News – Page 151

קשה להאמין חלק שני

קשה להאמין שאדית ומייקל סימס בעלי הקפה המיתולגי צ’יזקייק הלכו לעולמם. (צילום: רוני רחמני)

בעת התיישבו בוונקובר לפני כארבעים שנים תחילה מייקל התפרנס מהופעות בבתים של אנשים באירועים כמו ימי הולדת, ובכל אירוע בו יכל לנגן ולשיר. ואילו אדית הכניסה כסף הביתה ממכירות של חפצים משומשים. יום אחד הם מצאו חנות להשכרה ברחוב גראנוויל, הקרובה מאוד לגשר גראנוויל שמקשר בין הדאון טאון לחלקה המערבי של ונקובר. הבעלים הקודם של המסעדה ששכנה במקום נאלץ לסגור את העסק, כיוון שבעותה עת פרצה שביתה במערכת עיתון הוונקובר סאן שהייתה ממוקמת ממול, כך שלא היו קליינטים. אדית ומייקל סימס קפצו על המציאה והשקיעו את כל הכסף שהיה להם (כ-14 אלף דולר) – וכך נפתח קפה צ’יזקייק אצטרה. מייקל אמר לי בשעתו כי הוא בסך הכל חיפש מקום לנגן, וללא שום תוכנית עסקית התגלגל הרעיון לפתוח את הקפה ולמכור בו עוגות גבינה איכותיות לפי מתכון שהוא מצא. השניים נהגו בחוכמה כאשר החליטו לפתוח את הקפה בשעות הערב החל משבע, בזמן ששאר בתי הקפה נסגרים. המקום פעל עד אחת אחר חצות. כך שהיום היה פנוי עבורם לכל מה שרצו וחפצו לעשות. למיקום הספיציפי של הקפה (מחוץ לדאון טאון) היה יתרון משמעותי כיוון שתמיד אפשר היה למצוא חנייה לידו.

בשבועות הראשונים הקפה היה ריק אך לאחר מכן לאט לאט המקום החל להתמלא. צעירים ומבוגרים כאחד באו לשמוע את מייקל מנגן ושר עם אשתו, ונהנו לאכול עוגת גבינה ברוטב תות שדה או שוקולד. תוך תקופה קצרה צ’יזקייק הפך לשם דבר והמקום משמש לעלייה לרגל עד היום. קרוב לארבעים שנה בית הקפה מלא מדי ערב. הוא פתוח בכל ימות השנה ורק בערב חג המולד הוא סגור לבקשת עובדים שרוצים לשהות עם בני משפחותיהם.

במהלך השנים חלו מספר שינויים והתאמות בקפה אך בעקרון רוח המקום נשמרה עד היום. צ’יזקייק היה ממקומות הבילוי הראשונים בוונקובר שבו נאסר על הלקוחות לעשן.

לפני מספר שנים הזוג סימס רכשו את הבניין של הקפה וצרפו לצ’יזקייק את שתי החנויות שמצדדיו, כך שבימים עמוסים המקום מכיל עוד מקומות ישיבה לאורחים. במקביל הבן דן לקח את מושכות הניהול לידו ואדית ומייקל היו יותר חופשיים לטייל ולנוח.

אני הייתי נוהג לפגוש את הזוג מעת לעת. בדרך כלל היינו נפגשים בערבים בקפה ונהנים משיחות נפש וכן מנהלים דיונים עמוקים בנושאים פוליטיים ואחרים. לפעמים היינו נפגשים בסטודיו מאחורי הקפה בו אדית ומייקל נהגו לשהות לעיתים. או שנפגשנו בדירה היפה שלהם בקול הארבור. לעתים היינו נפגשים לפני הצהריים לברנץ’ בצ’יזקייק שהיה סגור באותן שעות, או בבית קפה בולגרי בווסט אנד שהיה חביב על בני הזוג.

תמיד היה לנו על מה לדבר, בין אם בנושאים משפחתיים, נושאי היום יום או כאמור בנושאים פוליטיים. בשנים האחרונות לחייה אדית גילתה רגישות גדולה יותר לנושא היהודי והיא החלה לחשוש יותר לגורלם. אני ניסיתי להרגיע אותה שהכל בסדר וישאר בסדר, אך כנראה שהגיל עשה את שלו והיא הייתה מאוד מודאגת. מייקל לעומתה תמיד נשאר אופטימי ונראה לא ממש מודאג ממה שקורה בעולם. הוא תמיד האמין בפתרונות חיוביים לכל בעייה וסכסוך.

