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Rule of law broken: councilor

Panelists Rabbi Philip Bregman, left, and Aron Csaplaros. Toronto city councilor James Pasternak spoke via remote link. (photo by Pat Johnson)

A Toronto city councilor, speaking via remote link at an event at Richmond’s Beth Tikvah Synagogue, slammed Canadian society and leaders for permitting – even encouraging – antisemitism.

James Pasternak told the June 23 event that the rule of law has broken down in Canada.

“It’s mostly a result of timid policing, the refusal to physically engage protesters, spineless politicians who are either scraping the barrel for a few extra votes or simply afraid to speak out and, of course, a broken judiciary that has weak bail conditions and drops a lot of the charges,” said the councilor, who is Jewish and is seeking reelection this fall in the York Centre ward, which has a significant concentration of Jewish voters.

Pasternak said anti-Israel protests have cost Toronto police more than $50 million, and yet activists continue intimidating people in Jewish neighbourhoods, harassing shoppers, interfering with subway commuters, and blocking major thoroughfares and rail lines.

“We have seen attacks on synagogues and threats against Jewish daycares and schools, against summer camps. We have seen the shooting up of a Jewish girls’ school, the firebombing of a Jewish-owned grocery store and the arrival of hateful mobs coming up to the area I represent, at Bathurst and Sheppard, every Sunday to harass the Jewish community,” he said. “There are no embassies there. There are no consulates. There are no government buildings. There’s no town square. They are up there to harass the local Jewish community.”

Pasternak directed special condemnation at elected officials who exacerbate the situation by warning that Israel’s prime minister should be arrested if he came to Canada, by diplomatically recognizing Palestine, “and spreading the tropes that the war in Gaza was genocide.”

He named Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow as one who “spreads that same trope … making a bad situation worse.”

Chow has alienated the Jewish community, said Pasternak.

“She didn’t show up to the … anniversary of Oct. 7. She didn’t show up to Walk for Israel. She didn’t show up to the Israel flag-raising. Anything to do with Israel is like a no-go zone. And she’s pandering to these groups that she feels she needs to remain in office,” said Pasternak.

He said he had a conversation with the mayor in which she told him, according to Pasternak, “Any time I take a step to help the Jewish community speak up, I get clobbered.”

“So I said, ‘Oh, clobbered by the crazies?’” Pasternak recounted, “And her answer was, ‘Yeah. Yeah, clobbered by the crazies. The crazies vote for me.’”

A spokesperson for Chow told the Independent via email the mayor hosts an annual Passover reception at City Hall and attends several public menorah lightings and High Holidays receptions. They said Chow toured the Nova Exhibition, joined memorials for the Bibas family, and attended the opening of the Toronto Holocaust Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum’s recent Auschwitz Exhibit. She also visited Congregation Chasidei Bobov, a Toronto synagogue whose congregants were targeted in a hate-motivated assault.

Joining Pasternak on the panel was Aron Csaplaros, BC regional manager for B’nai Brith Canada, who referenced his organization’s most recent annual audit of antisemitic hate crimes.

According to the 2025 audit, Canadian Jews experienced a record 6,800 reported antisemitic incidents last year – an average of 18.6 per day – representing a 9.3% increase over 2024 and a 145.6% increase since 2022. Harassment accounted for 95% of incidents, the vast majority taking place online. There were 299 reported cases of vandalism and 10 violent attacks.

“The one main theme that I keep hearing again and again and again is that Jews feel excluded. They feel unwelcome. They feel unheard,” said Csaplaros, who shared an anecdote about a unionized work environment where coworkers spoke of Zionists stealing, lying and violently killing people. When a Jewish employee reported it to human resources, they were told it was merely a political disagreement.

“That’s just an example,” said Csaplaros, “but that’s something that we hear time and time again – or teachers not understanding what it means to collectively blame all Jews for the actions of a single government.”

He welcomed Bill C-9, which just received royal assent, creating a standalone hate crime offence, among other steps against hate. He also said Prime Minister Mark Carney’s statement that confronting antisemitism requires a “whole-of-government” approach is positive, but still may not reflect the breadth required. Csaplaros said the federal government makes the laws, the provinces oversee Crown prosecutions and municipalities run law enforcement.

“So you can see how there could very easily be a breakdown where maybe the laws exist on the federal level, but, if the province isn’t doing its job in charging these crimes, and if the city isn’t encouraging the local police to make these arrests in the first place, then we’re not going to get anywhere,” Csaplaros said.

Rabbi Philip Bregman, the third member of the panel, recounted experiencing antisemitism during childhood in rural Ontario and at university in Toronto, then, on Jan. 25, 1985, when his synagogue, Temple Sholom, here in Vancouver, was destroyed in a firebombing.

“Today, in the Lower Mainland, we are spending over $100,000 a month on security for our [Jewish] institutions,” Bregman said.

The rabbi reflected on things he’s experienced in the expansive interfaith work he has undertaken, especially since retiring from the pulpit at Temple Sholom. For example, a United Church of Canada minister told Bregman that he reviewed his notes from divinity school in Toronto.

“My God, the antisemitism was right below the surface, right there,” Bregman recalls the minister telling him.

The rabbi credited the Catholic archdiocese of Vancouver with developing very strong relations with the Jewish community, and also commended Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim.

“I may not necessarily agree with all of his policies, but Ken Sim has been there for us,” said Bregman.

Like the other panelists, Bregman did not identify a great many reasons for optimism. Jewish Canadians seeking a Plan B, a place to flee if the situation here gets intolerable, might consider Panama, which he has heard is very welcoming to Jews.

