Category: News

The fun in fundraising

Music and pop culture journalist Eve Barlow will speak at Choices on Nov. 5. (PR photo)

Two large-scale philanthropic events are slated for the coming weeks as part of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver’s annual campaign. On Oct. 22, men’s philanthropy will host the inaugural Texas Hold’em Poker Night, which will take place in the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver’s Wosk Auditorium. And, on Nov. 5, women’s philanthropy will host the 19th annual Choices event, which will be held this year at Congregation Beth Israel.

Know when to hold ’em

“We wanted to create a new event that brought people together to strengthen their commitment to the community through tzedakah,” said Michael Nemirow, men’s philanthropy chair. “Knowing our community, and the men’s division in particular, our campaign chair, Shay (Shy) Keil, organized a poker tournament … as a way to increase participation through a fun event that people will look forward to attending. We have already received a tremendous response from the community, as well as requests for when the next one will be. If you haven’t yet reserved your spot, please register now at jewishvancouver.com to be part of this special event.”

One of the more popular forms of poker, Texas Hold’em can consist of between two and 10 players. Each player is dealt two private cards (known as “hole cards”) that belong to them alone. Five community cards are dealt face-up, to form “the board.” All players in the game use these shared community cards in conjunction with their own hole cards to each make their best possible five-card poker hand.

Pollock Clinics, which specializes in men’s sexual health, among other things, is presenting the poker event along with Federation. Dr. Neil Pollock and his wife Michelle have a long-standing history of supporting a diverse range of philanthropic causes. Michelle Pollock currently serves as co-chair, with David Fox, of Federation’s Israel and global engagement committee.

Other poker night sponsors include InstaFund, Glotman-Simpson Consulting Engineers and ZLC; beer will be provided in-kind by Mark James of Red Truck Beer Co. There will be three cash prizes – $750, $500 and $250, respectively – for the top three finishers.

Registration for the Texas Hold’em event and a deli dinner begin at 5 p.m., with the tournament starting at 6 p.m. The cost for a poker seat, which includes dinner and drinks, is $180.

Strength of Jewish women

Two weeks following the Texas Hold’em Poker Night, Choices takes place, starting at 11 a.m.

“We are honoured to have the opportunity as co-chairs and friends to bring women from our across our community together to celebrate the strength of women’s philanthropy,” said Choices co-chairs Lisa Averbach and Jaclyn Dayson. “As we are always looking for new ways to engage our community, we have a fresh new format this year. We invite everyone to join us for brunch and to hear from the incredibly impactful speaker, Eve Barlow. Eve will be joining us to speak on the important conversation of antisemitism and how important the ‘Power of Together’ is in our community, families and greater society.”

“Power of Together” is the theme of this year’s annual campaign, and tickets for Choices are $85 plus a minimum donation of $154 to the campaign – or a $36 minimum donation for first-time attendees. In addition to purchasing tickets for themselves, donors can buy an angel ticket (or tickets) to ensure that any Jewish woman who wants to can attend Choices, regardless of their income.

This will be the first time that Choices is held as a brunch, rather than as a dinner event. The main speaker, Barlow, is a music and pop culture journalist. Based in Los Angeles, she is a powerful advocate on social media in the fight against antisemitism and anti-Zionism online.

Originally from Glasgow, Barlow lives in Los Angeles. She has served as deputy editor of New Musical Express, or NME, an entertainment periodical in Britain, and she is a regular contributor to New York Magazine, the Guardian, Billboard, the Los Angeles Times and GQ, among other publications.

In 2020 and 2021, Barlow was selected by The Algemeiner as one of the top 100 people positively impacting Jewish life. For that distinction, the journal cited a quote from a 2020 article Barlow posted on medium.com, which read, “My Zionism is what makes me pro-Palestinian because how could I deny someone’s right to self-determination? I am a Zionist and I am pro-Palestinian.”

The goal of Choices is to engage women in the community “towards the fulfilling work of making the world a better place,” notes the press material. Speakers at previous Choices have included Ellen Schwartz, the founder of Project Give Back; philanthropist and entrepreneur Jill Zarin; and Michelle Hirsch, a Cleveland businesswoman who spearheaded fundraising efforts to help the Jewish community in Houston following Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

Funds raised from Federation’s annual campaign support numerous organizations and causes both locally and internationally, and help seniors, vulnerable families and low-income individuals, among other things. To register for Texas Hold’em Poker Night and Choices, go to jewishvancouver.com.

