Moishe New makes a point while Rabbi Yitzchak Wineberg and other attendees listen. (photo by Lior Noyman Productions)
On June 21, more than 200 people came to King David High School to hear Rabbi David Aaron, founder and dean of the Isralight Institute on Awakening to Your Divine Purpose, and Rabbi Moshe New, director of the Montreal Torah Centre, at Evening of Inspiration and Connection, which also featured music by Itamar Erez and Liron Man. The farbrengen was held in honor of the 22nd yahrzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, which this year is observed July 8-9 (3 Tammuz). The June event was co-hosted by Chabad Lubavitch BC and the Ohel Ya’akov Community Kollel, and more photographs can be found on both groups’ Facebook pages, facebook.com/LubavitchBC and facebook.com/kollel, respectively.
The Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia’s Feeding Community project wants your story. (photo from JMABC)
What does an egg taste like when it’s been boiled for hours with onion peels and coffee? Have you ever consumed a meal while sipping on a carbonated yogurt beverage? What kind of oven do you need to make cubana, a dough that you leave on the fire from Friday late afternoon to Saturday?
These are just some of the questions the Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia has encountered in the early days of its research for the Feeding Community project. JMABC researchers have devoured cheesecake on Shavuot while talking about the use of dried lime in Persian cooking. They have asked a rabbi to divulge the secrets of his cholent recipe. They have pored over handwritten recipes and black and white photographs of Sephardi Jews in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. It’s been a rewarding and immersive sensory experience, learning about the community’s diverse roots and traditions – and the findings will be shared through a podcast being developed for the JMABC.
Some might say that too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth, but the opposite goes for making a podcast. The more people the JMABC hears from, the richer the podcast will be. The JMABC is interviewing members of the community, hoping to unravel what the act of eating and traditions of food mean for individuals and in terms of family. As much as the JMABC hopes people will listen to the series, it also encourages people to be contributors.
Whether your family arrived in Canada by way of Mexico, Minsk or Morocco, Argentina, Albany or Azerbaijan, South Africa, Sri Lanka or Shanghai, the JMABC would like to hear from you. To learn more about Feeding Community or to contribute information, email [email protected] or call 604-257-5199.
Humanitarian goods from Turkey arrive at the Kerem Shalom crossing point into the Gaza Strip; it was the first such shipment to arrive in Israel from Turkey since the reestablishment of ties between the two countries at the end of last month. (photo from Ashernet)
The families of Israel Defence Forces soldiers Oren Shaul and Hadar Goldin – both of whom were killed two years ago in Operation Protective Edge and whose bodies are still held by Hamas – were dissatisfied with the reconciliation agreement between the two countries, as it did not include the return of their sons’ bodies or the return of two Israeli citizens, Avraham Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayyad, imprisoned in the Gaza Strip. Many also objected at the apology by Israel to the Turkish government, together with a $20 million compensation package, over the May 2010 IDF raid on the Gaza-bound Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which resulted in the deaths of 10 Turkish citizens after the activists on board attacked the IDF soldiers; it was this event that caused the break in Turkish-Israeli relations.
Why do we love brisket so much? (photo from Jewish Post & News)
When Ricki Silver was leaving for Toronto to visit her family, she faced a dilemma: Do you continue the brisket tradition with the skyrocketing price? The plaintive cry of her granddaughter Charlie – “Bubba, are you bringing the brisket and the gravy?” she wailed over the phone – answered the dilemma. Silver had no choice but to continue her more than 40-year tradition and shlep the brisket to Toronto, cooked and ready to enjoy.
Why do we love this rather tough cut of meat so much? Why has the price hit the roof? Why do so many Jewish people feel their holiday table is empty without a brisket? Why do people treasure and brag about their own brisket recipes? And what are we going to do with this time-honored Jewish tradition now that brisket is just so popular and expensive?
“Brisket is one of the tastiest cuts, hands down, just unbelievable,” according to butcher Al Jones.
