Jonah Turk

“Figure out HOW you can give back/volunteer and be active in your community because strong communities raise strong children and strong children are vital to the future of Am Yisrael and Medinat Israel”, shares Jonah Turk when asked for a message he would give current parents as Netivot celebrates its 40th year. He reflects fondly on his own volunteer work with Netivot (among other community institutions like BAYT and BAS); as a former board member, Jonah co-chaired the construction of the building at 18 Atkinson Ave. along with Jack Weinberg in 1992. After outgrowing that space, he once again co-chaired construction of the third floor addition. Jonah also “initiated and ran the first handful of Netivot’s golf tournaments which was so (much fun!), successful and served not only to raise funds but also showcased our wonderful school to many in the broader community.”⁣
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Jonah grew up in Toronto, surrounded by construction and development for as far back as he can remember. As a teen he interned with each trade; learning their skills and honing his own. He pursued an education in architecture and graduated from Carlton University in Ottawa in 1986. Jonah applied both his onsite and formal education when he joined his family’s real estate development business.⁣
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After marrying Elizabeth and settling in Thornhill, the Turks raised their five children here, and enrolled them each at Netivot (initially on Yeomans) where both parents became active in various roles. “Our family felt fully invested in Netivot even before the first shovel went into the ground, but it was on the groundbreaking day that our future at Netivot was cemented. Today we are Netivot grandparents! As Netivot celebrates its 40th year and its upcoming expansion, the feeling of pride and belonging to the NHDS family is at least as strong today as it was all those years ago.”⁣
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Jonah and Elizabeth are parents of 5 Netivot graduates. Jonah expresses “Our proudest moments are seeing them, along with their spouses, giving back to their communities, be it as a Gabbai, Baal Tefila, board member, committee chair and many other forms of volunteerism- tapping into unique talents and skill sets.”