Category: Local

Hang out, learn or engage

Hillel BC’s home on the University of British Columbia campus, the Diamond Foundation Centre for Jewish Campus Life. (photo by ThosGee via panoramio.com)

It’s been a tumultuous year on the University of British Columbia campus for Hillel BC, one filled with victories, but also with some disappointments. The Jewish Independent interviewed Hillel BC’s executive director, Rabbi Philip Bregman, on the challenges his organization has faced to date and on what is yet to come.

JI: What has the past year been like at Hillel?

PB: We’re seeing a resurgence of antisemitism the likes of which have not been seen for many years, and we’re seeing it right across the board of the 550 Hillels across North America. It has come primarily as a result of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel. While incidents in the past would come and go, this one is a much more organized attack against Jews and Israelis on campus. And it’s not about boycotting products. The BDS movement is about three Ds: the demonization of Israel, the delegitimization of Israel, and the double standard that’s used with regard to Israel and the rest of the world. In this regard, the BDS movement has been fairly successful. On campuses in particular it’s created a real angst, a real discomfort for Jews, for Israelis. That’s its purpose.

JI: Can you talk about the recent referendum on campus, wherein the SPHR (Students for Palestinian Human Rights) asked students to vote on whether or not they supported their student union in instituting BDS on campus?

PB: Again, it wasn’t about boycotting products. They didn’t even let the students know what products needed to be boycotted. It was just a blanket statement that was absolutely absurd. When SPHR did mention a couple of products, it became obvious that it was absurd that any of those would go forward. For example, SPHR said they were going to boycott Caterpillar, because its machinery has destroyed Palestinian homes. I pointed out to them that the new Student Union Building at UBC was excavated with Caterpillar machinery. Should that then be boycotted? They didn’t answer. The second product they said they wanted to boycott was Motorola Solutions. I pointed out that this company is responsible for the operating systems of all Androids, and asked, “Are you telling the student body and AMS [Alma Mater Society, the student union] that no one on campus can use anything but iPhones?” The third product was Sabra Hummus. I told them that, in 2000, the Strauss Dipping Co., which owned Sabra Hummus, sold 50% of its shares to Pepsi Cola, and that over 60% of the vending machines in the Student Union Building are Pepsi products. Again, they didn’t answer.

Initially, before it was circulated, we appealed the referendum on the grounds that it was creating toxicity on campus. The AMS ombudsperson agreed with us that it was a terrible resolution, but the AMS board didn’t even comment on her report, which was tremendously disappointing. So, the referendum went out to the student body, and there was a lot of intimidation with regard to signing it. Later, the AMS found a number of signatures on the ballots were illegal….

At the end of the day, the SPHR fell short of the quorum they needed to pass the referendum. They needed 4,100 signatures, which represents eight percent of the eligible voters at UBC. They got about 3,500 votes. However the anti-BDS movement got 2,700 votes, which was more than double the number of votes in the rest of Canada, voting against BDS.

This BDS movement that we’ve had to deal with this past year was all-consuming. I have a magnificent staff and some magnificent student leaders who really were in the trenches day in and day out. I was in constant contact with the UBC administration about this, letting them know that the BDS movement is not an issue of free speech but one of hate speech.

JI: What kind of relationship does Hillel UBC have with Muslims on campus?

PB: When I first introduced myself to the representative from SPHR and suggested we start a dialogue, she told me, “We have a no dialogue policy with you people. If we talk to you, we will be condoning your murderous and genocidal ways.” We have been successful in reaching out to other Muslim groups on campus, however, including the Muslim Students Association and the Pakistani Students Association. We’ve had all sorts of collaborative programs, some light and some heavy. The idea is dialogue, not agreement.

JI: How are Jewish students at UBC responding to the BDS movement?

PB: At Hillels across North America, probably no more than five percent of the Jewish students on any campus really get into this fight. But we have a Jewish student population of about 1,200 and half of those voted against the BDS referendum.

JI: Going forward, who are you most likely to reach out to on campus?

PB: In fighting this resolution, we quickly realized where we should spend our limited time, energy and manpower: with graduate students, science students, law and medicine. Most of the statements in favor of BDS were coming from students in liberal arts backgrounds, and we were not going to win their hearts and minds. We were looking for people who would look at this referendum critically and understand what it was really about – the demonization and elimination of the state of Israel.

