Page 8

Musical legacy re-found

Zusman Kiselgof, member of S. An-sky’s ethnographic expedition, recording folklore in Kremenets, Russian Empire (now in Ukraine), 1912. Four events relating to the An-sky expedition take place in Vancouver Feb. 20-22. (photo from YIVO)

On Feb. 21, Or Shalom hosts Christina and the Zamlers in a special concert, as part of the congregation’s Light in Winter music series, co-sponsored by the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture and KlezWest.

photo - Christina Crowder — Christina Crowder *(photo from Peretz Centre)*

Presenting pieces ranging from lively freylekhs to elegant mazurkas, Jewish wedding melodies to nigunim, Christina Crowder (accordion and tsimbl) and Pacific Northwest klezmer performers Jimmy Austin (trombone) and Mae Kessler (violin) will take the audience on a musical journey. Joined by Ashkenazi dance leader Maia Brown, they will draw from a repertoire of music gathered from shtetls across the Russian Pale of Settlement more than 100 years ago.

Along with the band’s musical performance and dance session, Crowder will recount the remarkable story of this trove of Ashkenazi music manuscripts, how they came to be collected, largely forgotten and then “rediscovered” in 2017.

The story begins in 1912, when Yiddish writer and ethnographer S. An-sky, with funding from the Russian government, led a collecting “expedition” to approximately 70 shtetls in the Pale of Settlement. Aware that traditional ways of Ashkenazi life were fading and that people were emigrating, An-sky was determined to gather and preserve both tangible and intangible aspects of the Ashkenazi cultural legacy.

photo - Jimmy Austin — Jimmy Austin *(photo from Peretz Centre)*

While not against “modernity,” he believed in the importance of Jews knowing their own history and traditions in order to maintain their identity in a changing world. Members of the project took photographs, collected ceremonial and everyday objects, compiled folk tales and noted local lore.

Collecting music manuscripts was an important part of the project. Music played a prominent role in community life, not only for entertainment or religious purposes, but to accompany and set the tone for many lifecycle experiences, especially weddings. Professional musicians in the shtetls offered more than 1,000 handwritten manuscripts with original and traditional compositions.

When the Russian government withdrew funding in 1914, with the onset of the First World War, the An-sky expedition ceased to exist. The collection appears to have been stored in different locations at various times and, although relatively intact, its location was either uncertain or access was consistently denied.

However, in 2017, the music collection, stored at the Vernadsky National Library in Kyiv, became accessible. This was the result of a series of serendipitous events, beginning when two attendees at a Tokyo klezmer workshop met, one of them fluent in Ukrainian. She was allowed to view some of the collection at the library and copy 600 manuscripts to a memory stick.

photo - Mae Kessler — Mae Kessler (photo from Peretz Centre)

While klezmer music has developed a following over the past many years, the number of known traditional Ashkenazi melodies was quite small, approximately 300 pieces. The recovery of the An-sky expedition’s repertoire has had a significant impact on the revival of klezmer around the world. The Klezmer Institute, of which Crowder is a co-founder and the executive director, has played an important role in helping musicians, the public and academics view and use the collection.

Through their Kiselgof-Makonovetsky Digital Manuscript Project, volunteers have translated and transcribed more than 1,300 of the handwritten musical manuscripts, which have been digitized and are universally available on the Klezmer Institute’s website (klezmerinstitute.org).

photo - Maia Brown — Maia Brown (photo from Peretz Centre)

In connection with the Feb. 21 concert event, which will take place at Or Shalom’s temporary home (Cityview Church), there will be two workshops offered at the Peretz Centre on the afternoon of Feb. 22 – one for musicians, led by Crowder, the other for dancers, led by Brown. In addition, at the Peretz Centre’s Fraytik tsu Nakht Cultural Shabbes and Potluck on Feb. 20, Jess Goldman will lead a discussion on An-sky’s ethnography expeditions and more.

Tickets for the concert and for the workshops are available at orshalom.ca and peretz-centre.org. Admission for the concert is a minimum donation of $18 (suggested amount is $36); both workshops are by donation; and the potluck and talk is $18 or a contribution of a food dish to the dinner (see peretz-centre.org for more information).

