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RJDS’s new early ed program

photo - RJDS preschool children gather for Shabbat celebration, with Sara Solomon assisting

Richmond Jewish Day School preschool children gather for Shabbat celebration, with Sara Solomon assisting. (photo from RJDS) Sara Solomon, Richmond Jewish Day School’s new program director for early education, knows firsthand the importance of a community-centred Jewish day school. She…

Petitioning for change

photo - Richmond educator Alisa Magnan is petitioning Richmond city council to create, adopt and publish a truth and reconciliation policy

Richmond educator Alisa Magnan is petitioning Richmond city council to create, adopt and publish a truth and reconciliation policy. (photo from Alisa Magnan) On Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Richmond educator and Jewish community member Alisa…

New cantor welcomed

photo - Left to right: Cantor Josh Breitzer, Cantor Shani Cohen, Rabbi Kylynn Cohen, Prof. Joyce Rosenzweig and Cantor Lianna Mendelson at Shani Cohen’s installation as cantor at Temple Sholom the weekend of Oct. 28-29

Left to right: Cantor Josh Breitzer, Cantor Shani Cohen, Rabbi Kylynn Cohen, Prof. Joyce Rosenzweig and Cantor Lianna Mendelson at Shani Cohen’s installation as cantor at Temple Sholom the weekend of Oct. 28-29. (photo from facebook.com) Temple Sholom officially installed…

Racism talk versus action

When George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020, it reawakened awareness about police violence and institutional racism in the United States and beyond. Nearly three years later, many of the anti-racist pledges made during that time…

Fresh new start to year

photo - Gloria Levi and Michael Lee were honoured by Jewish Seniors Alliance for their contributions to the well-being of seniors in the community, as was Dolores Luber

Gloria Levi and Michael Lee were honoured by Jewish Seniors Alliance for their contributions to the well-being of seniors in the community, as was Dolores Luber. (photo from JSA) When you looked around the room at Congregation Beth Israel on…

Which path to choose?

photo - Left to right: Misha Kobiliansky (Luther), Matthew Bissett (Faustus) and Dylan Nouri (Hamlet) in United Players’ production of Wittenberg, which is at Jericho Arts Centre Nov. 11-Dec. 4

Left to right: Misha Kobiliansky (Luther), Matthew Bissett (Faustus) and Dylan Nouri (Hamlet) in United Players’ production of Wittenberg, which is at Jericho Arts Centre Nov. 11-Dec. 4. (photo by Nancy Caldwell) The play Wittenberg tackles heady subjects – skepticism or…

New play honours Sugihara

photo - Yukiko and Chiune Sugihara

Yukiko and Chiune Sugihara (photo from Firehall Arts Centre) It is written in the Mishnah that, “If you save the life of one person, it is as if you save the entire world.” Chiune Sugihara saved 6,000 Jewish lives –…

A crush leads to new career

photo - Liz Glazer headlines the Nov. 24 Chutzpah! event Celebrating Queer Jewish Comedy

Liz Glazer headlines the Nov. 24 Chutzpah! event Celebrating Queer Jewish Comedy. (photo from Chutzpah!) Lawyer-turned-comedian Liz Glazer shares the Rothstein Theatre stage Nov. 24 with the Holy Sisters, Israeli drag queens Ziona Patriot and Talula Bonet, in the Chutzpah!…

How to be radically creative

photo - Linda Dayan Frimer speaks about her new book, Luminous, at the Waldman Library on Nov. 27

Linda Dayan Frimer speaks about her new book, Luminous, at the Waldman Library on Nov. 27. (photo from Linda Dayan Frimer) Linda Dayan Frimer’s new coffee table book, Luminous: An Artist’s Story as a Guide to Radical Creativity, takes the…

Reviving Jewish roots

JunkOy! recently released their new 10-track album, Once Upon a Time in Odessa. It has been busy fall for Vancouver-based ensemble JunkOy!, culminating with the promotion of a 10-track album, Once Upon a Time in Odessa. At the same time,…

מדד בועת הנדל”ן העולמי

image - Vancouver skyline at night

בנק ההשקעות השוויצי יו.בי.אס פרסם לאחרונה את המדד השנתי שלו של בועות הנדל”ן בעולם. על פי המדד על רשימת עשר הערים המסוכנות ביותר מבחינת בועדת הנד”לן נמנות טורונטו וונקובר מקנדה, וכן תל אביב מישראל.על פי המדד של בועודת הנדל”ן של…

Teaching about charity

photo - Ellen Schwartz, founder of Project Give Back

Ellen Schwartz, founder of Project Give Back. (photo from LinkedIn) Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver’s Choices, the largest celebration of women’s philanthropy in the community, takes place Nov. 3 at Congregation Beth Israel. At the event, featured speaker Ellen Schwartz,…

Art of unweaving as midrash

image - “Romemu” by Laurie Wohl

“Romemu” by Laurie Wohl. Laurie Wohl’s “unweavings” are currently on display at the Zack Gallery, until Nov. 8. The exhibit, Journeys, features two of the New York artist’s collections: the Shabbat Project and the Meditation Project. “By unweaving the fabric,…

