Shahar Ben Halevi

Take a place on stage

A scene from one of the end-of-class performances by the Hebrew-language theatre group for women at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. Director Orly Naim is also teaching an English-language course this year. (photo from Orly Naim)

One of the new courses at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver is Community Theatre. The classes, which start Sept. 15 and run Thursday evenings to June 15, will “use theatre methods of movement, role-playing, improvisation and other out-of-the-box routines” and help “individuals and the group to find new ways for self-expression.” They will also prepare participants for an end-of-course public performance.

The instructor, community theatre director Orly Naim, has previously taught at the JCCGV. In fact, the other course she is leading at the centre – a Hebrew-language theatre group for women – picks up where she left off when she went on maternity leave last year. Those classes start Sept. 12 and run Monday nights to June 19, also ending with a public performance by participants.

For both theatre groups, Naim teaches and facilitates throughout the year, and writes the end-of-class play based on material that is brought up in the group sessions.

But Naim’s experience extends well beyond the JCCGV. After graduating from Tel Aviv University with a degree in theatre, Naim, who is passionate about community theatre, worked in Jaffa with marginalized groups, such as Arab women and drug addicts, during the winters, and traveled to the former Soviet Union during the summer to work at Jewish youth camps. In Israel, she was involved in many different social and educational projects, not all of which were theatre-oriented. Her life changed when her partner got a job offer in British Columbia and the couple landed here with their children.

In her new environment, Naim searched for new groups with which to work. The JCCGV’s Israeli culture department gave her program a chance and the women’s Hebrew theatre group was formed. It had run for two years when the Independent spoke with Naim last summer, as she was starting maternity leave.

“As a social person by nature, I have found the immigration process to be very challenging,” Naim told the Independent. “You think you are prepared, but, once you land, reality is different from what you expected. Not surprisingly, most of the women in our group had similiar experiences and the group helped them to express these stories on stage and out loud. The group started slowly, but the rumor spread fast and we grew rapidly, to 15 women, in just few months. Our group is very diverse and each woman has her own unique experience. Since I love to write and direct, I collected the stories and we turned them into our first show.”

Naim said, “The nature of community theatre is finding a common denominator, and here it was our language barrier and the fact that we are all immigrants. We all face the same personal conflicts with our families back home and how to keep in touch with them, and all these issues were addressed in this stage play [that ended the classes]. It might look personal at first, but it was actually based on other women’s experiences.”

For Naim, the “Hebrew group have turned out to be my extended family and I miss all of them during this time off. The dynamic we created there was unique and special – you can ask anyone who was involved. You can’t hide true passion, and I’m so glad we were able to find it.”

For those wanting to try the new Community Theatre course, which is given in English, it is open to men and women 20+ years old and no previous experience is necessary; the Hebrew-language group is for women 20 and older. For registration and cost information on both programs, visit jccgv.com.

Shahar Ben Halevi is a writer and filmmaker living in Vancouver.

Kids can find own art path

Shula Klinger (photo by Shahar Ben Halevi)

When artist and mother Shula Klinger was searching for ways to inspire her own two boys, she learned how important it is to let a child find their own creative path. She has translated this lesson – and her artistic expertise – into a new in-home class for young children.

“I provide the space and the stimulations but I let each child discover what triggers him to create art,” said the illustrator and writer. “I follow a simple principle that art is everywhere, we don’t have to use our mind to find it, we don’t have to work our brain to call inspiration, we just need to open up our eyes and let our senses lead us.

“We are all different but we still use the same methods to express ourselves,” she continued. “I invite the child into my house, into my very own working space, where he can find his very own creative space. I let the child lead the process, I don’t follow common doctrines of art educators who show children a painting and ask them to paint the same way. I teach them to think about the process and not about the product.”

Klinger moved to Vancouver from England in 1997 to do her PhD in education at the University of British Columbia. She met her husband Graham Harrington in Kitsilano and the couple moved to North Vancouver, where they are raising their two young boys, Benjamin, 8, and Joel, 4.