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

Live music at JSA party

The Brock House Society Big Band performs after the Jewish Seniors Alliance AGM Oct. 26. (photo from JSA)

The Brock House Society Big Band will take part in the festivities that follow the Jewish Seniors Alliance’s annual general meeting Oct. 26, 2 p.m., at Beth Israel Synagogue.

JSA is celebrating its 20th anniversary. For the last 20 years, the organization, founded by Serge Haber, has served the Jewish and general communities through its education, advocacy and peer support programs.

The Oct. 26 AGM will consist of committee reports and the election of board members, and the birthday party/reception that follows at 3 p.m. will feature live music by the Brock House Society Big Band, balloons and loot bags. There will be a late, light lunch catered by Nava, at the cost of $36/person.

The Brock House band is an 18-piece ensemble that plays a wide variety of jazz and popular music. Their repertoire includes classic tunes from Count Basie, Duke Ellington and others, Latin and jazz standards and big band arrangements of contemporary popular music.

To register, call 604-732-1555 or email office@jsalliance.org.

– Courtesy Jewish Seniors Alliance

Talking on democracy

Left to right: Ora Peled Nakash of the America-Israel Democracy Coalition and Michal Muszkat-Barkan of Safeguarding Our Shared Home listen to a question posed by Temple Sholom Rabbi Dan Moskovitz at an event Sept. 26. (screenshot)

More than 300 people pre-registered to attend Hear From Leaders in the Israeli Protest Movement at Temple Sholom on Sept. 26 and the sanctuary was full. Presented by the synagogue, UnXeptable Vancouver, the America-Israel Democracy Coalition, and Safeguarding our Shared Home, in partnership with JSpaceCanada, New Israel Fund of Canada, Ameinu Canada and Arza Canada, this was the first time that a Canadian Jewish establishment hosted protesters from Israel’s pro-democracy movement on Canadian soil.

Speaking before the Hamas terror attacks on Oct. 6, Michal Muszkat-Barkan of Safeguarding Our Shared Home, and Ora Peled Nakash of the America-Israel Democracy Coalition were touring as part of an effort to educate North American diaspora Jewry on the judicial coup attempt and other fundamental issues with which Israel’s society has been grappling this past year. The unprecedented protest movement was, at 39 weeks, the longest sustained protest movement in modern Israeli history. In response to the war, however, the movement suspended protests in Israel and around the world, including Vancouver, standing in solidarity with their fellow Israelis.

The Sept. 26 evening began with Rabbi Laura and Charles Kaplan singing Oseh Shalom, Salaam (Od Yavo) and Lu Yehi followed by Temple Sholom Rabbi Dan Moskovitz’s introduction of the partner organizations. He said, “We have tried to partner at every opportunity we can to bring a dialogue about Israel, to bring an understanding of the challenges Israel faces and the reality that it faces, as well, through a lens of Zionism that is pro-Israel, pro-democracy, pro-human and civil rights.”

Daphna Kedem, lead organizer of UnXeptable Vancouver, spoke about the global protest movement started by Israeli expats, which has grown from 24 to 70 cities, with chapters in five Canadian cities. She said, “The only reason [the current Israeli government] has not succeeded [with the judicial coup] is millions of determined protesters in Israel and around the world who have been fighting for 38 weeks in a row to save Israeli democracy.”

A shortened version of the speech that American-Israeli author and journalist Yossi Klein Halevi, this year’s resident scholar at Temple Sholom, gave at the synagogue during Rosh Hashanah was played. Klein Halevi said: “Now, in Israel, we’re confronting a situation for the first time that I’ve experienced where there are no two sides. There are no two legitimate sides – one side is trying to destroy the foundations of Israeli democracy and the other side, the side that is in the streets every week for the last 37 weeks, sometimes more than once a week, waving giant Israeli flags, that side is trying to save the Israel that’s embodied by the two flags on the bima [pulpit of Temple Sholom]. These two flags represent the entwinement of Jewish and democratic values – that is the Israel that the diaspora fell in love with and that is the Israel that we’re fighting to preserve.”

Temple Sholom member Rina Vizer, in introducing the two main speakers of the evening, dubbed them “the new wonder women, ahead of Gal Gadot,” for their dedication to their cause, taking a 17-hour flight just as Yom Kippur ended in Israel, landing in Seattle, and driving to Vancouver, arriving mere hours before the event.

Peled-Nakash is a software engineer from Kibbutz Ramat David, just outside of Haifa. She was the first woman to graduate the naval officer’s academy and first woman to serve on a missile ship. She is a member of Forum Dvorah, a nongovernmental organization with a network of professional women in an array of fields relating to Israel’s national security and foreign policy.

