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freelancer

Traveling into our past

photo - Christians preparing to be baptized in the Jordan River

Christians preparing to be baptized in the Jordan River. (photo by Barry Kaplan) A few days prior to Passover, the Israeli Government Press Office organized a special field trip to the Jordan River and Jericho. The bus with 40 journalists…

A miracle in Beit Shemesh?

photo - Beit Shemesh

(photo by Davidbena) Beit Shemesh is centrally located, halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Many Moroccan immigrants were settled here in tent camps in the 1950s, followed by many subsequent immigrants, including from Ethiopia, the former Soviet Union, North America,…

Last Letters online exhibit

photo - Susan-Zsuzsa and Lili Klein

Susan-Zsuzsa and Lili Klein (photo from Yad Vashem via Ashernet) On April 13, 1944, sisters Susan-Zsuzsa and Lili Klein (in photo) wrote their father Hugo a short letter: “Dear Daddy, We are well – goodbye.” Hugo had been drafted into…

Sniffing helps us think

image - Subjects given problems to solve as they inhaled did better on tests

Subjects given problems to solve as they inhaled did better on tests. (image from wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il) A shot of espresso, a piece of chocolate or a headstand – all of these have been recommended before taking a big test. The best…

העיר חמישית היקרה בעולם

photo - Vancouver is the fifth most expensive city in the world in terms of prices of apartments on a global level

ונקובר העיר חמישית היקרה בעולם מבחינת מחירי דירות ברמה הגלובלית. (Mac9) חברת הנדל”ן סי.בי.אר.אי פירסמה את הדוח השנתי שבדק את שוקי הנדל”ן בשלושים וחמש ערים לשנה הנוכחית. אסיה בראש הנכסים היקרים כשהונג קונג במקום הראשון שנה חמישית ברציפות, סינגפור שנייה…

קנדה תמשיך לתמוך בפתרון שתי המדינות

photo - Ma'ale Adumim, Israel

מעלה אדומים, ישראל (David Mosberg) “עמדתה של קנדה נותרה ללא שינוי ואנו נמשיך לתמוך בפתרון של שתי המדינות במזרח התיכון”. כך אמר בפרלמנט, ראש ממשלת קנדה, ג’סטין טרודו. דבריו נאמרו על רקע תוצאות הבחירות בישראל, שעל פי הן שוב נבחר…

Israeli music icon sings here

photo - Yoni Rechter will be in Vancouver to perform for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut

Yoni Rechter will be in Vancouver to perform for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut. (photo from Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver) “I love to know the world through music, and music has brought me to many places …. When I…

Friendly below the radar

photo - At the JNF Negev Gala April 14, left to right: comedian Elon Gold, JNF Pacific Region president Bernice Carmeli, Ambassador Ron Prosor, JNF Pacific Region executive director Ilan Pilo and JNF Canada chief executive officer Lance Davis

At the JNF Negev Gala April 14, left to right: comedian Elon Gold, JNF Pacific Region president Bernice Carmeli, Ambassador Ron Prosor, JNF Pacific Region executive director Ilan Pilo and JNF Canada chief executive officer Lance Davis. (photo from JNF…

The power of resilience

photo - Ballet BC dancers Scott Fowler and Parker Finley in rehearsal for the company’s final program of the season, which features all Jewish community choreographers

Ballet BC dancers Scott Fowler and Parker Finley in rehearsal for the company’s final program of the season, which features all Jewish community choreographers. (photo by Michael Slobodian) Ballet BC concludes its season May 9-11 with Program 3, featuring all…

Defending a neo-Nazi

photo - Kenton Klassen, left, and John Voth co-star in Pacific Theatre’s production of Cherry Docs

Kenton Klassen, left, and John Voth co-star in Pacific Theatre’s production of Cherry Docs. (photo by Dylan Hamm) I often wonder, as a lawyer and the child of a Holocaust survivor, if I would be able to defend a skinhead charged…

Responding to the landscape

image - “ReView 2” by Ian Penn

“ReView 2” by Ian Penn. Ian Penn is not a new name for regular visitors to the Zack Gallery, which has exhibited his work before. “I like this gallery,” Penn told the Independent. “It’s like a public marketplace. It’s transparent…

Tapestry up for raffle

photo - Barbara Heller

Barbara Heller (photo by Olga Livshin) Temple Sholom’s Dreamers and Builders gala is not only a time to celebrate, but to raise funds for the synagogue. In addition to honouring Jack Lutsky and Susan Mendelson, this year’s sold-out event on…

Strongmen bromance

Binyamin Netanyahu appears comfortably ensconced in the Israeli prime minister’s office after last week’s elections. While his Likud bloc effectively tied for seats with the upstart Blue and White party, the smattering of smaller parties are mostly of the nationalist,…

Interacting with genocide

photo - A project of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, the national educational tour about the Holodomor began in 2015 and has reached about 30,000 Canadian high school students so far

A project of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, the national educational tour about the Holodomor began in 2015 and has reached about 30,000 Canadian high school students so far. (photo by Pat Johnson) What constitutes a genocide? How many Ukrainians were murdered…

Stressed out by technology

photo - Elan Divon speaks at King David High School earlier this month

Elan Divon speaks at King David High School earlier this month. (photo from KDHS) Elan Divon has found his passion and purpose in life – helping people to find their passion and to confidently fulfil a purpose that not only…

