בחודש יוני מלאו תשע שנים לעבודתי בחברה הפיננסית פרוגרסה. החברה מספקת הלוואות לי שיש לו קרדיט גרוע ולכן לא יכול לקבל הלוואה מהבנק. מרבית הלקוחות מגיעים מחברות הגבייה בקנדה, שמציעות לחייבים לקבל הלוואה כדי להסדיר את חובם. אז גם יש להם אפשרות לשפר את הדקריט ואם יתמידו בכך, הם יוכלו לקבל הלוואות מבנקים שהם כידוע הרבה יותר זולות
אם כן במחצית מחיי כאן בוונקובר אני עובד בפרוגרסה שהפכה לחלק בלתי נפרד מחיי. בשבע השנים האחרונות אנ משמש מבקר החברה (על תקן מנהל) ושש השנים האחרונות אנו עובד מהבית (ללא קשר למגיפת הקוביד)
עלי מוטלת האחריות לבדוק שהכל מתנהל כשורה, שהעובדים במחלקת התפעול מנפיקים הלוואות כראוי ובהתאם למדיניות מחלקת הסיכונים. במקביל אני בודק בקביעות את רשימת הלקוחות שלא עומדים בתשלומים מסיבות שונות, וכן אני בודק אם התשלומים בוצעו נכונה על ידי מחלקת הכספים בתיקים הלוואות השונות. ישנן עוד משימות שונות שאני אחראי עליהן מדי יום, בהתאם למה שמתרחש בחברה
לחברה כמו פרוגרסה יש זכות קיום לאורך שרבים בקנדה חייבים כספים שאינם יכולים לשלם את חובם בזמן. הבנקים מעינים אשראי רק ללקוחות עם קרדיט טוב ורבים רבים לא יכולים ליהנות מכך, כיוון שהקרדיט שלהם נמוך. לכן הם נאלצים לקבל הלוואות מחברות בסב-פריים כמו החברה שלנו. וכידוע הלוואות כאלה הרבה יותר יקרות הלוואות מבנקים
המצב הכלכלי הקשה במשק הקנדי רק מגביר את זרם הלקוחות הפונים לקבל הלוואות סאב-פריים. ומצד שנים בכלל המצב במשק ויוקר המחייה הגבוה לרבים אין אפשרות לשלם את תשלומי ההלוואות הזמן. תופעה זו צפויה רק להחריף בחודשים הקרובים
הבנק המרכזי של קנדה העלה את הריבית ברבע אחוז לרמה של כמעט חמישה אחוזים. מדובר ברמה הגבוהה ביותר מזה עשרים ושתיים, ותוך שהוא מפתיע את השווקים שצפו שהריבית תישאר ללא שינוי, זאת אחרי בכל המדינות מדובר על רמות הריבית הגבוהות ביותר מזה עשור לפחות. לפני שנה אף אחד בעולם לא האמין שזו תהיה סביבת הריבית העולמית כעבור שנה בלבד אבל העולם המערבי מנסה להילחם באינפלציה. וכלי הנשק העיקרי שלו דומה העלאות ריבית
אבל האם זה סוף ההעלאות – כנראה שלא. הריבית כנראה תמשיך לעלות כאשר הבנק המרכזי של קנדה רמז שגם אם הוא יבצע הפוגות בהעלאת הריבית, זה לא אומר שהעלאות הריבית ייפסקו
האינפלציה בקנדה עומדת נכון לאפריל האחרון על כארבעה אחוזים גבוהה כמובן מתחום היעד אבל נמוכה באופן יחסי זו הרמה הנמוכה ביותר מזה תשעה עשר חודשים. האינפלציה במדינה כבר הגיעה שיותר משונה אחוזים ומאז היא בירידה. אינפלציית הליבה (ללא מזון ואנרגיה), המשקפת טוב יותר את הביקוש בתוך קנדה, יורדת כבר חמישה חודשים לכארבעה אחוזים
העלאת הריבית של בנק אוף קנדה כנראה שאיננה האחרונה, זאת על רקע העליות בשוק הדיור והאינפלציה הבסיסית הדביקה, אומר דר’ גיל בפמן, הכלכלן הראשי של בנק לאומי. לדבריו בההודעת הבנק צויין שצמיחת הצריכה ברביע הראשון הייתה חזקה באופן מפתיע. ההודעה ציינה את המשך הביקוש החזק לעבודה וגם שהביקוש העודף במשק נראה מתמשך יותר מהצפוי. על רקע זה הבנק המרכזי התריע מפני מצב שבו האינפלציה יכולה להיתקע באופן מהותי מעל יעד לש שני אחוזים. הבנק ציין כי ההחלטה על ההעלאה התבססה על הדעה כי המדיניות המוניטרית לא הייתה מגבילה מספיק בכדי להחזיר את ההיצע והביקוש לאיזון ולהחזיר את האינפלציה ברציפות ליעד של שני אחוזים
Left to right: Tom Pickett, Advah Soudack, Kate Besworth and Karthik Kadam in Bard on the Beach’s production of Shakespeare’s Henry V, which runs to Aug. 13. (photo by Tim Matheson)
Bard on the Beach rarely presents Shakespeare’s history plays. The last time Vancouver audiences were treated to one of the House of Lancaster trilogies was in 2011. Like Julius Caesar, currently playing on the Mainstage, Henry V is a timely production, based on world events. Unlike Julius Caesar, which is set in modern times, director Lois Anderson has envisioned the setting for Henry V as an indeterminate time in a wartorn future.
In Henry V, there is a device Shakespeare often used – a play within a play. A traveling troupe of nine actors, seeking shelter from a raging storm, suitcases in hand, arrives in an apocalyptic time to present their version of Henry V. Their ultimate message: make love, not war.
When Henry IV died, his 16-year-old son, Prince Hal, ascended to the throne of England. His father had, on his deathbed, made it clear to his son that, to take on the crown responsibilities, he had to give up his profligate lifestyle and his association with the lower-class tavern set, including his mentor Falstaff. Once on the throne, and taking government matters seriously, Henry V is surrounded by ambitious advisors who encourage him to invade France as part of the ongoing Hundred Years War between the two countries. Reluctant at first, the arrival of an emissary at his court with a “gift” of tennis balls (analogous to a slap in the face) from the cocky French Prince, the Dauphin, convinces Henry to go to war.