אני מתקשה להאמין שאדית ומייקל סימס שייכים לנחתל העבר ולא אראה אותם עוד. ממש בלתי נתפס בעיני. מכל מקום הם ישארו בזכרוני ובמחשבותי ואזכור עד כמה היו נחמדים, שמחים וטובים לכל. יהיה זכרם ברוך.

Completing the Tanya

Rabbi Binyomin Bitton (photo by Noam Dehan)

On Dec. 4, Chabad of Downtown Vancouver, led by Rabbi Binyomin Bitton, held a siyyum, a celebration to mark the conclusion of studying the entire book of Tanya, sometimes called “the Bible of Chassidic thought.”

The siyyum also celebrated Yud-Tes Kislev, the 19th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, which began this year on the evening of Dec. 6, and is known as “the New Year of Chassidism,” due to the release of the founder of Chabad and author of the Tanya, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, known as the Alter Rebbe, from prison in czarist Russia on that date in 1798.

The Tanya is a guide to the pursuit of righteousness and the meaning of Jewish religious life from a Chabad Chassidic perspective. It is known for its counsel on how the intellect can transform the emotional life, and its teachings on how contemplating the nature of God and the soul can inspire and focus spiritual life. The Tanya also asserts that the height of the spiritual life lies paradoxically in the simple actions of human beings, and that the highest expression of God’s intention in creation is in the human doing of a mitzvah (religious commandment, good deed).

Bitton opened the siyyum by noting his pleasure that it happened to fall so close to Yud-Tes Kislev, when Jews all around the world start a new cycle of Tanya learning. He then welcomed Adina Ragetli, a descendant of the Alter Rebbe, to play the niggun (sacred wordless melody) of the Alter Rebbe, “Arba Bavos,” on the harp.

“We are all very happy tonight,” said Bitton afterwards, “except one person, whose name I won’t say, but I’ll tell you the letters of his name, Samech-Mem-Alef-Lamed [Samael, an evil angel, whose name is not spoken by Chassidim]. You know what the letters of his name stand for? Siyyum masechet lo aseh [the completion of a book you will not do].”

Rivka Arieli read the final section of Tanya with which they completed the book, and then the rabbi invited a series of students to speak of the meaning of the text to them. First to talk were Eduardo and Gabrielle Sonnino, who spoke of their discovery of the meaning of Judaism through the Tanya after coming to Canada from Brazil three years ago. They spoke humorously of their adoption of Jewish observance as a result, teasing Bitton that, in getting them to “leave their cheeseburgers,” he had ruined their lives.

Shirley Hirsch and her husband, Gabriel, had learned previously with Rabbi Lipa Dubrawsky, z”l, the educational director of Chabad-Lubavitch BC for 15 years until his passing in 2013. His wife, Dena Dubrawsky, urged the Hirsches to contact Bitton, and soon they were taking on Tanya every Monday. Hirsch spoke of the uniqueness of the Tanya in conveying the highest mystical truths of Judaism in a form that anyone can understand.

Robert Elias shared how the study of Tanya and its differentiation between the egoic and divine elements in the person had helped him improve his marriage, mend broken friendships, improve his relations with his co-workers, and remove the sense of ennui he was experiencing in his otherwise successful professional life.

Ragetli closed the celebration with another piece of music. Rabbi Yechiel Baitelman of Richmond Chabad also attended the siyyum.

Matthew Gindin is a freelance journalist, writer and lecturer. He writes regularly for the Forward and All That Is Interesting, and has been published in Religion Dispatches, Situate Magazine, Tikkun and elsewhere. He can be found on Medium and Twitter.

Celebrating chai, community

Cynthia Ramsay, publisher of the Jewish Independent. (photo by Alan Katowitz)

The JI Chai Celebration on Dec. 6 at the Rothstein Theatre was a sold-out event. The high-achievers and community-minded individuals who won the JI’s 18 Under 36 Awards were the highlights of an evening that included world-class entertainment and the launch of a brief video explaining the history of the Jewish Independent, which began its newspaper life as the Jewish Western Bulletin.