Klinger has published a young adult’s novel, The Kingdom of Strange (2008) and illustrated a graphic novel, Best Friends Forever: A World War II Scrapbook (2010), with author Beverly Patt. At the moment, her focus is on the in-home classes, as well as the launch of a video series called Art is Everywhere, co-created and co-hosted with Andrea Benton of Raising Boys TV.

“We want to provide an alternative to the art children have been learning in commercial art schools,” said Klinger. “We want to let them explore, search, discover, play, experiment and learn – mostly learn the how and why of creating their very own art. This is why we are all here. Ever since the caveman left his handprint on the walls of his habitat, we are all looking for ways to leave our mark, sound our voice, tell our story. We just need the freedom to find our own path. That’s what I try to teach.”

For more information about Klinger, visit shulaklinger.com. The video series can be purchased at raisingboys.tv/artiseverywhere.

Shahar Ben Halevi is a writer and filmmaker living in Vancouver.

Hebrew in Tri-Cities

A photo from Aleph in the Tri-Cities’ Facebook page about their Hebrew classes.

Three years ago, a group of parents, all members of the Facebook group Aleph in the Tri-Cities, decided to create their own Hebrew Sunday school. It took more than a year of preparations before everything fell in place, but last September, the Tri-Cities Hebrew School began serving 14 elementary schoolchildren from Burnaby, Richmond and Coquitlam. They recently completed their first year.

The educational program was designed by Limor Friedman, a former IBA (Israel Broadcasting Authority) foreign correspondent. “We wanted to provide language and culture to our children, not only prepare them for a bar mitzvah. Our program was designed for children to learn about Israel through songs, books, reading and writing. The children were introduced to Israeli poets and authors that expanded the experience beyond the regular aleph-bet. We celebrated the Jewish holidays with emphasis on Israeli tradition, not just the Jewish perspective. One of my favorite classes was for the children to learn the map of Israel and to recognize which city or town their parents came from – it was a great way to discover their own roots and learn about their own personal background.”

The three-hour weekly class was led by Noa Marnin Gilad, who was a teacher in Israel, with the help of 19-year-old Ram Alexaiev; story time was led by Dovrat Vitis. Yossi “Joe” Dagan was the administrator, whose vision helped establish this new venture.

“Our Facebook group went through major changes over the last year,” explained Dagan over the phone. “We are now officially a registered not-for-profit organization with a mission statement to provide Jewish experience to the growing Jewish population of the Vancouver suburbs. It’s a challenge to build a budget based on donations but we love what we do and our community members love what we do, so it keeps us motivated for the future.”

Friedman’s proudest moment of the school year came over the Passover dinner table. “Seeing my daughter singing all of the Passover songs brought tears to my eyes. Our guests were amazed, too. That is the greatest benefit of group learning. Some parents think it’s better to teach Hebrew in the privacy of their own home, but then the child feels alone and he is insecure about the whole experience. In a group, children feel that they are not alone, that this is not something that only their own parents care about. The power of the group turns it into a positive lesson and it becomes important for them to do well, not just for us, but for themselves as well, and that is priceless.”

Aleph in the Tri-Cities’ Hebrew school will resume in late August before the High Holidays. For more information, email [email protected].

Shahar Ben Halevi is a writer and filmmaker living in Vancouver.

Moishe House moves

Ben Groberman outside of Moishe House’s new location in the 41st and Granville neighborhood. (photo from Ben Groberman)

The Vancouver chapter of Moishe House has found a new home. It will be the third location since the local branch started here three and a half years ago.