On the battlefield, Henry comes of age, transitioning from an impressionable youth to a fierce leader of men. Although vastly outnumbered, the English are ultimately successful in the 1415 Battle of Agincourt, spurred on by Henry’s rousing now-iconic call to arms: “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.”
As part of the boy-to-man transition, Henry takes a hard line with his tavern pals, who have also joined the fight for king and country – condemning one to death for stealing a loaf of bread and eschewing the pleas for reconciliation from a dying Falstaff.
The audience is guided through the story by a narrator, the Chorus, who welcomes us to “the show” and provides numerous asides that give context and meaning to what is happening on stage, both in the action and in Henry’s mind (manifested by flashbacks to his carefree days of youth).
All the cast, save for the eponymous lead, play multiple roles and Anderson has chosen to always keep the actors on stage. When not involved in a scene, they sit off to the side. Costume changes take place right in front of the audience. The intimate Douglas Campbell Theatre allows for this up-close-and-personal action.
The women in this production are standouts. Jewish community member Advah Soudack not only acts, doing double-duty portraying Mistress Quickly (one of the tavern denizens) and the emissary Mountjoy, but also has a chance to show off her vocal skills with a haunting solo. Newcomer Marlee Griffiths is simply delightful as the French princess Katharine, especially as she practises English with her maid. Emilie Leclerc is both the narrator and French Queen Isabelle, and makes her Bard debut with a strong performance.
Kate Besworth plays Henry V in a gender reversal. Anderson’s vision encompasses the insecurity and angst of a teenager suddenly placed in charge of a country at war, who must make decisions with far-reaching consequences. Yet that same youth can be painfully shy when it comes to wooing, winning and wedding Princess Katherine (a strategic alliance that helps broker peace between the warring nations). Diminutive Besworth ably portrays these two sides of Henry’s character.
Among the male actors, Billy Marchenski is a tough Exeter; Craig Erickson, Henry IV; Tom Pickett, the King of France; and Karthik Kadam, the Dauphin. Munish Sharma gets to play with the role of portly Falstaff.
However, the real stars in this rendering are the designers. Kudos to all of them, starting with Jewish community member Amir Ofek in charge of the set design. In the program notes, he writes, “Director Lois Anderson and myself reimagined this production as an immersive audience experience that starts from the moment you enter the performance space.” He certainly accomplished this goal. When you step through the front tent flap, you are transported into a futuristic sepia-and-earth-tone world, chairs haphazardly stacked, looking like they are about to fall over (a metaphor for the chaos of the world), and an inner tent made of burlap sacks stitched together (scavenged from various local coffee shops), all atop a cracked, parched dirt floor. You really do feel like you are in a tent in the middle of a battlefield. The chairs are used to represent everything from beds to thrones to canons to barricades to weapons.
Mara Gottler’s costumes reflect the “anytime and no time” design mandate she was given and lend themselves to the quick on-stage changes. She wanted to “convey a visual narrative of war and love,” and accomplishes this with different colour palettes for the French and English courts and the tavern gang. Sophie Tang’s lighting, together with Joelysa Pankanea’s musical score, complete the effect. Original songs for the troupe add a novel layer to the production and choreographer/fight director Jonathan Hawley Purvis deserves a mention for the clever battle scenes.
Anderson’s vision is certainly a treatise on the evils – and inevitability – of war, yet still holds out a glimmer of hope for redemption through love.
Henry V runs until Aug. 13. For tickets, visit bardonthebeach.org or call the box office, 604-739-0559.
Tova Kornfeldis a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.
Noa Tishby, right, responds to a question from Danielle Ames-Spivak at the Jewish National Fund of Canada Pacific Region’s Negev event June 29. (photo by Robert Albanese)
The Jewish National Fund of Canada (JNF) Pacific Region hosted its annual Negev event on June 29 at Congregation Beth Israel. The first in-person iteration of the Vancouver gathering since the pandemic, the evening’s emcee, Howard Jampolsky, vice-president of JNF Pacific Region, noted that the event drew a record number of first-time attendees.
The evening featured Noa Tishby, an Israeli actress, producer, writer, and activist against antisemitism and the delegitimization of Israel. Funds raised went to support Carmel Farms, a horseback riding ranch in northern Israel catering to children and young adults with special needs, and Vancouver’s Southlands Therapeutic Riding Society (STaRS), which provides similar programming locally. A video was shown about the farm in Israel and Ann Thomson, board president of STaRS, spoke at the event.
There were several activities before the main part of the evening’s program. Mike and Lisa Averbach, event co-chairs, offered welcoming remarks, sharing that they had a son on the autism spectrum and know firsthand the good work that STaRS does. After Benjamin Jacobson led the audience in O Canada and Hatikvah, Shannon Gorski, president of the JNF Pacific Region board, spoke, as did Nathan Disenhouse, board president, and Lance Davis, chief executive officer, of JNF Canada.
Disenhouse presented past-president Bernice Carmeli with the President’s Pin, commending her leadership, especially during the pandemic, and he gave the Lifetime Achievement Award to “one of the greatest friends JNF has ever had,” Ruth Freeman, for her commitment to JNF Canada over more than three decades. Harvey Dales was presented with the Bernard M. Bloomfield Medal for his dedication to the Jewish community, including decades to JNF.
Harvey Dales speaks at the JNF Negev event after being honoured with the Bernard M. Bloomfield Medal for his dedication to the Jewish community. (photo by Robert Albanese)
Michael Sachs, executive director of JNF Pacific Region, presented the Educators Award, honouring the commitment of the community’s educators during the pandemic, to representatives from the four Jewish day schools: Myra Michaelson (Vancouver Talmud Torah), Anna-Mae Wiesenthal (King David High School), Lisa Altow (Vancouver Hebrew Academy) and Bat Sheva Michaeli (Richmond Jewish Day School).