Muszkat-Barkan is a professor of Jewish education at Hebrew Union College. She is the director of the department of education and professional development and heads the Rikma program in pluralistic Jewish education in partnership with the Melton Centre for Jewish Education at Hebrew University. She is also the founder and head of the Teachers’ Lounge, a professional development program for Arab and Jewish Educators in Jerusalem.

Peled-Nakash presented a slideshow about what brought her to quit her day job at IBM and volunteer full-time with the protest movement. As the first woman to graduate from the naval officer’s academy, she was inspired by the Alice Miller Supreme Court ruling in 1995, she said. When Miller – who had made aliyah from South Africa with her family when she was 6 years old – applied to the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy in 1993, she was rejected based on her gender. Miller sued the Israel Defence Forces, with the case ending up at the Supreme Court, where the rejection was deemed unconstitutional.

Tying the Miller case to the current attempt by Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin to weaken the Supreme Court, Peled-Nakash said, “Alice’s appeal to become a fighter pilot, that completely changed the course of my life…. I didn’t become a fighter pilot but I became a naval officer … following the same steps [as Miller], of opening equal opportunities for women in military service, which is a fight that is actively going on.”

Peled-Nakash has two daughters, ages 8 and 12, and regularly brings them to protests. She sees this act as a continuation of her family’s long Zionist legacy – to fight for Israel as a democracy, whether you live in Israel or in the diaspora.

Muszkat-Barkan grew up in an Orthodox Zionist home in Jerusalem. She spoke of the liberation of Jerusalem following the Six Day War in 1967 and how the night of celebration was also one that opened her eyes to those around her. “I just looked up, I don’t know why, and I saw a hand closing a window and I said to myself, ‘Oh my God, someone is living there and it’s four o’clock in the morning. How come I didn’t think about that? How come we are all here singing and shouting and we didn’t think that someone is living up there?’”

This experience is what led her to dedicate her life to multiculturalism and pluralism, her realization that we are not all the same, but we must live together and respect one another.

It was a WhatsApp message that led Muszkat-Barkan to begin the Jerusalem-based protest group Safeguarding our Shared Home with a few of her friends. The movement grew, with more people coming out to the streets every weekend. “If you came to Jerusalem to protest with us,” she said, “you would see groups of people against the occupation … you would see groups of religious people, you would see Reform people, educators, many groups all together.”

In wrapping up the question-and-answer period, Peled-Nakash left the audience with two messages for diaspora Jews.

“I would ask each and every one of you to take a hard look at how you are supporting, financially, current causes,” she said, “and to make sure that they are in line with your values because the fact is we’ve seen a lot of this coup has been funded by well-intended people that actually thought they were supporting Israel but they weren’t aware of which kind of Israel they were supporting. So, start with an audit to make sure that the causes you’re currently supporting are in line with the values we’re talking about.”

A recording of the entire presentation can be found on Temple Sholom’s YouTube channel.

Maytal Kowalski is a board member of JSpaceCanada and the New Israel Fund of Canada. Based in Vancouver, she serves as the executive director of Partners for Progressive Israel, a New York-based nonprofit dedicated to the achievement of a durable and just peace between the state of Israel and its neighbours.

20 new affordable rentals

Susana Cogan Place (photo from Tikva Housing)

Individuals and families with low to moderate income are moving into 20 new homes in Burnaby. Susana Cogan Place is Tikva Housing Society’s most recent affordable housing project, developed in partnership with Polygon Homes and made possible with financial support from BC Housing.

“Susana Cogan Place provides stability and security through affordable housing for people to live, work and retire in the community they know, here in Burnaby,” said Ravi Kahlon, BC minister of housing. “Our government is building housing at a historic rate and these 20 new homes are another example of how we can work together to build a province where everyone has a good place to call home and no one gets left behind.”

Located at 6438 Byrnepark Dr., Susana Cogan Place is a 20-unit development comprising studio, one- and two-bedroom homes. It is part of a larger five-storey, 122-unit condominium known as Byrnepark by Polygon.

“I am delighted to see Susana Cogan Place and its new affordable rental homes open in our community,” said Raj Chouhan, MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds. “These new cost-effective homes will provide a sense of well-being and a place for many families and seniors to call their own.”

Tikva’s units on the third floor are named in memory of Susana Cogan z”l, whose leadership was the driving force of Tikva from 2006 to 2017.