Vancouver Moishe House is part of an international nonprofit organization. Originally started in Oakland, Calif., in 2006, the organization’s mission is to provide a gathering place for young Jewish students and professionals who are looking to engage with their peers in a non-formal setting. The houses are run by three to five local students – in Vancouver, it’s generally been four students – who get rent subsidies in exchange for planning and organizing weekly events. Currently, there are 77 chapters of Moishe House around the world. While more than 50 of them are in the United States, there are houses in 16 other countries, including two in Israel (Jerusalem and Tel Aviv) and two in Canada, the other house nationally being in Toronto.

The Vancouver house started in 2011 in East Vancouver, where it was active for two years, then it moved to Point Grey, gaining popularity with nearby University of British Columbia students. It’s now located in the Granville Street and 41st Avenue area.

One of the current residents, Ben Groberman, believes that the new location will offer opportunities to the house and its residents.

“We are very happy with our move,” said Groberman over the phone while unpacking boxes in his new room. “Most of our community members live along the Granville and Oak corridor; it will be convenient for them to join in.

“It also provides us with great opportunity to work with our community partners on some new ideas and programs that will draw new people to our events. We had a wonderful time at Point Grey, we had good connection with Hillel and the UBC students; now we hope to reach new people and engage with some new crowd.”

The new house also will allow the addition of another member to the core group and, in the coming weeks, there will be a change in residents. Two incoming members from Ontario will replace current residents returning to that province and the fifth member, who will join the house from California, will move in next month.

After settling in, Groberman promises to be in full action for the summer and beyond.

“The best way to join the events is to contact one of the house members over Facebook or join our email list,” he said. “We have events for all kinds of people, from Shabbat dinner, Sunday brunch, movie nights, feeding the hungry; we have Havdala parties on Saturday nights, BBQs, going to museums, galleries, watching sports together. It’s always changing, and you get to meet so many people, it’s an amazing experience. I feel very privileged to take part in it and love to share the experience with others.”

Moishe House is designed for Jewish people in their 20s and 30s but others are invited to join their activities by emailing [email protected].

Shahar Ben Halevi is a writer and filmmaker living in Vancouver.

IDF veterans visit Vancouver

The eight visiting Israel Defence Forces veterans at Stanley Park. (photo by David Schwartz)

Eight Israel Defence Forces war veterans, all of them part of the rehabilitation program at Beit Halochem, visited Vancouver earlier this month for eight days. They were guests of Temple Sholom and each of them was hosted by a family here.

Temple Sholom president David Schwartz was one of those hosts. “It’s the fifth visit we’ve had, ever since we joined the Beit Halochem program 10 years ago, and each visit brings us, as a community, to new heights of emotional inspiration,” he said. “Our congregation’s response to this program was amazing and we had some members on the waiting list for the next time. Unfortunately, our group included only eight veterans – if we had more, there would have been no problem to find them a suitable accommodation. It is such a great privilege to host these brave people who sacrificed … for the state of Israel. Each one of them has an amazing story of personal heroism; it is just feels so honorable to have them among us even for a short while.”

Infantry Col. Eitan Matmon, who was injured three times during his military career, the last time on Lebanese soil during the 2006 war, was the highest rank officer among the visitors. It was Matmon’s second visit to Canada, but the first to the West Coast, and the warm weather matched the community’s hospitality. “From the first moment we landed in Vancouver,” he said, “our hosts took care of us and greeted us with the biggest hearts and smiles we could wish for.

“Our guys are struggling every single day to recover, both physically and mentally, from the horrible effects of war,” he continued. “For them to come here and enjoy this amazing scenery, to meet the local Jewish community and to relax and enjoy such a visit is just priceless. We are so thankful to our hosts from Temple Sholom, King David High School, Rabbi [Philip] Bregman from Hillel and everybody else who contributed to this successful visit. We can’t wait to show our friends and family at home what kind of warm support we have found here, on the other side of the planet.”