Because of this, the demand has gone up, particularly as more people have smokers, slow cookers and backyard barbecues. Jones has found that brisket customers are younger and watch cooking shows, so they are more inclined to try new recipes. At the same time, the price of beef has been steadily rising and shows no signs of changing. This is a function of the Canadian dollar, global economy, climate change and farming practices. “Farmers are using their fields to grow crops that can be used for making gas,” said Jones. This results in higher costs to grow the corn needed for cattle grazing.
Jews have been eating brisket for what seems like forever and, according to Matthew Goodman in his charming cookbook Jewish Food: The World at Table, this brisket business began at the end of Genesis 32 when Jacob had an attack from an angel and injured his thigh vein. Jews stopped eating the cow’s hindquarter. Plus, kosher meat requires quick preparation so the meat is not fully aged and tenderized. The result is that Jews had to find other ways to make meat tender, says Goodman. Brisket, with its need for slow cooking, is simply the perfect food.
Meat, including brisket, is also a cornerstone of Jewish deli food. David “Ziggy” Gruber, who is featured in the documentary Deli Man, said he had a calling to continue this style of cooking. “I feel my ancestors right next to me. It makes me happy,” he says in the film. Perhaps this is what drives many of us to pine for brisket and have it on our holiday table.
“Everyone has a brisket story,” writes Stephanie Pierson in her book The Brisket Book: A Love Story With Recipes, and often “my way is the only way.”
In my Thursday lunch group, one person swears by onion soup, others marinate in different concoctions involving either cola, beer, coffee, soy sauce or orange juice. Even the most uncompetitive person is likely to have a strong opinion on how to make the best brisket. Jones recommends avoiding the use of salt, as this tends to make the meat tougher and he believes that marinating is crucial.
Competition is intense on the price front and everyone seems to be trying to find a good buy, but price should not be the only consideration – quality counts. Jones said people should buy their meat from a reputable butcher to make sure that it has been hung and aged properly. He recommended it have a bit of fat on it. “That is why knives and forks were invented a few hundred years ago,” he said. You need the fat to keep the meat moist and tender, he explained. Just cut it off after the meat has cooked.
So, what is with this brisket love affair? No question, once you go through the days of marinating, cooking, cooling, slicing and reheating, brisket is a totally forgiving cut of meat. If your guests are late, forget to come or are impossible to please, brisket is your most reliable main course. This slab of meat never gets dry, everyone loves it and leftovers are even better than the meal. For Silver, there are four food groups: “meat, vegetables, dairy and brisket.”
Brisket keeps us connected to our past and elevates our celebrations to a special event. Our traditions keep the holidays alive and bring family and friends together. Many of us have our own superior brisket recipe passed down from one generation to another and strong memories of food prepared with love. This brisket food chain tells a story that deserves to be preserved.
Fern Swedloveis a Winnipeg freelance writer. A longer version of this article was published in the Jewish Post & News.
הפדרציה היהודית הכינה תוכנית עבודה ארוכת טווח לספק את הצרכים החדשים של חברי הקהילה ולהגדיל את התקציב למימון פעילותיה.
הפדרציה היהודית של אזור מטרו ונקובר הכינה בשנתיים האחרונות תוכנית עבודה ארוכת טווח עד לשנת 2020. העבודה המורכבת על התוכנית נעשתה על ידי מועצת המנהלים בניצוחו של היושב ראש, סטפן גרבר ובשיתוף פעולה של חברי קהילה רבים. לדברי גרבר מדובר באחד הפרוייקטים החשובים ביותר בהיסטוריה של הפדרציה, כדי לקבוע את סדרי העדיפויות והמשאבים הכספיים הדרושים, כדי להתמודד עם האתגרים העומדים בפני חברי הקהילה היום ובהמשך הדרך. במסגרת היערכות ארוכת הטווח של הפדרציה היהודית החליטה מועצת המנהלים שלה להחתים את המנכ”ל, עזרא שנקן, לשש שנים נוספות עד ל-2022. גרבר: “לצורך ישום העדיפויות של התוכנית האסטרטגית ל-2020 והגשמת מטרותיה, אנו זקוקים למנהיגות יציבה וחזקה ושנקן הוא זה שימשיך לספק את המנהיגות הזו עד 2022. אנו ברי מזל שיש לנו את שנקן בתפקיד המנכ”ל”.