In my remarks at the celebration, I noted, “For 88 years, this newspaper has been bringing this community together. And yet, in all that time, there has never been an event – to my knowledge – where people have come together – literally, in the same room, like we all are tonight – to celebrate or acknowledge the existence of our community newspaper.

photo - JI’s 18 Under 36er Rabbi Levi Varnai, left, with JI Chai Celebration presenting sponsors Lorne Segal, centre, and Gary Segal — JI’s 18 Under 36er Rabbi Levi Varnai, left, with JI Chai Celebration presenting sponsors Lorne Segal, centre, and Gary Segal. *(photo by Alan Katowitz)*

“It’s funny to think how many annual general meetings, how many lectures, how many Negev Dinners, Innovators Lunches, JCC Sports Dinners, book festivals, film festivals, social, intellectual, religious events of every description, that the paper has covered in these decades. Yet the community has never before gathered together to turn our gaze toward the newspaper. In 88 years, there has never been an event like tonight’s.”

The JI Chai Celebration was presented by the Jewish Independent with the generous sponsorship of the Joseph and Rosalie Segal family and the Chutzpah! Festival. Both Gary Segal and Lorne Segal presented awards, as did Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver board chair Karen James and CJPAC B.C. Region director Kara Mintzberg, who was the external adjudicator of the awards. The winners, in alphabetical order, were Rebecca Baron, Ezequiel Blumenkrans, Erin Brandt, Marcus Brandt, Ayelet Cohen Weil, Courtney Cohen, Aaron Friedland, Sam Heller, Talya Mallek, Ariel Martz-Oberlander, Logan Presch, Maya Rae Schwartz-Dardick, Mike Sachs, Allie Saks, David Schein, Rotem Tal, Carmel Tanaka and Rabbi Levi Varnai.

Several community members stepped up as sponsors – Gary Averbach, Shirley Barnett, David Bogoch, Tzipi Mann, JB Newall Memorials, Olive+Wild, Mark James and Red Truck Beer, Vancouver Learning Centre, Byron Sheardown and Web exPress and Yosef Wosk. And all of the performers – Amanda Hartley, Lisa Ehrlich, Goldie Hoffman, Vitaly Beckman, Jacob Samuel, Roller Dance Owl, Barbara Adler, Ron Samworth, Warren Kimmel and Wendy Bross Stuart – donated their time, and the Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia created a photo exhibit especially for the occasion. There were dozens of auction and prize donors. Under the direction of Bonnie Nish, JI staff and volunteers helped make the night the success it was.

photo - Left to right, JI’s 18 Under 36 Award winners Rebecca Baron, Ezequiel Blumenkrans, Erin Brandt, Marcus Brandt, Ayelet Cohen Weil, Courtney Cohen, Aaron Friedland, Sam Heller and Talya Mallek — Left to right, JI’s 18 Under 36 Award winners Rebecca Baron, Ezequiel Blumenkrans, Erin Brandt, Marcus Brandt, Ayelet Cohen Weil, Courtney Cohen, Aaron Friedland, Sam Heller and Talya Mallek. (photo by Alan Katowitz)

“I hope we agree on the importance of having a Jewish community newspaper,” I said at the event. “I hope, further, that most of us would like one that represents all segments of the community and most opinions – we do have our red lines, I will admit.

“If we agree, I’m asking you to keep supporting the paper. And, I’m asking those of you who are new to the paper through this event, to subscribe, to advertise your business or organization, or to donate every so often if you prefer to just check out the website or pick the paper up for free at one of our 40 depots.

“And, I’m asking all of you to pass this message on to your friends. This newspaper is our collective record, our community’s mirror and its voice.”

photo - Left to right, JI’s 18 Under 36 Award winners Ariel Martz-Oberlander, Logan Presch, Allie Saks, David Schein, Maya Rae Schwartz-Dardick, Rotem Tal, Carmel Tanaka, Mike Sachs and Rabbi Levi Varnai — Left to right, JI’s 18 Under 36 Award winners Ariel Martz-Oberlander, Logan Presch, Allie Saks, David Schein, Maya Rae Schwartz-Dardick, Rotem Tal, Carmel Tanaka, Mike Sachs and Rabbi Levi Varnai. *(photo by Alan Katowitz)*

I acknowledged, “Of course, our community has many needs. We have so many superb organizations doing crucial work. And the Jewish Independent can’t give tax receipts like most of the others can. But we’re not a charity – we are your community asset … And we need your support.”

