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For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, saying: You shall surely open your hand unto your poor and needy brother, in your land.
Deuteronomy 15:11
Holy Blossom Temple, established in 1856, is Toronto’s oldest Jewish congregation. The synagogue has a long and proud tradition of promoting social justice, pursuing interfaith activities and providing help to those in need in the Jewish and general communities. Our Out of the Cold program, together with other ongoing programs and organizations at the Temple, provides our congregants with a community framework for Tikun Olam, the obligation of Jews to help improve the world.
During the winter of 1995-96, volunteers from the Temple worked with the Out of the Cold program at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church to better understand the organizational challenges and to familiarize themselves with the homeless and needy who would be our guests. At the end of a year long process of planning and consultation, the Temple was ready to undertake its own Out of the Cold program and on December 5, 1996, welcomed its first guest.
Out of the Cold at Holy Blossom is operated each year by over four hundred volunteers from the congregation and from other synagogues, Jewish organizations and the broader community. The program is self-funding, relying entirely on donations in cash and kind from individuals and businesses and on grants from organizations and foundations. Each Thursday evening from the beginning of November until the end of March, we serve dinner to approximately 100 guests and provide overnight accommodation for up to 45 of them. Those who sleep over enjoy a hot breakfast in the morning. All guests receive a lunch bag of sandwiches, fruit and dessert.
From the outset, we have been committed to providing a safe, comfortable and quiet environment, offering our guests a sense of welcome, security and dignity. In addition to wholesome meals and overnight shelter, we have been able to furnish them with basic medical attention, toiletries, new and used clothing, entertainment, games and art classes.
It is obvious that our homeless and needy guests benefit from our program. What we have learned over the years is that our volunteers are deeply affected by their participation in Out of the Cold. Street people and poor people have become real people to them. We have come to understand that we too are real beneficiaries of the Out of the Cold program.
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