Michelle Biton has released a new book. Written in the same style as The Instant Anxiety Solution: 5 Simple Steps to Quiet the Mind & Achieve Calm, her recently released The Menopause Weight Loss Solution: A Woman’s Guide to Menopause Without Pounds offers six steps to help women live their best lives during menopause. Both books are published by Hatherleigh Press Ltd.
The mnemonic device that anchors this book is SHRINK. After an introductory chapter about what menopause is, some of its symptoms, the role of cortisol (“the body’s primary stress hormone”) and a couple of other topics, each section explores one of the letters. So, chapters 2 through 7 are (italics added): Stimulate Your Metabolism; Harness the Power of Your Vagus Nerve; Reinforce the Eight Nutritional Strategies; Incorporate Daily Pelvic Floor and Core Exercises; Nurture Mindfulness and Mindful Eating; and Know Your Female Powers with Confidence.
“Menopause is a natural process,” writes Biton. “You officially hit menopause when you do not get your period for 12 consecutive months. The ovaries stop making estrogen and progesterone and the period disappears. It signifies the end of the reproductive years and the beginning of the wise ‘goddess’ years.
“But that is the easy version. Menopause, or pre-menopause, can feel like a rollercoaster ride of hormones or a symphony of fireworks.”
Pre-menopause, or perimenopause, can start in one’s 30s or 40s and last up to 10 years, writes Biton. “At least 80% of women will experience menopausal symptoms of varying degrees and severity.” And there are many symptoms or changes, including but not at all limited to: slower metabolism, poor memory or brain fog, weight gain around the middle, thinning hair, increased irritability and moodiness, night sweats, increased sadness, diminished sex drive and itchy skin.
Weight gain during menopause apparently affects 65-70% of women, who gain an average of five to 10 pounds. One reason for this is that “women’s ability to burn calories gets cut by 30% or more,” says Biton. “By the time she reaches middle age, she will have to work almost twice as hard to burn the same amount of calories as she did in her 20s.”
Biton recommends many different types of exercise to build muscle and kickstart one’s metabolism. “Simple things like lifting your body weight against gravity does the job perfectly,” she writes. “You can do them anywhere; they are easy to do and very effective. This includes exercises like push-ups, triceps dips, lunges and squats.” She gives a description of how to do lunges and planks, and talks about things like ideal intensity levels: “Regular physical activity [like walking], versus doing one intense workout on the weekend, will be more beneficial at increasing your metabolism long-term.” She notes that adding protein to every meal can help boost metabolism, as can eating the “right kind of fat,” such as omega-3 and omega-6.
A moderate approach to exercise and eating is, not surprisingly, the recommended approach and she dedicates Chapter 4 to nutritional strategies. Chapter 5 is about ways to increase core strength (“namely, your corset and girdle muscles”), to combat weight gain around the midsection, and exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles to keep incontinence at bay.
The chapter on the vagus nerve – the “key” to activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which helps us “calm down, handle stress better, regulate your mood and feel more relaxed, connected and compassionate” – takes a lot from Biton’s previous book on dealing with anxiety. (See jewishindependent.ca/ways-to-tackle-anxiety.)
“During menopause, it is common to feel stressed and overwhelmed, not to mention disconnected, irritable, worried, anxious, depressed and questioning a lot of things in life,”she writes.
She advises: “If you’re having a hard time regulating your emotions, feeling overwhelmed or overly emotional, it’s a good idea to activate your PSNS right away.” And she offers many ways to do that, from splashing cold water on your face, to running on the spot as long as you can, to deep breathing, to immersing yourself in nature, and more.
The chapter on mindfulness focuses on differentiating between physical and emotional hunger. The former “begins in the stomach” and is “a physiological need,” while the latter is “when you eat in response to feelings…. Emotional foods tend to be high in carbohydrates, as they allow more L-tryptophan, a mood-regulating amino acid, to enter the brain. Carbohydrates (and sugar) help the body to make serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter, so it makes sense why emotional eaters tend to consume foods that give them a ‘sugar high.’” Biton suggests practices like mindful eating (slowing down, chewing your food well); trying “to eat out of physical hunger 95% of the time,” while allowing yourself occasional treats; and, again, adding protein to meals “to feel full for longer.”
The last chapter of The Menopause Weight Loss Solution is about retraining our minds to think more positively and reduce negative thoughts about ourselves. It also tackles perhaps sensitive topics like changes to the vagina, body odor, breast tenderness, skin and more that happen during menopause.
There’s nothing revolutionary or in-depth in this book, but rather it provides an overview and the basics of what a woman can do to understand and get through menopause more easily.
Biton has a master’s in holistic nutrition, a bachelor’s in psychology, and a certificate in kinesiology and fitness studies. She is a former Vancouverite who now lives in Los Angeles. For more information, visit michellebiton.com.
Coexistence, My Ass! follows Israeli activist and comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi as she develops her show of the same name. (photo from DOXA)
Coexistence, My Ass!, directed and produced by Amber Fares, is almost a great documentary. But it fails to ask at least two key questions that would have made for a more in-depth portrayal of an interesting and complex human being.
Coexistence, My Ass!, whose May 4 screening at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival already has sold out, is about comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi, who was born in Wahat Al-Salam / Neve Shalom / Oasis of Peace, a village in which Jewish and Palestinian Israelis have chosen to live together. It has been considered a model of coexistence andShuster Eliassi grew up amid the idealism it represented, and speaks Arabic fluently. She and her best friend (to this day), Ranin, a Palestinian Israeli living in Oasis of Peace, were among the kids trotted out as the generation who would bring peace.
Shuster Eliassi’s mother is Jewish Iranian and her father is Jewish Romanian. The couple met in high school (in what country is not revealed), so basically grew up together. They decided to live in Oasis of Peace and became, says Shuster Eliassi in her act, what most Israelis love to hate most: woke, progressive leftists. “They believe in the radical idea that Israelis and Palestinians deserve the same equal human rights! Crazy. So radical.”
It seems important to know why Shuster Eliassi’s parents left their respective countries to live in Israel, but especially her mother. With Iran as the main funder of Hamas’s – and other terrorists’ – murderous activities, and the fact that tens of thousands of Jews had to flee after the 1979 revolution, it seems that Shuster Eliassi’s mother’s experience is crucial to understanding Shuster Eliassi. But this question, if ever asked, doesn’t make it into the film.