I concluded, “Thank you to everyone who has supported this paper for the past 18 years. In fact, there are some who have supported the paper for most of its 88 years. May I ask you to support us to 120 – and then may it be your grandchildren’s problem.”

To watch the video The Jewish Independent: 88 Years … and Counting!, click here.

School bars Chanukah

The chair of Vancouver Board of Education (VBE) and even the provincial minister of education waded in after Jewish students at a Vancouver elementary school went public with concerns that they were being made to feel excluded by exclusively Christian holiday symbolism.

Students Maya Sontz and Rebecca Weinberg went public last week after asking the principal of General Gordon Elementary, Hope Sterling, to add some Chanukah decorations to the Christmas trees, wreaths and other Christmas decorations up around the school. The girls said they were rebuffed by the principal, who claimed the Christmas decorations were not religious symbols, while a chanukiyah or other Chanukah items would be. The holiday concert was to include songs about Santa, reindeer and trees, which the principal defended as being “cultural” symbols, not religious ones.

The principal’s position drew rebukes over the weekend from Janet Fraser, chairperson of the board of education. “The VBE sincerely regrets any practices at General Gordon Elementary that have negatively impacted a sense of inclusion and representation for students and parents within our school community,” she wrote. “As chairperson, I apologize on behalf of the board to the students and their families who did not feel welcomed and included at their school. We acknowledge that, in the interpretation and implementation of our policies, there has been confusion about what is permitted as part of upcoming winter celebrations, including Chanukah. The board chairperson and school district staff will be meeting with members of the families … to ensure that their children, as well as all others, are included and represented in their school.”

In response to Fraser’s statement, Rob Fleming, B.C. minister of education tweeted: “ALL children, regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender should feel and be welcome to celebrate who they are in every single one of our #bced schools.… Thank you for your leadership upholding inclusive schools @VSB39 and @janetrfraser.… Let’s #celebrate diversity this year!”

Administrators were to meet with school officials, parents and students Monday to address the issue.

“It is called a public school, so, if you’re going to invite everybody, you’ve sort of got to include everybody,” 11-year-old Maya Sontz told CTV news.

Changes in community

Jewish Family Services CEO Richard Fruchter with Karen James, who received the 2017 Naomi Gropper Steiner Visionary Award. (photo from JFS)

At Jewish Family Service Agency’s 81st annual general meeting on Nov. 29, Richard Fruchter, chief executive officer, announced that the agency will be shortening their name to Jewish Family Services. The organization has also launched a new logo and website at jfsvancouver.ca. JFSA has been in a period of growth over the past four years,” said Fruchter. “However, when it came time to looking at our website and logo, we knew they had difficulty connecting with current audiences.

“In response, we created a marketing task force that consisted of some key community members and professionals to guide us in refreshing our look and giving us the tools to present ourselves in a more vibrant and professional way.

The AGM also featured the unveiling of JFS’s new logo.

“As we discussed the logo, we naturally talked about our name,” he said. “We’ve been known in this community as Jewish Family Service Agency since 1958, but ‘agency’ is repetitive. Other Jewish organizations dropped that extra word from their name awhile ago and we felt that it made sense to do the same. We’re now referring to ourselves as Jewish Family Services or JFS. ‘Services,’ rather than ‘service agency,’ more accurately reflects the remarkable breadth of what we do.”

In addition to the new logo and look, Fruchter said, “We also have a new tag line, ‘Uplifting Lives.’ It’s exactly what we do here – we uplift the lives of families and individuals in our community who need our help. It works both ways, though – we also uplift the lives of our members and donors who are participating in tikkun olam and gemilut hasadim – repairing the world through acts of loving kindness.

“We’re proud to present these marketing initiatives on behalf of JFS to our community. We feel it’s a refreshing representation of who we are and the work we do, which is grounded in the values and mission of our organization.

