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Community unites in grief

photo - Jewish Vancouverites and allies came together in grief and determination in a community vigil Monday night, Oct. 9, outside the Vancouver Art Gallery

Jewish Vancouverites and allies came together in grief and determination in a community vigil Monday night, Oct. 9, outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. (photo by Pat Johnson) Several hundred Jewish Vancouverites and allies came together in grief and determination in…

The situation is surreal

photo - Downtown Jerusalem is deserted apart from Israel Border Police deployed in Zion Square

Downtown Jerusalem is deserted apart from Israel Border Police deployed in Zion Square. (photo by Gil Zohar) It is Oct. 9. My wife Randi calls me while I am riding Jerusalem’s all-but-empty light rail, returning from a bat mitzvah celebration of…

The sounds of terror attacks

Editor’s note: This article is a reprint of an Oct. 7 Facebook post. “What the heck?!” I sat up in bed and looked at my husband. There was a siren blaring. Instinctively, I reached for my phone – but it…

Grief is overwhelming

The Jewish community worldwide is experiencing pain and despair. Feelings of grief for the murdered, empathy for the injured, rage at the perpetrators and anguish and terror for the kidnapped are overwhelming. The deep heartbreak is palpable. While events in…

Finding awe & wonder again

As a kid, I remember sitting through High Holidays with my family at our Reform congregation. We’d hit a section in the services where the English responsive reading, inspired by the Hebrew, used words like “awe,” “awesome” and “supreme.” There…

Melding multiple forms of art

photo - Karina Bromberg during Eden Shabtai‘s Elevate Intensive in Los Angeles in August 2022

Karina Bromberg during Eden Shabtai‘s Elevate Intensive in Los Angeles in August 2022. (photo from Karina Bromberg) “I think the difference between my dream as a kid and my wanting to do this professionally was getting to experience the behind-the-scenes…

Oktopus tours province

photo - Oktopus performs at Massey Theatre Oct. 21

Oktopus performs at Massey Theatre Oct. 21. (photo © Emmanuel Crombez) Juno-nominated klezmer group Oktopus brings their unique sound and high energy performance to Massey Theatre on Oct. 21. The New Westminster concert is the culmination of a BC tour that includes Oliver,…

The fun in fundraising

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

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,…

Live music at JSA party

photo - The Brock House Society Big Band performs after the Jewish Seniors Alliance AGM Oct. 26

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.…

Survivors a cautionary tale

photo - On Oct. 29 at the Phoenix Theatre in Victoria, there will be a one-night-only performance of Wendy Kout’s play Survivors, which is touring schools this month

On Oct. 29 at the Phoenix Theatre in Victoria, there will be a one-night-only performance of Wendy Kout’s play Survivors, which is touring schools this month. (photo by Peter Nadler) In light of the success of last year’s pilot tour,…

The Debaters special edition

photo - The special Chutzpah! Festival edition of The Debators will be moderated by Kate Davis

The special Chutzpah! Festival edition of The Debators will be moderated by Kate Davis. (photo from Chutzpah!) This year’s Chutzpah! Festival opens with a bold question: “The Ten Commandments. Holy Moses, is it time for some new ones?” And the audience…

A voice to Lithuania’s victims

photo - Grant Gochin in J’Accuse!, which can be screened online as part of the South African Film Festival Nov. 2-12

Grant Gochin in J’Accuse!, which can be screened online as part of the South African Film Festival Nov. 2-12. (screenshot) The award-winning film J’Accuse! is about the alliance between Grant Gochin, a Jewish activist for Lithuanian Holocaust truth, and Silvia Foti, the…

Tell your own “crankie” stories

illustration - Where Do Stories Come From? (fun vanen nemen zikh di mayses) on Nov. 9 highlights a poem from each of three Yiddish women writers: Ida Maze, Esther Shumiatcher-Hirschbein and Yudika

Where Do Stories Come From? (fun vanen nemen zikh di mayses) on Nov. 9 highlights a poem from each of three Yiddish women writers: Ida Maze, Esther Shumiatcher-Hirschbein and Yudika. (Illustration by Cesario Lavery) This year’s Chutzpah! Festival includes several…

Following historic footsteps

photo - Elam Rotem, founder and director of Profeti della Quinta, which plays in Vancouver Nov. 9

Elam Rotem, founder and director of Profeti della Quinta, which plays in Vancouver Nov. 9. (photo by Theresa Pewal Photographie) Swiss ensemble Profeti della Quinta, directed by Elam Rotem, brings Stars of  the Italian Renaissance: Monteverdi & Rossi to Vancouver…

Lanyi debuts in March

photo - Israeli pianist Ariel Lanyi performs in Vancouver March 3

Israeli pianist Ariel Lanyi performs in Vancouver March 3. (photo by Kaupo Kikkas) Israeli pianist Ariel Lanyi will make his Canadian debut on March 3, 3 p.m., at the Vancouver Playhouse in a concert presented by the Vancouver Recital Society.…

Talking on democracy

photo - 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

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…

20 new affordable rentals

photo - Susana Cogan Place

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…

Cookies and muffins for fall

photo - Peanut cookies are so good, it’s hard to keep a batch around once you get a whiff of them

Peanut cookies are so good, it’s hard to keep a batch around once you get a whiff of them. (photo by Shelley Civkin) I’m definitely my happiest when it’s blueberry season in Vancouver. You know what I’m talking about –…

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…

Vazana at Chutzpah! Fest

Nani Noam Vazana performs at the Rothstein Theatre Nov. 11 as part of this year’s Chutzpah! Festival. (photo from NaniMusic.com/ProLadino) Gracing the cover of this year’s Chutzpah! Festival guide and posters is Nani Noam Vazana. The Amsterdam-based musician is one…

VIFF films explore humanity

photo - Filmmaker Sam Green will narrate live his documentary 32 Sounds, which is part of the Vancouver International Film Festival

Filmmaker Sam Green will narrate live his documentary 32 Sounds, which is part of the Vancouver International Film Festival. (photo by Catalina Kulczar) “There’s a thing in documentary filmmaking where, after you’ve done an interview with someone, you need to…

Past, present & future

Jewish tradition says that all Jews were at Sinai. The people of Israel who fled Egypt received the Torah, but not just the travelers from the Exodus story were there. In the Jewish narrative, the handing down of the word…

VIFF 2023 ticket giveaway

image - A still from the film Kidnapped

A still from the film Kidnapped, which is set in 19th-century Italy. In it, a 6-year-old Jewish child is abducted by papal soldiers who inform his parents that the boy was secretly baptized by a maid. If they want him…

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…

A land of contradictions

photo - Sorour Abdollahi’s solo exhibit Intersecting Landscapes is now at Zack Gallery

Sorour Abdollahi’s solo exhibit Intersecting Landscapes is now at Zack Gallery. (photo by Olga Livshin) Over the years, Iranian-Canadian artist Sorour Abdollahi has participated in several group shows at Zack Gallery, but the current exhibition, Intersecting Landscapes, which opened on…

Love and relationships

photo - 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

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…

Elana Wenner joins museum

photo - Elana Wenner

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…

New librarian at Waldman

photo - Jill Pineau

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.…