Shuster Eliassi is an intelligent and accomplished person. By age 15, she had graduated, so to speak, from being one of the kids giving flowers to visiting celebrities (who would often mistake her, because of her dark skin, for being Palestinian – and with such good Hebrew!) to speaking around the world about coexistence and the possibilities for peace. At 21, she got a full scholarship at Brandeis University for being a peace activist. She even met the Dalai Lama, who, she quips, didn’t think she was Palestinian –“He just thought I was Indian.”
At 25, Shuster Eliassi landed a “peace worker’s dream job” – a position at the United Nations. We don’t learn much about what her job entailed, but there are clips of her speaking about the West Bank and Gaza as being the biggest prisons in the world, and how “the occupation” affects Palestinians and Israelis. Career-wise, she was on a wave of success, she says in her show, when she saw Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s TV program, made before he was elected, about a comedian who becomes president. Zelenskyy, of course, then did become president, so Shuster Eliassi observes that, if she wanted to take her political career seriously, she needed to start writing jokes.
Comedian Noam Shuster Eliassi in performance. (photo from DOXA)
This takes us to where the film begins, with her at Harvard in 2019, where she’s been asked to deliver a peace-building project. She tells them that Coexistence, My Ass! will be that project, and she’s accepted.
In the documentary, we see the development of Coexistence, My Ass! and how Shuster Eliassi’s views change as the political situation in Israel deteriorates and the violence increases. Her parents are often her sounding board, as are friends and fellow comedians. We witness the results of a hate crime – the school in Oasis of Peace was set on fire in September 2020. We see moments of happiness, most unexpectedly, perhaps, when Shuster Eliassi returns to Israel from the United States with COVID and must be quarantined in a hotel, where sick Jews and Palestinians are being isolated from the general population.
“And everyone is radically getting along. This is a 5-star oasis of peace. If they continue getting along, my comedy career is over. Just kidding, you’ve read the news, I have material for years. Netanyahu has my back,” says Shuster Eliassi in her act. “Somebody give him a beeper,” she adds sheepishly, referring to Israel’s taking out of Hezbollah with exploding pagers in September 2024.
Months before Oct. 7, 2023, Shuster Eliassi was disillusioned and would get into yelling matches with Jewish Israelis protesting the Netanyahu government and dangers to democracy because their protests didn’t also explicitly call for equal rights for Palestinians. Whereas pre-COVID, she says, “My biggest responsibility is to speak to my people…. The Jewish audience is where we have to work,” the purpose of Shuster Eliassi’s comedy ceases at some point to be a way to encourage peace and becomes a form of resistance.
After Oct. 7, when some of Shuster Eliassi’s family and friends abandon their belief in coexistence because they feel peace with Palestinians isn’t possible, Shuster Eliassi goes the other way, giving up on coexistence because she feels – though doesn’t state explicitly – that peace with Jewish Israelis is not possible.
Moria, a comedy writer, advises Shuster Eliassi that people need to hear what Shuster Eliassi has to say, but it can’t just be “genocide, genocide!” The role of a comedian, says Moria, is “to bring people together. To unify. We can’t stop the killing, but we can unify people. To get people to see the world through your eyes.”
“No, that’s not what I’m doing,” responds Shuster Eliassi, who explains that her goal isn’t to unify, it’s “to voice resistance to this insane show of force that has swept everyone up blindly.”
Shuster Eliassi’s friend Ranin reluctantly retains hope for coexistence because, otherwise, she tells Shuster Eliassi, there is no place for Palestinians and Arabs within Israel. For Shuster Eliassi, though, by the end of the film, there seems to be no place for Jews in Israel. She only sees fault with Israel, and somehow thinks that Hamas wouldn’t want to kill all Jews if Israel had dealt with “the occupation.”
If memory serves, Hamas is only mentioned once in the documentary, in a clip from Shuster Eliassi’s show, where it is part of a joke, perhaps one told before 2023, it’s not clear. Why Hamas plays little or no role in Shuster Eliassi’s view of the evolving situation is the second of those two key questions that would have made Coexistence, My Ass! a better film.
While Shuster Eliassi laments that Israelis – even the coexistence crowd – are not able to meet Palestinians where they’re at, she is unable to meet her fellow Jewish Israelis where they are at. While she is comfortable performing at a Palestinian festival where she’s greeted by a man wearing a “Palestine vs the world” T-shirt that, on the back, has a Palestinian flag over all Israel, she isn’t comfortable with Israelis who would fill out that same map with no Palestinian territories. While she is correct that peace is only possible between equals, she only sees one oppressor – Israel. Not Hamas. Not any other international party, like Iran. Just Israel.
Many of the people at the sold-out screening of Coexistence, My Ass! will think it’s the most amazing film ever because, despite attempting to be fair – and it seems like Fares honestly did try to present multiple sides – it ultimately heralds their anti-Zionist beliefs and justifies them. Others will be disappointed that Coexistence, My Ass! ends up being just another anti-Israel film, which will, no doubt, win more awards than it has already, despite its critical flaws.
Left to right: Head of school Seth Goldsweig, former head of school Perry Seidelman, deputy head of school Alex Monchamp, head custodian and building manager Jess Sabado and former head of school Russ Klein at a February gathering of alumni to celebrate 20 years of KDHS on Willow Street. (photo from KDHS)
On May 14, with a party at Congregation Beth Israel, King David High School celebrates 20 years since it opened its doors on Willow Street.
“It’s a real blessing,” said KDHS head of school Dr. Seth Goldsweig about having a Jewish high school in the community.
“Study after study shows that the most effective way to develop and maintain Jewish identity is to go to Jewish day school,” he said. “Our students can continue to develop their Jewish identities and turn into the Jewish leaders of tomorrow.
“We have a high school that stands up to the other amazing independent schools in the area,” he added. “This means that students can have a top-notch Jewish education combined with a rigorous and enriching academic experience. They get the best of both worlds.”
Goldsweig is KDHS’s third head of school, having started the position last fall, after Russ Klein retired. Klein was at the helm from 2008 to 2024.
“In this job, I found a community that I didn’t know I had,” Klein told the Independent last year, as his tenure was winding down. “That was beyond special. I really do think of this job, this position really, as a gift.”
Klein had taken over the position after Perry Seidelman retired.
In 2001, Seidelman was hired as principal of Vancouver Talmud Torah High School – one of the iterations on the path that led from Maimonides High School, which was started in the 1980s, to KDHS. With 30 years prior experience and his approach to education, he was a key to the successful establishment of King David.
“Without Perry, there would be no school,” Larry Goldstein, president of the Jewish high school during the transition period, says in The Scribe’s Jewish Education in BC issue. “It’s as simple as that. Perry gave the credibility to other parents.”