רשימת סדרי העדיפויות של הפדרציה היהודית לארבע השנים הקרובות כוללת שישה פרקים מרכזיים. השקעות אסטרטגיות – למציאת פתרונות כדי שיובטח שהקהילה תמשיך להיות חזקה ותוססת גם בדורות הבאים, שיפור הביטחון והבטיחות של המוסדות היהודיים, עזרה במימון אחקת המבנים של המוסדות השונים של הקהילה ולאפשר לחנך את הילדים והצעירים שהם הדור הבא. כל זאת תוך אבטחת מימון יציב לשותפים בקהילה היהודית הנסמכים על הפדרציה. סגירת פערי המימון – כדי לאפשר למוסדות השונים בקהילה לקבל תקציבים לפעילותם, כדי שיוכלו לספק שירותים חשובים לאלפי חברי הקהילה. התקציבים שהפדרציה השיגה עד היום כבר אינם מספיקים לספק את כל הצרכים החדשים ואין מספיק מימון לכל הצרכים והארגונים. הפדרציה מקבלת מדי שנה בקשות בהיקף של כמיליון וחצי דולר למימון תוכניות ושירותים נוספים שנדרשים. כאמור זה כבר לא מספיק ועל הפדרציה למצוא דרכים לסגירת הפערים, בין תקציב המימון הנוכחי לעומת הצרכים האמיתיים. צרכים חדשים ומתפתחים של הקהילה – כיום כבר כארבעים ושישה אחוז מחברי הקהילה היהודית גרים מחוץ לוונקובר. שינוי משמעותי זה מצריך היערכות חדשה לאספקת תוכניות ושירותים זמינים עבור חברי הקהילה באזורים, שמחוץ לוונקובר. התחברות לדור הבא – ההצלחה של הקהילה בעתיד תלויה במידה רבה ביכולת שלנו להתחבר ולהתקשר לדור הצעיר, ולעזור להם לפתח כישורי מנהיגות ואינטרסים פילנתרופיים. הארגונים היהודים עושים רבות למען הצעירים, אך יש לעשות הרבה יותר אם אנו רוצים שתהיה לנו השפעה לטווח ארוך על המשכיות של הקהילה בעתיד. ישראל והשותפים שלנו בצפון המדינה – אנו מחוייבים להביא יותר מישראל לקהילה בוונקובר באמצעות אירועים תרבותיים. אנו מתמקדים בעבודה עם השותפים שלנו באזור הגליל העליון, בין היתר כדי לסייע לתושבים המקומיים מול האתגרים הסוציו-אקונומיים עימם הם מתמודדים. המפתח להצלחה נעוץ בתמיכה בפרויקטים של שירותים חינוכיים וחברתיים שמסייעים לאוכלוסיה בסיכון לממש את הפוטנציאל שלה. קהילות יהודיות גלובליות נזקקות – הפדרציה תומכת בכמאה שישים וחמישה אלף קשישים יוצאי ברית המועצות לשעבר שגרים באירופה, שרבים מהם ניצולי שואה.
לאור הגידול בצרכים של התוכניות והשירותים של הפדרציה, יש להגדיל את ההכנסות מקמפיין התרומות השנתי מ-8.3 מיליון דולר (שגוייסו ב-2015) ל-10 מיליון דולר. יש להגדיל את הנכסים בניהול של הקרן הפדרציה היהודית מארבעים ושישה מיליון דולר לשישים מיליון דולר. הדירקטוריון של הקרן מכין תוכנית פיתוח עסקית להשגת מטרה זו. במסגרת התוכנית ל-2020 הפדרציה שמה לעצמה למטרה להגדיל את תקציב המתנות המיוחדות מתורמים לשני מיליון דולר.