Ann Daskal is a member of Or Shalom, with an interest in facilitating community art and performance.

A range of Jewish literature

The 41st annual Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival opens Feb. 21 with award-winning novelist John Irving and closes Feb. 26 with award-winning singer-songwriter, composer and author Peter Himmelman. In between, a range of writers and topics are presented. As always, this year’s festival fulfils its mission, as expressed by director Dana Camil Hewitt in the program: “to expose the general community to a curated snapshot of recent Jewish literature and ideas.”

While Irving, the opening author, is not Jewish, his latest novel, Queen Esther, takes readers back to the era and place of one of his most popular stories, The Cider House Rules, which was made into a movie. He focuses this time on the Winslow family, who adopt Esther Nacht from St. Cloud’s orphanage in Maine. The 14-year-old Viennese Jew was born in 1905 and came to the United States with her parents, her father dying on the voyage, her mother a few years later. Esther was left at the orphanage as a little girl, but no one had wanted to adopt a Jewish child, until the Winslows.

The Winslows are, to say the least, an unconventional family and, among other things, don’t adhere to the antisemitic attitudes of the times. The novel sheds light on Esther’s background and we witness a bit of her life with the Winslows, but then she mostly drops out of the story, returning to Europe to reconnect with her roots and then settling in Israel. The bulk of the novel centres on Jimmy, Esther’s son, born and raised in true Winslow style – unconventionally.

Truth be told, Queen Esther is not Irving’s best novel, it rambles and doesn’t quite hit the right message, but it’s written with heart and a seeming desire to counter antisemitism and change the narrative about Israel. Irving fans will enjoy reencountering some old “friends,” like St. Cloud’s Dr. Wilbur Larch, and recurring themes, including chosen family, Vienna, wrestling and sexual politics.

Irving is in conversation with Marsha Lederman Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $36 ($65 with book).

* * *

Politics and antisemitism are at the fore in Dr. Ted Rosenberg’s book Ayekha, Where Are You? Reading it will provide some healing for fellow members of the Jewish community, most of whom will know that Rosenberg resigned from the University of British Columbia’s faculty of medicine in 2024 (after a 30-year career there) because of the school’s refusal to do anything about the rampant antisemitism on campus, which escalated after Hamas’s massacre of Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023. The situation was so toxic that Rosenberg no longer felt safe.

In his resignation letter to the faculty’s dean, Dermot Kelleher – sent after other attempts to warn UBC leadership of the problems – Rosenberg wrote:

“I lament the carnage and deaths of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians during this horrific war and this seemingly insoluble and interminable complex tragedy. I also understand and appreciate the strong convictions held by people on both sides of this conflict. However, oversimplistic ahistorical demonizing narratives and rhetoric, by either side, will do nothing to deepen our understanding, empathy, respect, or trust of one another, nor hasten a resolution of this crisis.

“One third of the medical students and some faculty have publicly expressed their contempt towards me, as a Jew. I cannot take the risk of being accused of implicit harassment or racism, which is indefensible, by a ‘triggered’ student. Unfortunately, I have no faith in due process in a faculty that does not even acknowledge the existence or presence of antisemitism/Jew-hatred, or my right to work in a depoliticized environment.”

The award-winning physician, who pioneered a home-based care model for the frail elderly and still practices medicine, wrote the dean, “It deeply saddens me to end my academic career on this note.”

There are so many Jewish academics, medical professionals and others who have been similarly mistreated, both by antisemitic actions and people’s fear of dealing with antisemitism. Reading more about Rosenberg’s experiences is akin to attending a group therapy session. We not only feel less alone afterward, but come away with some knowledge that might help us in processing all that’s happened in the last almost two-and-a-half years, and in confronting the antisemitism we continue to face.

Rosenberg talks at the Vancouver JCC Feb. 22, 1:30 p.m. (tickets are $18), and at the White Rock/South Surrey JCC at 4 p.m.

* * *

Since Oct. 7, it seems that learning more about Judaism, its tenets, its folklore, has been a common way for Jews to deal with the trauma inflicted by that day, the subsequent war and the increasingly open Jew-hatred globally. For anyone who likes graphic novels, The Writer might be an invigorating and educational salve.