“With growing interest in the school, a decision was made to build a permanent structure with financing from the Diamond Foundation,” Seidelman writes in The Scribe, which is the journal of the Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia. “It was to be built on a property at the southeast corner of 41st Avenue and Willow Street, directly across Willow Street from the Jewish Community Centre. Extensive discussions were held with the JCC administration, as intentions were to use the JCC for some programs, notably the JCC gymnasium for PE classes and the Norman [& Annette] Rothstein Theatre for drama productions.”
As enrolment grew, Alex Monchamp, who had been a teacher at the high school since its Maimonides days, was hired as vice-principal, according to The Scribe. Monchamp now holds the title of deputy head of school.
“I joined King David in July 2001,” Monchamp told the Independent. “I’d only been living in the city for a few months, and I saw a small newspaper ad for a small independent school looking for a half-time English and drama teacher. It was my first teaching job in BC!”
When asked why KDHS has proven successful, while previous versions of the high school struggled, Monchamp said, “I think the main turning point was the year I started, and the school had its biggest Grade 8 class, which I think was 25 or 26 students. Those connected to the school and who were vital in its foundation and ongoing viability made a real concerted effort to engage with the community and make a case for the importance and need for a sustainable Jewish high school. However, the real risk, the real investment, was when those Grade 8 families, and the families that came after, invested their most important resource – their children – in our school.
“When our families started to see that need and started to trust in the school, it allowed the school to grow and become more stable,” said Monchamp. “Stability turned into slow but steady growth, to more students, more teachers, and then our home on Willow Street. However, the building itself did not cement our future – it was also the school’s investment in good leadership and dedicated teachers that secured the future we enjoy today.”
Then-student Nicole Grubner and Gordon Diamond at the 2005 inauguration of the KDHS building on Willow Street. (photo from KDHS)
When Monchamp joined the high school, there were fewer than 70 students, programming was limited and there was no permanent school building, he said. Growth has occurred in multiple areas.
“There are obvious measures, like our student population is over 270 students, we have a vibrant arts program, a strong athletic program and our programming offers our students many ways to explore what they know, what they can do and who they’ll become,” said Monchamp. “All of that happens because we continue to have a team of outstanding teachers and dedicated adults who work extremely hard.
“The ultimate measure is not where our students go to university, the grades they earn or even how many of them are in the building each day,” he added. “There are bigger schools, there’s no shortage of kids going to university and no one is ever going to care what your math mark was in Grade 10. The true measure is that our students discover and develop their capabilities, figure out who they are and what it means for them to be Jewish in this world. In a world of uncertainty and change, our students have the capability to adapt and grow and the values and foundation to be a good person.”
KDHS’s director of development, Esther Mogyoros, who has worked at the school for the past 11 years, echoed Monchamp’s belief that there is more than one component to the school’s growth.
“Over the years,” she said, “King David has grown not only in student enrolment but also in its physical presence, thanks to the expansion of the east campus, made possible by the generosity of the Diamond Foundation and our supportive community. Our reputation has been built on a strong foundation of chesed programs, regular volunteer initiatives, and active participation in celebrations and community events. We take pride in nurturing students who not only excel academically but also continue their educational journeys and give back to the community long after graduation.”
Both Mogyoros and Monchamp said the best part of their jobs is when they connect with others.
“Connecting with students, parents, grandparents and the community at large,” said Mogyoros. “Building relationships and sharing my passion for Jewish education, Israel and the importance/impact of King David in the community.”
“The best part is when I can connect with a student, chat, find out more about them and then, if I can, find ways that I can support them,” said Monchamp. “It doesn’t happen nearly enough in a typical day, but I love it when it does.”
One of Monchamp’s standout moments at the school is when KDHS would take the Grade 9 students to Washington, DC, every spring to visit the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“We’d spend a full day at the USHMM, which is a lot, and our students always came away with information or artifacts they hadn’t encountered before and at times it was very emotive,” he said. “The trip also included a day at many of the Smithsonian Institution museums. It was always a treat to watch the kids see real historical items, like the Wright brother’s plane, the ruby shoes from The Wizard of Oz or Prince’s guitars. History is always more relevant to kids if they can get up close to it and connect to their own stories and memories.”
Over the past 20 years, there have been challenges, notably, the pandemic.
“There was so much unpredictability and an immeasurable amount of learning we had to do on the fly,” said Monchamp of that time. “Despite the numerous challenges, it is moments like that which demonstrate what our school is all about. The overarching goal was what it has always been: putting our students first. And when that was our guiding principle, we figured out the rest…. It was also vital that our families trusted us. Before, during and after COVID, we have consistently demonstrated to our families that we take our role in their children’s growth very seriously and that we always perform in ways that support and benefit their growth.”
“Throughout those difficult years,” said Mogyoros, “our school’s resilience and compassion shone through – not only in maintaining academic standards but also in supporting one another emotionally during a time of unprecedented uncertainty.”
Monchamp hopes the school continues on its current path, becoming “a student-centred learning environment.
“Learning is an active experience and is most successful when students are actively engaged and can apply what they know and can do to their own experiences and contexts,” he said. “We have already seen the tremendous benefit of this shift. It’s what is keeping our school competitive and on par with other Vancouver independent schools and it’s setting up our students for their future successes.”
The King David High School Class of 2019 celebrates graduation. (photo from KDHS)
“Our goal,” said Mogyoros, “is to empower students to be confident in their identities, excel in their chosen paths, and take pride in their Jewish heritage, traditions and love for Israel. We strive to inspire them to make a meaningful difference in the world around them.”
JWest is central to the high school’s future. The three-phase development project at 41st Avenue and Oak Street will see the construction of a much-expanded JCC, a new home for KDHS and two residential towers.
“Having a new building where we can continue to develop our programming, where we can engage our students and where we can host real ‘home games’ in our own gym in front of as many students and parents as possible is incredibly important,” said Monchamp. “The school is still very young and a new facility will allow it to continue to shape its identity. Additionally, our community can continue to take pride in the school and all of the many interconnected Jewish organizations in the city. I think the symbolism of one large, proud hub for the Jewish community sends not only a very strong message, but, more importantly, a unified message, one which the community can use as a foundation for its future.”
Mogyoros agrees.
“A larger campus will open doors to more programs, providing students with enhanced opportunities for learning, creativity and personal development,” she said. “We are especially excited about the addition of more space and new sports fields, which will enrich our athletic and extracurricular offerings and foster a vibrant, dynamic environment for our students.”
“We want to see the school continue to grow,” said Goldsweig. “Next year, we will be the biggest we have ever been. So many families have chosen to give their kids a Jewish high school education. We are so appreciative and hope that many more continue to make the same decision.”
