freelancer – Page 90

Oct. 7 heroes support Team Israel-Premier Tech

Oct. 7 survivors Sharon Shabo, left, and Avida Bachar lead Team Israel-Premier Tech riders in the team’s final training session before the Tour de France started on June 29 in Florence, Italy. (photo by Noa Arnon)

Three injured heroes from the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks came to support Team Israel-Premier Tech at the Tour de France. As well, they held signs bearing the names of hostages, some of whom are their close friends, and called for their release. Alongside them stood Israel-Premier Tech owners Sylvan Adams and Ron Baron.

“My friends from the kibbutz are suffering there. We can’t wait another moment,” said Avida Bachar. He lost his son and wife, who were murdered in their shelter in Be’eri on the morning of Oct. 7, while he himself was severely injured and lost his leg. Despite adapting to his prosthetic, Bachar insisted on riding his bike for the first time since his injury to lead the Israeli team in their final training session. “It was an immense moment, one of the most emotional of my life,” he said.

Joining Bachar was his good friend Sharon Shabo, who was seriously injured in a Hamas ambush on the morning of Oct. 7 while riding his bike, and 20-year-old Oded Gelbstein, a young combat engineer soldier who was critically wounded in Gaza and is currently undergoing rehabilitation in Florence.

“Avida and Sharon will be our great inspiration at the Tour de France,” said Adams to the team riders before the race started.

The Tour de France lasts three weeks, during which the riders cycle more than 3,400 kilometres. Twenty-two teams are taking part in the 21-stage race, which culminates in Nice, France, on July 21.

– Courtesy Team Israel-Premier Tech

Team Canada wins cup

Team Canada and Team Israel at Softball City July 3 to compete for the Canada Cup International Softball Championship, Women’s division. (photo by Cynthia Ramsay)

The Canada Cup International Softball Championship, Women’s division, took place June 28-July 7, with Team Canada winning the competition in a game against TC Colorado (7-0) on the last day of the tournament.

This year, 12 women’s teams competed for the cup: Saskatchewan 222s, TC Colorado, Team Australia, Team Canada, Team Chinese Taipei, Team Czechia, Team Greece, Team Hong Kong, Team Israel, Team Mexico, Team New Zealand and Team Philippines.

Team Canada and Team Israel played each other July 3 at Softball City, and attendees cheered on both teams, despite the presence of anti-Israel protesters outside the stadium. While Team Israel scored the first two runs of the game, Team Canada went on to win 10-3. In all, Israel won four of its seven games and Canada won all its eight games, which included the final.

For more about the annual event, visit canadacup.com.

Enjoy a glass of Israeli wine – the award-winning industry has struggled since Oct. 7 attacks

According to historian and former ambassador Michael Oren, on Oct. 8, 2023, one day after the terror group Hamas’s brutal assault on southern Israel, the following things happened: 80% of Israelis volunteered to help in any way they could, 360,000 Israelis reported for military duty and thousands of Israelis who were not in Israel on Oct. 7 returned to defend their country.

This remarkable resilience and dedication have also been apparent in Israel’s wine industry. Workers from wineries that could finish their 2023 harvests went to other wineries to help with harvesting and winemaking. A poignant example is the support for Kibbutz Nir Oz’s winery. When Kibbutz Nir Oz was attacked, Hamas murdered the winemaker, Gideon Fauker, z’l, and took his two partners captive to Gaza, where they remain today. In a recent Israel21c article, Andrea Samuels recounts how people in Israel’s wine industry came together to turn Nir Oz Winery grapes into wine and save the vintage, to honour their Nir Oz colleagues.

Jews have been making wine in the land of Israel for more than 3,000 years, a fact confirmed by archeological evidence. King David had vast vineyards and kept large stores of wine, and wine was a major export and economic mainstay for Jews during the time of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Even when outsiders invaded the land and mandated pulling out the vines many centuries later, a limited number of vines remained to produce wine for sacramental purposes. Viticulture was reintroduced in the late 19th century and, by the end of the 20th century, Israel was garnering international recognition for the quality of its wines. Today, there are more than 300 wineries of all sizes in Israel, and a well-established wine culture.

Since the massacres and kidnappings by Hamas on Oct. 7, the wineries have faced tremendous obstacles due to the ensuing war with Hamas in Gaza and daily rocket and missile attacks on northern Israeli land and communities by the terror group Hezbollah. There are labour shortages, as Israelis are repeatedly called up for reserve duty and many foreign workers have left the country. In the north, some employees who have been evacuated because of the Hezbollah attacks can’t get to the wineries. Any work at the wineries and vineyards in this prized Galilee viticulture region remains a dangerous proposition and there is concern for the 2024 vintage. Vineyards in the north and south have been damaged by rockets and some in the north are inaccessible in closed military zones. Domestic wine sales, on which the wineries heavily rely, plummeted after Oct. 7 and, although they have recovered somewhat, a tourism decline and restaurant and bar closures have exacerbated the sales slump. And, of course, there is the human cost as the wars and threats continue and as many in Israel’s wine industry have lost family, friends and co-workers.