Israel’s best revenge

In an email briefing this week, the English-language news platform Times of Israel declared: “UN releases 2nd damning report on Israel; real estate soars.” These were two unrelated stories. The United Nations had unveiled another in its persistent condemnations of…

Civic election results

photo - Jonathan Lerner, left, Christine Boyle and Dan Ruimy were among the winners in the recent municipal elections

Jonathan Lerner, left, Christine Boyle and Dan Ruimy were among the winners in the recent municipal elections. (PR photos) Municipal elections across British Columbia brought numerous surprises and a number of defeats for incumbent mayors, notably in both of the…

Omnitsky Kosher up for sale

photo - Omnitsky Kosher on Oak Street, just south of 41st Avenue

Omnitsky Kosher on Oak Street, just south of 41st Avenue. (internet photo) There was a time – at least within the lifetime of older readers – when there seemed to be a kosher butcher on every corner of Winnipeg’s old North…

Judaism’s differing practices

Burquest Jewish Community Centre has invited a series of local Jewish leaders to visit the centre and discuss their approach to Jewish practice. A Coat of Many Colours: Conversations about Jewish Practice takes place every other Sunday, through Dec. 11.…

Instilling a love of the arts

photo - Merewyn Comeau and Raes Calvert in Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish, which is on the Chutzpah! stage Nov. 18-19

Merewyn Comeau and Raes Calvert in Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish, which is on the Chutzpah! stage Nov. 18-19. (photo by Javier Sotres) For the first time, the Chutzpah! Festival, which was launched in 2001, is presenting programming specifically targeted…

Exploring youth, adulthood

photo - Left to right: Stephen Aberle, David Bloom, Suzanne Ristic and Gustavo Fabres are among the cast of Western Gold Theatre’s production of Seventeen, which opens Nov. 4

Left to right: Stephen Aberle, David Bloom, Suzanne Ristic and Gustavo Fabres are among the cast of Western Gold Theatre’s production of Seventeen, which opens Nov. 4. (photo by Javier Sotres) None of us can go back in time and relive…

Community thanks Horgan

photo - B.C. Premier John Horgan speaks at Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue in Victoria on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 19

B.C. Premier John Horgan speaks at Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue in Victoria on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 19. (photo from Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island) The Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island and its partners, the Jewish Federation…

Korczak legacy lives

Adrienne Montani and Landon Pearson were honoured this month by the Janusz Korczak Association of Canada as the 2022 laureates of the Janusz Korczak Awards in Child Advocacy. Jerry Nussbaum, president of the association, described the legacy of Korczak, a…

Sar-El faces a legal challenge

The Canadian arm of an Israeli organization that provides volunteers for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is facing a legal challenge to show that it does not violate Canadian law. Sar-El Canada is slated to go to court in Toronto…

How much is your work worth?

Imagine an interview where the interviewer wanders around the office, conducting work while asking intrusive personal questions. The interviewee trails behind. An hour-long appointment stretches into two. Things get further off track. The potential employee, apologizing profusely, gets herself out…

A new philanthropic strategy

The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity (EWF) in New York is launching a new impact-driven philanthropic strategy to advance human rights around the world. The foundation, led by Elisha and Marion Wiesel, will adopt a hybrid approach that will not…

הבירוקרטיה מנצחת – פרק נוסף

הבירוקרטיה ממשיכה לנהל את החיים שלנו. הזכרתי בטורים הקודמים כי לאחר מותי אמי בחודש פברואר השנה , אחי בישראל ואני כאן בוונקובר, נדרשנו לטפל בצוואת ההורים, אך לאור הבירוקרטיה התהליך הפך למסובך ביותר בנק הפועלים עיכב את שחרור הכסף מהחשבון של…

Stewart, Sim spar at forum

photo - Left to right: Fred Harding, Colleen Hardwick, Mark Marissen, Ken Sim and Kennedy Stewart at the CIJA-SUCCESS Vancouver Mayoral Pre-Election Townhall last month at Temple Sholom

Left to right: Fred Harding, Colleen Hardwick, Mark Marissen, Ken Sim and Kennedy Stewart at the CIJA-SUCCESS Vancouver Mayoral Pre-Election Townhall last month at Temple Sholom. (photo by Pat Johnson) A forum for Vancouver’s leading mayoral candidates briefly descended into…

Explore Persian culture

photo - Arash Khakpour and Alexis Fletcher première All my being is a dark verse (working title) Nov. 9-10 at the Rothstein Theatre

Arash Khakpour and Alexis Fletcher première All my being is a dark verse (working title) Nov. 9-10 at the Rothstein Theatre. (photo by Peter Smida) This year’s Chutzpah! Festival, which takes place Nov. 3-24, highlights Persian culture. The decision to…

Make voting a priority

Voters throughout British Columbia will elect new mayors, councilors, school trustees and (depending on the jurisdiction) other officials on Oct. 15. Over the past several decades, terms for municipal officials have gone from two years to three years to, now,…