“These homes are a welcome addition to the Burnaby community,” said Anne Kang, MLA for Burnaby-Deer Lake. “We know more housing like this is needed to help people live affordably, which is why our government will continue to work with all partners to boost the supply of affordable housing in Burnaby … and throughout the province.”

photo - From Left to right: Richard Lee, Maita Santiago, Raj Chouhan, Mike Hurley, Rhonda Sacks, Anne Kang and Anat Gogo
From Left to right: Richard Lee, Maita Santiago, Raj Chouhan, Mike Hurley, Rhonda Sacks, Anne Kang and Anat Gogo. (photo from Tikva Housing)

Tikva Housing, an experienced nonprofit housing provider, owns and operates the homes. With this opening, Tikva’s portfolio has increased to 168 units in seven housing developments and expanded into Burnaby.

“In these times of high real estate values and high interest rates, Tikva is grateful to be able to partner with Polygon Homes and BC Housing to produce affordable housing for families with low and moderate incomes. We need many more partnerships like this,” said Alice Sundberg, director of housing development at Tikva Housing.

Monthly rents for the 20 homes range between $375 for a studio unit to $1,700 for a two-bedroom unit.

“This new development marks the first housing collaboration between our organization and BC Housing,” said Anat Gogo, executive director Tikva Housing. “The support of the Province and the financial assistance from BC Housing, along with our partnership with Polygon, allowed Tikva Housing to acquire 20 new affordable homes in south Burnaby. We are pleased to be able to ease the burden on individuals and families struggling with housing insecurity.”

Each home at Susana Cogan Place is equipped with a range, fridge, dishwasher, washer and dryer. Residents also have access to amenities, including a playground, lobby, lounge and a fitness studio.

“The investments we’ve made as a city into affordable housing are beginning to pay off in Burnaby and it’s encouraging to see tenants moving into their affordable units at Susana Cogan Place,” said Mike Hurley, mayor of Burnaby. “These units are priced well below the market rate, something that is only possible thanks to the close collaboration between BC Housing, the Province and the City of Burnaby.”

The Province, through BC Housing, provided approximately $3 million to the project via the Building BC: Community Housing Fund and will provide an annual operating subsidy of approximately $74,000.

– Courtesy Tikva Housing Society

פעילות עניפה באתר פייסבוק

קבוצת הישראלים הגרים בטורונטו באתר פייסבוק פעילה נושאים שונים. הקבוצה כוללת קרוב לשלושת אלפים חברים שגרים בטורונטו והסביבה והיא נוסדה לפני כארבע שנים. לקבוצה יש שישה מנהלים ועורכים והם: אמיר אשל עמית לוי, ליאור פפו, טל מנע, ליאור ברק ודוד מק. להלן מקבץ של נושאים ובקשות שהתפרסמו לאחרונה בקרב קבוצת הישראלים בטורונטו: ברכות לחג ראש השנה הקרוב מטעם הנהלת האתר, לורה מציעה שירותים של משלוח פרחים עד הבית, בנימין מציע למכירה דירה בת שלושה חדרים דווקא בתל אביב, אלבינה מציעה שירותי מניקור, פדיקור ועוד, בוריס מציע להשכרה דירה בפלורידה בתקופה החורף הקר הכוללת שני חדרי שינה ומתאימה לארבעה אורחים, אליס מציעה שירותי ניקוי יסודי לבתים ודירות, אלירן מציע למכירה בריצ’מונד היל קוטג’ בן שלושה חדרים במחיר של כמיליון ושש מאות אלף דולר, ג’ו מציע ערבי קריוקי למי שמעוניינים, אור מחפש משפחה שתארח אותו לארוחת חג ראש השנה, אנתוני מחפש מנעולן לעבודה שישה ימים בשבוע תמורת כאלפיים וחמש מאות דולר לשבוע, יונתן מחפש בדחיפות חדר להשכרה, שושנה מברכת את הכל בחג שמח ומאושר, אלדר מציע שירותי ניקוי לבתים ודירות, יערה מציעה לאפות חלות ועוגות לקראת החג, שיילה מציעה למכירה ענתיקות, ריהוט, צעצועים ועוד, חביבי מציע לנקות גינות של גני ילדים, תמר שהגיע בימים אלה לטורונטו מחפשת מניקוריסטית, ולדיסלב מחפש מידע על משלוחי חבילות מקנדה לישראל, יגאל מציע למכירה מגרשים ובתים בסביון ובנימין מציע למכירה והשכרה של דירות בתל אביב