In general, the greatest group of students on campuses today tends to be those that are apathetic. I believe in a vote there would absolutely be more people opposed to us than supporting us. But I think that because we were out tabling every day, sharing and distributing information, we got some of those people who thought of voting yes, but voted no. And most of it was respectful dialogue.

JI: What kind of place is Hillel at UBC today?

PB: Hillel is a big tent, a place where individuals come in and just hang out. Some want to learn and engage in other types of conversation, and there’s a vast array of opportunity no matter where you are on the spectrum of Jewish life. It’s also a place of fantastic food, so people come for our Wednesday hot lunches, known to be the best meal on campus. You don’t have to be engaged in any type of politics to be involved at Hillel, although last year that was very much a part of what we were doing. Hillel is also the place of dialogue with other groups, such as the UBC chaplaincy, which holds meetings in our facility every second week for ministers, priests, rabbis, imams and Buddhists. And we encourage other clubs to come and program with us.

JI: What are your fears going into the next academic year?

PB: My fear is that this issue will continue to come back. Birthright is only getting a fraction of the younger Jewish generation in their 20s and 30s to Israel. In various reports that have come out, when they’ve asked Jewish university students if it mattered to them if Israel did not exist, 50% said no, it did not matter. This group is buying into what they see about Israel in the media and what they hear on campuses from fellow students and professors.

So, I wonder, what’s the responsibility we have as parents, teachers, mentors to a younger generation? To allow something like BDS to run its course when you know it’s not in the best interest of student life, because it’s under the rubric of “free speech”? Where is the limit, the line? This is not about trying to shut down criticism of the state of Israel.

Still, I’m hopeful. Our tent at Hillel is big, we have phenomenal student leadership and we’re there to hear all sorts of opinions as long as they don’t endanger individuals on one side, or call for the eradication of the state of Israel. There’s a huge area in between. Our task is to continue to attempt to raise Jewishly proud, courageous, knowledgeable mensches.

Lauren Kramer, an award-winning writer and editor, lives in Richmond, B.C. To read her work online, visit laurenkramer.net.

JNF park named after Baird

Left to right: Josh Cooper, Frank Sirlin, John Baird, Avi Dickstein and Ilan Pilo. (photo from Jewish National Fund, Pacific Region)

On June 7, the Jewish National Fund, Pacific Region, hosted the 2015 Negev Dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel in honor of Canada’s former minister of foreign affairs, John Baird.

In his speech, Baird summed up Israel and Canada’s friendship, saying, “Canada doesn’t stand behind Israel, but rather, walks shoulder to shoulder with Israel.”

Ilan Pilo, JNF Jerusalem emissary and executive director of JNF-PR, said, “Mr. Baird is a man of integrity and a true friend to Israel. JNF was grateful to honor him for his leadership on the world stage, for years of devoted service to the citizens of Canada, his dedication to the Jews of Canada and to the state of Israel. Thanks to John Baird’s outstanding leadership, Canada has become Israel’s most unwavering ally.”

photo - Left to right: Rafael Barak, John Baird and Josh Cooper
Left to right: Rafael Barak, John Baird and Josh Cooper. (photo from Jewish National Fund, Pacific Region)

Among the 350 guests at the dinner were Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton, representing the province, representatives of major Jewish institutions, as well as many community rabbis. Also in attendance were Rafael Barak, Israel’s ambassador to Canada; Josh Cooper, chief executive officer of JNF of Canada; and Avi Dickstein, executive director of the research and development division of KKL-JNF. All three dignitaries spoke of the uniquely warm relationship between Canada and Israel.

Proceeds from the dinner will support the creation of the Sderot Memorial Park in Israel, which will be named after Baird. This multi-functional urban park will host sports, leisure and recreation activities, as well as community events, and will provide children and their families with playground and fitness facilities. The new park will lift the morale of the residents of the city, which has been the ongoing target of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip since 2001, as well as provide a venue for community activities and contribute to improving the quality of life for residents.