Michael Sachs, executive director of JNF Pacific Region, presented the Educators Award to representatives from the four Jewish day schools, left to right: Myra Michaelson (VTT), Anna-Mae Wiesenthal (KDHS), Lisa Altow (VHA) and Bat Sheva Michaeli (RJDS). (photo by Robert Albanese)
In the fireside chat-style interview, Tishby was joined by her close friend and Vancouver Jewish community native, Danielle Ames-Spivak, who is executive vice-president and chief executive officer of the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic. The two discussed Tishby’s background, rising antisemitism in North America, and the future of Jewish pride and Zionism in today’s political landscape.
Tishby – who was Israel’s first-ever special envoy for combating antisemitism and delegitimization – is a prominent voice in the media for fighting antisemitism and defending Israel. While she chose this task, she said it has put a target on her back. But she was appalled by the misrepresentation of Israel in the United States and enraged by the strong – “insane” was the word she used – opinions about a country Americans have little knowledge about. And so, about her activism, she said, “To me, it was a very easy choice.”
Tishby views her work as “what is supposed to be the low-hanging fruit,” and she finds it surprising when people label her as brave for defending the only democracy in the Middle East. “The safety and security of the state of Israel is not a Jewish or Israeli issue,” she said. “It is an international security and Western values issue.”
Tishby’s 2021 book Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth is intended to provide a digestible resource for Israel supporters in need of more knowledge in order to defend the country in discussions or debates. In addition to taking on the responsibility of explaining the complexities of Israel in a clear and relatable manner, Tishby shared that she often sees herself as “part author, part activist and part therapist.” With the peril of rising antisemitic attacks, the Jewish community is stressed, she explained – “people need to vent.”
When Ames-Spivak asked from where Tishby drew her strength, the activist attributed it to her upbringing. “When you grow up in Israel, you live a very particular life,” surrounded by political tension and neighbouring threats, she explained. Under these conditions, Tishby said she has become highly functioning under pressure, which allows her to fight antisemitism daily on social media. An example of her work is a video highlighting the hypocrisy of the BDS movement, which promotes boycotting, divesting from and sanctioning against Israel. The video showcases Tishby talking about various Israeli innovations commonly used in everyday life that people would have to forego if they followed BDS – a list that includes so many things, from cherry tomatoes to cellphone chips.
At the JNF event, Tishby addressed the influence of social media, noting that supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, who have millions of followers, hold “extraordinarily anti-Israel views” and mobilize their followers accordingly. “Numbers-wise, we’re behind,” she said about social media activism against antisemitism.
And what is antisemitism, according to Tishby? Firstly, she emphasized how one cannot separate anti-Zionism from antisemitism. “The connection of Jewish people and the land of Israel is unbreakable,” she said, noting that Zionism is not a political movement, but rather a part of the ethnoreligious identity of the Jewish people. “Our entire religion is indigenous and connected to a place – Israel,” she said.
“What’s been happening over the past few years is swapping ‘the Jew’ with ‘the Zionist,’” she explained. Throughout history, Jews have often been scapegoats for societal problems. Tishby asked, “Today, what is the worst thing to be?” She named three things: racist, white supremacist and colonialist. So, these days, Israel – and, by extension, the Jewish people as a whole – are blamed for being racist, white supremacist and colonialist.
She pointed again to BDS, whose advocates often use the language of apartheid in an attempt to dismantle Israel. “Every country in the world has issues, yet Israel is the only one whose existence is being questioned,” she said, explaining that, when BDS activists use terms such as ethnic cleansing and colonialism, the Jewish community is reminded of an extensive history of antisemitic rhetoric. “We’ve heard this before, and we know where this can lead,” she said.
Ames-Spivak drew attention to the fact that there were elected officials in the audience who had advocated for the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. She asked Tishby why this definition is so important.
The IHRA definition is a key parameter to understanding antisemitism, said Tishby. It highlights the prejudice and anti-Zionism that antisemitism entails, she explained. In her opinion, it is crucial to adopt the IHRA definition at all levels of government.
Tishby described antisemitism as “a shapeshifting conspiracy theory.” It’s not just “punching down,” considering Jews as lesser than, but “it’s also punching up” and a “conspiratorial thing,” which sees Jews as having disproportionate wealth and control over the media, for example. Antisemitism is the oldest form of hate that is still being practised and, oftentimes, tolerated, she said.
Directly addressing the college students in the audience, Tishby said, “Instilling in the younger generation how miraculous the state of Israel is is my life’s work.” Calling them “the most important people in the room,” she highlighted that 50% of college students feel the need to hide their Jewish identities on campus. She urged this age group to not only educate themselves about the history of Israel, but to “find out why being Jewish is great.” She believes that, by doing so, a person becomes unassailable.
Ames-Spivak concluded the discussion by asking Tishby about the future of Jewish pride and Zionism. In response, Tishby reminded the audience of the unbreakable strength of Jewish traditions and values – even in an uncertain or hateful world, she said, women will continue to light candles on Shabbat.
“I’m very hopeful,” she said, noting that, to this day, Israel’s existence and prosperity defies the odds. “The greatest innovation of Israel is Israel.”
Alisa Bressleris a fourth-year student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. She is an avid reader and writer, and the online director of the arts and culture publication MUSE Magazine. Bressler is a member of the Vancouver Jewish community, and the inaugural Baila Lazarus Jewish Journalism Intern.
Antisemitism, dubbed “the longest hatred,” has seemed impervious to challenge. It is a social problem that shifts to meet demand, allowing perpetrators to tailor it to fit their “need.” What if there were a pill you could prescribe to “cure” a person of antisemitism? There may be.
It seems almost like an April Fool’s joke or a Purim spoof, but the timing isn’t quite right. Rob Eshman, senior contributing editor to the Forward, published a piece last weekend suggesting there may indeed be a pharmaceutical answer to this age-old problem.
MDMA, the understandably needed short form for the drug methylenedioxymethamphetamine – aka “Ecstasy” or “Molly” – has been popular for some time, primarily with people who enjoy what the U.S. National Institutes of Health calls its effects of “sympathomimetic arousal, sensual enhancement, feelings of euphoria, and emotional closeness to others.”