Despite these challenges, the people of Israel’s wine industry have shown classic Israeli resilience, determination, collaboration and commitment to the country and to one another. Samuels’s article noted that, since Oct. 7, Alex Haruni and his Dalton Winery team have been making Shabbat dinners for soldiers posted at the nearby Lebanon border. And, in his article “A taste of total victory,” Adam Montefiore, a 38-year veteran of Israel’s wine industry, wrote about Tom Carbone and his Be’eri Winery.

Carbone and his friend Dror Or, z’l, the Be’eri Dairy cheesemaker who was murdered by Hamas when they attacked the kibbutz, had a dream of collaborating to make Kibbutz Be’eri a food and wine tourism destination. Carbone is working to fulfil that dream for both of them, commuting to Be’eri from the hotel he and his family now live in at the Dead Sea. So far, he has produced an outstanding Be’eri Chardonnay and is continuing his friend’s work at the dairy.

We in Canada can support Israel in many ways, including by buying and enjoying the beautiful wines of her irrepressible wineries. Israeli wines available in British Columbia are highlighted below with tasting notes.

GALIL MOUNTAIN WINERY

Established in 2000 as a joint venture between Golan Heights Winery and Kibbutz Yiron, Galil Mountain Winery (galilmountain.co.il) has five vineyards in the Upper Galilee mountains, with topographical and climatic conditions well-suited to growing grapes of the highest quality for wine production.

Galil Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2022: A young, refreshing character with accentuated fruity aromas. No barrel aging. The wine was stored in stainless steel tanks after fermentation to preserve its fruity character.

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Colour: deep opaque purple

Aroma: pure ripe raspberry and blueberry primary fruit character, with hints of herbs and tobacco leaf

Taste: a medium-to-full bodied wine with delicate tannins; the finish is long and firm

Food: best served at 64°F (18°C) to accompany a wide range of meat dishes

Galil Mountain Rosé 2021: A dry, light rosé with refreshing acidity. A combination of two winemaking techniques – skin contact followed by cold fermentation.

Varietal: a blend of Sangiovese, Barbera, Pinot Noir

Colour: bright pink

Aroma: scents of strawberry, pomegranate and ripe nectarine with notes of blooming wildflowers

Taste: presents characters of flowers, strawberry and pomegranate; a joyful wine with invigorating and well-balanced acidity

Food: try with a fresh summer salad, with sushi or as an aperitif on its own

Galil Mountain Alon White 2020: The grapes are carefully selected at harvest, pressed gently, and half of the blend is fermented and aged in French oak barrels for three months.

Varietal: blend of Chardonnay, Viognier

Colour: pale lemon

Aroma: citrus blossom, alongside hints of fresh mint

Taste: ripe citrus, stone fruit and a hint of herbs on the palate, with refreshing acidity, light body and a lingering finish

Food: pairs beautifully with grilled fish and fresh salads

GOLAN HEIGHTS WINERY

Golan Heights Winery (golanwines.co.il) gained international recognition after releasing its first wines in 1984 and led a winemaking revolution that put Israel on the world wine map. The Golan Heights, a volcanic plateau with rich basaltic soil, is the coldest region of the Galilee appellation and considered the best for viniculture.

Mount Hermon Indigo 2022: Made from classic varietals, a young medium-bodied wine full of flavour.

Varietal: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah

Colour: deep indigo-purple

Aroma: black currant, tobacco and smoke

Taste: medium bodied with notes of raspberry and black cherry, characters of aniseed and cocoa, and hints of flowers and earth

Food: beef brisket, grilled lamb shanks or a barbecued beef burger

TEPERBERG 1870 WINERY

Teperberg 1870 Winery (teperberg1870.co.il) is located in the foothills of the Jerusalem Mountains with vineyards in several growing regions. It is one of the oldest wineries in Israel, founded in Jerusalem in 1870 and, for a time, known as Efrat Winery. Efrat remains a label of Teperberg 1870. The Teperberg and Efrat wines listed are mevushal, wine that has been flash pasteurized.

Teperberg Malbec Vision 2021: The Malbec Vision undergoes stainless steel fermentation and is aged in French and American oak for five months prior to release.

Varietal: Malbec

Colour: deep red with purple hints

Aroma: black fruits and spices

Taste: a deep and layered wine that combines a wealth of fruit with vibrant acidity

Food: beef dishes, charcuterie, beet salads

Teperberg Efrat White Blend 2022: Fermentation in insulated chilled stainless steel tanks for two weeks before the final blend is composed. To retain its crispness, the wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation.