 ***

קבוצת ישראלים בוונקובר לעסקים בפייסבוק כוללת כשלוש מאות חברים. היא נוסדה גם כן לפני ארבע שנים. את הקבוצה מנהלים ועורכים שניים: דן גולב ויואב די

להלן מקבץ של נושאים שפורסמו לאחרונה בדף של הקבוצה מוונקובר: סרגי מציע שירותי תיקון לגלגלים של מכוניות, נתנאל מפרסם שיעורים בחסידות והכנות לראש השנה, עופר מציע שירותים וייעוץ למי שעשו רילוקיישן מישראל לקנדה או כאלה שחזרו לישראל מרילוקיישן בקנדה, איריס מציעה השכרה של דירות סאבלט, יוני מציע שירותים לבניית דקים לבתים, אמנון ויובל מציעים שירותי שיווק וקידום לפרסומות בגוגל, אלון מחפש וטכנאים ושיפוצניקים לעבודה באזור ונקובר ומייק מציע שירותי תיווך לדירות ובתים באזור

***

קבוצת הישראלים בקנדה בפייסבוק פועלת מזה שש שנים וכוללת לא פחות משמונת אלפים חברים. את הקבוצה מנהלים ועורכים שניים: אריאל פרץ ואביבה יהודה

להלן מקבץ של נושאים ושירותים שמפורסמים בקבוצה של הישראלים בקנדה: נופר שואלת איך מתחילים בהליך הגירה לקנדה ואיך משיגים במהירות ויזת עבודה, קובי שוקל לעבור עם אשתו לקנדה לתקופת ניסיון והוא שואל האם האזרחות האמריקנית שלו והאזרחות הבריטית של אשתו יכולים לעזור, אור מציע לבנות אתרים לעסקים כולל התאמה לסלולר, לי מחפשת מקלדת עם אותיות בעברית למחשב הנייד שלה, אביגיל שמעוניינת להגר לקנדה שואלת האם הניסיון הגדול שלה כאחות בחדר ניתוח יעזור לה להשיג עבודה, מאירנה שואלת האם מישהו מצא את המחשב הנייד שלה שנשכח בקלגרי, ישראלי אנונימי המעוניין להגר לקנדה שואל האם להנדסאי בישראל יכול לעבוד הנדסאי בקנדה, ערן מציע שירותי ניקיון לעסקים ודירות, תמר מציעה למכירה ספה יוקרתית בשמונה מאות דולר, טל מציעה שירותי ניקוי אחרי ראש השנה, לירן הוא חזן בסגנון ספרדי/עדות המזרח מחפש עבודה לראש השנה ויום כיפור, רחל מציעה מתכונים מיוחדים ובריאים לראש השנה ולחג הסוכות, זוג עם שלושה ילדים מבקשים עצות להגירה לקנדה

Dialogue on democracy

Next week, Temple Sholom and UnXeptable Vancouver, with Israeli protest group Safeguarding our Shared Home and US-based registered charity America-Israel Democracy Coalition, will host a discussion about how the Jewish community in Vancouver can support the pro-democracy protest efforts in Israel.

The event, scheduled to take place at Temple Sholom on Sept. 26, beginning at 7 p.m., will feature a discussion with Michal Muszkat-Barkan, PhD, of Safeguarding Our Shared Home, and Ora Peled Nakash of the America-Israel Democracy Coalition. Attendees will hear their perspectives and engage in a dialogue about the efforts by the Israeli democracy movement to build a strong civil society upholding Israel’s Declaration of Independence and its commitments to Jewish history, Jewish values, democracy, equality and justice.

Israel’s pro-democracy movement brings together nearly 200 different organizations. These organizations span various facets of Israeli society, including religious and secular groups, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights advocates, military veterans, medical professionals, anti-occupation activists, and many community-specific groups.

“The pro-democracy movement isn’t about politics, it is about the soul of the country,” said Jonathan Barsade, president of the America-Israel Democracy Coalition. “In modern history, the soul of Israel has been a critical element for the well-being of the Jewish community worldwide. That is why it is so important for the Israeli movement to engage and include the international Jewish community in this momentous event.”

In partnership with JSpaceCanada, Arza Canada, Ameinu Canada and the New Israel Fund of Canada, the gathering at Temple Sholom mirrors in many ways the inclusivity of Israel’s pro-democracy movement, by bringing together the leading organizations of progressive Jewry in Canada to engage in dialogue at a critical time in the history of the Israel-Canada relationship. It will be the first opportunity in Canada for Canadian Jews to meet with Israeli protest leaders live and in-person.