Celebrating 30 years

Among those celebrating L’Chaim’s 30th anniversary were original board members, left to right, Sylvia Gurstein, Gloria Hendin and Marion Poliakoff. (photo from L’Chaim)

More than 70 people gathered recently in the L’Chaim Lounge at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver to celebrate the 30th anniversary of L’Chaim Adult Day Centre, which provides a “day out” for usually home-bound elderly Jews.

The audience was welcomed by Annica Carlsson, L’Chaim administrator, and Claire Weiss, acting president of L’Chaim, who described its growth. Originally offered at Beth Israel Synagogue, the program had to move to larger quarters at the J in 1995. It now provides programming three days a week, adding up to more than 1,900 client days a year for older adults who can still function with some degree of independence, but are unable to attend other community activities. L’Chaim also initiated a program for Jewish seniors in Richmond, which was taken over five years ago by Chabad of Richmond.

Speaking at the 30th anniversary celebration were three of the program’s founders: Sylvia Gurstein, Gloria Hendin and Marion Poliakoff. Poliakoff described how she represented National Council of Jewish Women in the beginning, enlisting a partnership with the late Irma Zack, who was acting on behalf of the Jewish Family Service Agency. Other present and former board members told anecdotes about their involvement, praising the staff and programming.

At L’Chaim, speakers on timely topics, music and exercise have always been program highlights. Current activities also include the use of iPods and headphones, which were purchased with a donation in memory of Dr. Betty Horodesky. This donation also financed the purchase of new lift chairs and a commercial cooler.

L’Chaim participant Ekatarina Chernyavskaya, 92, gave a heartfelt speech about how the program is her “home away from home” and enables her to stay connected with the Jewish community.

Celebrants also enjoyed “nibbles” provided by L’Chaim’s cook and a birthday cake baked by Nava Creative Kosher Cuisine. Annette Wertman entertained on the piano.

For more about L’Chaim, visit lchaim.ca.

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.

Retiring from the JCC

In her retirement, Jocelyne Hallé plans to keep working as a photographer. (photo by Rachel Lando)

Members of the Vancouver Jewish community know Jocelyne Hallé. For years, she has been the official photographer of the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, taking pictures at gala dinners and art presentations. As well, her smiling face and helpful optimism have enhanced the centre’s membership desk and greeted many members, new and old, whenever they enter the building. But, after June 25, she will no longer be there. She is retiring.

“I came to work at the JCC in 2001,” Hallé said in an interview with the Independent. “Before, I used to work for several engineering firms, as a translator or executive assistant, but, by 2001, I grew unhappy with my job. I wanted a change, so I applied to an employment agency.”

She had never thought about a job at the JCC. “My agent took me for an interview but she didn’t tell me where she was taking me,” Hallé recalled. “She just said it would be a new environment for me and that I would like it. She brought me to an interview with Gerry Zipursky [executive director of the centre at the time]. The interview lasted for two hours, the longest interview of my life, and, after that, he hired me to be his personal assistant.”

When she started her new job, Hallé didn’t know anything about the local Jewish community or Jewish culture, or even about working at a community centre in general.

“I asked him why he hired me, a non-Jew,” she said, wondering aloud. “But he said he only wanted his assistant to be competent and sensitive to the situation in the Middle East. I guess I was both, although I don’t remember talking much during the interview. He did most of the talking.”

She admitted that the adjustment period wasn’t easy. “I had to learn so much. But the more I learned about the community and the Jewish culture, the more I fell in love with it. When, in 2005, I went with the others for a working trip to Israel, I felt very comfortable, as if it was home.”

The year 2005 was a milestone for her in many respects. She took thousands of photographs in Israel, and the experience propelled her lifelong passion for photography to a new level. Her photos of Israel adorned an entire wall of the JCC atrium for three years. Her affection for the country and the people reverberated through the images she captured. “It was so gratifying to see people standing in front of that wall, looking at my pictures,” she said. (In 2009, Hallé landed a show at the JCC’s Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery. “My friends told me that if they didn’t know better and only judged by my photos, they would’ve thought Israel a green country,” she confided happily.)