The event was co-hosted by Stan Goldman and Lonnie Belfer.

Football and its roles

On June 24, the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre hosted The Dual Role of Football During the Holocaust, an online conversation with Paul Salmons, Kevin E. Simpson and Liz Berger, three scholars on sport and its place in modern Jewish history.

photo - Paul Salmons — Paul Salmons *(photo from vhec.org)*

Salmons, an historian and curator, began with a grim chapter in football’s story: the Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Upper Austria, where, from 1938 to 1945, some 200,000 prisoners were held and 100,000 died.

Immediately outside the camp, said Salmons, a football (soccer) field was constructed through the labour of the prisoners. SS soldiers formed a team that played league games on the pitch from 1943 to 1945.

Players, fans and officials would have had a clear view of the camp’s infirmary, where sick and dying prisoners were quarantined to prevent the spread of disease. There are reports, Salmons said, that the dead were taken out of the infirmary, past the field while a game was being played and up a pathway towards the gates of the camp. Additionally, he said, there were reports that the stench of burning bodies from the crematoria permeated the surrounding areas for the period of the camp’s existence.

“This is a very visible picture of the atrocities that are going on while they are cheering on their team, while they are celebrating those goals,” Salmons said. “What does that do in terms of the attitudes or the opinion of the footballers themselves? These members of the SS, this team of murderers, are being cheered on by the local people. Maybe in the pub that night they’re being bought a drink, maybe people are patting them on the back for the goals that they scored.”

photo - Kevin E. Simpson — Kevin E. Simpson *(photo from vhec.org)*

Simpson, an author and professor of psychology at John Brown University, discussed the prisoner experience at Terezin, north of Prague, a camp that housed Jews prominent in science, the arts and sports, and was used by the Nazis to deceive the outside world into thinking prisoners were treated well.

Football participation at the camp was so widespread that prisoners were able to create a league, Liga Terezin, and teams were formed by the nationality of the player or the particular job they were assigned, explained Simpson.

Female prisoners at the camps would design kits for the players; games were wildly popular and tickets were highly in demand, as photos from the camp illustrate. Hundreds of matches were played during a season, he said. With the liquidation of Terezin in October 1944, many of the players, like the rest of the prisoners, would be sent to Auschwitz, where they would die.

Among the professional players who were imprisoned at the camp was a standout Czechoslovakian goaltender, Jirka Taussig. Simpson cited an interview with Taussig, a survivor who later moved to the United States and would also be known as George Tesar. Of the games, Taussig said, “We were the stars of Terezin. Every Sunday afternoon, 3,500 fans came to watch the league matches. The youth saw us as a model to imitate.

“We gave them hope, and we represented life. In all the misery and suffering, hope was a rare thing,” said Taussig. “We played for them because we knew that shortly they would be sent east, and we felt that we gave them a little spark of light before their death.”

photo - Liz Berger — Liz Berger *(photo from vhec.org)*

Berger, a research consultant with UNESCO, spoke about the postwar period to the present, examining what sport has meant to Jewish communities and what the consequences are when that meaning is denied or weaponized.

“Sport is never just athletic competition. It’s one of the main domains through which societies talk about and express and sometimes form their deep values,” she said. Sport is a powerful tool for “communal recovery, identity transmission and the assertion of continued presence and vitality,” she noted.

At the same time, sport can be used as a venue for antisemitic or racist expression. Antisemitism in sport can be viewed as an indication of a society’s broader tolerance for antisemitism.

“Antisemitism in sport is not a lesser form of antisemitism. It’s not minor. It’s a manifestation of how a society relates to their Jewish communities if they have them or their concept of who Jews are if they don’t,” she said.

Berger pointed to football fandom, particularly in Europe, which is organized around tribal loyalties, class identities and historical memories. Fan support in Europe is frequently an expression of who a person is ethnically, historically and politically.

Meanwhile, Berger said, some European clubs, such as Tottenham Hotspur in England or Ajax in the Netherlands, are seen as Jewish teams, despite what might seem at times tenuous connections to the Jewish community. These teams have been the target of antisemitic hostility from the opposing fans and, conversely, demonstrate a form of solidarity with the Jewish community from supporters.

The day of the VHEC webinar happened to be a notable one in Canadian football. A few hours earlier, the men’s national team advanced beyond the preliminary round of the World Cup for the first time in its history. They were eliminated later in the tournament.

The VHEC will host two more football-related events: Football, History and Society, an online discussion with journalist Simon Kuper, on Aug. 25, and Holocaust Education in the Modern Stadium, a conversation at the Italian Cultural Centre, on Oct. 27. To watch the June 24 webinar, go to vhec.org/football_during_the_holocaust.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

The burden of defence

Haredi demonstrators protesting the arrest of draft-dodgers block traffic in Bnei Brak on June 17. (photo by Eitan Elhadez-Barak/TPS-IL)

When I celebrated my bar mitzvah in Toronto in 1968 by reading parshat Shelach Lecha about the 12 spies Moses sent to scope out Canaan, my hometown was flooded with US draft-dodgers who had crossed from Buffalo, NY, to Fort Erie, Ont., to avoid being shipped off to Vietnam. As documented in John Hagan’s 2001 book Northern Passage, for those 50,000 Americans, Canada was the promised land of freedom. Most remained in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver even after Jan. 21, 1977, when President Jimmy Carter granted an unconditional amnesty to the young men who refused to fight in the Vietnam War.

Two things were furthest from my mind when I was 13 – that I should ever heed the age-old urging of Joshua bin Nun and Caleb ben Yefuneh to make aliyah, and that another flood of draft dodgers would arise in my new homeland.