“We are honoured to host this event at Temple Sholom, which provides a platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas,” said Rabbi Dan Moskovitz of Temple Sholom. “By bringing together these influential Israeli protest leaders and showcasing the multifaceted nature of Israel’s pro-democracy movement, we aim to promote understanding and empathy while answering their call for solidarity from diaspora Jews.”

Daphna Kedem, lead organizer of UnXeptable Vancouver, added, “as an Israeli expat and proud member of the Vancouver Jewish community, I know how much pain both these communities feel about the current political climate in Israel. It is my hope that, through listening to those on the ground most affected by the potential regime change in Israel, we can work together – diaspora and Israeli Jews – to keep Israel Jewish and democratic, as stated in its Declaration of Independence.”

The Sept. 26 event is open to the public, and all interested individuals are encouraged to attend. Admission is free, and light refreshments will be provided following the discussion. All those wishing to attend should RSVP at bit.ly/SaveIsraeliDemocracy.

– Courtesy Maytal Kowalski, Press Pause Collective

Love and relationships

Hosted by Chabad Richmond, Aleeza Ben Shalom, star of the Netflix series Jewish Matchmaking, will take centre stage in-person for a one-night-only event on Nov. 27 at the River Rock Show Theatre. (photo from Chabad Richmond)

Remember the famous song from Fiddler on the Roof: “Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch”?  Well, fast forward a century, and things haven’t really changed that much. Jewish singles are still searching for their bashert, except they’re getting tired of swiping right or left to find their soulmate, so they’re turning to the ages-old tradition of matchmaking. Enter the world’s most famous Jewish matchmaker – Aleeza Ben Shalom.

Hosted by Chabad Richmond, Ben Shalom, star of the Netflix series Jewish Matchmaking, will take centre stage in-person for a one-night-only event on Nov. 27 at the River Rock Show Theatre.

Attendees will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at this hit TV reality show (signed for another year), discover secrets to successful relationships, and explore the intricate art of finding the perfect match. Ben Shalom – a self-described “marriage-minded mentor,” matchmaker and dating coach – will share her passion and insights into love, relationships and the basic Jewish values that inspire her to transform Jewish singles into Jewish couples.

“The time-honoured tradition of matchmaking, going back to the beginning of our people, has been central to bringing together Jewish couples and building Jewish homes. Focusing on core values that guide Jewish life, matchmaking ensures the continuity of our people for generations to come,” said Rabbi Yechiel Baitelman, director of Chabad Richmond. “In a world where everyone has spent the last three years getting very comfortable in isolation, the hurdles and opportunities for people to connect have been challenging. Never have I had so many people of all ages reach out to me asking me to make a match!”

Baitelman joked that matchmaking wasn’t covered in rabbinical school, but he views matchmaking as an emerging growth area in our community.

Ben Shalom, who has ushered at least 200 couples to the chuppah (wedding canopy) during her 15 years as a matchmaker, guides individuals of all ages on their quest for love and companionship. With her unique blend of warmth, humour and wisdom, she is committed to the matchmaking process. She adapts the model of formal Orthodox matchmaking (known as “shidduch dating”) to Jewish singles from all religious backgrounds, including secular, Reform, Conservative and Orthodox, from across Israel, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. She’s out to show the world that Jewish matchmaking is not some antiquated practice, but rather a relevant and successful process for lots of singles. She admits that it’s no easy task, but believes it’s worth the effort.

Born and raised in suburban Philadelphia in a secular Jewish home, Ben Shalom has been happily living in an Orthodox Jewish marriage for more than 20 years. She and her husband, Gershon, moved to Israel in 2021. They have five children and Ben Shalom entered the world of matchmaking in her 20s, when she was looking for a job that would give her a flexible schedule around childcare.

Tickets to hear Ben Shalom are $54 for general seating and $90 for preferred seating. Also, consider a VIP sponsorship opportunity at chai ($1,800), double chai ($3,600), triple chai ($5,400), $10,000 or $18,000. This inNludes a personal meet and greet with Ben Shalom over cocktails, forshpeis (appetizers) and conversation.

For more information, call 604-277-6427. Register for this exclusive event at chabadrichmond.com/matchmaker.

– Courtesy Chabad Richmond

Elana Wenner joins museum

Elana Wenner (photo from LinkedIn)

Elana Wenner, who became the director of programming and development at the Jewish Museum and Archives of BC (JMABC) on Aug. 1, brings an enthusiasm and desire to make the stories of the local Jewish community better known and more meaningful.