Intern a student and teacher

photo - Xianzhi (Paul) Chen, in the Lakers T-shirt, not only led programming at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, but participated in it

Xianzhi (Paul) Chen, in the Lakers T-shirt, not only led programming at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, but participated in it. (photo from JCC) Xianzhi (Paul) Chen came to Canada from China in 2011 with his family. He…

Trying to make access equal

photo - Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg

Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg (photo from Rockman-Greenberg) In the 1970s, when Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg was eyeing the budding field of genetics as a career, she had to become a pediatric doctor first. Now, Rockman-Greenberg counts her clinical background as a blessing,…

Bittons bring home honours from New York

photo - Silver trophy winner Levi Bitton, 11, and medal winner Mendel Bitton, 14, with their father, Rabbi Binyomin Bitton, director of Chabad of Downtown Vancouver, at the International Chidon Sefer Hamitzvos

Silver trophy winner Levi Bitton, 11, and medal winner Mendel Bitton, 14, with their father, Rabbi Binyomin Bitton, director of Chabad of Downtown Vancouver, at the International Chidon Sefer Hamitzvos. (photo from Chabad of Downtown) Seven months of diligent study…

Animal Behaviour’s double honours

image - A scene from Alison Snowden and David Fine’s Animal Behaviour: Victor acts out

A scene from Alison Snowden and David Fine’s Animal Behaviour: Victor acts out. (image from National Film Board of Canada) Alison Snowden and David Fine’s National Film Board animated short Animal Behaviour won for best animated short at the Canadian…

Safe, healthy and respectful

photo - Campers at Pennsylvania’s Camp Havaya

Campers at Pennsylvania’s Camp Havaya. (photo from Camp Havaya) In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers), Ben Zoma says, “Who is honourable? One who honours others.” The Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Shmira Initiative “aims to make camps safe, healthy and…

Mystery photo … April 19/19

photo - Two unidentified women hold a White Elephant sign for Hadassah Bazaar collection, 1953

Two unidentified women hold a White Elephant sign for Hadassah Bazaar collection, 1953. (photo from JWB fonds, JMABC L.10545) If you know someone in this photo, please help the JI fill the gaps of its predecessor’s (the Jewish Western Bulletin’s)…

Spring cleaning

photo - Crews from the office of the Rabbi of the Western Wall remove tens of thousands of written prayers from the Western Wall

Crews from the office of the Rabbi of the Western Wall remove tens of thousands of written prayers from the Western Wall. (photo by Gil Zohar) On April 10, equipped with long sticks, crews from the office of the Rabbi…

נשיאה של ישראל ביקור בקנדה

photo - President Reuven Rivlin recently held an official visit to Canada, which included a working meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

נשיא המדינה, ראובן ריבלין, קיים לאחרונה ביקור רשמי בקנדה, שכלל פגישת עבודה עם ראש הממשלה, ג‘סטין טרודו. (Mark Neiman GPO) נשיא המדינה, ראובן ריבלין, קיים לאחרונה ביקור רשמי בקנדה, שכלל פגישת עבודה עם ראש הממשלה, ג’סטין טרודו. טרודו אמר לריבלין…

Politicians speak at AIPAC

photo - Clockwise, from top left: U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence, Joe Lieberman, Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Cory Booker address attendees of last month’s AIPAC Policy Conference

Clockwise, from top left: U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence, Joe Lieberman, Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Cory Booker address attendees of last month’s AIPAC Policy Conference. (photos by Dave Gordon) U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence, in addition to other ranking American politicians,…

Connecting beyond art

photo - “Sydney Beach Cliff” (Australia)

“Sydney Beach Cliff” (Australia) by Talin Wayrynen. Art Vancouver’s dictum is “Connect. Inspire. Educate.” This year’s fair brings together almost 100 exhibitors from around the world to Vancouver Convention Centre East April 25-28, and features art classes, guided tours, speakers,…

Monitoring online hate

On Monday, Facebook eliminated many extremist pages from its platform, including several Canadian pages, such as those of extremist groups Soldiers of Odin, the Canadian Nationalist Front and Aryan Strikeforce, as well as individuals like white supremacists Faith Goldy and…

Together on path to freedom

Passover is coming! As we prepare, we think of what it means to be enslaved and to be free. Some seders focus on human rights. Others read and discuss Jewish texts about how to understand the holiday. Every year, we…

A story of survival and safety

photo - Welcomers of the Alsedawe family at Vancouver International Airport Jan. 21

Welcomers of the Alsedawe family at Vancouver International Airport Jan. 21. (Adele Lewin Photography) More than three years ago, Hanan Alsedawe’s family story of survival began as a waiting game on both sides of the ocean. But, on Jan. 21,…

Educating rabbinical students

photo - T’ruah students help plant trees in the Hebron Hills

T’ruah students help plant trees in the Hebron Hills. (photo from T’ruah) U.S.-based T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights works in Jewish social justice circles in Israel and North America. “We work with human rights of both Israelis and…

A story told in art and poetry

image - Olga Campbell’s acrylic painting “Remembering,” above, and bronze sculpture “Twins II” are just two of many artworks she includes in A Whisper Across Time

Olga Campbell’s acrylic painting “Remembering,” above, and bronze sculpture “Twins II” are just two of many artworks she includes in A Whisper Across Time. Grief is many-faceted. Sometimes, we’re not even aware for what we’re grieving. One of the most…