The head of school says he has been warmly welcomed into the community, with Friday night dinner invitations every Shabbat, “an amazing staff,” a board that “has been supportive every step of the way,” and parents who “are dedicated to the success of the school and their children.
“The most impressive group of all has been the students,” Goldsweig said. “They are so inspiring, and I know our future is in good hands.”
To attend the May 14 gala, participate in the silent auction (which launches April 29), buy raffle tickets or donate to King David High School, visit goldenthreadgala.com.
The big reveal: Vitaly Beckman fools Penn & Teller a third time with his illusion “Still Life.” (image courtesy Vitaly Beckman)
“It’s a real privilege to be able to share something that was created from just an idea, and see how well it’s received,” Vitaly Beckman told the Independent after winning his third FU (Fool Us) trophy on Penn & Teller: Fool Us last month.
With his characteristic charm and sense of humour, Beckman had the host of the show, Brooke Burke, arrange a pineapple, a pomegranate, a couple of melons and a clock (whose hands she set however she liked) either on a fruit stand or beside it. Beckman even invited her to move any item after her initial placement, which she did not. Then, he turned his attention to a covered painting that had been on stage the whole time. When unveiled, the revealed artwork depicted Burke’s arrangement exactly.
“The concept might have been in my head for years,” said Beckman, a member of the Jewish community who lives in New Westminster. “I think I even had a sketch of the idea in my diary years ago. After I finished my off-Broadway run, I had some time to work on a few ideas, and this is the one I decided to pursue in 2019. I started performing it in Singapore and, right after that, the pandemic started, so only a few years later could I test it out some more on the road. So, while the illusion took a few months to create, it took a few years to polish and work out the kinks.”
Beckman fooled Penn & Teller in 2016 and again in 2021.
“Nothing beats the first time,” Beckman said. “However, this was also very exciting because it is harder and harder to come up and stump them, especially after they know me already, but also the illusion I picked is more difficult to perform this time, and a lot more things can go wrong. So, because of that, the stakes were higher! Definitely exciting to be able to do it with all that in mind.”
For his third attempt, Beckman considered several pieces from his current touring show, An Evening of Wonders, and “Still Life” ticked a lot of boxes, he said.
“The illusion was telling a very simple story, in about five minutes, which is the optimal time for a show like Fool Us. Yet, it was also very visually startling,” he said. “It has inspirational elements, as my goal is not really to trick people but to inspire and uplift them. But then, of course, the mystery elements in it were also very strong. I knew that Penn & Teller would have a real hard time with it!”
Winners of the FU trophy get to perform in Penn & Teller’s live show, and Beckman will join them in Las Vegas on April 26. To watch Beckman fool the duo, go to youtube.com/watch?v=Z3hJA2I-Fig.
Healing Space has treated more than 20,000 people since it began in response to the trauma caused by the Oct. 7 terror attacks and the ensuing war. (photo from Healing Space)
“It’s important to talk about it because there are still hostages who have been living Oct. 7 every day for over a year-and-a-half. It’s important to talk about it because antisemitism around the world is growing stronger, and there are people who deny or justify the horrors we went through that day. This is not a political matter – it’s a matter of humanity. It’s about human lives,” Raz Shifer, a survivor of Hamas’s horrific terror attack on the Nova music festival, told the Independent.
Shifer, who lives in Giv’atayim, Israel, will be joining Vancouver’s community Yom Hazikaron ceremony on April 29 and Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration on April 30. Another Nova survivor, Inbal Binder, from Petah Tikva, will be coming here as well, and she and Shifer will, among other activities, participate in the events, visit several local Jewish schools and address Federation’s Regional Communities Conference.
Also coming to Vancouver is Dr. Ilana Kwartin, chief executive officer of Healing Space Rishpon, where both Shifer and Binder have participated in workshops and treatments. She has some meetings lined up, but the Israel-related events are the main purpose of the visit.
“In addition, I’m happy to meet people one-on-one or book speaking engagements for groups, communities and teams, where we can share the story of our work and, through that, the story of Israel at this time,” she said.
Healing Space Rishpon was created by Dr. Lia Naor in response to the trauma caused by the Oct. 7 attacks and the ensuing war. With Ra’anan Shaked, therapists and volunteers, Naor set up a centre at Ronit Farm in Sharon that operated for just over a month. With Patrizio Paoletti and Rani Oren, a permanent base was then established in Rishpon. Since Healing Space began, more than 140 therapists have given almost 60,000 hours to treating more than 20,000 people in 16 trauma-healing modalities.
Kwartin became CEO right after Oct. 7. She and her family live in Eliav, a yishuv she helped found, which is in the northern Negev, abutting the separation barrier.
“The Black Shabbat of Oct. 7 upended my life, like it did for so many others, and as we – individuals, families, communities and a nation – mourn, work to pick up the pieces, mend what can be repaired and rebuild where it cannot, I put my personal and professional background to use as the CEO of this one-of-a-kind haven,” she told the Independent.
Dr. Ilana Kwartin, chief executive officer of Healing Space Rishpon, is coming to Vancouver with Nova music festival survivors Raz Shifer and Inbal Binder for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut. (photo from Healing Space Rishpon)
Kwartin was born in the former Soviet Union and made aliyah in 1987, growing up in Jerusalem. “As an officer in the IDF, I served as a tatzpitanit [spotter] in Nachal Oz and later as a founding commander of the Netzarim observation post, and the tragedy of the tatzpitaniyot struck me deeply,” she said, referring to the female military unit that warned of a potential terrorist attack and whose soldiers were among the first killed and kidnapped on Oct. 7.
With BAs in law and psychology from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Kwartin earned an MA in conflict resolution from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Her book, Imprisoned, came from her PhD dissertation on honour-based confinement, which she did at Bar-Ilan University. The stories have inspired activist initiatives across Israel and informed legislation, she said.
Kwartin lectured in law at Sapir College, where she built their legal internship placement program and founded a centre of legal activism, A House of their Own. “More recently,” she said, “I spent three years on shlichut in Los Angeles as the director of Jewish Agency operations on the West Coast. With the outbreak of war in Ukraine, I traveled to the Ukrainian border to help rescue Jewish refugees and bring them to Israel.”
Kwartin’s work at Healing Space Rishpon changes every day. “The programs are so varied and cover many groups of the Israeli population,” she said. “But the most meaningful part is the people who work here – very similar to me, they left everything they were doing and started working at Healing Space to repair the emotional damage we all see around us. They work tirelessly, in uncertain conditions, long hours, doing the hardest work imaginable. It is thanks to the team that Healing Space makes such a big difference in people’s lives.”