Born and raised in Vancouver, one of Wenner’s aims is to stress the stories of Jewish people in British Columbia and how all can benefit from, and are connected to, those first Jews who came to the province.

“The story is not just history, it is an ongoing, living story that we are all part of,” she said. “It is something that includes every single Jewish person in BC. We are preserving, maintaining and sharing the stories, but I would also add … we are helping to create new ones.”

Before working at JMABC, Wenner, who obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s in Jewish studies from McGill and Concordia, respectively, taught at King David High School and Vancouver Talmud Torah, schools she herself attended growing up here.

“Coming into this job combines my two-dimensional interest in history and my interest in education, and bringing stories to life to not just children but anyone who is interested,” she said.

Another of Wenner’s goals at the museum is to make exhibits not merely interesting but accessible and enjoyable, believing people will remember things when they feel a strong emotional connection with it.

“My philosophy of education is always about interactive, experiential education – things that people can actually be a part of and interact with instead of just being part of an audience,” she explained. “The idea is people will come, interact and engage with the story and be able to walk away with a piece of it that is a part of them.”

Wenner’s experience as a teacher will help in dealing with any possible challenges the new position may bring, she said. “I have discovered that teaching is a great place to figure out things because it includes the skills one needs for any other job.”

Since starting in August, Wenner has been busy researching places and venues, interacting with current donors, making sure that members are keeping up with their annual contribution and seeking donors elsewhere, as well as handling grant applications and marketing. She is also managing the JMABC social media accounts and providing informational fliers about the museum to synagogues during the High Holiday season.

“I am trying to get awareness of who we are, as many people did not know there is a Jewish museum in Vancouver and I would like the word out there that we exist because we have a lot to share,” she said.

“The history of Jewish Vancouver is such a good story and it deserves to be told [but] so many people just don’t know about it,” she added. “I am lucky to be one of the few who has spent some time digging deeper into this story.”

Wenner herself descends from a family that has been in Canada a long time by local Jewish standards – her ancestors arrived in Saskatchewan in 1888 – and that, she said, helped spark her interest in history and, specifically, Jewish history.

“My ancestors took photos of everything on a Brownie camera,” she recalled. “They developed their own film and it’s almost as if some of them are selfies. They were taking photos of casual life. It is rare to find non-formal photos of that period. You see what life was like, you see how people dressed.”

Daniella Givon, president of JMABC, said of Wenner’s arrival at the museum, “The board of JMABC is very excited to welcome Elana. Elana is full of energy and has a vision for the organization and her role in it. She has been familiar with JMABC since a young age, and has always cared about the organization. We feel fortunate to have her aboard.”

JMABC has several events scheduled for the coming year. On Nov. 21, the museum will hold its annual general meeting, which will feature the launch of Land of Hope: Documents on the Canadian Jewish Experience (1627-1923), edited by Richard Menkis and Pierre Anctil.

Later this fall, in partnership with Jewish Family Services, JMABC will put together the Supper Club, a series of dinners designed to share food and stories that reflect the diversity of the Jewish community in the province. Past menus have included Sephardi meatballs, namoura (orange cake) and Syrian-Argentinian fusion.

For the spring, Wenner is planning a pop-up exhibit that will showcase the original JMABC collection, when it used to be situated at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.  “We are hoping to revamp the exhibit and connect the story to where the Jewish community in Vancouver is today,” she said.

During warmer periods of the year, JMABC will continue to offer historic walking tours of Mountain View Cemetery and the Oakridge, Strathcona and Gastown neighbourhoods.

To find out more and to view current online exhibits, visit jewishmuseum.ca.

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

New librarian at Waldman

Jill Pineau (photo from Waldman Library)

The Isaac Waldman Jewish Public Library welcomed Jill Pineau as its new head librarian in August. She takes over the position from Maiya Letourneau, who is now a teacher/librarian at King David High School.

“It’s been a lot of fast-paced learning. Maiya has helped to make the transition as seamless as possible and I really admire the way she ran the library for the last two years,” Pineau said in a recent interview with theIndependent.

“The library’s staff, Megan Rodgers and Anita Brown, our dedicated volunteers and all of the staff at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver (JCCGV) have also been very supportive,” said Pineau. “The Waldman Library is well-loved and well-used by community members and managing it is a big role for anyone to take on, but I’m so happy to be in a role that I know will challenge me to learn something new every day, and I’m really enjoying the work so far.”