Muizenberg, South Africa, was a hub for Jewish families from the 1900s onward. (photo from Stephen Rom)
For Vancouverites who hail from South Africa, the name Muizenberg carries significant resonance. The small seaside town was a hub for Jewish families from the 1900s onward, a place where children played on the long stretch of white-sand beach, young people fell in love, business deals were discussed, family relationships deepened and friendships nourished. So, when the Memories of Muizenberg exhibit opens for its 15-day span at Congregation Beth Israel on July 10, there’s an excellent chance of hearing South African accents in the voices of attendees.
The exhibit was created in 2009, when it debuted in Cape Town, chronicling the Jewish presence in Muizenberg between 1900 and the early 1960s. After that, it began a whirlwind tour to Johannesburg, London, Israel, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Toronto and San Diego before it finally landed in Vancouver. For each of its moves a former South African Jew adopted the exhibition, gathering fundraisers, assistants and exhibit spaces in their respective cities. In Vancouver, that man is Stephen Rom, originally from Cape Town, who immigrated to Canada in 1986 and moved to Vancouver in 1992.
“I’m just a shlepper that was interested in the exhibit,” he said with a laugh. “When a friend told me the exhibit was in San Diego, I thought we needed to get it trucked up to Vancouver. I think it’s important to keep Memories of Muizenberg circulated – a hell of a lot of research went into it and it’s beautifully put together.”
Rom arranged for the crate containing the 40-panel exhibit to be stored in the warehouse of fellow former South African Lexie Bernstein, and solicited donors to cover the costs associated with transportation and opening night festivities. Muizenberg has a special place in his heart and memories, he confided.
“It was a place my family and extended family spent every Sunday – you loaded the car, took the food and you didn’t need to look for friends – they were always there,” he reflected. “No one phoned to say, are you going to Muizenberg? You just knew, everyone in your community was going to be there. You’d go swimming, get attacked by bluebottles, get knocked over and soaked by a wave from the creeping high tide, have the wind blowing in your hair and eat homemade rusks (cookies) mixed with sand. It was part of our DNA.”
Bernstein, who moved from Cape Town to Vancouver in 1987, recalls catching the train with his friends in the summer months to get to Muizenberg. “When the train pulled into the station, the conductor would shout out ‘Jerusalem!’” he said. “I think ex-South Africans in Vancouver will love this exhibition, and other Jews in the community will be fascinated about where we come from.”
Rom’s only regret about the exhibit is that it ends in 1962 instead of continuing. He’s asking former South Africans in Vancouver to email photographs that pertain to their history in Muizenberg and that might be shown as a slide show at the exhibit’s opening night, July 10, 7 p.m. To submit your memories, email Rom at [email protected].
Lauren Kramer, an award-winning writer and editor, lives in Richmond. To read her work online, visit laurenkramer.net.
Naomi Brand’s En Route will be performed by members of All Bodies Dance Project. (photo by Chris Randle)
New works and the pushing of boundaries. Just what audiences expect from the Dancing on the Edge contemporary dance festival, and just what the three participating Jewish community members have created.
This year’s Dancing on the Edge (DOTE), which takes place July 7-16, includes work by Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, Amber Funk Barton and Naomi Brand.
Friedenberg’s I can’t remember the word for I can’t remember is an excerpt from a work-in-progress – a new solo she is creating with director John Murphy.
“I will be performing but a lot of what we’ve been making has come out of our conversations about memory and the displacement of our memories in the digital world,” she explained. “The piece explores how our minds, our selves escape us and the panic that brings.”
Friedenberg and Murphy met years ago, when she was choreographing a Fringe show in which he was performing.
