Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim (third from right) lit memorial candles with Holocaust survivors (from left) Rita Akselrod, Amalia Boe-Fishman, Marie Doduck, Claude Romney, Peter Suedfeld and Ella Levitt. Behind are Nina Krieger of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and Cantor…
Lillian Boraks-Nemetz speaks at Government House on Jan. 19. (photo from ltgov.bc.ca) On Jan. 19, Lillian Boraks-Nemetz received a standing ovation for her speech at an event hosted by the lieutenant governor of British Columbia, Janet Austin, at Government House…
Marina Sonkina shares her experiences as a volunteer with the JDC in Poland last year, helping Ukrainian refugees. (photo by Masumi Kikuchi) This year’s annual Raoul Wallenberg Day in Vancouver honoured the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) for “its…
Kalman Bar-On, left, and Leopold Lowy at their reunion in 2002. (photo from Richard Lowy) An SS guard walked down the line of prisoners gathered for roll call at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944 and randomly picked two boys out of the…
A formula for survival for a child in the Holocaust: “Don’t trust anyone; never speak unless spoken to; never give your real last name; if you see your brothers and sisters, don’t run to them: cross over to the other…
Michael Starr (photo from Michael Starr) Canadian Michael Starr, who joined the Jerusalem Post in 2021, started a new position last month: that of legal correspondent. Starr was born and raised in Toronto, but has a B.C. connection. His parents,…
Max Czollek, left, speaks with Prof. Chris Friedrichs, after Czollek launched his new book here Jan. 19. (photo by Pat Johnson) German attempts to create a cohesive national narrative into which newcomers must integrate is a mistake – and the…
Toward the end of last year, Israel signed an historic agreement with Lebanon, enabling both countries to enjoy an abundance of natural gas located deep below their respective territorial waters. Now, Israel can continue exploring its northern Karish gas field…
Most of us have to work for a living. Even if we enjoy most of what we do, it’s rare to find someone who feels every moment of their job is a joy. After all, if they’re paying you to…
Phil Rosenthal of Somebody Feed Phil takes part in Just for Laughs Vancouver on Feb. 19. (photo from JFL Vancouver) Just for Laughs Vancouver returns for another year’s festival, presented in association with SiriusXM Feb. 16-25. It welcomes back Best…
On Feb. 15 at Beth Israel, there will be two opportunities to hear Dr. Mielu Rabinovici speak on the topic of The Know-How to Navigate Through the Golden Years and Retirement, and Preparedness also Towards an Increased Longevity and a…
Steve and Eve Save the Planet is an illustrated graphic novel series that tries to address the challenges of this climate-change era while inspiring children with adventure, laughter and hope. The project is the creation of authors Paul Shore and…
Yaron Komari, a resident at Dogwood Gardens, speaks at the development’s opening ceremony Jan. 10, as Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim looks on. (photo by Al Lau) Yaron Komari grew up in Israel, served in the Israel Defence Forces and moved…
Photographer Jason Langer’s perception of Germany and its capital, Berlin, is a complicated one, and his current exhibition at the Zack Gallery, Berlin: A Jewish Ode to the Metropolis, reflects those complexities. Organized in partnership with the Cherie Smith JCC…
Last Saturday, Israel’s ambassador to Canada announced he was resigning over differences with the new government back home. Ronen Hoffman has served only about a year in the role. He was appointed by the last government and, before that, had…
Lance Davis, chief executive officer of JNF Canada (photo from JNF Canada) Noa Tishby, an Israeli who hit it big in Hollywood as an actor, writer and producer before bursting on the scene as an activist voice for Israel, will…
As a mom of twin toddlers about 10 years ago, I was desperate for childcare. Call it preschool, nursery school, daycare or old-fashioned babysitting, it was impossible to come by when we were looking. Every place had long waitlists. I…
Avi Benlolo will screen a film at Beth Israel on Feb. 13. (PR photo) There is a fundamental disconnect between what is happening in the Middle East and what observers in Europe and North America perceive, according to Avi Benlolo,…
Author and former politician Michael Oren addresses the Jewish Media Summit, which took place in Jerusalem Dec. 19-22. (photo by Dave Gordon) The Iranian threat, the new Israeli government, BDS, terrorism, and the challenges of aliyah, were just some of…
Canadians and Americans are similar, but different. To see this obvious statement in practical terms, two books – by two authors who will speak in Vancouver next month – provide an entertaining and educational contrast. Andrew Kirsch and Douglas London…
Heroism and survival took on new meaning for me after reading George Halpern’s From School to Sky: Joseph’s Tale of War and Gina Roitman’s Don’t Ask. The first is a biography of a certain time in Halpern’s father’s life, the…
In this scene from their solo physical comedy The Moaning Yoni, Joylyn Secunda is playing the vulva character, Yoni, who is based on the archetype of the Jewish mother (inspired by their own grandmother) – Yoni is strangling the Disembodied…
Chaplain Sari Shernofsky (photo by Norwegian Cruise Line) Earlier this month, Sari Shernofsky described her experiences as a chaplain in a Zoom lecture called Stories from a Narrow Bridge: Meeting People in Time of Need. The talk’s title comes from a…
In Richmond Jewish Day School’s Food Lab Program, students help prepare meals once a month. (photo from RJDS) One by one, students at Richmond Jewish Day School filter down the hallways following the smells of a delicious and nutritious meal.…
Camp Shalom knows that first experiences are a huge milestone in a child’s development, shaping their individuality, interests and futures. (photo from JCC Camp Shalom) Day camps have always been places for firsts. For many, camp is the place where they…
Dr. Paula Gordon and Gary Segal have been appointed to the Order of Canada. On Dec. 29, Governor General of Canada Mary Simon announced new appointments to the Order of Canada. The list included two members of Vancouver’s Jewish community:…
צלום: Province of British Columbia לאחר סיום המונדיאל האחרון בקטאר לפני שבועות מספר, מתחילה ההיערכות למונדיאל הבא – אליפות העולם שתיערך לראשונה בשלוש מדינות בו זמנית: ארצות הברית, מקסיקו וקנדה. זאת בעוד כשלוש וחצי שנים: בחודשים יוני ויולי בשנת אלפיים…
Letters that highlight friendship, writing that facilitates healing, stories that dissect societal mores – the books reviewed by the Jewish Independent this week represent only a small fraction of those featured at the Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival this…
Soldiers of Tomorrow, about Itai Erdal’s experiences in the Israeli army, is at the Roundhouse Feb. 3-5. (photo from the Elbow Theatre) “I know that this play will piss off a lot of people on both sides of the conflict, but…
A pageant of pandemonium consumed the United States House of Representatives last week as it took 15 votes to confirm Kevin McCarthy as speaker. The chaos was caused by a group of far-right congresspeople representing less than five percent of…