Another, sadder event also happen in 2005 – she was diagnosed with breast cancer soon after she returned from Israel. “Cancer changed me, in a good way,” she said. “Contrary to everyone’s expectations, it was a positive experience. I realized what was important in life. I learned who was a real friend and who wasn’t. Before, I was working too much, always tired and heading for depression, but my illness gave me leave to take care of myself.”

She took time to recover and, after two years, returned to the JCC. Her former boss was no longer there, so she started working at the membership desk. “It was a different environment,” she explained. “I finally met many community members and I was away from all the politics. I loved it. Everyone was very friendly and helpful; I felt almost a part of the family.”

She continued learning about the community, immersing herself in the culture and traditions. “By now, I know so much about Jewish ways, people often ask me questions. I explain to them about Rosh Hashana and Shabbat and other celebrations. Many are surprised to learn that I’m not Jewish. To tell the truth, sometimes I feel that I’m kind of Jew-ish. We joke about it.”

In January this year, Hallé turned 60, and decided it was time to retire.

“In the last couple of years, a few of my friends died,” she shared. “It was very upsetting, but I’m alive. I’m ecstatic to be 60. I want to travel, to take some class, to work more on my photography. Recently, I went to Nicaragua for a month; I worked there as a volunteer and I want to do it again. I want to visit Galapagos and Kenya. I might volunteer with the JCC Seniors.”

Hallé is sure that her work for the JCC created an opportunity for her to develop as an artist photographer. With the support and encouragement of her colleagues and friends, she continues to explore her chosen art form. “I have nine photographic events booked this summer, right after I retire,” she said. “I’ll do a bar mitzvah, a wedding, a fundraiser, even a dance festival.”

Hallé’s plans are still in flux, but they expand every day, perhaps enough to fill the next 60 years.

To learn more about Hallé, the photographer, visit her website, jocelynehalle.com.

Olga Livshin is a Vancouver freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected].

A party for Hebrew Free Loan’s 100th

Hebrew Free Loan Association president Michelle Dodek, second from the right, with, left to right, past association presidents Errol Lipschitz, Diane Friedman and Mannie Druker. (photo by Dan Poh)

One hundred years of anything in Vancouver is fairly unusual. On May 7 at the newly rebuilt Beth Israel, the Vancouver Hebrew Free Loan Association celebrated the remarkable milestone of 100 years since it was originally founded.

In January 1915, the year that the Vancouver Millionaires won the Stanley Cup, a group of Jews gathered for the first meeting of the Vancouver HFLA. Designed to give interest-free loans to Jewish people starting out in the community, the association played an integral part in helping establish many early Jewish businesses and getting people settled here.

The HFLA Centennial Celebration reflected its grassroots beginning with a relaxed, different kind of evening. Casual picnic-chic décor and a picnic-style menu went with the fact that the event was held on Lag b’Omer. Greeting the guests were actors and musicians from the volunteer troupe Kol Halev. They were dressed in period costume and introduced themselves in character, sharing “their personal stories” as the founders of Jewish lending in Vancouver.

These actors provided an interactive beginning to an evening that was designed to raise the profile of HFLA. Through a multi-media approach, the event managed to educate those in attendance about the valuable role that interest-free loans play in Vancouver’s Jewish community.

photo - Members of the Kol Halev performance troupe, who represented the Jewish community at the time of Hebrew Free Loan Association’s founding 100 years ago
Members of the Kol Halev performance troupe, who represented the Jewish community at the time of Hebrew Free Loan Association’s founding 100 years ago. (photo by Dan Poh)

The program began with a short d’var Torah by Beth Israel Rabbi Jonathan Infeld, touching on the relationship between Lag b’Omer and interest-free lending. HFLA president Michelle Dodek followed the rabbi’s comments by explaining the three objectives of the event: to raise awareness in the community by sharing what HFLA does, to honor the donors and board members who have made the work of the organization possible, and to look to the future. She recognized the multi-generational links of those in attendance, including the remarkable fourth-generation connection of the three Krell sisters (Shoshana Lewis, Simone Kallner and Michaela Singerman), whose great-grandfather, David Davis, was a contributor to the original Vancouver HFLA kitty in 1915 and served as a trustee in 1931. Their grandfather, Charles Davis, was one of the founders of the re-creation of the organization in 1979.

