Template.baseDialog.onCreated(function(){ this.editing = new ReactiveVar(!!this.data.startEditing); }); Template.baseDialog.onRendered(function(){ //after the dialog is built, open it Session.set("global.ui.detailShow", true); }); Template.baseDialog.helpers({ editing: function(){ return Template.instance().editing.get(); }, }); Template.baseDialog.events({ "tap #backButton": function(){ GlobalUI.closeDetail(); }, "tap #editButton": function(event, instance){ instance.editing.set(true); }, "tap #doneEditingButton": function(event, instance){ instance.editing.set(false); }, });