Nearly daily this summer, clashes have taken place between Israel Police and some of the 80,000 Haredi men aged 18-24 who refuse to report to

Israel Defence Forces induction centres. Highways and tram routes are routinely blocked, causing massive traffic jams. In a riot on June 3, scores of ultra-Orthodox protesters stormed the home of Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg and his wife Meira in Alon Shvut, a town in Gush Etzion, south of Jerusalem. Sixty-two Torah students were arrested. Four were indicted on charges of rioting and trespassing with intent to commit an offence. According to the indictment, the rioters threw stones at the villa and tried to break in while the judge and his wife were at home; the rioters chanted slogans like “Nazi” and carried Israeli flags with the Star of David replaced by a swastika.

Police subsequently transferred 19 of those arrested into IDF custody after ascertaining they were draft dodgers. This triggered a new wave of violent protests outside Neve Tzedek Military Prison in the IDF’s Gur base, near the city of Kfar Yona.

As I write this article, the IDF is being crippled by a labour shortage. After three years of conflict in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Iran, reservists are carrying an impossible burden. The number of soldiers wounded or incapacitated by post-traumatic stress disorder is staggering. Suicide among the ranks is soaring. Even as soldiers have reached their breaking point, the yeshiva study halls are packed with those who have illegally ignored their call-up notice.

One needs some historical background to understand how Israel arrived at this situation.

Dov Yosef, the Montreal-born military commander of Jerusalem when the city was besieged by the Jordanian and Egyptian armies, wrote in his memoirs, The Faithful City, of a meeting in May 1948 with Rabbi Mordechai Weingarten and other Haredi leaders. The rabbis urged Yosef to surrender to avoid further hardship for civilians. Yosef responded, you do what you please and I’ll do what I wish, to which the rabbis asked, and what is it your excellency wishes to do? Yosef responded: to shoot deserters.

Indeed, Haredim participated in the War of Independence. Notably, Rabbi Shmuel Tukachinsky, a son of Haredi leader Yechiel Michel Tukachinsky, was killed by Arab Legion shellfire while fighting for Jerusalem in 1948.

As Israel absorbed more than one million Holocaust survivors and Jews from Arab lands, the labour shortage was somewhat alleviated. Thus, on Oct. 20, 1952, David Ben-Gurion, the founding prime minister of the Jewish state, held a meeting in the Haredi city of Bnei Barak with Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz (1878-1953). Known as the Chazon Ish, the Belarussia-born sage was one of the Jewish world’s foremost Haredi leaders. Settling in Mandate Palestine in 1933, he held no official post yet was a global address for guidance in Jewish law. While Ben-Gurion was a socialist and atheist, he had a deep if nostalgic sympathy for the lost world of the Eastern European shtetl he had left nearly half a century earlier.

A blog from the National Library of Israel’s The Librarians magazine (blog.nli.org.il) explains what happened, beginning with an entry from Ben-Gurion’s diary: “This morning I went to Bnei Brak for a meeting with the Chazon Ish…. I asked him the question to which I have yet to receive a sufficient answer from my observant friends. We are divided in different ways; in the matter at hand, we are divided by our views of religious tradition. There are Jews like you and like me, how do we live together? How will we become a unit?”

The Chazon Ish cited the talmudic parable (Sanhedrin 32b) about two camels traveling down a narrow path, one carrying a large burden and the other carrying nothing. The rabbi explained that the unburdened camel was to make way for the one carrying the burden. The Chazon Ish said the ultra-Orthodox community bears the burden of the Torah and its commandments; therefore, the non-religious Zionists must defer to them and move out of the way. Ben-Gurion replied: “And what of the absorption of immigrants? What of security? What of establishing the state? Are these not burdens?”

Though Ben-Gurion acknowledged the importance of Torah study, he wanted the ultra-Orthodox to become integrated with the modern state being forged. The Chazon Ish was appalled at what he saw as the desecration of the Sabbath and the Zionist rejection of the yoke of the commandments – a burden shared by every practising religious Jew. He believed that recreating the world of Torah that was annihilated in the Holocaust was the only way to save the Jewish people.

After that October 1952 meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office issued the following statement: “PM D. Ben-Gurion met privately with Rabbi A. Y. Karelitz (the Chazon Ish) in Bnei Brak yesterday. The purpose of the visit was to exchange general views regarding the following issue: How can observant and non-observant (Jews) live together harmoniously in the state of Israel? The question of recruiting women (to the army) was not discussed, and the visit had no relation to current political matters.”

According to the blog, “Contrary to the report, the meeting was much more than a ‘general exchange of views.’ The prime minister made a gesture towards the ultra-Orthodox community by agreeing to continue the exemption of a limited number of Torah scholars from military service. As early as February 1948, before the state of Israel had even been formally established, a limited number of young ultra-Orthodox men were exempted from being drafted into the armed forces, which were already fighting in what would come to be known as Israel’s War of Independence. On Jan. 9, 1951, the prime minister ordered the Israeli army’s chief of staff to exempt yeshiva students from regular service. Ben-Gurion’s meeting with the Chazon Ish did not set the ground for the current ultra-Orthodox exemption from military service, but it did give the controversial early arrangement a substantial political boost and, equally significant – symbolic support.”

When Ben-Gurion called for army exemptions for the 400 yeshiva students in 1949, he could not have known the number would grow to 80,000 by 2026, triggering resentment among their fellow citizens. Nor could he have envisioned that the detainment of even a token number of draft dodgers would set off rioting in the country’s Haredi enclaves.