Varietal: blend of Riesling, Semillon, French Colombard

Colour: light, pleasant yellowish

Aroma: mainly citrus aromas

Taste: fresh, balanced with pleasant acidity and medium body

Food: fried or grilled fish

Efrat Judean Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Argaman 2022: Fermentation in insulated chilled stainless steel tanks.

Varietal: blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Argaman, Carignan

Colour: purple

Aroma: fruity aromas with black and red fruit

Taste: balanced, rich, medium-bodied with a long finish

Food: lamb dishes or pasta in meat sauce

Visit bcliquorstores.com to find a store near you with Israeli wine. L’chaim!

Rochelle Golumbia is an advocate of supporting Israel through Israeli wine and initiated Vancouver’s first Israeli wine festivals.

Mousse and toasties, yum!

Easy-peasy Vegan Chocolate Mousse served up in a teacup. (photo by Shelley Civkin)

I have to admit, I have a soft spot for Donna Reed-type recipes from the 1960s. Aside from being comfort food, they usually boast the honour of containing highly processed foods that are, well, a little short on nutrition. But do they taste good!

One such recipe comes from my cousin Heather. The name says it all: Artichoke Toasties. It appeals to the lazy cook in me because it only has seven ingredients, five of which I always have in my kitchen. But it’s also a surprisingly creamy, crunchy and satisfying appetizer. And, it’s pretty filling too, so you can get away with serving a lighter dinner. Always looking for shortcuts.

ARTICHOKE TOASTIES

12 slices white bread
butter
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
approx. 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
pinch of salt and pepper
1 clove crushed garlic

Preheat oven to 425°F. Use a drinking glass (2” diameter) to cut circles of bread out of each slice. Butter one side and press the buttered side down into a greased muffin pan, flattening the entire surface. Mix the remaining ingredients together and place a spoonful of the mixture into each bread “bowl.” Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden and crisp. Cool briefly before removing them from the pan.

Not only is it a fun presentation, but it satisfies that salty, cheesy craving we all get now and then. I never promised anyone a low-calorie, highly nutritious, gourmet meal, but I always hope to deliver something yummy.

My next recipe is a no-brainer dessert that will have your partner or guests convinced you went to French culinary school. It’s called Vegan Chocolate Mousse, and it tastes like a fancy-restaurant dessert made with the finest Belgian chocolate … the kind you’d eat while wearing high heels and diamond earrings. Best part is that it’s ridiculously simple to make. As in, it take five minutes. Seven, if you really go nuts with the blending. I never thought a recipe that starts with the word vegan would draw me in, but, hey, first time for everything. You’re welcome.

EASY-PEASY VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

1 can (13.6 oz) full-fat coconut milk (or coconut cream) chilled overnight
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cocoa powder
3-4 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp liquid from the can of coconut milk
1/2 tsp instant coffee or 1/2 banana (optional)
fresh berries for topping (optional)

Refrigerate the can of coconut milk (or coconut cream) overnight. Be sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk for this recipe – and do not shake the can, because you want the cream separate from the liquid underneath.

Once cold, open the can of coconut milk and transfer only the thick cream part to a bowl. Keep 3 tablespoons of the watery part and discard the rest (or freeze it for later use).

Whip the coconut milk (or coconut cream) until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and whip until it forms a mousse-like texture. Spoon into ramekins or small bowls and chill for a few hours or up to overnight. For a unique and kitschy presentation, I served the mousse in old-fashioned teacups.

Top with whipped cream and raspberries or blueberries, if you’d like.

There is a pronounced but not overwhelming coconut flavour to this mousse, however the cocoa powder dominates the palate. I made this recipe recently and, as I dragged my spatula towards the finish line, I had a strong feeling this was going to be a top contender in my dessert repertoire. Sure enough, it was a huge hit with my guests. As for my hubby, after the first bite, his eyes glazed over and he went into a trance-like state. Then, he came to and hoovered up the rest of the mousse in 30 seconds flat.

Be aware that this recipe only produces three good-sized portions or four scant ones. Given how popular it was, I would likely double or even triple the recipe next time. This was hands-down the easiest, fastest and least expensive dessert I’ve ever made.

One another note … along the way on my culinary adventures, I’ve stumbled upon a few new-to-me kitchen hacks. These tricks eliminate mess, rescue flavours and are just kind of cool, so I thought I’d share.

Dental floss

When you’re slicing certain creamy foods like cheesecake or goat cheese, give plain dental floss a try. It’s thin, so it doesn’t create drag, like the blade of a knife does, and the slices come out clean with just a simple pull of the floss. Caveat: don’t use flavoured dental floss or your cheesecake or goat cheese may come out tasting like mint. Regular, thin, waxed floss will do the trick.

Stop pot from boiling over

When you’re boiling anything on the stove, the quickest way to stop it from boiling over is to put a wooden spoon across the top of the pot. Don’t ask me why this works, it just does. Every time. I think the wood absorbs the steam. But don’t try this with a silicone spoon.