Written and created by actor Josh Gad and the Berkowitz Bros. production company (founded by Ben and Max Berkowitz) with art by Ariel Olivetti and letters by Frank Cvetkovic, the four-part series stars disheveled English professor and unreliable divorced dad Stan Siegel, the writer of the series’ title, who looks a lot like Gad. Stan’s “sidekicks” are his kickass mom Liz and his daughter Izzy. They encounter all sorts of demons, dybbuks, golems and other characters out of Jewish mythology, as well as various historical figures, while Izzy also must confront current-day antisemitism and racism – harassed by classmates for being Jewish and for being Black.

The Writer is an homage to the creators’ Jewish identities, to the comic books, science fiction shows and adventure movies they loved, as well as to Gad’s Holocaust survivor grandparents and to Boston, where the Berkowitz brothers grew up. While they didn’t grow up surrounded by Jewish mysticism, they were inspired when they discovered it and it “felt like home,” notes the afterword. “This story became a way for them to celebrate that heritage – the rich tapestry of Jewish storytelling in all its forms, from Ashkenazic to Sephardic, Beta Israelite, Hispanic, Asian and beyond.”

The tapestry is so rich and deep that it is hard sometimes to follow all that’s going on in an “episode” of The Writer, but it’s a wild ride, a world that’s wonderfully and colourfully drawn, where good battles all sorts of evil and unlikely heroes prevail.

The Berkowitz brothers are at the festival Feb. 23, 7 p.m. Tickets are $18.

* * *

Himmelman closes the book festival on Feb. 26, 8 p.m. (tickets: $25), talking about his collection of essays, Suspended By No String: A Songwriter’s Reflections on Faith, Aliveness and Wonder, with Rabbi Dan Moskovitz. It might seem odd to have a rabbi lead a conversation with a musician, composer and visual artist, but Himmelman describes his book as being about faith, and shares what went into his decision to use the word “God” in it, as opposed to, say, “spirituality,” despite concerns from several people that its use might alienate readers. Hopefully, it won’t, as there is much insight to be gained from Himmelman’s observations, insights and perspectives on wonder, loss and gratitude. His playful sketches are a delightful complement to the text.

* * *

Also appearing at this year’s book festival are, in order of appearance, writers Carol Matas, Lihi Lapid, Aron Hirt-Manheimer, Douglas Century, Yishay Ishi Ron, Yardenne Greenspan, Sasha Senderovich, Marina Sonkina, Claire Sicherman, Danila Botha and Janet Horvath. For tickets and more information, visit jccgv.com/jewish-book-festival.

A concert of premieres

Violist Rivka Golani joins Turning Point Ensemble on Feb. 21 and 22 for Concerti Premiere, which features two works written especially for her. (photo by Peter Beal)

World-renowned violist Rivka Golani joins Turning Point Ensemble on Feb. 21 and 22 for Concerti Premiere, which features two works written especially for the Israeli musician, who currently calls London, England, home.

The four main works comprising the ensemble’s program are the world premiere of Concerto for Viola – Rivka by TPE artistic director Owen Underhill, featuring Golani as soloist; the North American premiere of Musical Offering No. 2 “Golani” by Canadian composer Michael Pepa, also with Golani as soloist; the world premiere of Morning Twilight by Taiwanese-American composer Chichun Chi-Sun Lee, showcasing TPE bassoonist Ingrid Chiang; and the world premiere of Sauntersludge by Vancouver composer Eldritch Priest.

“TPE had a fantastic opportunity to perform with Rivka Golani on our May 2023 European tour,” explained Underhill as to how he and Golani first connected.