“As we look ahead to the future,” he said, “our vision is to be a leader in the Jewish and broader communities, transforming the lives of individuals and families through quality services and innovative programming that responds to evolving community needs. With a new look, logo, name, tagline and website, we are more prepared than ever to do just that.”

The new website is now live at jfsvancouver.ca. JFS will be phasing out its old logo and branding materials by the end of 2017.

At the AGM, Karen James received the Naomi Gropper Steiner Visionary Award, given to a past board member who went over and above in their duties. She stepped into the top volunteer job at the agency at a critical time and guided JFSA to provide significantly more services to the community.

Shelley Ail received the Paula Lenga Award for her major volunteer contribution over a decade to the Jewish Food Bank and her commitment to coordinating volunteers and organizing JFSA’s annual Friends Campaign phone-a-thons.

Schara Tzedeck Congregation received the Community Partner Award.

JFS’s Volunteer Appreciation Award recipients were Ros Calof, for her work with the seniors lunch program, and Lina Moskaleva, for supporting its mental health outreach program.

The work of the staff was also celebrated – Staff Term of Service Awards went to Alan Stamp (10 years), Zanna Linskaia (10 years), Naz Gurbuz (five years) and Tanya Skovorodnikova (10 years).

Bill Kaplan, JFS board chair, introduced the new board members: Judith Cohen, Shannon Gorski, Peter Hotz, Simone Kallner and Michael Kaplen. Along with the nominating committee, Kaplan recruited a strong and talented group of community members.

***

The board of directors of Hillel BC Society has unanimously approved the appointment of Sam Heller as the next executive director of Hillel BC. The appointment will be effective July 1, 2018.

photo - Sam Heller will be the next executive director of Hillel BC — Sam Heller will be the next executive director of Hillel BC.

Over the years, Heller has repeatedly exhibited exceptional leadership skills in a variety of positions. While attending the University of British Columbia, where he received a bachelor’s in political science, he led the fight against antisemitism and anti-Israel activities on campus.

In an effort to make an even more significant contribution to the Jewish community, Heller moved to Israel and joined the Israel Defence Forces, where he achieved the rank of sergeant, Infantry Brigade, and earned an honour of excellence.

Heller returned to Vancouver and was hired by Hillel in 2015 to be the program/outreach coordinator responsible for directing social, cultural and educational programming at seven universities in the province. His ability to communicate with people of all ages, combined with his keen understanding of the campus and Vancouver Jewish communities, fluency in Hebrew and proficiency in social media marketing, have made him an invaluable member of the Hillel team. In recognition of these qualities, he was promoted to program director in 2016 and to managing director in June 2017.

Rabbi Philip Bregman will continue in a part-time basis as Hillel rabbi, whose duties will include Jewish chaplaincy and fundraising.

Kollel launches WeLearn

Rabbi Simon Jacobson gives a lecture during a recent Kollel Shabbaton. (photo from Kollel)

In an effort to direct Vancouver’s Jewish consciousness from an “I” culture to a “we” culture, Ohel Ya’akov Community Kollel has launched WeLearn, expanding the Kollel’s centre of learning and celebration.

“We want to spark lifelong learning within the community,” said Rabbi Shmulik Yeshayahu, director of Kollel. “We’ve become a society that over-values individuality and separateness, to the detriment of our personal growth.

“We encourage people to move away from isolation, and experience the richness of community learning,” he added.

photo - Rabbi Simon Jacobson, right, with Rabbi Shmulik Yeshayahu — Rabbi Simon Jacobson, right, with Rabbi Shmulik Yeshayahu. *(photo from Kollel)*

WeLearn recently kicked off with a Shabbaton Nov. 30-Dec. 2, attended by more than 400 Jews from across the Lower Mainland. The Shabbaton featured Rabbi Simon Jacobson, author of Toward a Meaningful Life and founder of the Meaningful Life Centre; Shimona Tzukernik, “the Kabbalah Coach”; and Audi Gozlan, the founder of Kabalah Yoga.

The Shabbaton started off with Tzukernik, one of the foremost female authorities on kabbalah as it applies to daily life. Her talk – Joy is an Inside Job – highlighted the importance of developing internal joy, which results in achieving personal understanding and humility. Her claim that “pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice,” appeared to resonate with the audience. She also shared inspiring personal stories, and emphasized that beauty and joy exist from the inside out.

