Category Local

Vernon’s Jewish community

photo - The exhibit Shedding Some Light on the Jewish Community in Vernon is at the Museum and Archives of Vernon until the beginning of April

The exhibit Shedding Some Light on the Jewish Community in Vernon is at the Museum and Archives of Vernon until the beginning of April. (photo from Alexandra Fox) If you are passing through the Okanagan between now and the beginning…

Building skills and confidence

photo - Shelly Bordensky is the JCC Inclusion Services support worker for PRISM

Shelly Bordensky is the JCC Inclusion Services support worker for PRISM. (photo from JCCGV) A new program at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver aims to equip 13-to-17-year-olds with leadership skills, personal insights and paid work experience. Funded by a…

Concerns over inflation

Last fall, the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver surveyed the impact of inflation on its community partner organizations. As with many recent reports on the effects of rising prices, the feedback was sobering, said Shelley Rivkin, vice-president of global and…

Helping feed community

photo - Dr. Randall and Shalene Trester, who run West 1st Chiropractic Wellness Centre. Last year, their food drive collected more than 400 pounds of food for the Jewish Food Bank

Dr. Randall and Shalene Trester, who run West 1st Chiropractic Wellness Centre. Last year, their food drive collected more than 400 pounds of food for the Jewish Food Bank. (photo by Allison Kuhl) Since 2016, patients at West 1st Chiropractic…

A unique bat mitzvah

photo - Chaya Mushka Hecht gives her bat mitzvah speech

Chaya Mushka Hecht gives her bat mitzvah speech. (photo from Chabad Okanagan) More than 50 women and girls gathered recently to celebrate a Jewish community milestone in Kelowna. It was the bat mitzvah of Chaya Mushka Hecht, the eldest daughter…

My Way Bikery expands

photo - My Way Bikery owners Moshe and Leah Appel

My Way Bikery owners Moshe and Leah Appel. (photo from My Way Bikery) Vancouver Island’s only kosher bakery started the new secular year with new owners, Moshe and Leah Appel, and a slightly new name. What was formerly known as…

Dutch survivor shares his story

photo - Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim (third from right) lit memorial candles with Holocaust survivors (from left) Rita Akselrod, Amalia Boe-Fishman, Marie Doduck, Claude Romney, Peter Suedfeld and Ella Levitt. Behind are Nina Krieger of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and Cantor Shani Cohen of Temple Sholom

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim (third from right) lit memorial candles with Holocaust survivors (from left) Rita Akselrod, Amalia Boe-Fishman, Marie Doduck, Claude Romney, Peter Suedfeld and Ella Levitt. Behind are Nina Krieger of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and Cantor…

Survivor receives ovation

photo - Lillian Boraks-Nemetz speaks at Government House on Jan. 19

Lillian Boraks-Nemetz speaks at Government House on Jan. 19. (photo from ltgov.bc.ca) On Jan. 19, Lillian Boraks-Nemetz received a standing ovation for her speech at an event hosted by the lieutenant governor of British Columbia, Janet Austin, at Government House…

JDC’s Ukraine efforts

photo - Marina Sonkina shares her experiences as a volunteer with the JDC in Poland last year, helping Ukrainian refugees

Marina Sonkina shares her experiences as a volunteer with the JDC in Poland last year, helping Ukrainian refugees. (photo by Masumi Kikuchi) This year’s annual Raoul Wallenberg Day in Vancouver honoured the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) for “its…

Unique testimony on stage

photo - Kalman Bar-On, left, and Leopold Lowy at their reunion in 2002

Kalman Bar-On, left, and Leopold Lowy at their reunion in 2002. (photo from Richard Lowy) An SS guard walked down the line of prisoners gathered for roll call at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1944 and randomly picked two boys out of the…