News

New fall lecture series

image - book, Magen David and Canadian flag

White Rock South Surrey Jewish Community Centre’s first-ever Fall Speaker Series, starts Oct. 29, with a talk on Jewish immigration to Canada. (image designed by Chloe Heuchert) On Oct. 29, I will help launch White Rock South Surrey Jewish Community…

Series explores music

Building Bridges, Kolot Mayim Reform Temple’s annual six-part free lecture series, returns this year, beginning Nov. 2, 11 a.m., on Zoom. The theme for this season is Kolot Zemirot: The Many Voices of Jewish Music, exploring the role of music…

Bull, bear or bubble?

Though North American stock indexes have risen to new heights in recent months, anyone who regularly checks financial news these days is unlikely to encounter the words “calm” and “steady” in descriptions of present-day markets. Rather, financial media are inclined to…

מדוע האנטישמיות הולכת וגואה בעולם

 אנו עדים לעליה משמעותית באנטישמיות ברחבי העולם אחרי השבעה באוקטובר. על כך אין מחלוקת אך נשאלת השאלה מה הביא לעלייה הכל כך משמעותית באנטישמיות כולל פגיעה פיזית ביהודים וישראלים בעולם? למרבה הצער בישראל מעדיפים שלא להתעסק בסיבות אלה רק בתוצאות…

New leadership at the JCCV

Following 12 years as president of the Jewish Community Centre of Victoria (JCCV), with many accomplishments to his credit, Larry Gontovnick will hand over the reins of the organization to Deborah Bricks at the JCCV’s annual general meeting in December.…

Human rights in sports

The seventh annual Simces & Rabkin Family Dialogue on Human Rights, organized by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Vancouverites Zena Simces and Dr. Simon Rabkin, and Equitas-International Centre for Human Rights Education, takes place Oct. 23, at noon, via…

A last solidarity cycle

photo - The inaugural Solidarity Cycle, in 2017

The inaugural Solidarity Cycle, in 2017. (photo by P. Simson) We didn’t ride 100 kilometres, or even quite 50. It was a glorious symbolic ride in celebration of the many years of Solidarity Cycle, a much-beloved event that has seen…

Canada recognizes Palestine

On Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement on Canada’s recognition of Palestine as a state. “Recognizing the state of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Authority, empowers those who seek peaceful coexistence and the end of Hamas,” said Carney.…

Harper speaks at local event 

photo - At the Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation (CSZHF) event on Sept. 7, which marked the foundation’s 50th anniversary: left to right, Col. Ilan Or, Israeli defence attaché to Canada; Rafi Yablonsky, CSZHF national director; Dr. Marla Gordon, CSZHF Western region board member; Dr. Arthur Dodek, CSZHF Western region board member; former prime minister Stephen Harper; Dr. Robert Krell, 2025 Western Region recipient of the Kurt and Edith Rothschild Humanitarian Award; Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt of Schara Tzedeck Synagogue; Ilan Pilo, CSZHF Western Canada director; and Sam Sapera, CSZHF board chair

At the Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation (CSZHF) event on Sept. 7, which marked the foundation’s 50th anniversary: left to right, Col. Ilan Or, Israeli defence attaché to Canada; Rafi Yablonsky, CSZHF national director; Dr. Marla Gordon, CSZHF Western region…

Working with “the enemy”

photo - In the Gaza Youth Committee campaign We Live Together, We Die Together, young Gazans hold, in a show of solidarity with Israelis, photographs of Israeli children who were killed on Oct. 7, 2023

In the Gaza Youth Committee campaign We Live Together, We Die Together, young Gazans hold, in a show of solidarity with Israelis, photographs of Israeli children who were killed on Oct. 7, 2023. (photo from Rami Aman) “People must understand…