Like most good things, of course, this drug comes with a wide range of unwelcome side effects. But the trade-offs have been deemed worthy enough that the drug has been used in Israel since 2019 to combat post-traumatic stress disorder, Eshman writes, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve it for some uses in the next couple of years.
Israel’s use of MDMA for PTSD is far from the only Jewish connection the author found. The drug was first synthesized more than a century ago by Alexander Shulgin, a California pharmacologist whose Jewish family fled Russia, and who has been called “the zeyde of psychedelics.”
Last month, science journalist Rachel Nuwer (also Jewish) published the book I Feel Love: MDMA and the Search for Connection in a Fractured World, in which she shares the story of a white supremacist who was integral to the 2017 hate rally in Charlottesville, Va. After treatment with MDMA, the individual renounced his racist orientation and declared “Love is the most important thing.”
If there is a chance that an ingestible element (currently a banned substance in Canada, the United States and most places) could address a major scourge of civilization – not just antisemitism but all forms of hatred – do we not owe it to ourselves to allocate resources to investigating the pros (and cons)?
A variety of research is ongoing, of course, including an annual Jewish Psychedelic Summit, where medical, religious, psychology and other experts discuss psychedelics and Judaism. (It’s a virtual affair, so one can only imagine the hospitality suites if it were in-person.)
The application of plant medicines and synthetic drugs to combat what we generally deem a social problem may seem dubious – and researchers say it probably wouldn’t work if the recipient isn’t predisposed to change. However, the idea may not be as outrageous as it sounds. We recently ran an article about the late psychotherapist Dr. Theodore Isaac Rubin, whose landmark 1990 book Anti-Semitism: A Disease of the Mindposited that bias against Jews could in many instances be considered a mental disorder. We have long accepted, welcomed even, pharmaceutical responses to treatable mental issues. Why not this one?
Of course, anything that changes brain chemistry or neurobiology should be approached with immense care – more care, for example, than we have demonstrated in wildly embracing over the past several decades the new technologies that have been shown to shorten our attention spans and alter the functioning of our brains, as we discussed in this space last issue.
At the same time, we would be foolish to ignore the potential for something that could ameliorate some of the worst characteristics of the human experience. Think back at the horrors that might have been alleviated had we been able to slip a “love potion” into the water glasses of history’s most evil figures.
Some experts, Eshman explains, are looking into the role MDMA could play in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While we work on other avenues for the changes needed to bring more love and justice to the challenges inherent in that conflict, if there is a glimmer of hope that a chemical solution exists for some of the most destructive features of our species, we would be fools to dismiss it.
The ensemble of Theatre Under the Stars’ The Prom has energy and talent. Jewish community member Cadence Rush Quibell is third from the right. (Emily Cooper Photography)
This summer, Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) has brought two stories of individuality and bravery to Stanley Park – The Prom, which opened July 11, and Roald Dahl’s Matilda: The Musical, which opened the following night. Both opening night shows began with a welcome chant from members of the Coast Salish people, who explained the Indigenous history of the park.
At the opening of Matilda, there was hardly an empty seat.
“My mummy says I’m a miracle,” sang the chorus of bright-eyed children as the curtains rose. It is soon revealed that the parents of the show’s heroine – gifted 5-year-old Matilda – do not share this feeling. Matilda’s mother even calls the day of her child’s birth the worst day of her life.
The story follows Matilda’s struggle to embrace her intelligence and natural courage, despite her crude, TV-obsessed parents, who constantly put her down. She begins to find her place at her school, whose motto is “children are maggots,” pushing past the frightening Miss Trunchbull and towards her personal solace of literature and imaginative storytelling.
Matilda seamlessly conveys its titular character’s frustration and joy. Notably, the set consisting of huge books is a clever signal of the constant comfort Matilda finds in books, and how storytelling is what ultimately leads her to a happy ending.
The show’s energetic ensemble executes intricate choreography and vocals with ease. The ensemble is united and contains an array of younger and older performers, which comes in handy to tell the story of “When I Grow Up.”
Siggi Kaldestad brings talent beyond her years to the role of Matilda, providing a solid and confident backbone for the entire production. Kaldestad is a triple threat, and her sweet yet dynamic performance of “Naughty” offers the proof. Paula Higgins, playing the angel-esque teacher, Miss Honey, brought lovely vocals to the character’s journey of self-confidence and connection. Another standout was Jyla Robinson playing Miss Trunchbull – her physical comedy and terrifying demeanour served well in bringing the famously nasty character to life.
While the narrative of Matilda largely centres around its main character, it truly was an ensemble production, where many supporting characters shone. This was also true for TUTS’s production of The Prom.
The Prom opens on the failing careers of four eccentric, selfish Broadway actors – Dee Dee Allen (Caitriona Murphy), Barry Glickman (Greg Armstrong-Morris), Angie Dickinson (Amanda Lourenco) and Trent Oliver (Matthew Valinho). Seeking a cause that will allow them to regain relevance, they choose to help Emma, a lesbian student in Edgewater, Ind., take her girlfriend to prom, despite the parent-teacher association having canceled prom to prevent that from happening. Emma is under scrutiny in her town of apparent homophobes – the worst being the unsuspecting mother of her girlfriend – and the crew of Broadway has-beens is determined to spread tolerance to people they view as closed-minded hicks and come out as heroes. Chaos follows, yet so do lessons of acceptance and generosity.
Murphy and Armstrong-Morris are masterful performers with powerful stage presences who ably transform their characters from self-absorbed and out-of-touch to caring and relatable. Armstrong-Morris’s “Barry is Going to Prom” reveals intriguing dimensions to the well-established spunk of his character, and Murphy’s “It’s Not About Me” is a true showstopper. The power duo is joined by Lourenco’s Angie, who is classy and entertaining to watch, as well as Valinho’s hilarious and cheeky Trent Oliver.
These eccentric personalities are well-balanced by Anna Pontin’s earnest and mature portrayal of Emma. Pontin brings a warm vocal tone and a comfortable stage presence to this emotionally complex role. Emma’s love interest, Alyssa Greene, is brought to life with an equally beautiful voice and authenticity from Brianna Clark. Whether it’s Valihno’s standing back flip in “Love Thy Neighbour,” or Murphy’s soulful belt in “The Lady is Improving,” this cast truly shines.