The Haredi refusal to help relieve the burden of defence has resulted in the attorney-general and the courts reducing the financial benefits that ultra-Orthodox formerly received. In April, the High Court of Justice ordered the state to take concrete steps to revoke key financial benefits from draft dodgers and to move toward criminal enforcement against Haredi men who evade military service. In mid-July, the government’s subsidized national housing program restricted participation in the real estate lottery to those with IDF discharge papers.

A moment of truth is approaching with the Oct. 27 election. If Naftali Bennett forms a centrist coalition, his new government could revoke all benefits for draft dodgers. Short of jail time for 80,000 draft dodgers, these steps could include not issuing passports, driver’s licences and other government documents to those over the age of 18 who don’t have an IDF release form.

Gil Zohar is a journalist and tour guide who lives in Jerusalem.

Fish Café returns after fire

Marcus Stiller was prepping for the Fish Café’s reopening when the Independent chatted with him. (photo by Lauren Kramer)

The Fish Café – a beloved Kerrisdale institution for more than two decades – was set to open this week after an almost two-year hiatus.

Last month, as preparations continued, I met owner Marcus Stiller at a Kerrisdale coffee shop to reflect on his career as a chef, a career the 65-year-old began when he enrolled in hotel school in South Africa in the early 1980s. As we chatted, other customers kept coming over to greet Stiller and find out when the Fish Café would be open again. It was clear that the restaurant’s closure – due to an electrical fire in September 2024 – had left a literal and figurative hole in the neighbourhood.

“It’s nice to know there’s still that longing for people to return to the Fish Café, and that they remember it as a comfortable, welcoming environment,” he said.

The fire destroyed the restaurant and Stiller wrestled with its future until December 2025, when he began preparing for its new iteration. Since the interior was a shell, it meant ordering a new version of everything – flooring, seating, tables, decor, equipment and all the nuts and bolts that come with operating a restaurant. The new space, which came at a price tag of about $375,000, is bright and polished, with seating for 32 and fish art on the walls. It features a revised menu, offering the grilled fish staples diners crave, along with seasonal salads, soups, starters and small plates.

Stiller moved to Vancouver in 1996 and opened the Fish Café in 2000. His inspiration was a South African restaurant chain called Ocean Basket and, originally, he intended to franchise. In the early 2000s, he was running three cafés: on 41st Avenue, 4th Avenue and Yew Street. The logistics of managing so many locations became onerous. “I’m a micromanager,” Stiller said. “I know how I like things done, and three locations was just too much for me.”

He closed two of them, keeping the flagship café in Kerrisdale. As the years ticked by, the restaurant’s popularity grew. In part, that’s because Stiller knows how to prepare great food. But it’s also his personality, and the way he makes people feel welcomed. He estimates at least 50% of his diners are Jewish.

“I do all the cooking myself and, by now, I know individual customers’ preferences – for example, who doesn’t like onions on their salad,” he said. “Back in hotel school, I knew I’d be good at this because I’m not shy about talking to people. But I never imagined what running a restaurant would be like. Today, I realize I’m in the hospitality business.”

Stiller recalls well the months after the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. At that time, the Fish Café felt more like a community centre, a place filled with solidarity and support.

“Yids came out of the woodwork to eat at the restaurant, and I had an Israeli flag hanging in the window,” he said. “Sure, there were people opening the door and screaming abuse, but there were many more coming in to support us – Jews, non-Jews.”

In June, as he put the final touches on the interior and waited for his business licence and occupancy permit to be issued, Stiller was excited to get back into the kitchen and reestablish the Fish Café as a favourite destination, open six days a week for lunch and dinner.

“Looking back, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved here as a family, since we left South Africa,” he said. “We managed to keep our kids in independent schools, educate them through university and own a home. The whole family unit has been there to support me and provide help when it’s needed. Some immigrants get transferred to Canada by their companies, but that wasn’t my story.”

Almost ready to open the Fish Café’s doors again, Stiller said, “I’m excited to welcome customers who have become good friends, and see them enjoy my food and the refreshed environment.”

The Fish Café is located at 2053 West 41st Ave. The phone number is 604-563-3474.

Lauren Kramer, an award-winning writer and editor, lives in Richmond.

All right in what goes wrong

Zander Eke, Ben Elliott, Scott Bellis, Genevieve Fleming and Andrew McNee in The Play That Goes Wrong, playing at Arts Club’s Granville Island Stage until Aug. 16. (photo from Moonrider Productions)

Collapsing sets, misplaced props, missed cues, forgotten lines, unconscious actors, on-stage pyrotechnics, botched entrances and exits, and crew members popping in and out of the wings to deal with technical issues – what else could possibly go wrong? Apparently quite a lot in the British farce The Play That Goes Wrong, now at the Arts Club Granville Island Stage until Aug. 16. This is the Three Stooges meets Monty Python, on steroids. Nonstop laughter is what audiences will receive for the price of their tickets.

Written by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields and Jonathan Sayer, the play had its debut in a London pub in 2012 and quickly moved to the West End, then on to Broadway and elsewhere, winning awards and megafans along the way.

In a nutshell, in this play within a play, an amateur drama group, the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, is presenting a production of The Murder at Haversham Manor, a 1920s mystery set in a manor house. In a clichéd opening, as the curtain rises, a body is found in the study lying on the chaise lounge, and Inspector Carter arrives to investigate. The usual suspects are rounded up (the butler, family members, lovers) and, eventually, after two hours of slapstick physical comedy, with everything breaking and/or falling down, the perpetrator is unmasked.

Community member Josh Epstein helms this rollercoaster of a comedy with a wealth of veteran actors in the cast, including Scott Bellis (Perkins, the Butler), Andrew McNee (Thomas) and Ben Elliott (Charles, the corpse). This is a technically demanding production requiring tight timing and choreography in the chaos of the disintegrating set, and kudos must be given to the entire team, both on and behind the stage.