Jacobson engaged the audience next, with a lecture called Is your Self-Worth Defined by Your Net-Worth? He focused on the intrinsic value of tzedakah, and the family legacy of giving that was started by Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. Jacobson remarked how Abraham educated his own children in the path of justice and charity, and left this legacy for all Jews to follow.

The rabbi followed this with a story about Moses Montefiore, a wealthy, philanthropic 19th-century Jew. When questioned by Queen Victoria about the exact amount of his personal wealth, Montefiore is said to have replied that his real worth was what he gave away to others, because its benefit would live on. In short, Jacobson’s message was that our self-worth is defined by what we give, not what we have.

Gozlan, who founded Kabalah Yoga (also called Aleph Bet Yoga), spoke about the daily struggles between the body and soul, and the need to tap into our internal joy. Gozlan explained how yoga and conscious breathing can connect us to ancient Chabad Chassidic philosophy. He went on to describe how we can elevate our body and soul to become a holy spark and a source of light.

“At Kollel, we celebrate education, community and Jewish continuity, and this Shabbaton was a perfect example of this,” said Yeshayahu. “Hundreds of Jews joined us over the course of four days, in friendship and openness to learn and be inspired. It was a truly unforgettable weekend.”

The Kollel distributed brochures outlining their upcoming classes for the winter and spring. Among the classes being offered are sessions on medical ethics, business ethics, prayer, the weekly parashah, kabbalah, Tanya, Genesis and creation, and more. In addition to Yeshayahu, Rabbi Avraham Feigelstock, Shifra Feigelstock, Dan Friedmann, Karen Levitt, Rivki Yeshayahu, Asaf Cohen and other guest lecturers will provide a variety of perspectives and teaching styles to enhance the Kollel’s education centre.

Camp’s benefits

Camp allows youth to learn meet new people. (photo from campmiriam.org)

There is something special about camps. Transporting kids out of their customary environments into something that is at least somewhat foreign is a great stimulus to change. New people and new situations over a few-week period force more rapid adaptations than would normally be required. Camp offers an environment for kids and youth to have fun and learn new skills, but also to consider who they are as individuals, without the close observation of their parents.

Some kids bloom in surprising ways at camp. They get a chance to use and develop aspects about themselves that they either never realized were there, or haven’t had a chance to exercise. For better or worse, the regime of mom and/or dad is challenged. Different rules apply, and often they are enforced with a consistency not found at home. There is no one immediately there to intervene in one’s interaction with bunkmates, for example. Kids have to work issues out between themselves as they temporarily share their world.

This is what it is like in the real world, and we learn lessons at camp that we might not learn if we just stayed home. And we get to measure ourselves against others. We get pushed to compete, to strive, to be better, because everyone else is doing that. This allows us the chance to grow in self-confidence. It’s not just family encouraging us, it’s the approval (or disapproval) we gain from those around us – strangers who can become our friends.

photo - Camp allows youth to learn new skills — Camp allows youth to learn new skills. *(photo from camphatikvah.com)*

Camp offers so many things: the chance to escape the city, to learn to swim and do other sporting activities, to be creative with arts and crafts, and to be self-sufficient in less inhabited areas. The list goes on. What about the songs and dances that we join in with others, which make us feel good, and a part of something larger than ourselves? What about the friends we make, some of whom will be there for us throughout our life? What about the chance to develop and exercise leadership and initiative?

The most delicious thing about this recipe for growing kids into grown-ups is that it’s all about fun. This isn’t about “a little bit of sugar to help the medicine go down.” It’s sugar pops all the way. And a side benefit accrues to parents, who get a little respite when they ship their kids off to camp.

Being a part of the camping experience opens up a universe of possibilities for those who are fortunate enough to have a chance at entry into that world.

Max Roytenberg is a Vancouver-based poet, writer and blogger. His book Hero in My Own Eyes: Tripping a Life Fantastic is available from Amazon and other online booksellers.