Anna Pontin, right, plays Emma, and Brianna Clark is Emma’s love interest, Alyssa, in Theatre Under the Stars’ production of The Prom. (Emily Cooper Photography)
The Prom’s ensemble has solid energy and talent, while sometimes wavering in transitions between scenes. It was wonderful to see Jewish community member Cadence Rush Quibell among them (jewishindependent.ca/finding-their-place-in-theatre). The choreography is upbeat and sincere, especially in the show’s finale, “It’s Time to Dance.” The script is hilarious, and its message is uplifting and heartwarming; it is clear that The Prom preaches inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, welcoming anyone who seeks the courage to be themselves – similar to the messages of Matilda.
This season of TUTS allows young, local talents to shine, featuring many children and adolescent-age performers between the two productions. They should all be commended for the dedication and professionalism that is often clear in TUTS productions.
Both Matilda and The Prom drive the classic musical theatre message that no one is alone, even when the world appears to have turned its back. While Matilda is ignored by her parents, she connects with Miss Honey; while Emma is shunned by her town and family, she is embraced by the Broadway performers.
Further, both productions inspire embracing individuality in the face of judgment or constraints, whether it be ridiculous parents or the outdated beliefs of an entire community. The message that you can control your own story is entrenched in both productions. When the students revolt against Miss Trunchbull in the glorious “Revolting Children,” it is loud-and-proud self-determination. When Emma stands up for herself, it is a more subdued demonstration, yet no less genuine. Her intimate, acoustic guitar performance of “Unruly Heart” proves equally effective in allowing its heroine to regain control over her narrative.
Don’t miss The Prom and Matilda this summer. Visit tuts.ca for showtimes and tickets.
Alisa Bressler is a fourth-year student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. She is an avid reader and writer, and the online director of the arts and culture publication MUSE Magazine. Bressler is a member of the Vancouver Jewish community, and the inaugural Baila Lazarus Jewish Journalism Intern.
In Canada, one woman is killed in a violent act every 48 hours. The spike in domestic violence that began during the pandemic is not diminishing and instead continues to increase. It has increased in Canada by 27% since 2019.
In Israel, the situation is just as critical. In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, 20,140 domestic violence complaints were lodged with police, an increase of 12% from the previous year, and, in 2022, the rate of femicide in Israel increased by 50%. In the first five months of this year, 16 women have been murdered.
Join CHW (Canadian Hadassah-WIZO) Vancouver Centre for the CHW Vancouver Walk on Sunday, Aug. 13, from 10 a.m. to noon at Jericho Beach. This annual event raises funds in support of CHW’s SOS – Starting Over Safely – summer campaign to empower victims of domestic violence.
The CHW Vancouver Walk is an opportunity for the community to come together and make a difference. By participating in this event, you will not only support essential programs that empower women to break the cycle of violence, but also raise awareness about the issue of domestic abuse.
The programs supported by this cause are WIZO services for domestic abuse survivors, Michal Sela Forum in Israel and Franny’s Fund in Canada. These programs will:
provide help for parents and families in need of an urgent response,
provide women and their children with specially trained protections dogs,
provide women and their children with the basic essentials to start over safely,
provide awareness materials to help women recognize the signs of abuse,
fund respite summer camp experiences for at-risk youth,
provide access to critical resources, including legal counsel and therapeutic counseling services, and
assist with social and personal support to help break the cycle of violence.
CHW encourages everyone to come to Jericho Beach, where the event will kick off promptly at 10 a.m. To donate and to register to walk, jog or run, go to chw.ca/vancouver-walk (free for kids under 18). Strollers and dogs are welcome. No matter how you choose to participate, your presence and support will make a meaningful impact. Together, we can create a safer and more secure environment for those affected by domestic abuse.
Also, save the date: on Aug. 22, CHW will launch a 27-hour online crowdfunding campaign. Funds raised that day will be matched three more times by a loyal community of donors, the Matching Heroes, so please visit chwsos.ca sometime during those 27 hours and donate.
“When I came to Galena Bay, I had been afraid of many things,” writes Ellen Schwartz in Galena Bay Odyssey: Reflections on a Hippie Homesteader (Heritage House Publishing Company, 2023). “Of the physical work I would have to do. Of trying new things I have never done before, like gardening and building and raising animals. Of living in isolation. One by one, I had attempted these things, and I had survived. I had even mastered some of them. Those fears had fallen away.”
This paragraph comes as Schwartz is atop a hill, “too scared to move,” and her skis start sliding. She survives the “ungraceful and disastrous” run, even pushes through a second one. But she can’t keep her vow to never to do that again because, in the 1970s, she lived in such a far-flung place that skiing was a necessary mode of transportation, not just a leisure activity.
It is easy to see why Schwartz chose to write a memoir about this period of her life. Born into a middle-class family – her father an internist-turned-cardiologist, her mother a teacher before becoming a stay-at-home mom to Schwartz, her younger sister and brother – and raised in New Jersey, Schwartz went to university in Chicago. There, she did all you might expect a young person with the new freedom of being on their own to do. And then some, as it was the late 1960s. She writes openly about her experiences with drugs and having sex for the first time: “I figured Ned was The One. I imagined that we’d go through our four years [at school] together and eventually marry.” That didn’t happen. Nor did Schwartz go on to lead the conventional life she imagined for herself at the time.
Instead, she went to join a close friend at a farming commune in Pennsylvania, the members of which ultimately wanted to move to British Columbia. Not intending to stay longer than summer break, Schwartz fell in love with one of the commune’s founders and, well, ended up in British Columbia with Bill, who would become her husband. The group didn’t last long, but the Schwartzes are still together, though no longer in Galena Bay, which is in the West Kootenays. They now live in Burnaby.
