Kfir Bibas was abducted before his first birthday. His second birthday is this Saturday. (photo by Pat Johnson) The Gregorian calendar has turned over a new year, but the vigils for the Israeli hostages continue without interruption. Daphna Kedem, who…
By the time Justin Trudeau emerged from the front door of Rideau Cottage last week to announce his intention to end almost a decade as Canada’s prime minister, any element of surprise had evaporated. His future was sealed – and…
There are so many huge transitions lately when it comes to world leaders in the news. From impeaching the South Korean president to the fleeing of Syria’s Bashar Al-Assad, or the issues around Netanyahu, Trump or Trudeau, there’s political change…
Thomas Hand and the survivors of the massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri hope to return home in 2026. (photo by Gil Zohar) Kibbutz Hatzerim, eight kilometres west of Be’er Sheva, best known for its drip-irrigation plant, also houses the newly established…
“Canada’s Jewish community is divided over Israeli and domestic Canadian politics, even though rising antisemitism and war seem to have increased the emotional attachment of Canada’s Jews to Israel,” writes sociologist Robert Brym in the executive summary of Arguments for…
Michael Sachs is the first director of Western Canada for the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre. (photo from FSWC) The role is new, but the face is familiar. On Sept. 15 last year, Michael Sachs took the helm as the…
Artist Olga Campbell and her grandson Arlo, for whom Campbell wrote her memoir, Dear Arlo: Letters to My Grandson. (photo from Olga Campbell) Recently, Olga Campbell published her third book, a memoir, Dear Arlo: Letters to My Grandson. Campbell’s new…
Mitch and Murray Productions’ presentation of Heroes of the Fourth Turning co-stars, left to right, Jennifer Clement, David Kaye, Elizabeth Barrett, Aaron Craven and Nyiri Karakas. (Shimon Photo) This is a story about the interesting and intersecting balance of faith,…
Cantor Shani Cohen and Wendy Bross Stuart (photo below) team up for another Shabbat Shira concert at Temple Sholom, on Feb. 8. (photo from Temple Sholom) “I’m looking forward to the Shabbat Shira concert as an opportunity for our community…
The JCC Jewish Book Festival opens Feb. 22 with Selina Robinson talking about her memoir, Truth Be Told. (photo from JCC Jewish Book Festival) This year’s JCC Jewish Book Festival opens Feb. 22 with Selina Robinson talking about her recently…
History is fickle. Who becomes known as great in their field, whose work is displayed in museums or taught in schoolbooks? When there is a tangible product – a building, a painting, a book, whatever – the chances seem higher…
Last month, Governor General of Canada Mary Simon made 88 new appointments to the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest honours. Among those appointed as a member to the Order was Vancouver Jewish community member Marie Doduck. For…
Selina Robinson (centre front) was a counselor at Camp Miriam for four summers. She is pictured here, in 1981, with the Sayarim (Grade 5s) in that year’s first session. (photo from Camp Miriam) Little did I know how much Camp…
Canoe trips are a vital part of the camp experience, not only because of the physical activity they involve but also because of the deep personal growth they foster. (photo from Camp Hatikvah) At Camp Hatikvah, one of the most…
Camp Solomon Schechter builds identity and combats antisemitism. (photo from Camp Solomon Schechter) During Tisha b’Av, a day of mourning and reflection, the entire camp community of Camp Solomon Schechter in Tumwater, Wash. – 300 campers, ranging from 3rd to…
(photo from Camp Kalsman) We know that today’s university and college students have lots of choices for summer jobs – but here are 10 reasons why working at a Jewish summer camp is the absolute best opportunity for someone who’s starting to think…
The Foundation for Jewish Camp recently released its latest census results, Trends Report: State of Jewish Camp 2023. The research indicates that Jewish camps in Canada and the United States have settled into a new normal within the post-pandemic world.…
אייר קנדה הודיעה לאחרונה על הרחבת טיסותיה מבסיסה שבשדה התעופה של ונקובר. חברת התעופה הלאומית של קנדה לא הודיעה בשלב זה על מועד חידוש טיסותיה לישראל אייר קנדה החברה מציעה עתה שלושה קווים חדשים לארצות הברית: לטמפה, ראלי ונאשוויל. זאת…
לבעיית האנטישמיות כנגד יהודים וישראלים בעולם. אין ספק שמדינות המערב נכשלו בטיפול שורש בבעייה חמורה זו ואני חושש למראות קשים יותר בעתיד גל האנטישמיות הנוכחי החל צובר תאוצה לאור הריגתם בעזה של עשרות ואלפי אזרחים בהם נשים וילדים רבים. יש…
Anthony Santiago, at front, plays Fagin in Gateway Theatre’s production of Oliver!, which runs until Jan. 4. (photo by David Cooper) Charles Dickens wrote Oliver Twist in 1837. His eponymous main character, an 11-year-old orphan, has the audacity to ask…
Maya Arad and Eshkol Nevo are featured in the JCC Jewish Book Festival prologue event Jan. 19. The JCC Jewish Book Festival begins its 40th year with a discussion that’s sure to be as intriguing as it is relevant. The…
In Startup Nation, Dan Senor and Saul Singer’s 2009 book about Israel’s successes in innovation and entrepreneurship, the authors credit the hothouse environment created by the country’s many challenges not as a barrier but as a catapult to its accomplishments.…
Imagine teenagers, hanging out and sharing the usual in-group slang, but they’re saying “Lashon hara? Lamed hay! Tell it to me anyway!” This sarcastic chant was new to me, when Miriam Anzovin, the famous Jewish Talmud influencer, mentioned it on…
Businesses in Valemount, BC, stepped up to help thousands of Jasper evacuees, but now find themselves struggling. (photo from Spencer Hall) A member of the miniscule Jewish community in Valemount, a town in east-central British Columbia, reflected on the challenges…
In Toronto, Yoseph Haddad, left, with Daniel Koren, founder and executive director of Allied Voices for Israel, which sponsored Haddad’s Canadian tour. (photo by Dave Gordon) In recent years, Arab-Israeli activist Yoseph Haddad has become known for his efforts to…
MK Dan Illouz opposes legislation that would enshrine the exemption of Haredim from military service. (photo from Knesset) Dan Illouz, a Montreal-born Likud rookie member of the Knesset, is making a name for himself in Israel’s Parliament by speaking against…
Rabbi Elyse Goldstein delved into the impact of women’s evolving roles in Judaism during a webinar hosted by Kolot Mayim Reform Temple on Dec. 8. Her talk – Open Doors, Open Hearts: How Women Have Enriched Judaism – was part…
Linda Dayan Frimer signs books at the Indigo in Victoria’s Mayfair Mall. (photo by David J. Litvak) Victoria has always been a magical place for BC artist and author Linda Dayan Frimer. She has exhibited her art at the Empress…
Students in the scholarship program at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, will do hands-on research and get to know the region. (photo from Weizmann Canada) Weizmann Canada has scholarships for seven exceptional science students from Canada to participate in the…