Binder found out about Healing Space inadvertently.
“I had heard there was a treatment centre you could go to, but I wasn’t in a mental state that allowed me to reach out for it,” she explained.
“Later on, I was looking for something that could get me out of the house in the mornings and help create a daily routine. By chance, I came across an ad for a new rehabilitative employment program at Healing Space and it sounded amazing – working with my hands, being in a warm and supportive environment, where I could focus on myself and begin a new movement in my life.”
Binder worked as a beautician before Oct. 7 and, while not currently working, she is taking courses, most recently completing one in conscious psychotherapy. She started going to Healing Space early in the war. It “was the first time I realized that another way was possible – that someone was truly listening to me,” she said.
“More than that, I got to experience treatments I never imagined I’d try, like sound healing and yoga therapy. These are treatments I still do to this day, to help maintain my emotional balance and regulate my body.”
At Healing Space, she added, “Even my mom, who was never really drawn to holistic healing, found a deep connection with one of the therapists and opened her heart to her – that really moved me.”
A group gathered outside at Healing Space Rishpon. (photo from Healing Space)
From a place of not wanting to do anything or face anything, Binder said, “I now want to grow. I want to move forward and live a good life. And none of this would have happened without the process I went through over the past six months.”
Binder’s Vancouver visit will be the first time she is telling her story publicly.
“Honestly,” she said, “it’s a little overwhelming to come and talk about my healing journey. It also means recognizing my story – and that alone is a challenge for me. I feel both excited and nervous – telling my story for the first time and receiving acknowledgment for it.
“It’s important for people to hear about the massacre because it was a Holocaust repeating itself,” she said. “The Jewish people are once again in danger, and it’s crucial to echo these stories, to make sure people know and remember.
“Beyond that, the connection between Jews in Vancouver and Jews in Israel – to build strong, deep connections across Jewish communities around the world – that connection is what has always kept us strong as a people.”
Binder attended the Nova festival with her sisters.
“It was actually the first evening that my sister’s boyfriend was introduced to our parents,” she said. “From there, the four of us drove to the party in the south.
“In the morning, when the rockets started, I called my mom to let her know and said we were heading home. We got delayed near the party because one of our friends had a panic attack, and we waited with her.
“We made it to the car, but it took time to decide what to do. At 8:30 a.m., the boyfriend took the lead, called his father, picked us up in the car, and we escaped through the fields. His father navigated him over the phone throughout the whole drive, and that’s how we managed to get out safely. Which is crazy in itself – the reality was so different for so many others. It felt like we were in a divine bubble that protected us.”
“It was the scariest day of my life,” said Shifer of Oct. 7. “I didn’t know if I would make it back home or not, and I didn’t know which of my friends would survive. It was a feeling of helplessness, complete loss of control and sheer terror.”
Unlike Binder, who is only now beginning to share her story, Shifer – who is an actor, singer and artist – has been interviewed by media around the world and has spoken at schools, universities and synagogues.
“I also found myself advocating and telling our story through music during performances,” she said. “In addition, I led tours for people who came to the Nova site and shared my personal story with them.”
Initially, Shifer refused to leave her house after Oct. 7.
“Friends told me there was a place where survivors go to heal, but I was too afraid to go outside and couldn’t bring myself to get there,” she said. “Then, one day, a volunteer came to my home and helped me take that first step – to leave the house and arrive at Healing Space. From that day on, something opened up in me, and I began coming every week.”
Healing Space has helped Shifer cope with her trauma in many ways.
“First of all, the location,” she said. “You arrive at a place full of trees and greenery – everything is peaceful and calming.
“There’s something comforting about sitting among people who have been through something similar to me,” she continued. “The therapists at the centre are kind and embracing. The shared music circles helped me find my way back to music. But, more than anything, it’s the feeling that I’m not alone. That I am seen. That there’s a place that can hold me.”
People at Healing Space Rishpon have had similar experiences. (photo from Healing Space)
The body treatments have allowed Shifer to release some stress and start letting down her defences.
“The long-term project I joined under Healing Space gave me the tools to return to a routine and become an active human being again,” she said. “Healing Space is a deeply meaningful part of my recovery process – and I honestly don’t know what I would have done without them.”
To register to attend Yom Hazikaron or buy tickets ($18) for Yom Ha’atzmaut, visit jewishvancouver.com.
People of a certain age will have seen the iconic 1980 comedy 9 to 5, starring Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Dabney Coleman. Even more will know the eminently singable title song of the movie, written by Parton, which remains popular today, 45 years later. Those of us who enjoyed the story and like (love!) the song will be happy to know that Royal City Musical Theatre (RCMT) is presenting 9 to 5 The Musical – the score of which Parton wrote – April 25 to May 11 at New Westminster’s Massey Theatre.
“Set in 1979, 9 to 5 The Musical follows three co-workers – Violet, Doralee and Judy – as they endure their mundane and demoralizing office jobs at Consolidated Industries, under the thumb of their sexist and egotistical boss, Franklin Hart Jr.,” reads the press release for the production, which is co-directed by Valerie Easton and Chris Adams. “When the women are suddenly given the chance to turn their wildest revenge fantasies into reality, they hatch a plan to kidnap their nasty boss and step into their full potential – ultimately taking control of the company.”
Keri Smith is in Royal City Musical Theatre’s 9 to 5 The Musical, which runs April 25-May 11 at Massey Theatre. (photo from Royal City Musical Theatre)
The RCMT production stars Irene Karas Loeper as Violet, Maia Beresford as Doralee, Madeleine Suddaby as Judy and Dustin Freeland as Franklin Hart Jr. Jewish community member Keri Smith plays Margaret, a secretary in Hart’s office, who drinks a bit, and she is the understudy for Violet.
RCMT’s 9 to 5 The Musical marks a return to the stage for Smith – who trained at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City – after a long hiatus, during which time she has taught grades 1-7 at Vancouver Talmud Torah.
The Jewish Independent interviewed Smith in advance of the musical’s opening.
JI: Can you tell me a bit about your general background, how you got into education and theatre, when and why you came to Vancouver? Or did you just study in New York?
KS: After completing my studies at theatre school and spending several years working in New York, my visa expired, prompting my return to Vancouver. Upon arriving, I quickly recognized the challenges of pursuing a full-time acting career in the city. As a result, I sought a position that would allow me to continue engaging with theatre while securing a steady income. I found a role as an early childhood educator at Vancouver Talmud Torah, the elementary school I had attended as a child.
Two years into my position, when an opening for a drama instructor became available, I approached the principal and shared my theatrical background … [and] she entrusted me with the role. I quickly developed a deep passion for teaching anddecided to pursue a teaching certification to further my commitment to education.