The JI interviewed Epstein after opening night.

JI: How did it come about that you were selected to direct the show?

JE: I think my background across a few different worlds landed me here. Producing for independent film requires a specific kind of precision and technical focus, and mixing that with my experience in big technical theatre and high-speed comedies seemed to be the right recipe. This show is a massive, multi-layered machine, and you need to understand how all those moving parts, the mechanics, the timing and the heart, work together.

JI: What is it like to direct such a physical production?

JE: Directing this much physicality is like choreographing a high-stakes dance where the floor might actually fall out from under you. We protect the actors through “stunt-grade” preparation, everything from secret padding in the costumes to reinforced gussets and custom-built furniture that takes the hit so the actor doesn’t have to. As for the energy, we keep it fresh by reminding ourselves that we aren’t playing a comedy; we are playing a high-stakes murder mystery. The exhaustion is real, but the medicine is the audience. When you hear that level of laughter, it fuels the engine for the next round.

JI: What are the technical requirements needed to ensure safety on the set?

JE: The safety requirements are immense because the set is effectively the antagonist of the play. It has to look like it’s failing dangerously while being under complete, rigorous control behind the scenes. We have built-in redundancies for every major collapse, fail-safes on every moving part, and a crew that is as finely tuned as the cast. It’s all about creating the illusion of a misstep while being mathematically certain of where every foot and hand is going to land.

JI: You are working with some seasoned veterans, all of whom have themselves directed. What is it like to direct directors?

JE: Honestly, it’s a gift. Directing directors means you’re working with people who understand the big picture and the architecture of a scene. They aren’t just thinking about their own lines; they’re thinking about the rhythm of the entire stage. There is a shorthand and a level of trust that allows us to skip the basics and get straight to the nuanced, complicated work. They know exactly how to hold the tension that making this show work requires.

JI: What was your vision for the show?

JE: My vision was to lean into the earnestness of the Cornley drama society. I didn’t want a parody of a bad play; I wanted a production of a high-budget, ambitious, amateur company that has done everything in its power to be professional, only to have the world conspire against them. The set is beautiful, the costumes are classy and the intentions are pure. The comedy isn’t that they are incompetent – it’s that they are desperate to succeed in the face of total disaster.

JI: Some critics think the show is too over the top. Your thoughts on that?

JE: I think over the top is exactly where the joy lives in a piece like this. It is a celebration of the resilience of theatre. There is something deeply human and universal about watching people refuse to give up when everything is going wrong. It’s supposed to be an assault on the senses. If we aren’t pushing the boundaries of the ridiculous, we aren’t doing justice to the spirit of the show.

JI: Why should people come and see the play?

JE: Because it is pure, unadulterated joy. In a world that often feels quite heavy, there is something incredibly healing about sitting in a room with hundreds of strangers and laughing until your ribs ache. You’re seeing world-class performers do something incredibly difficult to make it look effortless and disastrous at the same time. It’s a night where you can just leave it all at the door and watch a group of people try, and hilariously fail, to solve a murder.

For tickets, go to artsclub.com or call the box office at 604-687-1644.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

Nuns & mermaids at TUTS

Theatre Under the Stars opened July 7 with Sister Act, starring Kat Reynolds, which alternates nights with Disney’s The Little Mermaid, starring Madison Simms, until Aug. 22 at Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl. (photo by Emily Cooper)

This summer, Theatre Under the Stars features Sister Act, based on the 1992 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, and Disney’s The Little Mermaid, based on the classic animated film, alternating nights at Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl until Aug. 22. On first glance, the two shows couldn’t be more different, but they both have themes of redemption, empowerment and belonging – and both are energetic, upbeat productions with great music.

Sister Act follows disco singer Deloris Van Cartier, who goes into hiding in a convent after witnessing a murder. There, she uses her singing ability and chutzpah to help the church’s struggling choir and, in doing so, the choir helps her find her place in life. In Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Ariel, a young mermaid, gives her voice to a sea witch for a chance to live on land. When the witch betrays her, Ariel finds out what real love and friendship are, and where she fits in the world.

Responsible for every element the TUTS audience sees and hears from stage is production manager Richard Berg.

“At the top level, I create, implement and oversee the overall production budget and production schedule,” he told the Independent. “I also supervise all of the various production departments, from costumes and scenery, to lighting and sound. As I say that, it sounds – even to me – like an enormous job; however, I have the great fortune to work alongside a team of amazingly talented creative and technical staff who truly make my job better and easier than I could ever hope for.”

Berg is co-founder of URP Event Production, which began as a theatre company he formed with his mother, Ev Berg, in 1995.

“While we started the company in order to produce our own musical theatre productions, it quickly expanded to provide production services to all sorts of arts and entertainment projects, from theatre, to music festivals, to special events,” he explained.

Berg has been in the pages of the JI before, for TUTS, as well as for a City Opera Vancouver show. He has worked with Burnaby Lyric Opera and many others. He divides his time between North Vancouver and San Francisco.

“San Francisco is a recent addition to my life that began in 2022, when my wife was offered a seasonal position on the stage management team at San Francisco Opera,” he said. “All of my own work remains in Canada, but I spend as much of my non-working time as I can down there with her as visitor in another great West Coast city.”

For Berg, whose father is Jewish, Judaism is important but has always existed on the periphery.

