The early members of Habonim (literally "the builders") were Holocaust survivors or refugees from Central Europe, who arrived in Canada after World War II.

[2] One of its founders and first President was George Spitz, a Jewish refugee from Berlin, who unsuccessfully attempted to bring over his family from Germany in 1939 on the ill-fated MS St. Louis.

Paul Alexander, also a refugee of Berlin, was an early vice-president of the synagogue - his twin brother Hanns was most famous for capturing Rudolf Höss, the Kommandant of Auschwitz.

[13] The synagogue makes its facilities available to a number of other organizations, including Ve'ahavta, co-sponsoring a Passover Seder for the Homeless[14] every year and the Toronto Partnership Minyan,[15] an Orthodox egalitarian initiative in Toronto spearheaded by Professor Martin Lockshin, and has co-sponsored events with other organizations outside the Jewish community such as Free the Children and Me to We,[16] producing a joint event featuring the Kenyan Boys Choir.

[17] The synagogue windows are made of stained glass created by modern-day master Gerald Tooke (1931-2011), considered among Canada's leading practitioners of the craft.

I feel we have been able to maintain the humble beginnings of our congregation in a beautiful new building that speaks to the future.,’" Habonim President Joanie Smith said in an interview with the Canadian Jewish News in November 2019.