Rescue a salty soup

Next time you mistakenly oversalt a soup, toss in a few pieces of raw apple or potato. Simmer for 10 minutes then discard the pieces. The apple or potato absorb the salt like little sponges.

My best hack

My favourite kitchen hack by far though is this: eat out! Or, stay home and stuff your piehole with artichoke toasties and vegan chocolate mousse.

Shelley Civkin, aka the Accidental Balabusta, is a happily retired librarian and communications officer. For 17 years, she wrote a weekly book review column for the Richmond Review. She’s currently a freelance writer and volunteer.

Tasty, tangy Shabbat salad

Micah Siva’s Pomegranate Lentil Tabbouleh, the recipe for which is in her book NOSH. (photo by Micah Siva)

This past weekend was hot, and the last thing I wanted to do was cook, so I turned to Micah Siva’s NOSH: Plant-Forward Recipes Celebrating Modern Jewish Cuisine (The Collective Book Studio), which I reviewed for the Passover issue (jewishindependent.ca/tasty-plant-forward-recipes). I made the salad portion of Siva’s suggested summer Shabbat dinner, and it was the perfect meal: fresh and tangy, healthy and filling.

Siva’s summer Shabbat dinner includes the tabbouleh, four variations of hummus, an everything bagel spiced Israeli-style pita (“[t]ypically thicker than other flatbreads or pitas … when made correctly, it contains a pocket”) and falafel balls. Of course, she has recipes for every part of the meal. Here is the one for the tabbouleh. Enjoy!

POMEGRANATE LENTIL TABBOULEH
(serves 4 to 6)

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 english cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
salt
pepper
2 cups roughly chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
1/2 cup cooked brown or green lentils
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 tsp za’atar

In a medium bowl, combine the chopped onion, tomato and cucumber. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. This helps remove excess water from the vegetables.

While the vegetables are salting, combine the parsley, mint, pomegranate arils and cooked lentils in a serving bowl.

Use a colander to drain the onion and tomato mixture, pressing out any excess liquid. Add the mixture to the serving bowl.

Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, sesame seeds and za’atar and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Make this salad up to 3 days in advance by combining everything but the fresh herbs in an airtight container and refrigerating. Toss with the herbs just before serving.

Variations: Add 2 teaspoons of ground sumac to this recipe for a tangier variation. Omit the sesame seeds and add hemp seeds for added protein.

המצב בישראל משפיע על מה שקורה בקנדה

החברה הלאומית של קנדה אייר קנדה תחזור לטוס לישראל רק בחודש הבא. החברה הקנדית שהחלה לטוס לישראל רק בעשרה באפריל הפסיקה את טיסותיה לתל אביב ארבעה ימים לאחר מכן, לאור סגירת נמל התעופה בן גוריון לאור המתקפה האיראנית. באייר קנדה מעדכנים כ הטיסות יחודשו בין קנדה לישראל רק החל מהשישה באוגוסט

אייר קנדה נוסדה בשנת אלף תשע מאות שלושים ושבע ובסיסה בעיר מונטריאול. לחברה נוכחות מסיבית גם בנמלי התעופה הבינלאומיים של טורונטו, ונקובר וקלגרי. לאייר קנדה ארבע חברות-בנות והיא מפעילה כיום כשלוש מאות ושישים מטוסים הטסים לכמאתיים יעדים שונים ברחבי העולם. הכנסות החברה אשתקד עמדו על כעשרים ושתיים מיליארד דולר (קנדי)

צעדת התמיכה הגדולה ביותר בישראל התקיימה בקנדה בחודש יוני האחרון בטורונטו בהשתתפות כחמישים אלף איש. במצעד בטורונטו הניפו המשתתפים דגלי ישראל וקנדה, קראו עם ישראל חי ותחי ישראל ויחי צה”ל, אל מול מפגן תמיכה קטן של מפגינים פרו-פלסטינים. בצעדת התמיכה בישראל השתתפו גם איראנים מתנגדי משטר של האייטולות

בכל שנה, הצעדה למען ישראל היא האירוע היהודי הגדול ביותר בקנדה ואחת מצעדות הסולידריות עם ישראל הגדולות בעולם. חגיגה ידידותית למשפחה זו כוללת צעדה סימבולית בטורונטו ולאחריה פסטיבל לחגוג את התרבות הישראלית והיהודית