קשה להאמין חלק ראשון

קשה להאמין שאדית ומייקל סימס בעלי הקפה המיתולגי צ’יזקייק הלכו לעולמם. (צילום: רוני רחמני)

בתאריך ה-17פברואר 2005 עזבתי את תל אביב ועברתי לגור בוונקובר. לפני שעזבתי מסר לי אבי טלפון של זוג מבוגרים מוונקובר שהוא ואימי הכירו באמצעות חברים. הוא אמר לי שקוראים להם אדית ומייקל סימס, שיש להם קפה שנקרא צ’יזקייק אצטרה. וכן שמייקל מנגן בקפה בפסנתר והוא ואדית שרים יחדיו. נשמע לי מוזר.

ממש בימים הראשונים לשהותי בעיר כשעוד שכרתי חדר במלון ליד אינגליש ביי בשכונת הווסט אנד השקטה, ולא היה לי הרבה מה לעשות, החלטתי לבקר את הזוג סימס. הרמתי טלפון והצגתי את עצמי וקבענו להיפגש בקפה שלהם. הם היו בעצם האנשים הראשונים שפגשתי בוונקובר, בנוסף לחבר אחד שעוד הכרתי מישראל (קובי אשכנזי).

אני זוכר היטב את ההליכה בלילה הקר והרטוב מהמלון אל הקפה של אדית ומייקל. אז עוד לא הייתי מורגל בהליכות ארוכות והדרך נראתה לי ארוכה ולא נגמרת. כשהגעתי לקפה הופתעתי לדעת שאכן קוראים לו צ’יזקייק אצטרה. ואכן מייקל ישב על יד הפסנתר מנגן ושר, ובחלק מהשירים אדית הצטרפה אליו בשירה. כל מה שאבי אמר היה נכון.

מייד נוצר קשר חם ביננו והוא נשמר לאורך כמעט שלוש עשרה שנים ברציפות. רק מותם הפתאומי של אדית ומייקל שהחליטו ללכת יחדיו מעולמנו לעולמם של המתים (אדית בת 77 ומייקל בן 79), ביום שני ה-27 בנובמבר, קטע אותו. בחיים כמו במותם השניים תמיד היו ביחד. אני זוכר כי תמיד כשראיתי אחד, ידעתי שכעבור דקות בודדות גם השני יופיע. הם גרו ביחד, עבדו ביחד, טיילו ביחד, נפשו ביחד, נפגשו עם חברים ביחד, שהו עם המשפחה ביחד, הופיעו כמעט לכל אירוע ביחד, החזיקו במחשב אחד, באימייל אחד ובמכשיר סלולר אחד.

הידיעה על מותם של אדית ומייקל הדהים אותי. ישבתי בביתי צפון בתוך עצמי והרגשתי ממש בהלם. עצור, עצוב ומרגיש כאחד שהתייתם מזוג כל כך נעים הליכות, צנוע ושמח. מי יכול להגיד משהו רע עליהם? לא ימצא אחד כזה. פשוט לא. ולראייה עשרות הגיבו באינטרנט לאור פרסום הידיעה על מותם של אדית ומייקל. כולם כאחד אמרו רק דברים טובים והביעו צער עמוק על הפרידה הקשה מהזוג.

צ’יזקייק הזכיר לי בית קפה בצרפת בשל האווירה הרומנטית, האורות הנמוכים, התמונות בשחור לבן מסביב, הקירות הצבועים באדום והנעימות ששררה במקום. זאת ממש כמו עידית ומייקל שהצליחו להעביר למקום אווירה מיוחדת, משהו מעצמם, אולי בעצם הרבה מעצמם. מייקל כל פעם שהגעתי לצ’יזקייק ניגן נפלא ואהבתי בעיקר את הקטעים כשהוא מאלתר ג’אז, בסגנון ניו יורקי. ואילו אדית הייתה בעלת קול זהב ועדין שהזכיר לי מאוד את קולה של הזמרת הצרפתית אדית פיאף.