Pepa had proposed composing a new work for Golani and TPE for the ensemble’s concerts in Zagreb and Belgrade. “We were not able to rehearse with Rivka … prior to arriving on tour, so it was very exciting to put Michael’s piece together in the couple days prior to our first concert,” said Underhill. “Rivka was very interactive with and impressed by the ensemble, so you could say we hit it off together. She heard at that time in our concert a work of mine and asked whether I might be interested in composing a new work for her and TPE in the future. So, this is how the idea of working together again came about and my new concerto for her in particular.”

photo - Turning Point Ensemble artistic director Owen Underhill wrote Concerto for Viola - Rivka for violist Rivka Golani, who plays with the ensemble in concerts at the Annex Feb. 21 and 22 — Turning Point Ensemble artistic director Owen Underhill wrote Concerto for Viola – Rivka for violist Rivka Golani, who plays with the ensemble in concerts at the Annex Feb. 21 and 22. *(photo from TPE)*

Golani, who was born in Tel Aviv, studied under violist and composer Oedoen Partos and became a member of the Israel Philharmonic, while also appearing as a soloist with other orchestras. She lived in Canada for more than a decade, from 1974 to 1987, growing her solo career and teaching at the University of Toronto (where she also taught in the 1990s) and the Royal Conservatory of Music. She still teaches, in London.

Over the years, Golani has performed widely as a soloist and as a member of various ensembles, and she has recorded extensively. She is also a recognized visual artist, with her paintings having been exhibited in several countries.

It was during Golani’s time in Canada that Pepa met her, so the two have known each other for decades.

“As a result, his piece and the solo viola part are very much in her character – dramatic, powerful and expressive,” said Underhill. “Also, there are two other important connections which are interwoven in the piece – references to J.S. Bach’s Art of the Fugue, which appears in a variety of ways through quotes and collages in his music, and also a second movement dedicated to his Ukrainian friends, which is based on the Ukrainian folksong ‘Plyve Kacha Po Tysyni’ (‘The Duck Swims Down the Tissina’) and a Serbian folk melody, ‘Kolika je Nočca.’”

As for his work featuring Golani, Underhill said, “It is always a wonderful thing for a composer to work closely with a performer for whom you are composing. It was also fundamental to Rivka’s process to make it a collaborative project. Therefore, beginning in the fall and over the several months I was composing the piece, I would send her instalments and we would meet over WhatsApp and she would play through the music, suggest detailed changes and improvements, and she also made a few gentle requests, including asking for a cadenza before I wrote the third movement. As a result, I feel that the piece bears her signature and that it is also a unique work of mine that I could not have created without her input.”

According to Golani’s website, more than 350 works have been composed for her, including more than 80 concertos – “a record matched by no other violist in history.” Underhill’s Concerto for Viola – Rivka is the largest-scale work that he has written for TPE and the piece will be recorded by the ensemble after the live performances.

Concerti Premiere is Turning Point Ensemble’s third concert in their 2025/26 season. Written with bassoonist Chiang in mind, the piece Morning Twilight traces the emergence of the sun through five sections and two interludes. “Beyond its astronomical imagery, the concerto reflects Chiang’s personal journey of resilience in overcoming cancer, as well as Taiwan’s collective passage from historical darkness toward renewed international visibility,” notes the press release. Sauntersludge, which was written for the ensemble as a whole, is the only piece in the concert without a soloist.

“While we dedicate ourselves to performing works from the early 20th century to the present day, it is unusual for Turning Point Ensemble to have a concert consisting solely of premieres,” said Underhill in the press release. “It is a joy to be unveiling all this new music here in Vancouver.”

The Feb. 21 concert at the Annex starts at 7:30 p.m.; the Feb. 22 one at 4:30 p.m. For tickets ($45/adult, $33/senior, $19/student), go to turningpointensemble.ca.

Variety telethon on Feb. 22

(photo from variety.bc.ca)

On Feb. 22, tune into Global BC from 1 to 5:30 p.m. for this year’s Variety Show of Hearts Telethon. Celebrating six decades of impact, it will also highlight Variety’s vision for the next 60 years.

The telethon will spotlight the children whose lives have been transformed by the generosity of Variety donors. It will also feature performances by Deborah Cox, William Prince, Johnny Reid and the Trews, among others, with appearances by Yannick Bisson, Patrick Chan, Kim Coates, KC Collins, Fefe Dobson, Jillian Harris, Andrew Phung, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Robertson, Karen Robinson, Caterina Scorsone, Spencer West and others.

For 60 years, Variety BC has turned donations into life-changing support for children with disabilities and complex health needs. In 2025 alone, donors helped Variety provide direct access to essential services for 23,000 children – from medical and mobility equipment to specialized therapies, mental health services, vital private assessments, and specialized education and tutors. These grants help families avoid long wait times and give kids the chance to thrive.