Over the past 19 years at Vancouver Talmud Torah, I’ve had the privilege of helping to establish a vibrant musical theatre program for students aged 10 to 13. I am immensely grateful to be in a position where I can combine my love for theatre with the joy of teaching every day.
JI: What role, if any, does Judaism and/or Jewish community play in your life?
KS: Judaism and the Jewish community hold a deeply cherished place in my life, shaping both my personal journey and my work as an actor and educator. In my daily life, Jewish values of compassion, justice and the importance of education are guiding principles.
In my role as an educator, I am reminded every day of the power of knowledge and the responsibility we bear in passing on these values to future generations. Judaism has a long tradition of asking questions, seeking understanding and fostering growth through learning, which resonates deeply in my approach to teaching.
As an actor, I find that storytelling in the Jewish tradition has influenced my perspective, as narratives in Judaism often revolve around struggles, resilience and the pursuit of justice – ideas that transcend time and place. Whether in a classroom or on stage, I strive to embody the deep sense of connection and responsibility that Judaism fosters, with gratitude for the wisdom that has been passed down through generations.
The Jewish community, with its strength, support and shared commitment to growth, reminds me that we are all part of something much larger than ourselves and that, together, we can bring light into the world.
JI: What attracts you to acting?
KS: What I love most about acting is the profound escape it offers – an opportunity to leave behind my own world and immerse myself fully in someone else’s reality. The process of stepping into a character’s shoes, seeing the world through their eyes, and experiencing their emotions and struggles is not just thrilling; it’s transformative. It’s an addicting experience because each new role is a journey of discovery – of understanding, empathy and expression that goes beyond my own personal experiences.
JI: What’s your favourite part of teaching?
KS: What truly deepens my love for acting is the opportunity to teach it. Teaching drama allows me to share that same transformative experience with others, especially young people. Watching students experience the same magic of stepping into a character’s shoes for the first time is incredibly rewarding. There’s something truly special about guiding them through the process of self-expression, helping them find their voice and watching them take risks on stage. Drama gives students a unique platform to explore their own identities and develop their confidence, creativity and empathy – all essential skills not just for acting, but for life.
JI: What motivated you to audition for 9 to 5 The Musical? What was that process?
KS: I felt it was the perfect time to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself, so when I saw the opportunity, I didn’t hesitate to audition. The process was incredibly enjoyable! I was given a song and a scene to prepare, and I went in with the goal of giving it my all. Afterward, I felt confident and proud of my performance.
JI: How often do you perform, and approximately for how long have you been a performer?
KS: I first discovered my passion for performing as a Grade 7 student at VTT, where I played Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof. That role was my introduction to acting, and I’ve been hooked ever since. While I “perform” daily in my role as a teacher, engaging with my students, I haven’t had the chance to take the stage in over 10 years. This production marks my return to acting, and it feels incredible to be back!
“When Mrs. Frederick C. Little’s second son arrived, everybody noticed that he was not much bigger than a mouse. The truth of the matter was, the baby looked very much like a mouse in every way. He was only about two inches high; and he had a mouse’s sharp nose, a mouse’s tail, a mouse’s whiskers, and the pleasant, shy manner of a mouse. Before he was many days old, he was not only looking like a mouse but acting like one, too – wearing a grey hat and carrying a small cane. Mr. and Mrs. Little named him Stuart, and Mr. Little made him a tiny bed out of four clothespins and a cigarette box.”
So begins EB White’s classic children’s story Stuart Little, which was published 75 years ago. To celebrate the anniversary, Carousel Theatre for Young People is presenting the play Stuart Little, which was adapted from White’s book by Joseph Robinette. Jewish community members Advah Soudack and Stephen Aberle are part of the production, directed by Carousel Theatre artistic and managing director Jennica Grienke, at Waterfront Theatre April 23-May 11.
Soudack and Aberle take on multiple roles, including as Stuart’s parents. Castmates Melanie Yeats and Megan Zong also play several parts, while Katrina Teitz plays the title role.
Advah Soudack in a table read of Stuart Little, which will be presented by Carousel Theatre for Young People at Waterfront Theatre April 23-May 11. (photo by Kezi Jacob)
“I was so excited when Jennica called me to offer me the role of Mrs. Little,” Soudack told the Independent. “I knew being part of Stuart Little would be wonderful and the fact that music was being added to the story made me even more jazzed! I love being part of theatre for young audiences, as I think it is so important for children to get the chance to witness and experience live theatre. I have very fond memories from the theatre productions I saw as a child and I know they were part of what inspired me to be an actor myself.”
“I loved the book when I read it as a child, and the approach taken by this production sounded like fun,” said Aberle of why he wanted to be a part of it. “I have a long history with Carousel, going back to the ’80s and including many years both touring to schools throughout BC and performing at the Waterfront, so it’ll be fulfilling to come back and perform here with the company again. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with director Jennica Grienke in the past, and I’m looking forward to renewing that connection. Finally: it’s work! And I love to work.”
Aberle has performed in Carousel’s Scrooge, Macbeth, Dream Castles, The Taming of the Shrew and other productions over the years. Soudack was in The House at Pooh Corner, directed by Kim Selody, in 2020. “Unfortunately, COVID shut us down, so we didn’t get the chance to finish our run with Carousel, nor did we get to remount with Presentation House,” she said.
In preparation for the play, Soudack re-read Stuart Little, a book she read as a child – “and I remember loving it and putting all this effort into a very detailed title page for a book report I wrote … putting a lot of effort into drawing Stuart Little and trying to get him just right.”
Not only did Aberle read the book – “and Charlotte’s Web, another favourite by the same author” – but he read it “a number of times and loved it.”
“It’s interesting,” he said, “to re-read it now with grown-up eyes and see things I’d forgotten: Stuart’s pluck, and his enduring quest to reconnect with his bird-friend Margalo, for example.”
Stephen Aberle in a table read of Stuart Little. (photo by Kezi Jacob)
For Aberle, the enduring messages include: “Don’t give up on your dreams – and don’t pout and sulk when things don’t quite go the way you’d planned! Don’t be a pushover, and don’t be a jerk either. It’s OK to be different. It’s OK to love who you love. Everyone – including animals, both human and non-human – matters, deserves respect and has their part to play.”
“I feel that the relevance of the story in today’s world is to not fear differences in one another and to not judge each other by our appearance or stature,” said Soudack.
“The part of the story that I particularly like is how everyone accepts Stuart without judgment or fear,” she said. “His parents love him for who he is and everyone he encounters takes him at face value, shows him respect and treats him like an equal.”