“He is one of the funniest performers I know and a very smart playwright and director,” said Friedenberg. “I wanted to do research into narrative structure and comic writing, as well as explore being ‘myself’ onstage. Once John and I started researching, we both got excited about turning the research into a piece. Marc Stewart will create an original score for the work as well.”
As for other future projects, Friedenberg said she had recently returned from a residency in Italy where she was collaborating with Italian dance-theatre-performance artist Silvia Gribaudi. “We will be premièring our duet next year at the Scotiabank Dance Centre – it’s a co-production with the Dance Centre and Chutzpah!”
In addition to DOTE, Friedenberg is also choreographing West Side Story for Theatre Under the Stars this summer.
“It’s my first time working for TUTS and the cast is fantastic!” she said. “The amazing Sarah Rodgers is directing – I also met her years ago on the same Fringe show where I met John. It’s a very edgy take on West Side and I am able to bring my contemporary vision to it.”
Barton is also bringing a new work to DOTE that she hopes will evolve into something larger – Village, a 15-minute group piece, performed by members of the response.’s apprenticeship program.
About it, Barton said, “I am always interested in working with narrative and story and, lately, I seem to be inspired by small towns and their intimate interactions. When I travel, I find it fascinating that, as a human race, we all have a similar rhythm to our lives but the diversity of how we carry out this rhythm is what continues to make us interesting to one another. We all wake up. We all eat breakfast. We all go to work. We all struggle to define what our short lives on this planet mean. We all love and have our hearts broken. We all want to be loved. We struggle to attain happiness…. So, I’ve decided that I would like to make a dance that reflects these inspirations; I want to portray a group of people who live by the sea and survive a storm.
“My intention in creating Village for the festival this year,” she continued, “is that it is a starting point for a much more developed work with possibly a larger cast. But, to start, I am working with four dancers – Andrew Haydock, Antonio Somera Jr., Marcy Mills and Tessa Tamura – who have all gone through my company’s apprentice program. So, this is also a special endeavor, as it is giving these emerging dancers an opportunity to perform in the festival, as well as working with them as professional dancers. It’s really exciting to witness their growth. I’ve also decided not to perform in Village because I want to focus solely on the creation of it.”
Another focus of Barton’s has been working to make VAST, her first full-length solo, a reality. “I’ve been doing a lot of movement research and performing works-in-progress in support of it and I’m currently working towards a 2017 première,” she said.
“I’ve also held two more cycles of my company’s apprentice program. It’s hard to believe, but my company’s 10th anniversary is on the horizon, so I’m dreaming about what I would like to create to celebrate that. I’m also teaching regularly and am currently on staff as the head of contemporary at Avant Dance Company in Burnaby.”
And, if that weren’t enough, Barton recently did a residency with the company EDAM Dance.
“This spring,” she said, “with the support of EDAM, I was invited to create a 20-minute work for three dancers. I called the trio Scenes for Your Consideration and it was recently performed at EDAM’s Induction performance series.” The work featured Elya Grant, Somera Jr. and Haydock, she added, “and became a collection of scenes and interactions where the relationships between the dancers continued to shift. When I watch the work, I see them shift between friends, enemies, lovers, siblings – all the various roles that we encounter in our everyday lives.”
Brand’s work for DOTE is about a different form of shifting. Called En Route, it “explores different ways to traverse public spaces and negotiate our place in a crowd. The piece celebrates and exploits the fine line between practical and performative ways of getting from point A to point B.” To the program description, Brand added, “Directionality and determination to get somewhere are contrasted with meandering, circuitous pathways towards our goal.”
The piece will be performed in the inner courtyard of the Woodward’s Building, which, she said, “requires me to think more creatively about the three-dimensional experience of watching a living choreography. The Woodward’s space is also a space with its own complex choreography of people moving through it in myriad diverse ways towards their own destinations. We are excited to build upon the existing dance of that space.”
