Most of us could benefit from a little more chutzpah, as defined by Julie Esther Silverstein and Tami Schlossberg Pruwer, authors of Chutzpah Girls: 100 Tales of Daring Jewish Women (The Toby Press, 2024). According to Silverstein and Pruwer, chutzpah…
Lillian Boraks-Nemetz speaks at the Nov. 24 launch of her latest book, Hidden Vision: Poems of Transformation, which she wrote under the name Jagna Boraks. (photo by Rhonda Dent) Lillian Boraks-Nemetz launched her latest book, Hidden Vision: Poems of Transformation,…
Four years have passed since the loss of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (1948-2020), and more than one year since the outbreak of the Iron Swords conflict. In these turbulent times, we can only imagine the wisdom that Sacks – who…
Paletas can be made in many flavours. Sabor Judío includes a recipe that uses Manischewitz wine. (photo by Ilan Rabchinskey) The minute I saw the cover, I wanted to try some of the recipes in Sabor Judío: The Jewish Mexican…
Left to right: Abby Wener Herlin, Lise Kirchner, Dr. Nataliia Ivchyk, Prof. Richard Menkis and Al Szajman at the community commemoration of Kristallnacht Nov. 7. (photo by Rhonda Dent) The experiences of three Vancouver women who survived the Holocaust as…
A 1989 PR photo for Blue Rodeo’s Diamond Mine album. Left to right are Bazil Donovan, Bob Wiseman, Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor and Mark French. The documentary Blue Rodeo: Lost Together (left) has its world premiere at the Whistler Film…
Every election leaves a portion of the electorate thrilled and another group disappointed. The more polarized the electorate, the more intense these emotions. Two elections recently were certainly examples of this – and they were elections that could hardly have…
Writers often get submission calls saying “Sorry, we cannot pay you, but our publication is widely distributed. You’ll get great exposure!” I don’t bother, thinking something like “No, thanks. I live in Manitoba, Canada. We can die of exposure.” For…
Selina Robinson will release her memoir, Truth Be Told, in a special launch event on Dec. 18. Robinson, who served in senior cabinet portfolios in British Columbia’s government, was fired earlier this year after offhand remarks about the land on…
The Israeli Chamber Project ensemble (PR photo) Celebrating the 150th birth year of Arnold Schoenberg, the Israeli Chamber Project ensemble presents a semi-staged production of his expressionist cabaret Pierrot Lunaire with soprano Hila Baggio as the sad clown. Stravinsky’s Petrushka and Ravel’s La Valse complete the exploration of…
Peter Carlone, left, and Tim Carlson in Pacific Theatre’s production of The Hobbit (photo by Chelsey Stuyt) Need a break from reality? On now at Pacific Theatre is The Hobbit, based on JRR Tolkien’s book, with all its adventure, wizardry,…
The deadline to nominate someone for the 2025 Courage to Come Back Awards is Jan. 17. The awards, presented by Wheaton Precious Metals, pay tribute to everyday heroes who have overcome immense challenges and now give back to their community.…
Noa in conversation with Rabbi Dan Moskovitz at Temple Sholom Oct. 30. (screenshot) Israeli singer/songwriter and peace activist Achinoam Nini (Noa) was in British Columbia recently to do a Vipassana meditation. While here, she stopped at Temple Sholom Oct. 30…
Ysabella Hazan said phrases such as “the West is next” imply “exactly what the enemies of Israel accuse us of – being a Western outpost in the Middle East, a settled body, which is not true.” (photo by Dave Gordon)…
French writer, filmmaker and human rights activist Bernard-Henri Lévy was in Vancouver at Schara Tzedeck Synagogue Nov. 6, in conversation with the National Post’s Tristin Hopper. (photo by Pat Johnson) Bernard-Henri Lévy, a public intellectual so well-known in France that…
Since Oct. 7, 2023, many members of the Jewish community have experienced antisemitism in some form or another. Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs have been addressing these incidents, as well as progressing…
Dr. Ofer Merin, director general of Shaare Zedek Hospital, spoke at the event via video. He was expected to be in Vancouver in person but stayed in Jerusalem due to intelligence that Iran might strike Israel during the time he…
Left to right are Rabbi Jonathan Infeld, Dr. Salman Zarka, Dr. Tim Oberlander and Dr. Erik Swartz at Congregation Beth Israel, where Zarka gave a few talks Nov. 21-23. (photo from Beth Israel) “Our professional ethics, as well as Israeli…
Rabbi Hannah Dresner recently retired as Or Shalom’s spiritual leader. (photo from Or Shalom) On Nov. 30, the Or Shalom community comes together to celebrate Rabbi Hannah Dresner’s nine years of service to the shul. Dresner retired as Or Shalom’s…
Visiting Rabbi Cantor Russell Jayne (of Beth Tzedec Congregation, Calgary) was in Kelowna for a September Shabbaton. (photo from the OJC) The Okanagan Jewish Community may be small, but it’s got a strong, involved congregation that makes an impact on…
A newly created monument in the garden of Temple Sholom Synagogue commemorates the victims of Oct. 7, 2023, and the Israeli civilians, soldiers and foreign nationals who have lost their lives since that day. (photo from Temple Sholom) There’s a newly…
Ieden Wall and Susan Minuk’s contrasting styles balance JWeekly Canada perfectly. (photo from JWeekly Canada) JWeekly Canada made its Season 5 debut in September, becoming the longest-running Jewish TV talk show in Canada. Friends and colleagues warned Ieden Wall –…
Pharmacist Ted Mah headlined the first session of this year’s Empowerment Series, which is presented by Jewish Seniors Alliance with the help of the Phyliss and Irving Snider Foundation. The Oct. 29 talk on Zoom was called Make Friends With…
David Laugharne, who was a teacher at Maimonides Secondary School, King David High School’s predecessor, passed away in 1994. Thirty years later, his memory and his impact on the school continue to be honoured, including an award in his name…
Lea Bilot with some of her bearded gnomes. (photo from Lea Bilot) Some artists find their niche, their preferred way of expression, early in life. For others, it takes longer, sometimes decades, to discover their creative outlet. Lea Bilot belongs…
Honestly, I think adults would benefit from reading children’s books, even if they don’t have kids. Generally, the books impart good messages, like how to overcome challenges or be proud of who you are, and their illustrations are works of…
לאחרונה דיבר עם חבר מישראל דוד שטויר, כאשר בגילו המתקדם (שבעים פלוס) כבר חווה הכל במדינה. אני הכרתי את דוד בחודשים הראשונים שלי בתהליך התאקלמות בוונקובר, אליה עברתי בחודש פברואר 2005 דוד חזר וציין בפני שאני הייתי “נביא” שראה לאן…
אני גר בוונקובר כבר למעלה מתשעה עשרה וחצי שנים ואין לי שום תוכניות לחזור לישראל. הסיבות לכך רבות וברורות מבחינתי. ובעיקר: אינני מוכן לחזור אחורה למציאות כה מורכבת וקשה שכפי שליוותה אותי במרבית חיי בישראל במלחמת ששת הימים הייתי בן…
Panelists Margaret Gillis, left, and Dr. Melanie Doucet were the experts featured at this year’s Simces & Rabkin Family Dialogue on Human Rights, which focused on ageism. “Ageism is anytime we make an assumption, a judgment, a stereotype, or discriminate…
Tasha Faye Evans shares a work in progress at Dance in Vancouver. (photo courtesy Scotiabank Dance Centre) “With everything I do, I always ask myself, what is the medicine of this work? How is this dance, this play, this project,…