Aberle’s favourite part is Stuart driving off into the north, searching for his love, Margalo.
Rehearsals hadn’t started when the Independent spoke with Aberle and Soudack, so they couldn’t say exactly what playing more than one part would be like, but they explained their process.
“I usually approach playing different roles by working with different character bodies and vocal placement. I like to work off of a first hit that I get from reading the script and various characters and build from there. Some of the roles we get to play are animals, so that will be fun!” said Soudack.
Aberle said “one of the most interesting things about playing several characters is finding the characteristics that distinguish them so that one can step quickly and surely into their shoes – or, in some cases, paws. Vocal qualities, gestures, mannerisms, all that kind of thing.”
Neither actor approaches a performance for younger audiences differently than they do other shows, though both pointed to some differences.
“Children’s theatre is usually quite playful and energetic and requires a different way of storytelling,” said Soudack, “so I keep that all in mind when I start my prep and enter the rehearsal hall.”
“Younger audiences can sometimes be more upfront in their responses, which can teach everyone – actors, directors, playwrights, everyone – a lot,” said Aberle. “Back in the day, when shoemakers moved from laces to Velcro for young people’s footwear, we used to talk about discovering the ‘Velcro moments’ – when the youngest audience members, sitting cross-legged in the front row on the school gym floor, would start to play with the Velcro on their shoes, peeling and re-fastening it, and the sound would fill the air. Usually, these were ‘author’s message’ moments – when the script stopped being the story of the interplay between the characters and started becoming a moral. Young audiences can smell a moral approaching from a mile away, and they have little patience for it. (That’s probably true for older audiences as well, but they’ve grown better at hiding it.)”
A new daffodil garden at Beth Israel commemorates the 1,200 people murdered by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. (photo by Cynthia Ramsay)
“It’s not much, but I wanted those in the Jewish community to know that they are not forgotten, and they are not alone,” Lora Anjos told the Independent.
On the morning of April 27, at Congregation Beth Israel, there will be a dedication ceremony in memory of the 1,200 people murdered in the Hamas terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. To be dedicated is a new daffodil garden at the synagogue’s southwest corner, at 28th Avenue and Oak Street. The garden was inspired by Anjos.
Just over a year ago, Beth Israel member Alan Farber paid a visit to Anjos. Farber, a retired lawyer, and Anjos, also a lawyer, shared office space for many years. During that time, they became close friends. When Farber saw Anjos in February 2024, he said, “Lora expressed to me how upset she was over the horrific events of Oct. 7 and how sorry she felt for her Jewish friends over the rise of antisemitism. Lora said she would like to do something as a memorial to the innocent victims of the slaughter, and suggested planting 1,200 daffodil bulbs that would bloom annually in memory of the fallen. She wanted to place it at a Jewish location but truly didn’t know how to go about it. I was inspired by her idea and told her to leave the organization to me.”
Farber approached Beth Israel’s Rabbi Jonathan Infeld with the idea of a garden and Infeld “simply said do it,” Farber shared.
“Everyone I dealt with in organizing the planting was fully on board and inspired by the commitment made to our community by a non-Jewish person,” said Farber. “Grade 11 students came in October and helped plant 1,200 bulbs.”
Anjos came to that October event, spoke to the King David High School students and helped plant bulbs with them and members of the congregation, said Farber.
“There are a few stories I could tell that would explain it. But this one stands out,” Anjos told the Independent of her reason for wanting to do something for the Jewish community. She was influenced, in part, by a conversation she had with a former Dalhousie University classmate, Robert Astroff, who was part of the small Jewish community in Halifax. Some of his family members had been killed in the Holocaust and, she said, “If I recall correctly, he started keeping kosher after visiting the camps, in honour of those who lost their lives. He was gracious in all respects, including the sharing of his faith, through stories and food, hospitality and kindness, as an act of community.
“Sometime after graduation, he came to Vancouver,” she said. “We met and had lunch at the Vancouver Art Gallery. We sat outside on the terrace. It was a hot and sunny day. We talked about many things. But, at some point, the discussion turned to traveling. I mentioned the unexpected feeling I had experienced years earlier when I flew into Amsterdam after a four-month backpacking trip to Europe. As the plane descended over the flat green fields and dykes of Holland, I was reminded of Richmond, where I grew up, and immediately felt a sense of peace, as if I was landing at home. What happened next has never left me. Robert said he felt the same thing when he flew to Israel for the first time. I asked him why – because my sense of home and peace had stemmed from the similarity of the terrain between the Netherlands and Richmond, while Israel and Nova Scotia looked nothing alike. He said: Because, Lora, when they come for us again, Israel will be the only country that will protect us.
“Those words shook me,” said Anjos. “I had no doubt as to the heartfulness of Robert’s feelings. But I did not believe that that would happen. I did not believe I would live to see a pogrom. And I did not believe that, if such hatred took place, Israel alone would stand against it. I was left incredibly sad that Robert thought his fellow citizens, his friends, his colleagues and his country would not protect him. I could not fathom that. Then, Oct. 7, 2023, happened.”
Anjos spoke fondly of Farber and his late wife, Felicia Folk, who died in August 2023, as well as other Jewish friends and colleagues who have shown her kindness over the years, including Janet Stern.
“She had worked at Mills Brothers in Halifax, which I frequented often,” said Anjos. “When I was set to leave Halifax for the last time, she took a tired and broke student out to the most glorious lunch. It was so unexpected and so appreciated, I remember it still. Kindness from people who knew me well, and not so well.”
To attend the dedication, register at bethisrael.ca.
Ruchot Hatzafon members, left to right: Gil Melamood (bass guitar), Adam Halfi (keyboards), Ofir Baz (drums), Liraz Moalem (stage manager) and Eyal Shavit (vocals and electric guitar). (photo by Yannay Shifron)
“We will dance again” is the theme of this year’s Yom Ha’atzmaut community gathering on April 30 to celebrate Israel’s 77th anniversary amid the heartache that continues since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks. In addition to Nova Festival survivors, other special guests will be the band Ruchot Hatzafon, some of whose members still have not returned to their homes in Israel’s northern region because of the continued threat from Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“Better now, but it was very traumatic for everyone,” Eyal Shavit told the Independent about how he and his fellow musicians were doing since Oct. 7. “It’s difficult to put to words. We all live very close to the Lebanese border. A couple of us, Liraz [Moalem] and Gil [Melamood], live right on that border, in Kibbutz Malkiya and in Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, so they had to move to more central places in Israel and to this day they still haven’t come back to their homes.