Dodek’s speech was followed by a short video featuring two former borrowers, Mihael Mamychshvili, a prominent shiatsu therapist and Barbi Braude, a graphic designer. Joe Segal and Shirley Barnett shared their historical perspectives and goals for the organization.

Guests then heard from four borrowers whose lives were changed by the loans they received from HFLA. Successful entrepreneurs Zach Berman and Ryan Slater began their business, the Juice Truck, with help from HFLA. Val Lev Dolgin used an education loan to earn her master’s in counseling psychology; she now helps children who have survived physical and sexual abuse. George Medvedev, a neurologist, shared how he and his wife, a hematologist, used a loan to help them when they first arrived in Canada from the USSR almost 20 years ago.

Another story was read by a volunteer to respect the anonymity of the borrower because of the sensitive nature of her situation, while the story of former borrower Maxim Fomitchev was shared by his friend, Tobi Lennet. Briefly, Fomitchev, a deaf mime, while touring with his troupe of mime artists from the USSR in 1991, defected, accompanied by his performing partner. The two found themselves volunteering for Jewish Family Service Agency and, within two years, Fomitchev borrowed money for a car to get from one mime gig to another. He has since achieved one of the pinnacles of success for a mime – he is the head clown in Cirque de Soleil’s Las Vegas show, Zarkana.

The evening’s program ended with the educational element of the night, the stories of four “typical” borrowers: parents of a child needing counseling, a retired woman needing dental work, someone between jobs in a stressful situation and parents borrowing to finance a modest bar mitzvah. All of these stories served to drive home the significance of HFLA.

The HFLA Centennial Celebration was a chance to celebrate a significant milestone in the community, raise awareness of an organization that is “the best kept secret” in Vancouver while recognizing donors and volunteers who make it all happen. The message for the future is that HFLA is looking for borrowers. For more information on how to apply for a loan, to watch the HFLA video or to find out about how the organization works, check out its newly revamped website at hfla.ca.

B.C. Achievement honor for Krell

Dr. Robert Krell with the Hon. Coralee Oakes (left), minister of community, sport and cultural development, and the Hon. Judith Guichon, OBC, lieutenant governor of British Columbia. (photo from B.C. Achievement Foundation)

On April 24, 2015, Dr. Robert Krell was among those honored at the 12th Annual British Columbia Community Achievement Awards ceremony held at Government House in Victoria, where he received a B.C. Community Achievement Award medallion and certificate.

“These honorees exemplify what it is to go above and beyond; to do what needs to be done and to give without question their time and energy for the betterment of their communities,” said Keith Mitchell QC, representing the British Columbia Achievement Foundation.

In a personal letter received from the premier of British Columbia, Christy Clark, Krell was honored for his “many years of commitment to developing anti-racism, antisemitism and Holocaust education programs for people of all ages. By establishing the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre in 1994 and documenting Holocaust survivors’ testimonials, you have ensured that no one will ever forget what Jewish people went through during the war. Your work with child survivor groups is further testament to your dedication to helping people gather together, talk to one another and know they are not alone in dealing with the aftermath of what they and their families experienced.”

Hidden as a child in the Netherlands during the Holocaust, child and family psychiatrist and University of British Columbia professor emeritus, Krell understands the necessity of Holocaust remembrance: learning from its lessons, providing education, supporting survivors and ensuring their stories are not lost. In addition to founding the VHEC, he also founded a group for child survivors, giving voice to their experience.

Funds raised for Nepal

Left to right, back row: Mark Suzuki, Ai Nakano, Marie Doduck, Eppy Rappaport, Ruth Erlichman, Elena Steele and a representative from the Nepalese community. Front row: Casey Suzuki, Dickson Tsang and Andy Sui. (photo by Belinda Co)

On the evening of May 14, members of the Jewish community joined with members of the Japanese, Russian and Chinese communities to raise funds for earthquake relief efforts in Nepal. Held at Omnitsky Kosher Delicatessen, the restaurant’s proprietor, Eppy Rappaport, donated a percentage of profits of that evening’s sales, and attendees made individual contributions throughout the evening.