“No child should face limits because of circumstance. Children deserve unlimited opportunities to explore, learn and grow to their full potential,” said Andrea Tang, chief executive officer of Variety BC. “More families across BC are reaching out for our help than ever before and, with the support of our donors giving to the Show of Hearts, we can be there for them when they need us most – opening doors, providing support and helping kids thrive.”

There are several ways to participate in the 60th Variety Show of Hearts Telethon: tune in on Feb. 22; make a one-time donation or become a monthly donor by visiting variety.bc.ca; donate by calling 310-KIDS (5437) toll-free; or text the word “KIDS” to 45678 to make an automatic $25 donation.

All donations made during the 60th Variety Show of Hearts will be matched dollar-for-dollar by a group of donors, doubling the impact for kids across the province.

To learn more about Variety Show of Hearts Telethon, visit variety.bc.ca.

– Courtesy Variety – the Children’s Charity of BC

Victoria club’s many benefits

Since August 2025, a group of enterprising individuals from the Greater Victoria community has been gathering at various venues to discuss prospects, offer guidance and bounce ideas off one another as part of the area’s Jewish Business Club.

photo. -The Jewish Business Club in Victoria offers business owners the chance to create networks and get to know one another. The next gathering takes place Feb. 26 — The Jewish Business Club in Victoria offers business owners the chance to create networks and get to know one another. The next gathering takes place Feb. 26. *(photo by Joe Mabel / flickr)*

The group was guided into its current form by Elvira Molochkovetski, who took on the role of community connector in Victoria last summer. The role is a joint position of the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island (JFVVI) and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. Other community connectors can be found in the Okanagan, Salt Spring Island, the Comox Valley, South Delta and Squamish.

According to Molochkovetski, some local businesspeople, who had established friendships through their ventures, had been meeting informally and sporadically over coffee for a couple of years.

“We just created something more structured, giving them a space, a reason and a schedule to meet and invite more people,” she said. “The goal was the same goal they always had: create networks, support each other and get to know each other. And many new connections were created through those meetings already.”

Attendees, who come from different backgrounds and places, and represent a range of business sectors, participate in the club, which, Molochkovetski stressed, is open to all. Some, like Molochkovetski, have come to Victoria from Winnipeg, where a similar club was formed at the Rady Jewish Community Centre.

Young entrepreneurs, she said, have also joined because they have ideas for businesses and want to see what other business owners think, or to find out what is happening in a particular market. In some cases, more experienced entrepreneurs have served in a mentor-like capacity.

“When you are business-oriented, you love spending time with other business-oriented people,” Molochkovetski said. “We had a few young people who just … bought a condo and want to rent it out. So, they joined and received some advice from people who had experience in this kind of business before.”

The club’s meetings often start with an introductory circle. Participants can bring promotional materials, share information about their business and ask questions. Meetings can include playing business-oriented games, solving problems or suggesting what one might like to do or invest in within the community.

At one of the Jewish Business Club’s meetings, a member welcomed everyone to his house to sample some of his culinary creations, as his business centres around the food industry.

Molochkovetski added that the meetings have brought in people who have not maintained ties to Jewish organizations yet feel connected to the community through the club.

One regular attendee who has found the gatherings beneficial is Felix Gelman, who runs Alpha Victoria HVAC Ltd., a company that installs residential heat pumps in Victoria and surrounding communities.

“The Jewish Business Club in Victoria is a strong opportunity to connect with fellow Jewish business owners, exchange referrals and build real local relationships,” Gelman told the Independent. “It’s also an effective way for people to learn what you do, while gaining insight from others’ experiences in the Victoria business community.”

Gelman opened Alpha Victoria HVAC in 2022 after relocating from Winnipeg, where he still operates an active HVAC business specializing in furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, ventilation and indoor air quality systems.

Originally from Israel, Gelman, a Red Seal refrigeration mechanic with 30 years of experience in residential HVAC systems, immigrated to Canada in 2005. He is also a licensed general contractor. On Vancouver Island, he helps homeowners build garden suites and lane houses, either to generate rental income or accommodate family members.