“For the rest of us, it wasn’t as bad, but it still affected our lives in so many ways. Not to mention financially, as well as the mental trauma, the fear and the grief. However, we are among the luckiest ones in the grander scheme of things and we do what we have to do, both as individuals and as a people. We keep living, we keep moving forward and we keep celebrating our lives, all the while remembering [those] who are still held in Gaza by Hamas and grieving with anyone and everyone who has suffered the most terrible losses on that day.”
Shavit said he left his kibbutz, Kfar Szold, a couple of days after Oct. 7, “because the feeling at the time was that it can happen again at any given moment by Hezbollah in Lebanon, but, within a couple of weeks, I realized that it would be safe enough to go back … so I’ve stayed there since.”
Shavit is Ruchot Hatzafon’s lead vocalist and he plays the electric guitar. (He is also, as it happens, co-author of the book Hilarious Hebrew with Hebrew teacher Yael Breuer, which the Independent reviewed in 2016: jewishindependent.ca/from-nonsense-knowledge.) In Vancouver, Shavit will be joined by Melamood (bass guitar), Adam Halfi (keyboards), Ofir Baz (drums) and Sapir Breier (vocals).
“In this instance, Sapir will be with us in Vancouver, as Vered [Sasportas] couldn’t join us this time,” said Shavit of the band’s other primary vocalist.
Moalem is the band’s stage manager.
The group has been together about six years, and Shavit explained its evolution.
“It was a bit of luck really,” he said about his joining. “I’d just returned from the UK to Israel, having lived in Brighton, England, for 13 years, where I studied music and made my living playing gigs in pubs and events.”
Friends from high school – Melamood (who also was in a military band with Shavit during their army service) and Baz – contacted Shavit and asked him to be a part of the band, along with another high school friend, Halfi, so that they could play at an event.
“We then immediately got booked for a second event by Liraz Moalem, who then became our band manager,” said Shavit. “It was a lot of fun and a nice opportunity. We all aspired to do this for a living.”
A couple of years after that, he said, Sasportas, who they met through a mutual friend and colleague, became part of the group and, said Shavit, “she fit right in, as well as being a brilliant singer and performer.”
Ruchot Hatzafon – which translates as the Northern Winds – has two types of shows.
“One is an energetic set of very popular songs both in Hebrew and in English that everyone likes to dance to, and the other show is a tribute to Israel’s army bands, who have a huge legacy in Israeli culture and used to dominate the charts back in the ’60s up until the mid-’70s,”explained Shavit. “That show includes a bit of storytelling and mostly wonderful and famous songs by the old army bands.
“In Vancouver, we will play our party music set, along with some special requests, like ‘Yerushalayim Shel Zahav’ by Naomi Shemer, for example.”
Other songs that Vancouverites will hear on April 30 include “Ahava Besof Ha’Kayitz” (“Love at the End of Summer”) by Tsvika Pik; “Ein Makom Acher” (“No Other Place”) by Mashina; “Naarin Shuva Elay” (“My Boy, Come Back to Me”) by Margalit Tsan’ani; “Natati La Chayai” (“I Gave Her My Life”) by Kaveret; and some Israeli Eurovision songs.
“And, in English, probably ‘Think’ by Aretha Franklin, ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor, ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ by Queen and more,” said Shavit.
The band members have similar musical tastes, he said, perhaps because they all grew up on a kibbutz. “We’re generally more drawn to Western-influenced rock and pop music and songs in English, rather than Mediterranean-influenced songs, which are another genre of cover bands in Israel,” he said. “We play only a few of those.”
This will be Ruchot Hatzafon’s first time performing outside of Israel. They’ll arrive April 28 and return home on May 2, but Shavit said they’re thinking about extending their stay a couple of days.
“I can say for all of us that we feel this is an honour and a privilege to be invited to play for the Jewish communities in Vancouver – especially after what we’ve all been through as a people,” Shavit said. “We are thrilled to come and celebrate with everyone there.
“In addition, we get to visit a little bit of Canada, which, personally, I’ve always wanted to visit.”
After the Israelites escape from Egypt and the Sea of Reeds has returned to its normal flow, with the enslavers either drowned or on the opposite side, Miriam leads the women in singing a song of praise. Apparently, it is the only time in the Torah where women are recorded as seinging their own song.
They did so with instruments they had brought along with whatever necessities one takes when fleeing a bad situation. The women had such a strong belief that they and their people would be free, that there would be occasions to celebrate with song, music, dance, that they made room among their provisions for instruments.
Miriam is older than her brothers Moses and Aaron. “Having been born at the time when the bitter enslavement began, her parents named her ‘Miriam’ (from the Hebrew word meaning ‘bitterness’),” explains an article on chabad.org. However, she was anything but bitter. She was extraordinarily hopeful, continually thinking of the future and how it would be better.
“Miriam was about 6 years old when Pharaoh decreed that all Israelite baby boys be killed,” notes another chabad.org article. “Hearing this, Miriam’s father, Amram, divorced his wife, Yocheved, because he couldn’t bear the possibility of having a son who would be killed. Seeing the actions of Amram, one of the leaders of the generation, all of the other Israelite men followed and divorced their wives as well.
“Miriam told her father, ‘Your act is worse than Pharaoh’s! He decreed that only male children not be permitted to live, but you decreed the same fate for both male and female children!’ She then predicted that her parents would give birth to a son who would save Israel from Egypt.”
The young girl convinced her father to remarry her mother; the other men remarried their wives, as well. Moses and Aaron would not have been born, the Israelites would not have been freed, if not for Miriam.
She also looked over Moses after Yocheved placed him in a basket in the Nile to save him from Pharaoh’s decree. Miriam made sure that Pharaoh’s daughter, Batyah, who rescued Moses, chose Yocheved as his wet-nurse.
There are other stories of Miriam’s courage. Another translation of her name is “rebellion,” and she lives up to this interpretation in many ways. She and her mother were among the midwives who defied Pharaoh’s order to kill any Hebrew boys born, for example, and Miriam is said to have spoken up to Pharaoh when she was only 5 years old.
The multiple symbolisms of Miriam and the often-overlooked importance of women throughout history seemed to call for a medium of similar complexity with roots as ancient. And so, I chose embroidery as the means to express the image of Miriam, timbrel in hand, optimistic about her people’s future, the Sea of Reeds and their lives as slaves behind them.
Weight gain during menopause apparently affects 65-70% of women, who gain an average of five to 10 pounds. One reason for this is that “women’s ability to burn calories gets cut by 30% or more,” says Biton. “By the time she reaches middle age, she will have to work almost twice as hard to burn the same amount of calories as she did in her 20s.”