אנחנו נרגשים מהתמיכה העצומה בצעדה השנה מהקהילה שלנו ומהחברים והשכנים שלנו ברחבי טורונטו רבתי. לראות השתתפות שיא השנה מדברת רבות על הגאווה, החוסן והנחישות של הקהילה שלנו להראות לעיר שלנו מי אנחנו ועל מה אנחנו עומדים. כך אמור יו”ר אגון הגג של הפדרציות היהודית של קנדה, ג’ף רוזנטל. ואילו נשיא ומנכ”ל של הפדרציות היהודיות של טורונטו, אדם מינסקי, הוסיף כי בזמן שנאה חסרת תקדים המופנית כלי הקהילה היהודית בטורונטו, הצעדה ששברה שיאים שולחת מסר ברור שאנחנו חזקים, מאוחדים וגאים. האירוע היום הוא הפגנה חזקה לכך שיש רבים שתומכים בנו, בעד הדמוקרטיה, החברות והזכות של הישראלים ושל הקהילה היהודית לחיות בשלום ובביטחון, הוסיף עוד מינסקי

כאירוע גיוס כספים למטרות צדקה, כל התרומות לצעדה תומכות בשירותים חברתיים ומאמצים הומניטריים בישראל המסייעים לתושבי ישראל הפגיעים ביותר. השנה הכספים שנתרמו יעזרו לישראלים להתאושש מהטראומה הגדולה של השבע באוקטובר, כולל תמיכה בתוכניות לעזור לקורבנות הטרור ולאה הנאבקים בבעיות נפשיות

לאחר הצעדה, המשתתפים התכנסו בקמפוס שרמן של פסטיבל הסולידריות שכלל פעילויות ידידותיות לילדים, אוכל והופעות. האירוע כלל גם הזדמנויות לשלוח מסרים של תקווה לישראל וכיבוד קורנות השבעה באוקטובר. כן נבנתה חומת התקווה שהיא מיצג הזיכרון של פסטיבל נובה שגבה קורבנות רבים

לאור עלייה באנטישמיות בטורונטו, המשטרה הייתה נוכחת בצעדה במספרים חסרי תקדים. בקהילה היהודית בטורונטו מעריכים מאוד את המאמצים הבלתי הנאלים של משטרת טורונטו להבטיח חוויה בטוחה בצעדה

מנכ”לית הפדרציות היהודיות של קנדה בישראל, שרה מלי, אמרה שיש משהו מיוחד במינו בצעדת למען ישראל של פדרציית טורונטו השנה, מעבר להשתתפות המרשימה של חברי קהילה, תומכים ונבחרי ציבור צעדו כדי לחגוג ולתמוך בישראל. הסיבה לכך שזה כל כך יוצא דופן היא שמאז השבעה באוקטובר, הקהילה היהודית הקנדית נתונה לאנטישמיות גוברת ומתפשטת בקמפוסים ובמרחבים הקהילתיים היהודיים, ובו בזמן גייסה את סכום הכסף המשמעותי ביותר לנפש מכל הקהילות בעולם. לכן, הצעדה השנה, לא רק שהיא הגדולה ביותר, היא מייצגת את המחויבות של הקהילה היהודית בטורונטו לישראל כנגד כל הסיכויים ולכן יש לה חשיבות סמלית שאין כדוגמתה

Team Israel plays for cup

Catch a championship game at Softball City June 28-July 7. Team Israel plays Team Canada and other elite international teams for the Canada Cup. (photo from Team Israel)

The Canada Cup Women’s International Softball Championship will run from June 28 to July 7 this year at Softball City, in Surrey. The 2024 event has more than 1,500 elite athletes confirmed to compete, including the Israeli national team.

“In these challenging times, the importance of our team participating in international tournaments cannot be overstated,” said Ami Baran, executive director and general manager of Israel Softball National Teams. “Competing on the global stage not only showcases our talent and dedication but also strengthens our community’s presence and solidarity. It provides a platform for cultural diplomacy, where we can celebrate our identity and contribute to a broader understanding and appreciation of our traditions and values.”

photo - Team Israel batting — *(photo from Team Israel)*

In addition to Team Israel, some of the world’s best teams will take part, including Canada, Australia, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Greece, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines and TC Colorado. The event includes five divisions: Women’s International, Futures Select (U19), Futures Gold (U19), Showcase Select (17U) and Showcase Gold (17U).

Team Israel will play Hong Kong on July 1, at 10:30 a.m.; Mexico on July 2, at 6 p.m.; Philippines on July 3 at 10:30 a.m.; Canada, also on July 3, at 6:30 p.m.; and New Zealand on July 4, at 3:30 p.m. The playoffs take place July 5-7 with the gold medal final on July 7, at 6 p.m.

photo - Team Israel fielding — *(photo from Team Israel)*

The Canada Cup, which is operated by the Canadian Amateur Sport Society, provides young, high-calibre, female athletes the opportunity to expand their potential and ability by fielding elite level fastpitch teams, which offer spectators an entertaining, fun-filled sporting experience. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit canadacup.com.

– Courtesy Team Israel

Get ready to rock at TUTS

School of Rock cast members, left to right: Crosby Mark, Casey Trotter, Colin Sheen, Mya Forrest, Fumi Okochi and Thailey Roberge. Matthew Rossoff is choreographer of the production. (photo by Emily Cooper)

Matthew Rossoff has returned to Theatre Under the Stars – to choreograph his first production for TUTS, School of Rock. The musical, which alternates with Cats at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park, previews July 7-8 and opens July 11.