“I was raised in a very secular household that still somehow always had a mezuzah at the front door,” he shared. “Monthly dinners at my paternal grandmother’s were never religious but they were nonetheless filled with food and traditions passed down through a family that was proudly Jewish. Those foods and traditions are what stay with me today, whether in the form of yahrzeit candles lit for my grandparents or in my being the keeper of my grandma’s chopped liver recipe – that my sister will eat faster than I make it.

“In the last decade,” he added, “I have taken on the sound design and production management for the Vancouver Talmud Torah School’s annual musical. This project has been both artistically fulfilling and a lovely reminder of the culture that had somewhat receded from my life since my grandmother’s death.”

As for what keeps TUTS a fulfilling experience, Berg pointed to “the constant variety” it offers.

“Each season we mount two new shows led by two new directors and teams of designers. Each year there are new visions and new ideas of how to use the space here at Malkin Bowl,” he explained. “The production department is responsible for helping those visions become reality, and to do that we draw upon our collective skillsets and experience, while gaining some new skills and experience along the way.”

While this year’s shows may share themes, they “share very few production elements,” he said.

“The look and feel of 1970s Philadelphia shares very little with the look and feel of a sub-aquatic Disney fairy tale. Part of the challenge that the production department took on was to help the design teams completely immerse the audience in one of those worlds while hiding the entire infrastructure of a completely different world just a few feet away – and to reverse that magic the following night. You can attend two nights in a row and get two completely different experiences, which is always the magic of TUTS.”

The TUTS season officially opened July 7 with Sister Act, after a couple of previews of each show. For tickets, go to tuts.ca.

Camp offers holiday retreat

Camp Solomon Schechter hosts a first-of-its-kind mahjong retreat Sept. 4-7. Canadians get a discount! (photo from Camp Solomon Schechter)

Mahjong enthusiasts and curious beginners alike are invited to experience a unique Labour Day weekend getaway at Mahj & More, taking place Sept. 4-7 at Camp Solomon Schechter’s Stampfer Retreat Centre in Tumwater, Wash.

Designed for adults ages 18 and older, the weekend welcomes players of all backgrounds and skill levels. There will be guided mahjong instruction for beginners, open play and organized games, as well as strategy sessions for experienced players.

Guests will enjoy kosher meals, evening entertainment and social gatherings. Other activities available include boating, arts and crafts, sports, nature walks and more, as well as welcoming Shabbat together and having time to relax.

“Mahjong is about so much more than the tiles,” said Melissa Bloom, retreats and events manager at Camp Solomon Schechter. “It’s about friendship, laughter, learning and community. Mahj & More brings all of these elements together in a beautiful retreat setting where people can disconnect from everyday stress and reconnect with themselves and others.”

The retreat is being led by a volunteer committee of mahjong enthusiasts from across the Pacific Northwest, including co-chairs Lisa Altow (Vancouver), Marilyn Corets (Seattle), Jane Rosenstein (Seattle) and Melissa Matterazzo (Portland). Together, they have helped shape a weekend designed to bring people together through a shared love of mahj, friendship and fun.

The weekend features a special partnership with Portland-based Malka Diamonds, which recently launched its mahjong-inspired jewelry collection. A portion of proceeds from select purchases supports Camp Solomon Schechter and its mission of creating transformative Jewish experiences for people of all ages. Malka ships to Canada (malkadiamonds.com).

Unlike a traditional tournament, Mahj & More focuses on multiple aspects. Participants can spend as much – or as little – time playing mahjong as they wish, balancing gameplay with camp activities, relaxation and social opportunities.

Registration for the weekend is now open, with early-bird pricing available through July 10. Canadians get 20% off automatically to help with the exchange rate. For more information and registration details, visit campschechter.org/mahj.

– Courtesy Camp Solomon Schechter

Students and mentors inspire

Solomon Leadership Program fellows and mentors celebrate the completion of the 2025-2026 program. Applications for the next session are open till the end of August. (photo by Alan Katowitz Photography)

When Riki Oirechman first read about the Solomon Leadership Program two years ago, she knew she needed to do everything she could to bring it to Vancouver. Geared to high-achieving, community-oriented Jewish students in grades 11 and 12, the year-long program aims to foster participants’ growth as leaders, thinkers and engaged members of their communities. The Ohel Ya’akov Community Kollel undertook the initiative, under the direction of Rabbi Shmulik Yeshayahu, with Oirechman as coordinator of the local chapter.

The Solomon Leadership Program pairs student participants with local volunteer mentors, members of the Jewish community who have excelled in a variety of industries. Among them are doctors, a tech innovator, a judge, business executives and entrepreneurs. The mentors are assigned a small group of student participants, and there are meetings twice a month to listen to hosted speakers and discuss various issues.

“I love this curriculum, which explores topics such as leadership, character, communication, tolerance, vision, empowerment, persistence, strategy and judgment,” Oirechman said. “It encourages students to develop confidence, resilience and a strong sense of purpose, but it also creates meaningful connections between generations. Students have an opportunity to build relationships with successful professionals and community leaders, expanding their personal and professional networks.”

Daniel Friedmann, a director at Solutum Technologies, which develops sustainable materials, is one of the mentors. “When I saw the amazing course material and the incredible speakers on the roster, I knew I wanted to participate,” he said. “Any time you mentor a completely different age group, you learn a lot. As a mentor, I get to see the world through the eyes of the students and learn about their issues, concerns and what they’re struggling with. But I also get the benefit of listening to the speakers, who are not paid public speakers, but individuals working at the top of their respective industries.”

He gave an example. “One of our speakers was Howard Chow, senior deputy chief of the Vancouver Police,” said Friedmann. “And though his speech was months ago, it was mind-boggling and I’m still thinking about what he said. We had many diverse speakers for each of the core topics, and they all brought something unique to that topic.”

