Category World

Immigration challenges

photo - Six-year-old Biniyam Tesfahun with his family shortly before being transported to Israel for heart surgery

Six-year-old Biniyam Tesfahun with his family shortly before being transported to Israel for heart surgery. (photo by Basleel Tadesse) Last month, while Israel was still in lockdown, an urgent flight from Ethiopia arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport. The airport was closed and…

Looking for Sklut family

image - In looking through the Jewish Independent’s archives, after reading this article, this photo of Pte. Paul Sklut was found

In looking through the Jewish Independent’s archives, after reading this article, this photo of Pte. Paul Sklut was found. A Belgian tour guide and historian, Niko Van Kerckhoven, wrote to me recently. Van Kerckhoven, 50, and his teenaged son, regularly…

Court verdict on Grabowski

photo - Jan Grabowski

Jan Grabowski (photo from facebook.com/TheCJN) A Polish court’s ruling that a Canadian Holocaust scholar must apologize for tarnishing the memory of a wartime mayor in Poland continues to reverberate around the world. The case is being condemned by Jewish organizations…

Human rights above all

photo - A poster in Marseille, France, in July 2020, calling for Nasrin Sotoudeh’s release from prison

A poster in Marseille, France, in July 2020, calling for Nasrin Sotoudeh’s release from prison. The National Council of Jewish Women of Canada spotlighted the remarkable story of Iranian lawyer and human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh during a showing of…

Ethiopians’ long road home

photo - Israel’s Operation Tzur Israel, bringing olim from Ethiopia to Israel, began Dec. 3

Israel’s Operation Tzur Israel, bringing olim from Ethiopia to Israel, began Dec. 3. (photo by Kassaw Molla) It’s been almost 40 years since Israel coordinated the first airlift of Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 1984. The Beta Israel people, a citizenry…

Books foster identity

photo - Sifriya Pijama has created approximately 100 books in Hebrew and Arabic

Sifriya Pijama has created approximately 100 books in Hebrew and Arabic. (photo by David Salem) Keren Grinspoon Israel promotes literacy through the gift of books to young children in Israel. Last fall, KGI was chosen by the U.S. Library of Congress…

Complexities of Poland’s past

photo - Andrzej Mańkowski, Poland’s consul-general in Vancouver, shared some reflections on his country’s history with the Jewish Independent, including about the Ładoś Group, which tried to help Jews escape the Nazis by the issuing of fake passports

Andrzej Mańkowski, Poland’s consul-general in Vancouver, shared some reflections on his country’s history with the Jewish Independent, including about the Ładoś Group, which tried to help Jews escape the Nazis by the issuing of fake passports. (photo from Andrzej Mańkowski)…

Thoughts on Bahrain

photo - Nancy Khedouri, a member of the National Assembly of Bahrain

Nancy Khedouri, a member of the National Assembly of Bahrain. (photo from bahrainthisweek.com) Nancy Khedouri, a Jewish politician, writer and businesswoman from Bahrain, provided insight into the history of the Jewish community in the small Gulf state and its recent…

Orchestra faces crises

photo - Members of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, are among those helping provide relief services during COVID-19 and after a devastating fire

Members of the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, are among those helping provide relief services during COVID-19 and after a devastating fire. (photo from IBB) Times are tough for everyone, but that hasn’t stopped one Vancouver group from organizing an…

Gratz, Carleton partner

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Gratz College in Melrose Park, Pa., and Carleton University in Ottawa, promises to enhance the academic reach of both institutions. Signed by Gratz president Paul Finkelman and Carleton president Benoit-Antoine Bacon, the MOU forges…