In total, roughly 35 people have attended Jewish Business Club meetings in the past six months, with 12 to 15 generally showing up each time. Meetings alternate between mornings and evenings to fit the different schedules of those in the community.

The next get-together is planned for Feb. 26, 7:30 p.m., at a restaurant in the Westshore region of Greater Victoria. The location will be provided upon registration to those who wish to attend.

Billed as the “Jewish Business Club Night Out,” the event will offer opportunities to share and introduce businesses, chat with fellow entrepreneurs and enjoy a light snack and soft drinks.

“Whether you’re just starting out or growing an established business, this is a chance to connect, collaborate and support one another’s success,” said the organizers.

To register for the upcoming event, visit jewishvancouver.com/jewish-business-club.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

Avodah dedicated to helping

Members of Congregation Emanu-El’s Avodah at last year’s Coldest Night of the Year event. (photo by Penny Tennenhouse)

A 12-member team from Avodah, the social-action arm of Victoria’s Congregation Emanu-El, will be participating for the ninth time in the Coldest Night of the Year, a fundraising walk to support various charities that help people experiencing poverty and homelessness, on Feb. 28.

Funds raised by Avodah will go to Our Place Society, which provides more than 1,400 meals a day, as well as shelter, supportive housing, hot showers, paramedic services and other assistance. It is Vancouver Island’s only long-term therapeutic recovery community.

Penny Tennenhouse, a central figure in Avodah since its inception, said the name of the fundraising event, the Coldest Night of the Year, is misleading – and not because of the temperature reading on a thermometer.

“I call it the warmest night of the year. It’s festive, actually. It’s love in motion because it’s enjoyable to come together, especially after the pandemic. And it’s enjoyable because we feel good about what we’re doing and we know it’s important,” she said.

This year, Avodah’s participation will be in honour of Annette Wigod’s 99th birthday. Wigod has been a regular presence in Avodah’s efforts. Her daughter, Eve Abrams, will be walking with the Avodah team.

“Annette has been involved with Avodah for many years. She used to come every month with me to Our Place to serve ice cream and cake. She’s a very caring and dedicated person,” Tennenhouse said.

photo - Avodah at last year’s Coldest Night of the Year event — Avodah at last year’s Coldest Night of the Year event. *(photo by Penny Tennenhouse)*

There are 47 groups and 224 walkers taking part in the 2026 Victoria event, which is divided into two- and five-kilometre routes.

As of press time, Avodah’s team had raised $6,702, which placed them second in terms of fundraising among the groups participating.

Over the last three years, Avodah has raised more than $21,000 for Our Place. Collectively, after this most recent walk, it hopes to exceed $50,000 in funds raised since the group first started participating.

“There’s one woman I have to mention, Debbie Yaffe, who I consider my partner in originating this involvement. She’s been amazing,” said Tennenhouse.

As of earlier this week, Yaffe had raised $2,221, with 30 people donating to her walk, placing her second on the Coldest Night of the Year scoreboard. Tennenhouse, who had raised $1,425 with 18 donors, was in sixth place.

Across Canada, there will be fundraising walks in 222 locations for the Coldest Night of the Year. Nationally, the walks are organized by the Blue Sea Foundation, which is based in Kitchener, Ont.

Avodah was inspired by Rabbi Harry Brechner, who wrote in the synagogue’s newsletter in 2003 that the core beliefs of Judaism – care for one’s neighbour, acts of loving kindness, repairing the world – should be put into practice. Avodah can be translated from Hebrew as work or service.

“Within about a nanosecond of the rabbi’s post, a few other people and I responded that we wanted to be involved in such an initiative,” said Tennenhouse. “Because we were starting from scratch, we thought we would support those groups that are already in existence that are devoted and dedicated to serving people in dire need, vulnerable people in our community.”

Brechner, who retired in 2025 after serving the congregation for 24 years, remains active in the community and holds the title of rabbi emeritus.

Avodah’s outreach over the years has included offering shelter at the synagogue to youth experiencing homelessness, giving away thousands of pairs of socks to people living on the street and serving up annual lunches during Hanukkah at Our Place, located a block away from the shul.