The program’s website lists the other 2025-2026 mentors: Itamar David, co-founder of Update Capital, Inc.; Dr. Gabriel Hirsch, who works in physical medicine and rehabilitation; Mark James, president of MJG Brewery Restaurants, Red Truck Brewing Co., and Triple F Investments Corp.; Dr. Neil Pollock, surgeon and director of Pollock Clinics; Barry Rivelis, a board director and executive in diverse organizations; and Sunni Stromberg-Stein, a retired judge, who presided at all three levels of the BC courts.

Pollock has been a mentor in the Solomon Program since 2024 and also supports it philanthropically. “I was drawn to this program because it invests in the future of our youth and helps prepare the next generation of leaders. It’s been a privilege to be part of it,” he said.

“The program brings together a remarkable group of young people who are curious, thoughtful and eager to learn, grow and make a positive impact on the world and in their communities. And it offers something that is increasingly rare: meaningful conversations where students are exposed to leaders from diverse professional backgrounds and are encouraged to think critically about character, resilience, communication, responsibility and the importance of personal growth and leadership.”

photo - Mentoring hour in action, as fellows connect with their mentors for conversations and guidance — Mentoring hour in action, as fellows connect with their mentors for conversations and guidance. *(photo by Alan Katowitz Photography)*

While he shares some of the lessons he’s learned over the years, Pollock said he’s learning a lot from the students, too. “I am continually inspired by the students’ perspectives and creativity. They ask thoughtful questions and challenge us to think about the future in new ways. Working with them gives me confidence that the next generation is well equipped to lead.

“One of our greatest responsibilities is to help develop the next generation of leaders,” he continued. “Strong communities don’t happen by accident, they are built by people who are willing to invest their time, experience and resources in young people. I support the Solomon Program because I have seen firsthand the difference it makes and how the relationships formed, the confidence gained and the opportunities created can have a lasting impact on a young person’s life.”

Friedmann said he wishes he could have been a student in the program when he was a teen. “It would have changed my life,” he said. “Students in the Solomon Program have access to really good, fundamental information on leadership that you just can’t get otherwise, knowledge that they use to figure out where they’re headed and why. They become better public speakers and develop good bonds with other students in the program.”

Rotem Eilon Kfir was one of the students who participated in the 2025-2026 program and her mother, Rachel Eilon Kfir, witnessed her daughter’s growth as a result. “She began the program as someone who was afraid to stand in front of people and talk and, over the year, she developed more confidence and grew considerably. She connected and related to her mentor, loved the guest speakers and found the program genuinely interesting,” Eilon Kfir said of her daughter’s experience. “I strongly recommend it to anyone who has a chance to attend, because it builds confidence and adds a strong sense of community.”

Pollock agrees. “I’d encourage parents to see the Solomon Leadership Program as an investment in their teenager’s future,” he said. “It gives students the opportunity to learn from accomplished mentors, build meaningful relationships and develop skills that can’t easily be taught in a classroom. It also helps strengthen their connection to the Jewish community and encourages them to think about the role they can play in shaping its future. If your teenager is willing to learn, grow and challenge themselves, this program is an exceptional opportunity that can influence not only what they do, but the kind of person they become.”

Applications for the 2026-2027 program are open now through the end of August. Prospective participants are interviewed, and must demonstrate academic excellence and volunteerism, and provide references. The program accommodates a maximum of 30 students, and costs $500. Upon successful completion, participants earn three university credits. For more information, visit solomonprogram.org.

Lauren Kramer, an award-winning writer and editor, lives in Richmond.

Once-in-a-lifetime trip

The Grade 12 class of King David High School traveled to Panama last month. (photo from KDHS)

In February, the outbreak of war in the Middle East meant that the long-awaited Israel trip for the Grade 12 class of King David High School was cancelled. It was the third cancellation in five years, as COVID and the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre had made two prior planned visits impossible. Head of School Seth Goldsweig knew he had just three months to pull an alternative together – and it needed to be fabulous. The destination selected was Panama, both for its fun, unique tourism experience and its thriving Jewish community.

Over eight days in June, a group of 43 students and six staff members visited the Panama Canal, hiked, spent time in Panama’s Old Town, interacted with monkeys on Monkey Island, and got to know members of the indigenous Embera people on a day-long visit to their community.

The travelers dined at kosher restaurants, spent Shabbat experiencing two of the city’s synagogues, packed food and organized supplies for a local Jewish organization, and learned about the Jewish history of Panama.

“Panama was a great choice,” said Goldsweig, who had visited the country previously with his family. “The city has 40 kosher restaurants, so we knew food wouldn’t be an issue. The country’s Jewish life is thriving – even the mayor is Jewish! And, while they’ve not experienced security threats, they’re incredibly proactive security-wise, with some of the most intense security I’ve ever seen.”

Before the group could attend services on Shabbat, King David was required to show proof of each individual’s connection to the school, as well as their passports. “We couldn’t get into the synagogues until they confirmed each person’s name, one by one,” Goldsweig said.

“Staying at our hotel felt like being in Jerusalem, because the majority of the 18-floor hotel was occupied by Orthodox Jews!” he added. Some were in town on business, but many came because Panama has developed a reputation as a fascinating and welcoming Jewish destination. (See jewishindependent.ca/panama-city-welcoming.)

photo - On their trip to Panama, KDHS students did many things, including visiting and learning from the indigenous Embera community — On their trip to Panama, KDHS students did many things, including visiting and learning from the indigenous Embera community. *(photo from KDHS)*

Goldsweig noted that some 18,000 Jews call Panama city home, the majority of them Sephardi. The city has several synagogues and its kosher supermarkets are the largest of their kind outside of Israel.