“Over a year ago, I responded to a posting seeking new creative team members to join the upcoming season and thought it would be a great way to reconnect with the TUTS community,” said Rossoff, who grew up in Richmond and performed in TUTS shows in his younger days. “I was actually on my honeymoon when I received the initial call and am thrilled it all worked out!”

Rossoff, who is a member of the Jewish community, has performed in two TUTS productions: South Pacific in 2000 and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in 2002.

“For several reasons, both of these productions and experiences were huge influences in my career as an emerging artist,” Rossoff told the Independent. “After a long performing hiatus, South Pacific was my first musical after I graduated high school and it was a dream to perform at the Malkin Bowl. Joseph was directed and choreographed by my childhood idol, Jeff Hyslop, and this production catapulted me into my professional career as a dancer and actor, making my CAEA [Canadian Actors’ Equity Association] debut in Fiddler on the Roof at the Vancouver Playhouse later that fall.”

While earning his bachelor of arts at the University of British Columbia, majoring in theatre and minoring in English literature, Rossoff was also doing work in film and traveling across Canada performing in theatrical productions. In 2006, he followed through on his dream to move to New York. There, he performed in several shows, and made his Stratford Shakespeare Festival debut in Camelot and Jesus Christ Superstar.

“Jesus Christ Superstar gained critical acclaim and, eventually, the entire Canadian cast transferred to Broadway in March 2012,” Rossoff said. “I was fortunate to make my Broadway debut, as the dance captain and swing. Our production became a Tony Award nominee for best revival, which offered me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform on the Tony Awards!”

And to think, Rossoff’s career began in elementary school, when he saw one of his sister’s dance classes. “I was amazed,” he said, knowing it “was something I needed to do. Very much in line with the character Mike from A Chorus Line, I told my parents, ‘I can do that!’

“Tap dancing evoked a passion and spark in my soul so bright that I continued on with it all throughout elementary school,” Rossoff said. “During high school, I decided to put up my dancing shoes for a bit and tried other sports and school activities, but it was after my first show at TUTS, South Pacific in 2000, when I bought a new pair of shoes and reignited my passion for tap dancing. Luckily I did because my career took off and I’ve been so fulfilled and blessed with such amazing dance and performance opportunities.”

He got his first theatre work about the time he started tap dancing, in Grade 3. He played an orphan and one of Fagin’s boys, Mouse, in Oliver!

“My sister was in the production with me and I remember getting bit by the theatre bug,” said Rossoff. “There was a sense of community being created with the cast that I loved being a part of and, of course, the excitement of performing and dancing under the lights.”

photo - Matthew Rossoff choreographs his first production for TUTS this summer – School of Rock — Matthew Rossoff choreographs his first production for TUTS this summer – School of Rock. *(photo from Matthew Rossoff)*

After 10 years living and working in New York City, Rossoff decided to follow another impulse – “to go back to school and deepen my training as a performer, artist and educator.”

He moved to Toronto to attend York University, earning a master’s of fine arts in the school’s performance (acting) program, with a specialization in teaching.

“Those two years changed me at the core of my artistry and revealed a new sense of how I wanted to move forward in my artistic journey,” he told the Independent. “Along with my long-time dance background, my focus became voice, speech and mindfulness work. I quickly became a faculty member at several post-secondary schools and universities in Toronto – teaching voice, speech and movement at York University, Randolph College, Sheridan College, Brock University and, most recently, Toronto Metropolitan University.

“Knowing that choreography and dance were at the base of my creative foundation, I stepped onto the creative team side of the table and began my director/choreographer journey. Shortly after my time at TUTS this summer, I will be returning to Toronto and stepping into the world of Disney as a resident creative team/dance supervisor for Disney Cruise Lines.”

Rossoff’s body presence, mindfulness and yoga work are at the core of his artistic practice and choreography.

“This work stemmed from my training and perhaps lack of intersection between dance and how to connect to the breath and emotional journey as an actor and storyteller,” he said. “Dance is an extraordinary universal language of embodiment, but in musical theatre you also have to put the text onto your full voice and hold space in the body to support and reveal the emotional, physical, intellectual and imaginative journey the character moves through.

“I’m always curious how can an actor lead from the internal impulses and connections to what’s happening in the scene and put it fully into their body through external gesture and movement. To play a truthful human experience, an actor must use the breath to spark the imagination, the senses and full range of expression with their whole sense of self.”

While Rossoff puts his whole self into his work, collaboration is the cornerstone of his creative process.

“Working alongside the director and honouring their vision and design of the show, a movement esthetic and point of view is cultivated,” he explained.