The young urban-raised couple faced many challenges homesteading, and Schwartz has many stories of taking on the unknown, whether it be camping along the route across the continent to British Columbia, building their own cabin (including chopping down their own trees), growing their own food, raising a child in a remote area (their second would be born in Vancouver), etc., etc. Not to mention finding work that would sustain them physically (keep them housed, clothed and fed), if not spiritually. She shares the details of her hippie days matter-of-factly, with humour and with the perspective of reflection. For example, after recounting her parents’ muted reaction to her and Bill’s homemade home, she offers potential reasons for their lack of enthusiasm.
Schwartz’s unique history encapsulates the overarching idealism of many in her generation. Her grandparents were “impoverished Jewish immigrants who had fled the hardships and pogroms of Lithuania and Poland” to give their kids a better life in the United States, so their grandchildren also were well set up for material success. The grandchildren – Schwartz and her peers – had an idea but no real understanding of the sacrifices that had been made to achieve the comfortable lifestyle they rejected, because of the racial and social inequality they saw around them, the environmental degradation and the war in Vietnam.
“Bill and I, part of the first wave of baby boomers, were in the privileged position of having enough education, enough wealth and enough leisure to be able to criticize our parents’ lifestyle,” she writes late in the memoir. “We were well-off enough to be able to turn our backs on materialism. We were prosperous enough to indulge in idealism and, idealistically, to define an entire new set of values. (At the time, I didn’t appreciate the irony.)”
But her desire to make the world a better place was – and is – genuine and remains a guiding force. Schwartz, who was a teacher for many years, began her subsequent career writing educational material. We find out in her memoir that the first fiction story she sold was released in 1980. She is now a celebrated children’s author, with almost 20 books to her credit directed towards younger readers, ranging from picture books to novels for teens to a couple of non-fiction publications. She is also a freelance writer and editor.
Galena Bay Odyssey is a wonderful glimpse into an integral part of Schwartz’s life. It also offers insight into North American hippie culture and the strength and ingenuity required to live in an out-of-the-way place like Galena Bay. That the “action” takes place in British Columbia will make the memoir of even more interest to local readers.
Zelik Segal teaches an ongoing, free class in Nonviolent Communication. (photo from Zelik Segal)
We’ve all had an experience in which someone is short-tempered with us for no apparent reason, or doesn’t respond to us as we would like. We have a choice in that moment to react in kind or to pause, understanding that they may be having a bad day, or are dealing with chronic pain, or any number of things that have little or nothing to do with us. In situations like these, something called Nonviolent Communication (NVC) might come in handy.
In a nutshell, NVC teaches how to observe a conflict with objectivity, in place of subjective evaluations of right and wrong or appropriate and inappropriate. It also teaches how to sort out your own feelings and understand what needs of yours are in play, then how to determine what action might fulfil your needs in a conflict without taking away from the needs of the other person or people.
Want to experiment with that process? Zelik Segal teaches an ongoing, free class in NVC in Vancouver that helps people who are experiencing conflict and are ready to address it. It could be a marital problem or an ongoing argument with a friend or family member.
Segal took his first course in NVC in 2012 and has been facilitating and practising for the past six years; he is working on his certification. Segal began studying NVC after he retired from 18 years as a bus driver with Coast Mountain Bus Company. Prior to that, he worked as Lower Mainland regional coordinator for the B.C. Head Injury Program, under the ministry of health.
“When coming into a group to teach NVC, I also experience learning together and creating community that feeds my soul,” Segal told the Independent. “And having the good fortune to have discovered this jewel of living a more rewarding life, I like to share my good fortune with anyone else willing to learn.”
Segal calls himself an “empathy coach.” As such, he sometimes helps NVC students unravel difficult situations in their lives.
“Teaching NVC is the most immediate and direct way I can fulfil the talmudic statement from Rabbi Tarfon, who said, ‘You are not responsible to complete the task (of repair, tikkun olam), nor are you free from doing your part.’”
Segal recognizes that NVC is not always effective in resolving conflict and that it can take a lot of patience to sort through complex situations. He told the Independent that it did, however, change his life.
“While my connections to people and activities have remained the same as they were before I began to practise NVC, the way I connect and experience these connections are significantly different and far more satisfying,” he said. “I have learned to apply my learning to my marriage, to my employment as a bus driver prior to my retirement, to my retirement, to family and to my own self.”
Psychologist Marshall Rosenberg developed NVC in the 1970s. In part, it was his reaction to the bullying he went through in school because of his Jewish surname. In his book Nonviolent Communication: The Language of Life, he states that bullying is a “tragic expression of unmet needs.”
Segal further explained that Rosenberg’s nine categories of needs are safety, sustenance, love, empathy, community, creativity, recreation, meaning and autonomy.
Rosenberg became famous for creating dialogue between people around the world who were involved in violent conflicts, including Israelis and Palestinians. Trainers in NVC today are continuing his work.
“While NVC teaches the use of compassionate understanding to achieve resolution of conflict, it supports the use of force in situations where there is a threat to life, where the other party is unwilling or unable to enter into conversation and presents a threat,” said Segal.
Rosenberg suggested that, in times of conflict, people respond by defending themselves, attacking the other or withdrawing from the situation, sometimes even experiencing complete collapse, explained Segal.
“Learning that emotions are rooted in previous learning and part of a complex, unconscious process in the brain and directly rooted in the degree to which needs are fulfilled, one can then respond with curiosity and reflection in place of old patterns of reaction,” he said.
Segal sees NVC as a way to practise Judaism’s emphasis on social justice and “apply many of the maxims expressed by the rabbis in Pirkei Avot [Ethics of Our Fathers],” he said.
If you have questions about NVC or are interested in Segal’s classes, you can contact him at [email protected]. Rosenberg’s books are available online and the Centre for Nonviolent Communication, which he founded, offers international training and certifies individuals as trainers: cnvc.org.
“NVC is about connecting with ourselves and others from the heart,” it says on the centre’s website. “It’s about seeing the humanity in all of us. It’s about recognizing our commonalities and differences and finding ways to make life wonderful for all of us.”
Cassandra Freeman is a freelance writer living in Vancouver.
Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler at the JQT Vancouver artisan market last fall at Or Shalom for Sukkot. (photo by Carmel Tanaka)
When you enter Massy Books in Chinatown, one of the main Indigenous authors featured in the centre book aisle is Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler. I smile every time I pop in because I see signed copies of his award-winning young-adult horror fiction for sale – Wrist and Ghost Lake, both published by Kegedonce Press. Of course, Nathan would take the time to sign each book! He’s a total mensch, and we met in the best of ways.
I was having brunch with my dear friend Evelyn Tauben of Fentster Gallery at Toronto’s Pow Wow Café, owned and operated by Nathan’s brother, Shawn, an Indigenous Jewish chef. We bonded over being “Jewish&” and he mentioned that he had a sibling out west and that we should connect. So, I reached out over Facebook and we met up at the Fountainhead Pub in Davie Street Village, Vancouver’s “gaybourhood,” a few months later. Since then, Nathan has become a good friend, and you’ll also see him around JQT events, sometimes tabling as a JQT artist or just showing up to enjoy the festivities and the food.
I caught up with Nathan when he was guest curating Centring Indigenous Joy: A Celebration of Literature, Arts and Creativity with Word Vancouver for Indigenous Peoples’ Day last month. The Jewish Independent asked me to attend the event and interview Nathan for the paper.
CT: In your opening remarks, you state that you are Jewish, Anishinaabe, Two-Spirit and a member of Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation. You go on to say that your father is a Holocaust survivor and that your mother is a residential school survivor. What has the journey been like for you? How has the way you introduce yourself evolved over time?
NA: Part of my idea behind the Centring Indigenous Joy event was related to the number of emotional film programs I’ve attended that are about processing historical trauma – really important work, but also kind of a downer. Sometimes a late-night shorts program full of zombies and gore is more cathartic somehow? I wanted people to come away feeling uplifted and happy rather than heavier, you know? Especially since it was an event for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, I wanted it to be celebratory. We’re more than our trauma.
Me and two of my siblings recently traveled to Europe to work on a documentary about our great-uncle who didn’t survive the Holocaust and, after visiting so many museums, memorials, internment camps and historical sites, all I wanted to do was … party!? I insisted my brother quit his delivery job so we could spend an extra two weeks outside our work on the documentary to just have fun, do touristy stuff, go to clubs and the beach. I think balance is needed.
I don’t usually include stuff about my parents being survivors in my introductions, but I felt it was part of my thought process behind the theme for the event (Indigenous joy), and I wanted people to know it wasn’t some kind of toxic positivity in the face of harsh realities, but something that I’d deeply considered. It was more about a shift in focus.
CT: How did your parents meet? And what was their families’ reaction to their union?
NA: They met in French class at the University of Guelph in 1967. My mom missed a class and asked my dad what she missed. That’s how they started talking to each other. My mom mentioned the ballet was in town (“a leading question,” she says) and he asked her out. There were very few Native people in university at that time, so it’s pretty unlikely they [would even meet], but that’s how it happened.
My Jewish grandparents were not happy about the fact he was dating a non-Jew, at least until the babies started coming – then all was forgiven!
All my mom’s family said about it was: “Oh, he’s too old for you” [a five-year age difference], but she also probably looked much younger than him at 19 years old.
CT: Where do Jewish and Indigenous cultures meet?
NT: Food and community and tradition, though the types of foods and traditions are different. Also, the inheritance of historical trauma, and overcoming oppression. You know, just a few minor things.
CT: When did you realize that you were Jewish and Indigenous? Was there a moment?
NA: I don’t remember a specific moment. I think I always just knew? We spent most weekends either going to visit our Ojibwe grandmother or our Jewish grandparents. We did the Jewish High Holidays, Passover, Hanukkah, Purim, etc., and we went to Sunday school for awhile, and in the summer our mom took us up to the reserve or out on the powwow trail and to Native community events in Guelph, where our aunt lives; there were always feasts and ceremonies. So, we always had that grounding in our cultures, where we come from. It wasn’t always a full picture though, it was also marked by absence of knowledge, language and people – relatives who didn’t survive, the knowledge that didn’t get passed down, a lot of unknowns and absences that also becomes part of who we are. Those gaps also become markers of identity.
CT: What has been your experience of being Indigenous and Two-Spirit in the Jewish community (here in Vancouver and elsewhere)? And vice versa?
NA: Well, I think it’s been pretty great here in Vancouver, thanks to the work of JQT, which really helps build community and creates space. When I lived in Peterborough, Ont., there was also a pretty cool alternative Jewish and queer scene. I went to a memorable queer Passover there once, which is one of the few gay and Jewish events I’ve been to; a gay-Jewish-boy networking I stumbled on in Toronto once; and then the JQT events I’ve attended or participated here in Vancouver, like the arts markets and the Shabbos Queen event. And I’ve been to many Two-Spirit-specific events – my twin brother helps organize the 2-Spirit Ball in Ottawa as part of the Asinabka Festival – and, recently, I went to the 2-Spirit Powwow at Downsview Park in Toronto. It’s actually pretty great being part of these communities. Queers are everywhere, so are Jews and NDNs – add in the arts scene and social networks, and it makes it easier to find community in a new place.
CT: Your jam is horror fiction and documentary filmmaking. What draws you to these genres?
NA: I love all things horror and urban fantasy. I went through a Goth phase, and I’m still a Goth at heart. So, when it comes to making my own work, it just makes sense to work in those genres. I also picked up a lot of film and video post-production skills when I attended OCAD [Ontario College of Art & Design] University in the 2000s. But I feel like fiction isn’t for everyone. A lot of people are turned off by anything that isn’t steeped in the conventions of the here and now. They see anything with an element of fantasy, and it’s too far removed from reality – though I think the opposite is true, the fantastic can make a great metaphor for exploring the realities of this world. But some stories feel like they need to be told as they are, they don’t need any dramatization or embellishment. So, it just depends on the story. The story should dictate how it gets told.
CT: You teach post-secondary creative writing, and your work is showcased in numerous art and film festivals. What are you currently working on? What is coming up next? What’s your dream project?
NA: I’m working on a short story for a horror anthology that Kegedonce Press is planning on putting out – though the story isn’t very scary so far, so I may need to write something else. I’m curating a few panels for Word Vancouver in September as part of their Literary Arts Festival, and I’ll be pretty busy with teaching again in September, which takes up a lot of time.