Eitan Arazi, 18, said Panama City felt like a hidden gem. “I was blown away by its infrastructure and how well developed it is,” he said. “It was also incredible to see the city’s synagogues and to experience a tight-knit Jewish community with a lot of energy. On Friday night and Saturday morning, it felt like the whole community came for shul services.

“Shabbat was the highlight of the trip for me,” he continued. “I’m not shomer Shabbat in Vancouver but, over Shabbat in Panama, I put my phone away for the whole 24 hours and was surrounded by friends and having a great time.”

Sierra Brosgall, 18, concurred that the Grade 12 group’s celebration of Shabbat was special and deeply memorable. “We went to the Sephardic synagogue on Friday night, sang songs together at dinner at our hotel and experienced Panama’s Jewish culture,” she said. “I also loved visiting the Embera tribe and learning about their culture. They performed traditional dances for us, and we played soccer with kids in their community. It was amazing!”

During the Havdalah service at the hotel, students shared the trip’s highlights, Goldsweig said. “Many talked about their day with the Embera community. The Embera were so welcoming, and they really engaged with our students. Their kids were on our students’ laps, and they painted henna-like tattoos on students’ arms. They seemed very happy to have us there.

“Other students spoke of how amazing it was to see the thriving Jewish community in Panama,” he continued. “They said the trip provided an incredible opportunity to bond with their classmates, and that it was unforgettable.”

The timing for the Panama trip was perfect, said Lev Shustik, 17. “It was right before graduation, so schoolwork was not stressful, and everyone in our group was focused on the moment, and just having fun,” he said. “The trip itself was well-planned and amazing, teaching us about Panama’s Jewish vibrancy, but, also, the country’s history and its rich culture. And being able to do this while bonding with our peers was truly a meaningful, once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’m beyond grateful for that.”

Lauren Kramer, an award-winning writer and editor, lives in Richmond.

100 dancers, one heart

The executive of the Vancouver Israeli Folk Dance Society at their annual BeLev Echad event, which took place May 29-31 this year. (photo by Galit Lewinsky)

Over the weekend of May 29, the Vancouver Israeli Folk Dance Society hosted their annual BeLev Echad (With One Heart) event. This year’s gathering brought dancers from across North America: Toronto, Chicago, Halifax, Boston, Portland and San Francisco. Workshop director Nona Malki was joined by instructors Marcelo Marianoff (Argentina) and Dror Davidi (Israel).

The workshops culminated in a party on Saturday night, attended by more than 100 guests. Beginning with a Havdalah service, the party was DJ’d by local dance teacher Yael Levy Morantz, announcing the tunes, many of which were played by request.

The evening was filled with almost nonstop dancing and singing. A buffet table of snacks and treats was on offer. While some of the dances were energetic and fast-paced, there were also couples and line dances. Giant fans kept the dancers cool.

Dancers took a short break to watch a phenomenal tap dance solo by 11-year-old Li-Ya Atia, who had come up from Washington with her dance teacher parents, Ohad and Victoria. An accomplished dancer with a repertoire covering five different styles, she also studies musical theatre. Li-Ya’s mom threw in a couple of split-jumps in the middle of one dance.

According to longtime VIFS member Arthur Weinstein, Israeli folk dance is a terrific example of cultural growth and conservation. “Anyone can choreograph a dance to a song they have chosen and register the steps with an agency in Israel,” he said.

photo - VIFS T-shirts — *(photo by Galit Lewinsky)*

New dances are sourced from the agency and shared at events like BeLev Echad, with teachers memorizing the steps to bring home to their students. This way, an international group can gather anywhere in the world – and dance together, in unison. It’s a great way to stay connected to the global Jewish community, exercise and enjoy good music.

The evening also featured a silent auction for a unique set of wind chimes. While Israeli hostages remained in Gaza, many VIFS members wore “Bring Them Home” dog tags to keep them front of mind. When all the hostages were finally returned to Israel, VIFS members removed their dog tags but, rather than hiding them in a drawer, the tags gained new meaning as a piece of collaborative art created by Glenda Leznoff, Rina Vizer and Dave Smith. (See jewishindependent.ca/a-chime-of-metal-tags.) Avi Malki made the winning bid.

Music included traditional favourites like “Hine Ma Tov” (“Behold How Good”), familiar Israeli songs like “Naama” by Ofra Haza and contemporary mixes. There was also an offering from Chava Alberstein (1992), “Shir Megaresh Et Hachoshech” (“A Song Dispels the Darkness”), which it certainly did.

Many VIFS members are passionate about dance and loyal to their roots. Esti Livne has been coming consistently for 30 years. The only time she missed it, she said, was when her son was graduating from Yale University.

The goal of VIFS is to ensure that Jewish culture is both accessible and affordable. Thanks to donations by local sponsors, VIFS can offer these inclusive programs. Indeed, the party welcomed visitors from all over the Lower Mainland, not all of whom were Jewish. The inclusivity was also apparent from the playpen in the corner of the hall, which allowed young parents to dance without excluding the rest of the family. During his visit to Canada, Marianoff took the time to teach wheelchair folk dance at Louis Brier Home and Hospital, and gave classes on Vancouver Island.

According to teacher Levy Morantz, “every part of the weekend was filled with joy.”

For more information about VIFS, contact Pam Wolfman at 604-839-3931, Malki at 778-834-3488 or Levy Morantz at 604-993-0223. You can also visit vancouverisraelidance.com.

Shula Klinger is an author and journalist living in North Vancouver.