“We’ve had a long history in supporting these groups, and it’s been made possible largely through the support of our congregation, because, if we didn’t get the support of our congregation, we wouldn’t be able to do these things,” Tennenhouse said. “We provide financial resources, but we also think it’s important to volunteer our actual time and energy to be connected to people that way as well.”

In addition to Our Place, Avodah gives financial and volunteer support to organizations such as the Burnside Gorge Community Centre, the Quadra Village Community Centre, 1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre, St. John the Divine’s Food Bank and SOLID Outreach, a group that provides harm reduction for those on the street.

Every Thursday, several Avodah volunteers serve meals, clean tables and engage with visitors at a free lunch sponsored by the James Bay United Church. Monthly, Avodah provides “good food boxes,” fresh fruit and vegetables, to families of students at an inner-city school.

In addition to donations from Emanu-El members, Avodah receives support from Vancouver’s Betty Averbach Foundation.

For more information about Victoria’s Coldest Night of the Year, visit en.cnoy.org/location/victoriapandora. To find a walk near you, go to cnoy.org/locations.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

Artists explore, soar, create

Theresa Kinahan’s “The Fallery Garden That I Love Like My Friends” is part of the Roots and Wings exhibit at the Zack Gallery until March 2. (photo from Zack Gallery)

The eighth annual Inclusion Art Show returns to the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver in celebration of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). The exhibit’s theme, “Roots and Wings,” reflects the grounding strength of heritage and community alongside the freedom to explore, soar and create. The displayed works highlight inclusion, diversity and the creative talents of artists at every stage of their artistic journey.

This year’s Roots and Wings exhibit features Theresa Kinahan, Kevin Lee (Kevo), Mark Li, Gabriel López Demarco, Mariane Stifelmann and Matthew Tom-Wing.

Art has always been a part of Kinahan’s life. She started to draw when she was just a little girl, and her media have included photography, acrylic, fabric art, enamel, wood-cut printing, charcoal, pastel, watercolour, metalwork, welding and pottery. She taught art in Vancouver high schools for many years, but epilepsy and an ensuing brain injury forced her to retire early. She turned to painting for therapy, drawing inspiration primarily from nature, notably for her acrylic fern series. She signs her paintings with her initials and a heart, which is reflective of the love she feels all around her.

Kevo was born with Trisomy No.18 and was unable to make a sound until he was 6 years old. Art became a way to communicate and express his creativity and emotions; a way to share his delight with the world. Today, Kevo channels his creativity and love of art into painting, music, dance and clay work. He loves colour and the physical act of painting. Every one of his pieces has a thoughtful story or a kind wish.

Li, who creates at the Art Hive, is a visual artist whose narrative-focused work creates a whimsical world filled with colour and imagination. Every one of his paintings is a tale of friendship and depicts acts of kindness: a bear might be best friends with a cat; a T-Rex smiles with shy humour and sweetness at the viewer; a ladybug and a cat might go dancing in the sunlight; a walk in the park with a friend and his dog is a delightful adventure.

photo - Gabriel Fernando López DeMarco’s “I Am Born from Desire” — Gabriel Fernando López DeMarco’s “I Am Born from Desire.” *(photo from Zack Gallery)*

López Demarco, who was born in Buenos Aires, joined his first art workshop at the age of 5. At the age of 13, he entered the Villa Mecenas art school and, at 18, the National University of Art.

During university, López Demarco continued attending painting, sculpture, engraving and printed art workshops, making artistic and conceptual trips through Argentina. In 2013, he traveled through South America and, in 2015, he went to Mexico, where he studied fresco painting. At the same time, he expanded his studies of engraving and printed art.

Since then, he has traveled around Central America, the United States and Europe, carrying out murals and other artistic activities. In 2023 and 2024, he worked as a muralist on the public art team of the municipality of Morón, Argentina. In 2025, he went to China to study calligraphy and Chinese painting. He currently works as a freelance muralist around the word.

Stifelmann was born in Brazil and moved to Vancouver in 2000. She is a former kindergarten and Grade 1 teacher, and studied at the Pan-American School of Arts in São Paulo.

photo - Mariane Stifelmann’s “The Couple” — Mariane Stifelmann’s “The Couple.” *(photo from Zack Gallery)*

On display at the Zack is Stifelmann’s “The Couple,” one of her first paintings. It is created in a caricature style with acrylic paint, and expresses her deep love for her family – the work depicts her grandparents, Eda and Jacob Koin, who emigrated from Poland.