The group landed in Vancouver on Tuesday, May 5, and visited King David on Thursday, Hillel at the University of British Columbia on Friday, then joined Temple Sholom for Shabbat dinner. They toured Stanley Park and Granville Island, went shopping at Pacific Centre, attended a Vancouver Whitecaps game and traveled to Whistler and Bowen Island before leaving on May 14 for Calgary for five days. Separately, Matmon was among a group of about 50 people who joined a Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia tour of historical Jewish sites in Strathcona and Gastown on Sunday, which was when he had a chance to talk with the Jewish Independent.

The first connection between Beit Halochem and Temple Sholom was made by Bregman 10 years ago. Since then, five delegations have visited Vancouver, and Bregman is still excited by the special event. “For us, as North American educators,” he said, “this connection provides such a great opportunity to show our young generation something they have never seen before: personal sacrifice. Our country doesn’t ask for anything from local high school grads, right? You went to school, you graduated, you say thank you and move on with your life. In Israel, they say, ‘No, now you’re going to give us back three years of your life.’ And the young people of Israel keep on doing their mandatory service in such a devotion that can only be admired by our local youth. I’m so glad and proud that this connection has turned into a tradition. The IDF veterans’ visit at the Hillel centre has left our students with a powerful and inspiring message of hope and courage that can only come from one place in the world: Israel.”

For more details on Beit Halochem in Canada, visit beithalochem.ca.

Shahar Ben Halevi is a writer and filmmaker living in Vancouver.

JFSA still has garden plots

The Jewish Family Service Agency’s community garden was halved by CPR. (photos by Cynthia Ramsay)

photo - CPR no trespassing sign — In asserting their ownership, CPR insists that it is still an active rail line.

As many residents have witnessed, the legal dispute between the City of Vancouver and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) has reached a point of no return, with many community gardens along the Arbutus corridor destroyed by CPR in the past few months.

The dispute between the city and CPR is about the future of the 11-kilometre railway line that was in use from 1905 until 2000, when the line was shut down. Since then, there have been ongoing discussions about the future of the line and its surrounding land. In asserting their ownership, CPR insists that it is still an active rail line.

In the past 15 years, several community gardens have flourished along the old railway line; one of them is the Jewish Family Service Agency community garden that provides produce to the Jewish Food Bank.

photo -JFSA's community garden provides fresh produce to the Jewish Food Bank. — JFSA’s community garden provides fresh produce to the Jewish Food Bank.

Guy Askadsky is a JFSA volunteer who has been working with the garden for the past two years. His team of volunteers meets at the garden twice a week to work together and foster the two plots that provide pears, figs, plums, almonds, raspberries, blackberries, currants, strawberries, zucchini, winter squash, kale, collards, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, parsley, chard, peas, beans and arugula. All the crops are organic and go directly to the Jewish Food Bank and its customers.

“Our food bank clients are extremely happy to get this fresh organic products in their baskets, it’s healthy food that is usually very expensive in the grocery store,” said Askadsky over the phone. “Our production volume was cut to half because of the dispute between the city and CPR, we had to clear half of our garden, and now the volunteers see [that part of the land] standing there without any use, it’s kind of frustrating, but we have to adjust to the reality. Our reward is being able to provide an important need for many in our community that are unable to enjoy that kind of variety without a garden.”

The JFSA community garden is always looking for volunteers. Anyone interested in joining the gardening team can email Askadsky at [email protected].

Shahar Ben Halevi is a writer and filmmaker living in Vancouver.

Hundreds rally in support of Israel

Rally in support of Israel drew a few hundred people to the Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday afternoon. (photo by Shahar Ben Halevi)

Nearly 300 people gathered around the Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday, July 27, at noon, to show support for the state of Israel and for peace in the Middle East.

The rally – organized by a Facebook group of Israelis in Vancouver – went peacefully, and there were no apparent counter protests in the area. The supporters carried signs calling for an end to the conflict, and emphasizing that Israel is fighting terrorists and not the people of Gaza.

The rally was covered by several local media representatives, but there were no speeches. The crowd sang together a few traditional Jewish songs and ended the event with Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem.