event promotion. Additionally, not only was I working in a professional environment, but I was aiding Holy Blossom, a congregation and community that has always been close to my heart. I am very thankful for the support and encouragement I received during my time with Holy Blossom, from my supervisors, Deanna and Abigail, for allowing me to flourish, and inspiring me to continue staying engaged with this special community.