As she settles in, Pineau will be drafting a strategic plan to work on priorities for the next year. Fundraising, she noted, remains a continual project for the library, as it relies on donors to provide resources and services to the community. Each year, the library runs a telethon in August and a book sale in February. To this, Pineau hopes to add a third fundraiser in an effort to sustain a steady stream of donations.

Further, she intends to offer compelling programs and services that meet the needs of library patrons. She would like to expand the library’s collection with titles by Indigenous and LGBTQ2S+ authors, along with more children’s books for the library’s storytime programming.

“I also want to focus on marketing and outreach efforts geared towards the wider public to attract new users into the library,” said Pineau, who is currently arranging to have a few fall events up and running. “Waldman Library could be a great resource for non-Jewish Vancouverites to learn about Jewish history and topics, and I’d love to see it used that way a little bit more in the future.”

Born in Alberta, Pineau grew up in Mattawa, a small town in northeastern Ontario. She moved to Kingston, where she studied at Queen’s University before moving to Vancouver in 2021 to attend the University of British Columbia.

“I was attracted to UBC’s Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) program because I was looking for a way to get into the information field, and I really wanted to try out life in BC. I love research, project management, connecting with people and having autonomy in my day-to-day work, and the program was very in line with these interests,” she said.

Though still early in her career, Pineau brings a range of skills and experience to the job. She has held research assistant positions for various nonprofit organizations and the City of Kingston. While pursuing her MLIS degree, she worked in two special libraries, spending a year managing projects at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs Library in Victoria and completing a practicum credit at Lululemon’s Raw Materials Library, a library of fabric and related items.

“Special libraries are unique because they serve a specific user group or purpose, often through a special collection,” Pineau explained. “That focus allows for interesting projects and interactions.

“I love Waldman Library, and I would classify it as a special library because about 90% of its holdings are by Jewish authors or relate to Jewish history and topics. We also have a large collection of Hebrew books. But the library is still very much a public library, open to all and aiming to serve its community thoughtfully. In this way, it’s a very dynamic and exciting place to work for me.”

Pineau also has spent time as a journalist, first with the community paper in Mattawa, then with Queen’s Journal while in university. When the pandemic started in 2020, she freelanced for the Kingston Local and the Kingstonist.

“I loved the autonomy that type of work afforded me, but I had a mind to continue developing and focusing my career and that’s what ultimately brought me to graduate school,” she said.

Established in 1994, the Waldman Library is located on the second floor of the Vancouver JCC and is open Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The library maintains six computers, which are open to users.

In the past 12 months, more than 4,500 visitors came to the library to read, study, work, play and socialize, said Pineau. During this period, close to 3,600 books, DVDs and other materials were checked out, and the library added 475 titles to its collection. Overall, the library has more than 15,000 titles in its collection.

In acknowledging the support of the community, Pineau said, “I want to say thank you to all of the library’s patrons, who have been so kind and welcoming over the last few weeks. It’s been lovely connecting with a new community – I’m very happy to be here.”

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

Tulchinsky at VPL as 2023 writer in residence

Vancouver Public Library’s 2023 writer in residence is Vancouver author Aren X. Tulchinsky, the writer formerly known as Karen X. Tulchinsky.

Tulchinsky is a novelist, screenwriter, video editor and writing mentor, and an out and proud member of the LGBTQ2S+ community. He is the recipient of awards such as the One Book One Vancouver Prize and Vancity Book Prize for his written works, which include The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky, In Her Nature, Love Ruins Everything and Love and Other Ruins.

He has also written for and edited on numerous television series, including The Nature of Things for CBC. His short film, Ms. Thing, has screened internationally in more than 50 film festivals and won the Audience Choice Award at the Queer Fruits Film Festival in Australia.

“My passion has always been to tell stories, especially stories set in communities that have been historically underrepresented in Canadian literature,” said Tulchinsky. “I am Jewish from a working-class background. I came out as a lesbian as a teenager, and now identify as a transgender man. As a member of several marginalized communities, I have always written from the heart and I welcome the opportunity to mentor emerging writers on their own journeys – especially those from underrepresented communities, such as BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ writers.”

This fall, Tulchinsky will work directly with aspiring writers through a series of writing workshops, individual consults and special events at the library. He’ll also be working on a new novel, Second Son, which follows a transgender man who is grieving the premature death of his father, coming to terms with the loss of his only brother 10 years earlier, and learning to love himself in the process.

Find out more at vpl.ca/writer.

– Courtesy Vancouver Public Library