Foundations of Faith: Love in Action
- Rabbi Andrew
- Oct 4
- 4 min read
Remembering Where Faith Begins
“When your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ you are to say, ‘It is the sacrifice of Adonai’s Passover…’”— Exodus 12:26–27 (TLV)
I can still picture it: the Seder table stretched long across the dining room, crowded with cousins, aunts, uncles, and my grandmother Annie. The aroma of roasted lamb, the crisp bite of parsley dipped in salt water, and even the sweetness of chocolate-covered matzah all told a story older than any of us at that table.
As a child, I didn’t understand every word of the Haggadah, but I felt it—the rhythm of generations retelling how God brought His people from bondage into freedom. The Passover was more than a meal; it was an anchor. It tied me to a story far greater than myself.
What I didn’t realize then was how that same story of deliverance ran through my own family’s history. Just as the Israelites remembered God’s rescue, my family had been entrusted with another story of deliverance: the founding of the Scott Mission in Toronto. Between the ritual of the Seder and the calling of that Mission, I began to see that faith is not only inherited—it is lived, carried, and shared.
A House Built by God
“Unless Adonai builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”— Psalm 127:1 (TLV)
Every lasting work of ministry begins with faith—not programs, not clever strategies. True ministry is built on trust, obedience, and surrender to God. When that foundation is firm, both our lives and our service become unshakable.
A Legacy Born in Faith
In the heart of downtown Toronto, during the dark days of World War II, my grandparents Morris and Annie Zeidman took a bold step of faith. With no money, no backing, and no guarantees, they founded the Scott Mission in 1941. Their guiding principle was simple yet profound:
“We will serve the needs of the poor—both body and soul—as long as God provides.”
For them, a bowl of soup was never just soup—it was a doorway to the Gospel. Bread was never just bread—it pointed to the Bread of Life.
Morris had grown up in an Orthodox Jewish home in Poland. When he came to faith in Yeshua, he did not see it as abandoning Judaism, but as fulfilling it. He would often say that his faith in Messiah was not a conversion to a new religion but a continuation of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
My father, Alex Zeidman, always used to say about my grandfather that
“He never considered his faith in Messiah as a betrayal of his heritage, but its fulfillment. His Jewishness and his faith were never in conflict — they were one.”
Those words capture the heart of our family’s story. My grandfather never stopped seeing himself as Jewish. Instead, he believed he had embraced the fullness of his heritage by finding its promised Messiah.
Annie’s Steadfast Partnership
Annie matched her husband’s faith with tireless love. A gifted musician trained at the Royal Conservatory, she served with compassion and creativity—feeding the hungry, writing devotionals, and ministering through both word and deed. Like Ruth of old, she made her husband’s people her own, saying in her heart, “Your people will be my people, and your God my God.”
She filled the Mission halls with music and prayer. She fed the hungry, clothed the poor, and personally answered letters from those in need. Each week, she wrote the Good Samaritan Corner for the Toronto Star, extending her ministry beyond the Mission’s walls. Even into her later years, she continued to live in an apartment within the Mission, her life a living testimony to faith in action.
Stories of God’s Faithfulness
The early years were hard. The Mission often ran out of food, supplies, even dishes. But just when they reached the end of their resources, God always provided—sometimes through a knock on the door, sometimes through a truckload of donations that arrived “just in time.”
My aunt, Elaine Zeidman Markovic, is is described in More Than Miracles by Rabbi Ben Voman as expressing that time and again,:
“just when help was most needed, God provided. She emphasized that it became clear the Mission was guided not merely by human effort, but by divine support..”
This faith, echoed in Philippians 4:19—
“My God will fulfill every need of yours according to the riches of His glory in Messiah Yeshua”—became the heartbeat of the Mission. It was not merely a charity; it was a living testimony to God’s faithfulness.
Lessons for Today
1. Dependence Over Self-Reliance
Prayer must come before planning. “Unless Adonai builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Faith begins where our self-sufficiency ends.
2. Obedience in Small Things
Great faith is built one brick at a time—through quiet integrity, daily trust, and small acts of obedience that no one else may see.
“The one who is faithful in the least is also faithful in much.” — Luke 16:10 (TLV)
3. Scripture as Anchor
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105 (TLV) In a shifting culture, Scripture remains the unmovable foundation beneath our feet.
4. Legacy Awareness
“Even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I tell of Your might to the next generation.” — Psalm 71:18 (TLV)What we build is not only for us—it’s for those who come after. Our legacy is not in the height of our achievements but in the depth of our roots—our faith, our character, and our investment in others.
Standing on the Same Foundation
The Scott Mission was never simply a building on Spadina Avenue. It was, and remains, a living testimony to what God can do through those who build on faith. The foundation that Morris and Annie laid still holds firm today—a reminder that faith, when lived out in love, endures through every generation.
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