There is the documentary I mentioned about our Uncle Emanuel that we need to sit down and edit (many, many hours of footage to sift through to put the story together). I also have a graphic novel project that’s been on the back burner that needs to be done asap.
I’d love to write those Y/A [young adult] novels I’ve had in the back of my head for awhile, plus the next novel that’s in an unfinished state. Too many unfinished projects! Dream project: finish these ones first before I tackle anything new.
CT: Have you or your family come up with any fusion Indigenous Jewish recipes?
NA: That might be a question for my brother Shawn – he’s the chef! Though, a lot of my knowledge of Jewish cooking comes from my mom, who learned how to do a lot of cooking from her mother-in-law. I think that’s a type of fusion. Learning how to cook Jewish food by way of my Anishinaabekwe mom – even my Jewish food is Indigenous.
From a neurotic gentleman who dresses like a bat, to a wise-cracking human spider, to a Super-Mensch appearing in the bulrushes, not to mention a green golem – it is impossible to escape the Jewish influences of comic superheroes, says Mark Leiren-Young, a creative writing instructor at the University of Victoria.
Put another way, Leiren-Young told the Independent, “It would be simpler to name the iconic comic superheroes who were not shaped by Jewish immigrants. It’s a very small list: Wonder Woman and Shazam. That’s it. That’s all of them.”
In his classes, Leiren-Young and his UVic students examine and analyze the origins of the classic superheroes, almost all of whom were created by Jewish immigrants in the United States. In the first half of the 20th century, these creators were working in comics at least in part because they were not allowed to get jobs in advertising or journalism at the time. In other words, Jews were permitted to do the low-class work that “proper people” would not consider.
Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Green Lantern, the Flash, Dr. Strange and numerous others on the superhero roster were all products of Yiddishkeit, according to Leiren-Young, whose classes on the DC Universe and the Marvel Universe are among the most popular electives at the university.
“One of the things that fascinated me when I did a deep dive into this – all of these Jewish creators were creating characters who were not shy about their religion, though there were none who overtly identified as Jewish. For example, Spider-Man’s sense of humour is absolutely Borscht Belt humour. It is Stan Lee’s humour,” he said, referring to the character’s creator. “Now, you’re seeing the actor playing Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) saying he just assumed he was a Jewish character. That’s how he reads.”
The perceived Jewishness of the early manifestations of comic superheroes was not lost on the Nazis. In 1940, a copy of Look magazine, featuring a two-page segment on how Superman would end the war, made its way to the desk of Das Schwartze Korps, the weekly publication of the SS, in Germany. The Nazis attacked Superman’s creator, writing, “Jerry Siegel, an intellectually and physically circumcised chap who has his headquarters in New York, is the inventor of a colourful figure with an impressive appearance, a powerful body, and a red swim suit who enjoys the ability to fly through the ether.
“The inventive Israelite named this pleasant guy with an overdeveloped body and underdeveloped mind ‘Superman.’ He advertised widely Superman’s sense of justice, well-suited for imitation by the American youth. As you can see, there is nothing (they) won’t do for money!”
The Nazis, led by Joseph Goebbels, their chief propagandist, were concerned about Superman’s sense of justice, Leiren-Young contends. The effects of the German invective against Superman and his creators carried over to these shores as well, with DC Comics being picketed by American Nazis in 1940.
“The creators of Superman were living in a Jewish section of Cleveland and were emphatically impressed with the idea of social justice,” Leiren-Young said.
The Superman-going-to-war spread in Look magazine preceded another daring Jewish-inspired comic – Captain America punching Hitler – that would be published in 1941, before the United States entered the war.
The Jewish creators of Superman and Captain America essentially were going to war and defining Hitler as the enemy before any American troops were involved, Leiren-Young explained.
“Captain America was created to punch Hitler. He looks like a nerdy Jew until he gets the super serum and then turns into the All-American Hero, which also created protests from the American Nazi Party. These were controversial because there were still so many Americans who were really not keen on the United States going to war,” said Leiren-Young.
Such imagery continued after the war. In the 1961 comic “The Death of Superman,” for example, the setting for the trial of Lex Luthor, Superman’s archenemy, strongly resembles the trial of Adolf Eichmann in Israel.
In another postwar Jewish connection, the scientist who invented Captain America in the comic series looks increasingly like Albert Einstein as the story progresses.
Leiren-Young developed an interest in comics at an early age, “raiding” his uncle’s collection after Shabbat dinners. “He had everything, but for me it was all about the DC Comics. I remember there were all sorts of different comics, but a lot of DC superheroes,” said Leiren-Young, who has more than 15,000 comic books in his collection.
In 2014, when Swerve magazine asked writers across Canada to name the most influential book they read as a youth, Leiren-Young responded, “I’ve written a few stories about how and why I fell in love with comics, but I never imagined that having a collection of 15,000-plus comics would launch my career as a television writer or become a job qualification for teaching certain university classes,” he tells his students.
Leiren-Young has written and/or developed animated shows for Netflix, BBC Kids, ABC, Teletoon and other broadcasters. He has also written for BBC’s live-action CGI superhero series Ace Lightning, and his other cartoon credits include scripts for ReBoot, Transformers: Beast Wars, RollBots, Class of the Titans and Pucca.
Beyond his classes and comics, Leiren-Young is a playwright, author, journalist, filmmaker and performer. The Hundred-Year-Old Whale, a film he wrote and directed, received the 2017 Writers Guild of Canada award for best documentary. His memoir, Never Shoot a Stampede Queen, won the 2009 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour.
Leiren-Young recently gave a talk about comic superheroes at Victoria’s Congregation Emanu-El and hopes to address a Vancouver audience about the subject in the near future. His knowledge and enthusiasm for comics extends well beyond the confines of a standard newspaper article. He recommends Up, Up and Oy Vey by Simcha Weinstein, Stan Lee: A Life in Comics by Liel Leibowitz and Is Superman Circumcised? The Complete Jewish History of the World’s Greatest Hero by Roy Schwartz for further reading on the subject.
Sam Margolishas written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.