“In my own pre-production work, I start with the words off the page from the playwrights, composers and lyricists: the storytelling. I’m curious, What’s the primary narrative being told and how can movement from the actors elevate and further the storytelling in a compelling and exciting way?”

For productions such as School of Rock, Rossoff said, “I listen to the music over and over again and I daydream and imagine ways to bring this … story to life. Once the show is cast and we’re in the rehearsal hall, I come prepared with an overall structure of how the choreography will unfold or, if the story seeks personalized gestures or movement, bring in exercises to draw out embodied movement from the actors. For example, School of Rock has 13 incredible young performers and their energy brings out creative ideas, movements and impulses [and] I try to hold space for them to join in on the collaborative journey. They certainly inform and bring a unique point of view through their personalized storytelling.

“Choreographing a musical is not all about big production dance numbers,” he added, “but also about sorting out the transitions and the moments in between, as they become key to the flow and momentum of the story. As the show gets closer to opening night, it becomes about the details of precision, economy and relaxation in the movement so that each actor feels at ease and ready to perform with unconscious competence and joy!”

For tickets to School of Rock and Cats, which previews July 5-6 and opens July 10, visit tuts.ca. Cats runs to Aug. 21 and School of Rock to Aug. 22. For tickets, visit tuts.ca.

Who are the cynical ones?

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is the world’s foremost state sponsor of terror. The IRGC’s Quds Force (“Quds” meaning “Jerusalem,” to note the ultimate priority of the corps’ aims), is effectively the international terrorism arm of the Iranian government and military.

Ottawa finally got the message. Last week, the Government of Canada designated the IRGC a terrorist entity under Canadian law.

“The Canadian Jewish community has persistently called for this decisive action against the IRGC, recognizing its role in promoting violence and instability globally, including through its support for terrorist groups targeting Jews and others,” said a statement from Shimon Koffler Fogel, president and chief executive officer of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. “While we applaud this step, it is disappointing that it took so long for the government to act on its commitment.”

Iran has destabilized (the word seems profoundly modest) Lebanon, by backing Hezbollah, the terror group that has wreaked havoc by upending that country and turning it into a staging ground for attacks on Israel, and Syria, by supporting Bashar al-Assad, the strongman who has waged war on his own people for more than a decade. Terrorism by the Iranian regime has prevented Iraq from becoming a functioning state. Tehran’s long arm has also terrorized individuals and organizations in the large Iranian diaspora. In 2020, the IRGC shot down Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752, killing all 176 passengers and crew, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 Canadian permanent residents.

And still Canada’s government did not take the seemingly simple step of calling the IRGC what is so clearly is.

In 2020, the US State Department estimated that Iran was supplying Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups with $100 million per year in training and military and financial support. An Israeli source put that number, by 2023, at $350 million.

Part of the intelligence catastrophe of Oct. 7 was an apparent assumption by Israeli intelligence that Hamas did not have the capacity to organize as complex an attack as it did against Israel that day. This was a tragic intelligence failure on many fronts, but it was certainly a failure in Israel’s massive underestimation of the extent and complexity of what Hamas was capable of, thanks directly to the IRGC.

Canada is grappling with the fact that foreign actors have meddled in our politics, with China and Russia the prime suspects in this still-shrouded issue, but Iran has certainly had its fingers in our pie. The Iranian regime is also suspected of laundering money through Canada.

Iranian-Canadian human rights activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam addressed a parliamentary committee this month, putting a fine point of who we’re dealing with, not only internationally but domestically in Iran as well.

“Any time you have seen video footage of women in Iran being beaten and dragged screaming into police vans because of not properly wearing a hijab or of Christians arrested for worshipping in underground churches or Kurds being gassed or children being executed or peaceful protesters being intentionally shot at, blinded, raped or tortured, these are all the acts of the IRGC and its paramilitary subgroup, the Basij,” she said.

So why did Canada act now?

The announcement came less than a week before a pivotal byelection in Toronto. Voters in the riding of St. Paul’s, a Liberals stronghold since 1993 and considered one of the party’s safest seats in the country, went to the polls Monday.

The riding has one of the largest concentrations of Jewish voters – about 15%, which may not seem a lot but is 15 times the national Jewish population average and enough to swing a tight race, certainly. Another 1,500 of so residents list Farsi as a mother tongue and those, presumably Iranian-Canadians, know as well as anyone what the IRGC is capable of.

The very suggestion that a Canadian government would make a crucial, long-delayed decision like this based on crass political motivations is almost beyond the imagination.

Asked point blank by a reporter whether the decision was linked to the byelection – which many suggested could have existential implications for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s political career – Trudeau seemed to glass over and deliver a robotic reply.

Canada, he said, has already been “extremely preoccupied with the activities of the murderous regime in Tehran.” His government, he said, has “been working very, very hard on this for years.” He suggested that the delay was based on concerns for Iranian-Canadians and their families back home.

