Familiar song from long ago
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return / And come with song unto Zion.” (Isaiah 35:10) Seville, Spain, summer 1480 “The fire is painful to the flesh, but kind to the soul,” said the man in red velvet robes…
Op-Ed
Shul etiquette “commandments”
There’s no use in pretending it doesn’t bother me. The woman has invaded my sacrosanct space and time! But what can I do about it? Let me explain. I have a precious and brief time that I dedicate to enhancing…
Moments with Elie Wiesel
Robert Krell, left, and Elie Wiesel. (photo from Robert Krell) I met Prof. Elie Wiesel in 1978. I was 38 years old. He was 49. Elie, as he insisted I call him, came to Vancouver to speak at a commemorative…
Cancer makes me angry
Cancer. Now I’ve said it. Just saying it tightens up my gut. It makes me want to swallow. I look around to see if anyone can sense the anger, the blind rage that surges through me. I find myself breathing…
Poland’s wartime contradictions
In August, Poland’s right-wing cabinet approved a bill that would criminalize using the phrase “Polish death camp” or “Polish concentration camp,” with punishments including fines or imprisonment. The bill raises questions about Poland’s role in the Holocaust. It echoes the…
BDS puts Green party in turmoil
In early August, the Green Party of Canada voted at its national convention to endorse boycott-divestment-sanctions (BDS) measures against segments of Israel’s economy and society. BDS advocates were quick to claim victory, citing that the Greens are now the first…
Those who came before us
I was recently in Australia, where I presented at Limmud Oz, a Jewish festival of learning. One thing – among many – that struck me about the community was that, on more than one occasion, Limmud sessions or other parlor…
A call to community seniors
Recently, I met an old friend. During our conversation over coffee, he asked if I was still involved with the Jewish Seniors Alliance of Greater Vancouver. “Of course,” I said. With a funny look on his face, he said, “You…
A 22-year-old open wound
Every year on July 18, thousands of people gather to remember the victims of the AMIA bombing, and demand that justice prevails. (photo by Jaluj via commons.wikimedia.org) After more than 20 years, an entire nation continues to search for answers and…
Why are you attached to Israel?
I was recently invited to speak to an Ottawa-based Israeli-Palestinian relations group on the topic of Canadian Jews and Israel. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of public opinion data available on Canadian Jewish attitudes. We have some broad strokes on…