The evening was organized by Ruth Erlichman and Dickson Tsang, two longtime Vancouver realtors who have know each other for more than 15 years. The two have “done quite a few deals together,” Erlichman said, “during which time Dickson got to know a little bit more about Jews, kosher food, keeping Shabbos, etc. He has been involved in many fundraisers in the past and wanted to do one together … bridging the two cultures and adding our Japanese and Russian friends to the pot.”

The theme of the evening was giving and practising compassion, as “stated in the Torah in parashat Shemini,” Erlichman added. “Making sure we have emunah [faith] that Hashem will help when we personally, G-d forbid, encounter hardship. When it comes to other people’s hardship, we take out our chequebook – we don’t tell them to have emunah; that comes later.”

photo - Ruth Erlichman, left, with Ai Nakano, make origami cranes to be sold at another fundraiser
Ruth Erlichman, left, with Ai Nakano, make origami cranes to be sold at another fundraiser. (photo by Belinda Co)

About 30 people attended, including a representative from the Nepalese community who updated the group on the situation on the ground in Nepal. A strong aftershock had occurred just two days prior and the Canadian government had pledged to match dollar for dollar the money raised until May 25. The funds raised at Omnitsky are being donated through the Red Cross.

“Our Japanese friends showed us how to make paper origami cranes,” Erlichman shared. These were sold at a much larger fundraiser held at the River Rock Casino soon after the Omnitsky gathering.

Born and raised in Kobe, Japan, Erlichman said she is “very familiar with earthquakes. Many of us from the Jewish community here held a fundraiser for the Jan. 17, 1995, Kobe earthquake, at the Tama Sushi Lounge on West Broadway, co-owned by the late Mr. Leon Kahn. Funds were sent through the Joint [Distribution Committee] to the Ohel Shlomo Synagogue in Kobe, which incurred exterior damage.”

Young talent gives all

Growing up going to Hebrew school at a Conservative synagogue in Vancouver’s North Shore was a good start for Leo Robinovitch.

While Congregation Har El initiated his exploration into his Jewish identity and connection to Israel, it was a year after Robinovitch’s bar mitzvah that he really delved deeply into Judaism.

“It was then that I started attending Camp Miriam, a progressive, labor-Zionist summer camp affiliated with the youth movement Habonim Dror,” said Robinovitch, who will be returning to Israel this summer.

photo - Leo Robinovich
Leo Robinovitch will be joining Birthright Excel this summer. (photo from Leo Robinovitch)

“Habonim Dror machanot (summer camps) provide children ages 8-17 with a unique camping experience,” the movement’s description reads on its website. “Based on the model of a kibbutz, each machaneh (camp) creates a close-knit community based on Jewish ideals of collective responsibility, respect, equality and friendship…. Campers grow physically, emotionally and intellectually in a creative, open and caring environment. Habonim Dror has been providing a machaneh experience since 1932.”

In the summer of 2009, Robinovitch spent five weeks with Habonim Dror in Israel and later participated in Habonim Dror’s gap year program (from 2011 through to 2012), living in the north of Israel and teaching English in largely Arab cities in the region.

Camp Miriam and Habonim Dror personalized and solidified Robinovitch’s “connection to the Jewish people and our shared fate surrounding Israel, as well as prioritized the formation of a just, equitable, and democratic Israel over all else.”

Robinovitch has always been a technology and engineering enthusiast, an apple that definitely did not fall far from the tree with his father working as a biomedical engineering professor at the University of British Columbia.

“My sixth birthday party was engineering themed,” recalled Robinovitch. “My dad helped me set up a pulley and created a bunch of ping pong ball catapults, much to my own and my tiny friends’ delight.

“I’ve known that I would complete a degree in engineering from a very early age. And, now that I’m more than halfway through my mechanical engineering degree at UBC, I remain passionate about the future of technology and its connection to society, politics and the economy.”

On his most recent trip to Israel this past December, Robinovitch heard about a Birthright Israel Excel program through a few folks he met on the trip. “They were Excel alumni from a couple years ago,” said Robinovitch. “They were all extremely bright, motivated people who I shared many passions with.”

The alumni encouraged Robinovitch to apply for the program, as it had helped focus their careers and exposed them to a world of intelligent, hard-working people.