השניים היו יהודים: אדית ילידת סקוטלנד שגדלה בטורונטו ואילו מייקל היה אמריקני יליד בוסטון. הם הכירו דווקא בישראל בשנת 1961 (עת הייתי בן שנתיים). מייקל שימש באותה עת נגן קלידים של הזמר שמעון ישראלי, בתוכניתו המיתולוגית ‘סתם יום של חול’. אדית ומייקל שמבט ראשון התאהבו אחד בשני, החליטו שלא להישאר בישראל ועברו לבוסטון. לאחר שנה (1962) התחתנו. אחרי שנולד בנם יחידם דן, הוצאות המחייה האמירו ובעיקר הטפולים הרפואיים בילד היו יקרים מאוד, בזמן שלזוג סימס לא היה כלל כסף. לכן הם החליטו לחצות את הגבול לקנדה ולעבור לוונקובר. הם התאהבו מייד בעיר היפה הזו שהפכה לביתם במשך כארבעים השנים האחרונות.

Storeys is now officially open

Cutting the ribbon at the official opening of Storeys on Dec. 1. (photo from Shelley Karrel)

“Those involved in Storeys feel like a family,” said Brenda Plant, executive director of Turning Point Housing Society, speaking at the opening gala of the rental housing development in Richmond on Dec. 1. “We’ve been working on this together for eight years now.”

Storeys, on Granville Avenue, provides 129 units of affordable rentals, which have on-site supportive services. The project is managed by five nonprofits. The Jewish community’s Tikva Housing Society has three floors of housing for low-income families: 18 units in total with rents at 30% of a household’s income – known as the Diamond Residences at Storeys. The other organizations involved are Coast Mental Health, providing units for low-income clients who need mental health supports; SUCCESS, which provides units for low-income seniors; Pathways Clubhouse Society of Richmond, which provides supportive environments for individuals working towards mental wellness; and Turning Point Housing Society, which provides units for individuals in recovery from addiction.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie spoke of the importance of the new building, pointing out that the City of Richmond contributed $19.4 million to the project, or one-third of the construction funding. “Some of you here may remember this site as a former KFC and a small office building,” he noted. “Eight years later, here we stand.”

photo - Left to right, MLA Selina Robinson, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and Shelley Karrel — Left to right, MLA Selina Robinson, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and Shelley Karrel. *(photo by Matthew Gindin)*

“The housing units provided in this unique project will make such a difference in the lives of those who benefit from them,” said Selina Robinson, B.C. minister of municipal affairs and housing, during her address. To the nonprofits who made it happen, she said, “You guys rock.”

The event also featured remarks by MP Joe Peschisolido (Steveston-Richmond East); Kathleen Kennedy-Strath, chair of the board of Coast Mental Health; Jessica Berglund, president of the board of Pathways Clubhouse; Queenie Choo, chief executive officer of SUCCESS; Gord Argue, board chair of Turning Point Housing; and Shelley Karrel, co-chair of Tikva Housing.

The provincial and federal governments contributed just over $5 million and donors almost $2 million. BC Housing was key in assisting with providing the construction loan and will help organizations in securing their long-term mortgages at favourable rates.

Tikva’s involvement in Storeys was initiated under the leadership of Susana Cogan, who passed away before it was completed, and Linda Thomas, executive director of Tikva Housing, attended the opening with the society’s administrator, Anat Gogo, who led the Independent and others on a tour of the building. The suites are modern and well-designed, many with great views.

Tikva is supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and worked with Jewish Family Services to place the tenants. The Diamond Foundation gave Tikva the equity to be able to be at the table with the other Storeys project partners. Tikva’s 18 units are now home to families and individuals, from children through seniors.

“What has happened is that we have created a real community within a community,” explained Tikva Housing’s Karrel of the Diamond Residences at Storeys. “At one point, when the elevator wasn’t working because of a power outage, one of the tenants offered to go check on everyone to make sure they were OK. We hope to have communal Shabbat dinners and holiday events for the tenants,” she told the Independent.

Storeys is located near Garden City Bakery, Brighouse Park, Richmond Public Library, and many other resources. The Bayit’s Rabbi Levi Varnai recently visited to put mezuzot on the doors of the Jewish homes.

“In order to honour everyone’s commitment, I have a little present,” said Turning Point’s Plant midway through her presentation. She then handed out Staples’ “that was easy” buttons – “because I want you all to know that we’re going to do this again.”

Matthew Gindin is a freelance journalist, writer and lecturer. He writes regularly for the Forward and All That Is Interesting, and has been published in Religion Dispatches, Situate Magazine, Tikkun and elsewhere. He can be found on Medium and Twitter.

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