At the Weizmann Canada gala in Montreal on May 26, guests heard from Weizmann Institute professors Asaph Aharoni, left, and Ron Milo. Former CBC broadcaster Heather Hiscox hosted the event. (photo from Weizmann Canada) On May 26, Weizmann Canada held…
If you want cinnamon twists and schnitzel for dinner – yes, in that order – go for it. Life’s short. (photo by Shelley Civkin) Nothing screams Jewish baking quite like kichel (aka nothings), kuffles and rugelach. Unless it’s cinnamon twists.…
Jewish Federation of British Columbia Community Connectors and others from around the province. (photo from JFBC) At its June 22 annual general meeting, the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver officially launched its new identity as the Jewish Federation of British…
Pat Johnson, left, interviews Jonathan Conricus at the Friends of JNF Pacific Negev Event on June 7. (photo by Galit Lewinski) On June 7, a full sanctuary at Beth Israel Synagogue gathered for the annual Friends of JNF Pacific Negev…
Many American Jews have given up on the Democratic Party. Seeing intractable opponents of Israel within its congressional ranks, many Jewish and pro-Israel voters decided that their best or only hope was within the Republican Party. This trend was based…
(photo by Cynthia Ramsay) When I was a kid, living near Washington, DC, my dad would hang an American flag up out in front of our house on US holidays. We’d all go outside for Memorial Day or 4th of…
(image from Jewish Federation of British Columbia) In anticipation of the FIFA World Cup, a series of billboards has been put up across the Greater Vancouver Regional District – across both Canada and Millennium lines, on billboards spanning from Vancouver…
Editor-in-chief of the National Post Rob Roberts, left, in conversation with journalist Dave Gordon at Upstanders Canada’s May 24 Media Bias event at Temple Sholom. (photo by Anna-Mae Wiesenthal) Media Bias: How Media has Mainstreamed Antisemitism and What to Do…
Panelists at the event Faith Not Fear: Building Jewish Leadership for a New Era in Canada, left to right: Ben Mulroney (broadcaster), Natasha Pein (researcher), Simon Wolle (B’nai Brith Canada), Matthew Taub (Unapologetically Jewish) and Amir Epstein (Tafsik). (photo by…
Lovena Galyide, left, and Polina Gruzinov took part in Tikva Housing’s recent fundraising campaign. (photo from Tikva Housing) Polina Gruzinov sits in her Richmond apartment surrounded by photos of loved ones and artwork made by her daughter, Lovena Galyide, who…
Rebecca Sichon will perform a set at the Mission Folk Music Festival on July 26. She, her father Boris Sichon, DIVKA and Nastasia Y share the stage earlier that day as well. (photo by Sara De Ledesma) Ukrainian-Canadian jazz, soul…
In Newfoundland, if you’re not from the island, you’ve “come from away.” On Sept. 11, 2001, after the terrorist attacks in New York, the United States shut down its airspace. As a result, 38 planes – carrying 7,000 passengers –…
At Jewish Federation of British Columbia’s annual general meeting June 22, several individuals were honoured for their dedication to and impact on our community. In recognition of her years of dedicated service and heartfelt leadership in Federation’s annual campaign, her…
![photo - As a tour guide in Israel, Renee Halpert “thrive[s] on engaging with people, the constant learning, and exploring the country”](https://www.jewishindependent.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/jun-26-people.26.Renee-solo-photo.jpg)
As a tour guide in Israel, Renee Halpert “thrive[s] on engaging with people, the constant learning, and exploring the country.” (photo from Renee Halpert) In the late 1970s, Renee Swartz was a teenager living in West Vancouver. Even though she…
On May 28, Or Shalom Synagogue reopened its doors after a year of renovations. (photo by Wendy D) On the evening of May 28, Or Shalom Synagogue reopened its doors after a year of renovations, welcoming celebrants for the Chanukat…
Garry Zlotnik, centre, received the JFS Lighting the Way Award from Brent Davis, left, and Todd Thal at the Innovators event May 26. (Rhonda Dent Photography) ‘Jewish Family Services (JFS) hosted its annual Innovators event on May 26. This year’s…
Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a much-vaunted statement on Canada’s antisemitism crisis last week. It was unlikely to satisfy everyone – partly because there is only so much a single government can do about a global social phenomenon like escalating…
The Wallenberg-Sugihara Civil Courage Society (WSCCS) hosted its 21st annual Raoul Wallenberg Day event on April 19. Held at the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture this year, its theme was “Confronting Hate Speech and Scapegoating.” Alan Le Fevre, the…
Itai Anghel, one of Israel’s most recognizable documentary reporters, was with his wife and toddler son in New York City, celebrating his Emmy nomination for Last Stop Before Kyiv, in which Anghel and cameraman Eddie Gerald reported from Ukraine during…
On May 26, Rabbi Dr. Laura Duhan Kaplan gave the public lecture From Conflict to Connection: Spiritual Community in Stressful Times at the annual conference of Vancouver School of Theology’s Inter-Religious Studies Program. (screenshot) The Walking Together: Sharing the Work…
The 96-year-old history of the Jewish Independent, which serves as a continuous record of Jewish communal life in British Columbia, was the topic of the second lecture in the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture’s 2026 Doikayt Speaker Series. In…
Nine years ago, I was walking with my twins, then age 6, to synagogue, when we passed an older woman in her yard, using scissors to cut the grass along the boulevard. At that moment, herding Grade 1 kids along,…
(internet photo) On May 17, Tafsik Organization and Stop Antizionism hosted a full-day World Symposium Against Antizionism. With justifiable pride, the organizers declared that this was the first conference in the world specifically dedicated to combating antizionism. Keynote speaker was…
In Seattle, hours after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, two FBI agents knock on Monty’s door, asking questions about his Afghan partner, who has seemingly disappeared. How much does Monty really know about Jamal? What does he know about himself?…
“Everything changes when we are rooted in our sacredness,” writes Jeff Golden in his self-published, award-winning book Reclaiming the Sacred: Healing Our Relationships with Ourselves and the World (2022). “When we can feel that we are an essential part of…
Considering the extra challenges Jews have faced these last few years, there are many of us who have reacted by delving more into our Judaism and our Jewish identities. Perhaps that’s why a book the Independent received a handful of…
Pucker up, you lemon lovers! On my search for a refreshing lemon-based dessert, I found a simple recipe (my favourite kind) that will have me making this on repeat. As I might have mentioned before, I’m a wee bit addicted…
StandWithUs Canada executive director Jesse Primerano and lawyer Anita Bromberg, director of the organization’s new legal department. (photos from SWU) StandWithUs Canada has just launched a new legal department to help students navigate the climate on Canadian campuses. StandWithUs Canada…
Throughout her long career, award-winning artist Lilian Broca has tried many styles and various media, but, over the years, her main theme crystallized: the power of women. Her current show at the Zack Gallery exemplifies this theme. “I studied abstract…