After looking further into the program, Robinovitch found it to be the perfect way to combine his commitment to Israel with his passion for technology, as well as gain necessary entrepreneurial skills for technology-related business endeavors he envisioned for himself in the future.

For 10 weeks this summer, Robinovitch will be working at a high-profile company in Tel Aviv, living with around 40 peers from across North America interested in commerce, finance, technology, medicine and venture capital (VC).

“I’ve spoken with the Excel staff extensively about my interests, and I’ll be finding out my placement in the coming weeks,” said Robinovitch. Possible internships include R&D for Microsoft, market analysis for General Motors, high-profile VC firms (such as Innovation Endeavors) and cyber-security firms.

During his stay in Israel, Robinovitch will also be traveling through the country and speaking with a number of prominent Israeli leaders over the summer, interacting with a number of Israeli peers with similar interests, and broadly experiencing Tel Aviv life.

Robinovitch is looking forward to further experiencing Israel and contributing to its affairs. “It’s very important for me to connect my passions for technology and Israel, and I look forward to doing so for the first time this summer,” he said.

Robinovitch anticipates that this Excel experience will help him decide which industry he wants to pursue, as well as build a diverse array of Israeli and North American partners with whom he will work well into the future.

While Robinovitch’s previous time in Israel was centred on social justice work and education, he is eager to play a larger role this time around in creating change.

“While this work [social justice and education] is still important to me – unquestionably some of the most important work to be done in Israel – I highly value this opportunity to experience Israel’s thriving tech and startup scene,” said Robinovitch. “It’s a side of Israel I’ve never been able to experience before and I believe that I will be able to tie in this summer’s experience with social justice projects in the future.”

As a student at UBC, Robinovitch has experienced some negative social justice campaigns aimed at Israel, like the recent BDS referendum (boycott, divest and sanction Israeli firms and products) and he is aware of how hot button an issue it has been this year at his university – in particular among the Jewish and Palestinian communities on campus.

“While I feel strongly that the Palestinian people deserve their own land in which to actualize themselves politically, culturally, religiously, etc., I cannot support the BDS movement because of its ultimate goal of the destruction of the Jewish state,” said Robinovitch. “Voting ‘no’ on the referendum, however, seems highly insubstantial compared to the work I will be doing this summer and in the future to contribute to a better Israel.”

Robinovitch encourages those invested in Israel at UBC and further afield “to take action beyond shooting down the BDS movement in order to strengthen Israel and create a more just reality for Palestinians.

“Additionally, I feel strongly that more Jewish youth should experience Israel and Judaism. I have been extremely lucky to be able to explore Jewish peoplehood through the opportunities that I’ve had the privilege of experiencing.”

For those in the community interested in discussing opportunities to experience Israel and Judaism through specialized programming, Robinovitch would be happy to help and can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].

Rebeca Kuropatwa is a Winnipeg freelance writer.

Canada is not referee: Baird

Canada is not a referee in the game of geopolitics, said John Baird, Canada’s former foreign minister, it’s a player.

photo - John Baird
John Baird (photo from Jewish National Fund)

Baird, who will be honored at the Jewish National Fund’s Negev Dinner in Vancouver on June 7, spoke of his admiration for Israel and Canada’s close connections with that country in an interview with the Independent Sunday.

Responding to criticism that Canada has lost its place as a middle power or neutral broker, Baird insisted that is not Canada’s role in the world.

“We are a player,” he said. “We are on the liberal democratic team. We make no apologies for that.”

He cited the Conservative government’s role opposing Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons and regional dominance. The impact this has had in the Arab world is misunderstood by many Canadians, he said.

“Our standing in the Arab world today is stronger than it has ever been,” said Baird, speaking from Ottawa. “When I was foreign minister, we built good relations with the new government of Egypt, with the government in Iraq, with the UAE, the Saudis, the Bahrainis. We are widely respected among the political leadership. Yes, we have an honest difference of opinion with respect to our position on Israel. But when it comes to the Muslim Brotherhood, when it comes to Hamas, when it comes to Hezbollah, when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s material support for terrorism, when it comes to the Iranian-backed advance in Yemen … Saudi Arabia, Israel, Canada: we all share the same view. That’s not understood very well in this country.”