En Route will be performed by members of All Bodies Dance Project, which she described as “an inclusive group of movers who experience and perceive the world differently.”
Brand launched All Bodies Dance Project in September 2014 with Mirae Rosner and Sarah Lapp.
“The three of us were/are interested in making a space in Vancouver to explore an inclusive dance practice that was open to movers of all abilities,” said Brand. “We have been really fortunate to partner with the Vancouver Parks Board and the Roundhouse to make this project possible.
“All Bodies Dance Project is accessible to anyone and welcomes difference as a creative strength,” she continued. “Our work poses questions about dance and how it is practised: Who has access to dance training? Who gets to make dances? What is the artistic potential of different types of people dancing together?
“By bringing together ‘standing dancers’ with dancers who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids, our practice seeks to challenge the ideas of normalized dancing bodies and make space for a new and innovative community of dance makers. We want to widen the spectrum of who dances and what dance can be.”
All Bodies Dance Project has created two full evening productions to date, See & Be Seen (2015) and TRACE (2016), and have done numerous community performances in local festivals and events, said Brand. “We are interested in continuing to create new and innovative pieces of choreography, allowing new audiences to see the choreographic possibilities of difference.”
In the fall, she said, there will be a new session of the group’s open classes at Trout Lake Community Centre and the Roundhouse, in addition to a new class it is launching for young dancers ages 8-12 at Mount Pleasant Community Centre and a new group at Sunset Community Centre (allbodiesdance.ca).
In addition, Brand continues “to make and perform contemporary dance across a wide spectrum of contexts, from my own solo work to work with professional dancers to dance with diverse populations. I have just completed a three-year residency at the Roundhouse, where I was working with an ensemble of 20 older adults called the Ageless Dancers.”
As well, when the JI contacted Brand by email for this interview, she was on Toronto Island where, she said, “I am working with a group of 24 dance makers from across Canada on a project called 8 DAYS. This is my fourth time at this intergenerational gathering that aims to connect choreographers, to share their practices and create dialogue about the form.”
For the full schedule and tickets for the DOTE festival, visit dancingontheedge.org.
A new Canadian literary prize was announced recently – the Joan Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s Book Award.
“With this award, we honor Joan Betty Stuchner’s life-affirming humor and encourage other children’s writers to laugh it up on the page the way she did,” reads the award website. The $1,000 prize will be given out once every two years to a Canadian author and/or illustrator who creates the most hilarious book for readers ages 12 and under.
“We feel that Joan would have loved this prize that supports authors who make children laugh,” said Cindy Heinrichs, one of the award committee members, in an interview with the Independent. “The name of the award is probably the longest and funniest book award name in literary history. Joan would love it. She would laugh at it, if she were alive. I can almost hear her laughing.”
Stuchner, one of the funniest authors of children’s books in Canada, passed away unexpectedly in 2014. She was only 67 years old.
“I met Joan in 2006,” Heinrichs recalled. “I edited one of her books, Honey Cake, for Tradewind. I was a young editor then, and Joan was very supportive. She had a knack for making everyone she met feel like they were her friend.
“We did become friends. Later, when she was already sick, I helped her with the final edits for her two latest books, Bagels the Brave and Bagels on Board [both illustrated by Dave Whamond]. I wasn’t working for her publisher then, I did it as a friend, because she was too ill to do it alone. It gave her a great deal of pleasure to complete these books and a great deal of satisfaction to know that they would find their way into the world. Both books were published posthumously by Orca Books.”
Heinrichs remembered how shocked all Stuchner’s friends were by her passing. “Joan was a wonderful friend, warm and generous. She loved children. She loved books. She was a little lady with a big personality and a great sense of humor.”
Born in England, Stuchner moved to Canada when she was 18. After graduating from the University of British Columbia, she worked as a library assistant, taught part-time, acted in community theatre and performed as a storyteller.