We are glad our government has taken this step. We are also revolted at the very suggestion that the decision could have been motivated by political expediency. It is unfathomably cynical – but who are the cynics? Is it reporters and commentators who accused the government of politicizing this move? Or is it a cadre of political advisors and elected officials who calculated that a few Jewish voters in midtown Toronto could save the prime minister’s hide if they were just thrown a bone?

We may never know exactly. But, if that was Liberals’ calculation, it failed. Conservative candidate Don Church upended tradition and won the riding. Liberals and others are still poking through the entrails to divine the wider implications for Canadian politics.

Tour for Humanity bus visits

Left to right: Andrew Abramowich, Larry Goldenberg, Gordon and Leslie Diamond, Jill Diamond, Lauri Glotman and Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre’s Michael Levitt. (photo from FSWC)

The Tour for Humanity, a human rights educational bus organized by Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre (FSWC), made an inaugural visit to British Columbia May 27 to June 7, with stops at several schools across the Lower Mainland, including Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Surrey and Langley Township. In all, the bus visited eight different schools, reaching 1,170 students.

On May 29, in partnership with the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, FSWC hosted a special gathering and an exclusive viewing of the Tour for Humanity.

“The reception in Vancouver was very positive, especially considering this visit marked our first-ever journey to the West Coast,” said Michael Levitt, president and chief executive officer of FSWC. “The Tour for Humanity presented a new educational experience for the students in a technologically advanced and inspiring learning environment, with students feeling immediately captivated upon entering the bus.

“Every student walked away from the bus with newfound knowledge, whether of the Holocaust or human rights issues right here in Canada,” he said. “Teachers and administrators shared with us how much they admired the program and would like to have the bus return to their schools.”

The Tour for Humanity bus is a 30-seat, state-of-the-art, wheelchair-accessible education centre that teaches students, educators, community leaders and front-line professionals through workshops about the Holocaust, genocide and Canada’s human rights history. The aim, in the words of FSWC, is “to help inspire and empower people of all ages and backgrounds to raise their voices and take action against hate, intolerance and bullying and to promote justice, human rights and a more inclusive society.”

photo - In the Tour for Humanity bus — Inside the Tour for Humanity bus. (photo from FSWC)

Levitt noted that, since Oct. 7, there has been an increase in requests from schools for the Tour for Humanity workshops, given the rise in antisemitism and the divisions playing out online, on city streets and in schools.

“Teachers and administrators are recognizing the importance of this education to ensure students understand the dangers of hate and the role they play in combatting it,” Levitt said.

The tour’s visit to Vancouver in late May and early June coincided with, among other events, the arson attack against Congregation Schara Tzedeck and the decision by the BC Teachers’ Federation to deny funding to a specialist Holocaust education group.

“What we are seeing is a frightening escalation of antisemitic incidents across BC and the country. Most concerningly, Jewish institutions, including places of worship and schools, are being targeted and violently attacked at an unprecedented rate in Canada,” Levitt said. “Words of condemnation from our public leaders are no longer enough. Concrete measures must be taken to fight this scourge of antisemitism before it escalates even more and someone gets seriously hurt.”

Since it began – with one bus, in 2013 – the Tour for Humanity has visited more than 1,300 schools and reached more than 220,000 people. A second bus was added in September 2022, thanks to support from the Goldenberg family. The two buses have traveled a combined total of more than 200,000 kilometres.

Before coming to British Columbia, the bus visited schools in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and, also for the first time, Alberta. The tour has traveled widely through Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Both buses are currently in Ontario, visiting a few last schools for the academic year. The buses only travel throughout Canada, though the Simon Wiesenthal Centre in the United States has a similar program in several American cities.

According to Levitt, the 2024/25 schedule for the Tour for Humanity is already filling up, as Canadian schools have been reaching out and requesting workshops ahead of the upcoming academic year. There is going to be a third bus ready to hit the road in 2025, offering further opportunities to visit more schools across the country. In the meantime, FSWC educators will continue to offer virtual workshops to schools.

“We’re looking forward to having a more active presence in Vancouver and throughout BC in the near future,” Levitt said, “including a return of the Tour for Humanity at the earliest possible time, as we know it takes an all-hands-on-deck approach from the Jewish community to deal with the current conditions.”

Levitt stressed that FSWC is working to deliver Holocaust education to Metro Vancouver students alongside other Jewish organizations, such as the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, ensuring that young people gain a deeper understanding of the history and horrors of the Holocaust and learn its lessons.

“Students must learn that history can repeat itself, and each of them has a responsibility to stand up against hate in their community and make a positive change,” Levitt said.

“We are thankful for the warm welcome our Tour for Humanity received in BC and grateful to Gordon and Leslie Diamond and the Diamond Foundation for sponsoring the bus’s first-ever journey to the West Coast,” he said. “We are eager to return soon to reach more students.”

For more information, visit fswc.ca/tour-for-humanity.

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