Baird said Canada is a world leader on child and maternal health, opposing forced marriages of girls, and supporting the rights of sexual minorities. Opponents of the government may have difficulty squaring their ideas of how a Conservative administration should behave with the record of the current Canadian government on issues of gender and sexual equality, but Baird says, “Look at the facts.”

“Prime Minister [Stephen] Harper personally has championed child and maternal health,” he said. “We’ve seen record investments not just in Canada but around the world because of his leadership. If you look at the leadership that I undertook with respect to young girls being forced into marriage, we became a leader in that. Canada followed the United Kingdom’s lead on sexual violence in conflict, not just on policy but on programming. When you look at [United Nations’ projects supporting] women, peace and security, we’ve taken a big role in North Africa. So, if you look at the facts, it’s undeniable, particularly on the issue of women and girls. The Day of the Girl resolution was championed by Canada at the UN.”

Advancing the rights of women worldwide is both a human rights matter and a determinant of societal health, Baird said.

“It’s in our own interest to do so,” he said. “It’s not just about human rights. The stronger role that women can play in government, in parliament, in civil society, the more we can combat extremism and promote pluralism.”

Reminded of a comment he made several years ago that, were he to leave politics he would probably go work on a kibbutz in Israel, Baird explained his respect for the Jewish state.

“I just have a passion for Israel, for its people, its culture, its history,” Baird said. “For everything the Jewish people have accomplished in the last 67 years. It’s really remarkable.”

What the Jewish people have built from the ashes of the Holocaust, he said, is admirable.

“The strength and ingenuity of the Jewish people, what they’ve accomplished in science, technology, agriculture, the huge history, it’s a remarkable accomplishment. What they’ve accomplished politically – a liberal democratic state in a pretty dangerous part of the world. The values that underpin the state of Israel, it’s just a remarkable, remarkable achievement.”

While Canada’s foreign policy, particularly under Baird, has turned Canada into what is frequently called Israel’s best friend in the world, the global attitude toward Israel remains highly negative, Baird acknowledged.

“We see far too much moral relativism,” he said. “It has stunned me the amount of criticism that Israel gets in so many international arenas, whether it’s the UN in New York or in Geneva … the UN Human Rights Council … others. On occasion it can be disappointing. It can be difficult to stand up against the rest of the crowd but it’s important to do what’s right. Canadians can be very proud that their government’s taken the path less traveled. We’ve never been afraid to stand up and support our liberal democratic friends.”

The former minister, who left politics earlier this year, speculated on where the animosity toward Israel comes from.

“I don’t think everyone who is against Israel is an antisemite,” he said. “But all antisemites are against Israel. I have great concern that we’ve seen, instead of people targeting the individual Jew, they’re targeting the collective Jew, the Jewish state. These things cause us great concern.”

Although he is moving into the private sector – he is working as a member of Barrick Gold’s advisory board and last week was elected to the board of Canadian Pacific – Baird promises to continue to be an outspoken supporter of Israel and a critic of Iran’s nuclear program and its support for terrorism.

Asked if he might return to public life as a candidate for the Conservative leadership when Harper retires, Baird deflected the idea with a flat “no” and refused, with a laugh, to elaborate.

Ilan Pilo, shaliach and executive director of Jewish National Fund, Pacific region, called Baird “a man of integrity and a true friend to Israel.”

“JNF is grateful to honor him for his leadership on the world stage, for years of devoted service to the citizens of Canada, his dedication to the Jews of Canada and to the state of Israel,” said Pilo. “Thanks to Baird’s outstanding leadership, Canada has become Israel’s most unwavering ally.”

Baird returned the compliment.

“Canadian supporters of JNF can be very proud of the work they’ve done over the years,” said Baird.

This year’s Negev Dinner, which takes place at the Four Seasons Hotel, supports a project in the city of Sderot, adjacent the Gaza Strip. The city has been under bombardment by Hamas missiles for the last several years. The park and fitness facility will enhance life for the citizens and provide a “green lung” for the city.

Pat Johnson is a Vancouver writer and principal in PRsuasiveMedia.com.