“My life is full of books … and my house is like a mini library – despite the fact that I moved in 2009 and had to give away many of my books. Not an easy thing to do,” Stuchner herself wrote in her bio.
She always liked to write, particularly for children. Her stories and poetry were published in children’s magazines before her first book, Peanut Butter Waltz, illustrated by Diana Durrand, came out in 1990.
“She wanted to write full-time,” said Heinrichs. “At 64, she retired to make that dream come true. Sadly, she died only three years later.”
After the funeral, several of Stuchner’s friends, including Heinrichs, got together to reminisce and to talk about Stuchner’s literary legacy, her funny and heartwarming children’s books.
“We realized that there was no prize in Canada for humorous children’s books. We thought, Joan would love such a prize, we should found one.”
They did. And, in honor their departed friend, they named the prize after her. The members of the award committee include Heinrichs, fellow writers Caroline Adderson and Silvana Goldemberg, and artist/ illustrator Kathryn Shoemaker.
“We all met through CWILL BC – Children’s Writers and Illustrators Society of B.C.,” Heinrichs said. “When we started with the prize, we didn’t know what to do. Everything was a first for all of us, and everything was done by volunteers. There are no administrative fees. No paid staff. We asked people to help – to make a logo, to make a website, to help with fundraising, to donate books – and everyone jumped in. Orca and Tradewind donated books to raise the funds for the prize. Shar Levine is helping us with fundraising, too. She has so many amazing ideas, even though she is not a member of the committee.”
Submissions for the inaugural prize, which will be awarded in 2017, already have started pouring in, from publishers and writers organizations across Canada, although the committee decided not to accept submissions from self-published writers, at least for now. Heinrichs explained that decision: “While there are wonderful examples of self-published books for children, many self-published books are in need of a thorough editorial process. Most book prizes don’t accept them at this time, but that may change. Our prize is brand new and we are learning. We expect it will grow as we do.”
Shinshiniot, left to right, Ophir Golombek, Tomer Tetro and Lian Swissa. (photo by Michelle Dodek)
Nine months ago, Ophir Golombek, Lian Swissa and Tomer Tetro were just the names of three Israeli 18-year-olds brought to Vancouver by the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and the Jewish Agency for Israel. Having spent the school year helping at Vancouver Talmud Torah (VTT), Richmond Jewish Day School (RJDS), King David High School (KDHS), the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver and the Hebrew schools at congregations Beth Israel, Beth Tikvah and Temple Sholom, these young women are now known and loved by many across the Lower Mainland.
The women have been here for a shnat sherut (year of service, for which the acronym is shinshin) before entering the army, not as an alternative to time in uniform. The program has been running in other cities for more than a decade, but this was the first year for Vancouver. Designed to spread a connection and love for the people and country of Israel, the shinshiniot (female plural for shinshin) engaged the youth of Vancouver’s Jewish community through dance, song, food and educational programming.
The Shinshin program hinges on a series of homestay experiences where families with children in high school or younger host a shinshin for a three-month period. Federation works to match each shinshin with families that are a good fit in order to facilitate a connection between the families and the shinshiniot, sharing the Canadian experience and Israeli culture while bonding as Jewish people.
“The best thing about the year was the host families,” said Swissa. “I made amazing deep connections and was welcomed as part of the family. It’s such a crucial part of the program.”
The Friedman-Leidemann family – parents Diane and Mark and 13-year-old son Isaac – opened their home to Golombek. Living very close to VTT, it was convenient for Golombek to get to and from her daily work at the school and the family was happy to open their home to her.
“Hosting Ophir was a lovely experience,” said Friedman. “We have hosted ‘traditional’ homestays for 10 years, so we have lots of experience to compare this to and it was truly wonderful.”
She added, however, that having the shinshiniot work six days a week made exploring very difficult. “It would be nice if the girls could have a two- to three-day weekend once a month so that they could explore areas near Vancouver not conducive to day trips,” said Friedman.
Lissa Weinberger, manager of Jewish education and identity initiatives at Federation, was tasked with rolling out the Shinshin program in Vancouver. “It has been an amazing first year,” she said. “From the first time I had a child excitedly talk about the visit their class had from the shinshin to the last goodbye hugs, there has not been an experience quite like this in Vancouver. The biggest highlight of the year was having them for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut. Our community and especially our kids had such a positive Israeli experience, one that could only be created by the firsthand experience of Israeli teens.”
The year has not been without its challenges. Federation recognizes that culture shock and homesickness were real issues, and they plan to have a native Hebrew-speaking social worker or psychologist as part of the support team next year. They are currently reaching out for host families, as well. “We are looking for families who have the routine of the school year, of having kids, because hosting a shinshin is bringing a teenager into your family,” said Weinberger.
Tanyss Bugis, who has two teenagers attending KDHS, said, “Hosting Lian was good for our family and my teenaged kids and it was good for Lian. For us, it was a terrific experience.”
The skills and warmth of the shinshiniot were put to a variety of uses over the year. Tetro is an accomplished dancer and she worked with Grade 4s at VTT and RJDS to prepare for Festival Ha’Rikud. At Beth Israel, Swissa used her artistic skills to create props and 3-D games about Israeli customs, culture and holiday celebrations. All three women did Israeli programming at the synagogue Hebrew schools, where they worked alternating Sundays; the weekends they were not at Hebrew school, they provided youth programming on Shabbat mornings.
“The kids we met now have a better understanding of the complexity of being a teen in Israel,” said Swissa. “They have a better idea that Israel is a nuanced, complex country. We were also able to bring a better understanding of really important events like Yom Hazikaron.”
During the school week, RJDS, VTT, KDHS and the JCC had programming provided by one or more of the shinshiniot. Golombek was full-time at VTT, visiting the classes with age-appropriate lessons on everything from women in Israeli society and history to Yom Hazikaron traditions. Jennifer Shecter-Balin, director of admissions and communications at VTT, said, “Having a young Israeli emissary at the school was a logical and natural way to build bridges with – and interest in – Israel.”
Shecter-Balin also acted as a host-mother. “For our family, hosting a shinshinit was a wonderfully positive experience,” she said. “After our time with Ophir, we feel as though we now have another close family member living in Israel and we anticipate maintaining our bond. We would definitely host again!”
Of the challenges, Shecter-Balin said there were inevitable hiccups but that VTT sees the benefits of increasing the scope of the program with two shinshiniot for next year. “We anticipate a smoother transition and integration with two emissaries working together and supporting each other,” she said.
During Shabbat services on June 25, Swissa organized a party with Israeli snacks and games. It turned out to be a surprise farewell party for her, too. It was the second such party for her on a Shabbat morning; the other was for her 19th birthday.
“We love having Lian here. She’s awesome!” said 10-year-old Aria Levitt.
Swissa said it was hard for her to say goodbye to the kids. “As a shinshinit, we develop a deep connection to the kids. It’s sad to say goodbye.”
Not quite finished their service in our community yet, Tetro is off to Camp Hatikvah for the summer and Golombek will be at Camp Miriam. Both will help with programming, adding to the already rich Zionist fabric of the camps. Swissa continues her stay in Vancouver contributing an Israeli flavor to the JCC’s Camp Shalom.
Tetro summed up her experience in a goodbye speech at a party thrown by Federation for the shinshiniot. “The Jewish community here is amazing and I am so grateful to have been part of it,” she said. “I am so thankful to have met all these incredible people, thank you for being my extended family for the year.”
Federation is looking for families to host a shinshinit for a three-month period in the coming school year. The new group of four young women will arrive at the end of August for an orientation. If you are interested in being a host family, contact Federation at [email protected] or call Shelley Rivkin at 604-527-5111.
Michelle Dodekis a mother and a writer in Vancouver whose children benefited greatly from their relationships with the shinshiniot.