Over the years, Stifelmann has evolved her technique and style and has worked with artist Nati Saidi for more than a decade. Her art embraces vibrant colours and evokes feelings of joy, freedom and nostalgia. Through her work, she invites viewers into a world where light and happiness are always in season.

Tom-Wing is an active member of the Bagel Club and part of the JCC Art Hive. “I am an artist and have sold paintings and ceramic pieces,” he said. “I love music. I play the drums and am also the drummer in the Vancouver BFF band.”

Tom-Wing also enjoys acting and being involved in the theatre world. His roles have included the character Magwitch in the play King Arthur’s Night.

Roots and Wings is on display until March 2. One hundred percent of the proceeds from artwork sales goes directly to each artist.

– Courtesy Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery

Life’s full range of emotions

Bonny Reichert will be in Vancouver on March 4 to talk about her new memoir, How to Share an Egg, as an epilogue to the JCC Jewish Book Festival, which runs Feb. 21-26. (photo by Kayla Rocca)

When Bonny Reichert was a kid, living in Edmonton, her baba, who had come to Canada as a teen on her own in the early 1900s to escape pogroms in Ukraine, would come to stay with her family for the weekend and “the house brightened,” writes Reichert in How to Share an Egg: A True Story of Hunger, Love and Plenty. “She arrived as though she were fleeing all over again, with parcels and packages and a giant soup pot wrapped in a tea towel, knotted to make a handle. Things were hot or cold or frozen. I didn’t know to wonder if she’d stayed up all night rolling and pinching and stuffing for us. Pekeleh, she called her bundles, little packages. Pekeleh also means burdens. Yiddish is like that.”

As with pekeleh, meaning both treats and worries, there have been many contrasts in Reichert’s life, opposite things or states of being existing simultaneously. Her memoir is fascinating for the challenges she has faced and the way in which she has dealt with them. Readers can hear the award-winning writer in conversation with Marsha Lederman on March 4, 7:30 p.m., at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, in a JCC Jewish Book Festival epilogue event.

How to Share an Egg is the telling of Reichert’s dad’s survival story – a story he so wanted her to share. Experiencing years of difficulty putting pen to paper, she approaches it through her own journey with intergenerational trauma, which she has felt deeply from childhood. Her mother grew up with “a dad who was quick to anger” and an “exacting” mother who taught there was only one way to do things. “That this was the same person who rubbed my feet as I fell asleep seemed impossible,” writes Reichert about her efforts to reconcile her beloved baba with her mother’s mother.

Reichert’s maternal grandfather, who had come to Canada in 1913, died before she was born. On her paternal side, she had no grandparents – her dad was a 17-year-old orphan when he came to Canada in 1947. His parents and five sisters were all killed in the Holocaust. He was one of the 1,123 war orphans Canadian Jewish Congress helped enter the country when the doors were only just starting to open again for Jews.

The Jewish Independent spoke with Reichert by email about her memoir.

JI: You were 9 when your dad first mentioned the possibility that you would write his story. Then there was the trip to Poland in 2015 that was a breakthrough. When did you actually write the first words and, from that point, about how long did it take for you to write How to Share an Egg?

BR: The very earliest work on the book started on that first trip to Warsaw with my dad. I took a few notes and some important photos, but I didn’t yet know where I was headed. After the second trip to Poland, in 2016, I had even more research and notes, but I still wasn’t sure I had a book. The more formal outlining and writing began in late 2020, in the depths of the pandemic. Including the time I spent waiting for my editor’s feedback and the editing, the book took about four years to write. I was earning a master’s degree at the same time.

JI: You write about your personal journey with inherited trauma, and you share some of the healing milestones on that journey. In what ways was the process of writing the book cathartic?

BR: When you write a memoir like How to Share an Egg, your job is to look at yourself very closely, but with objectivity, because the self becomes the central character of the book. In that close examination, you come to name feelings you previously couldn’t name, and evaluate experiences and situations that your younger self might not have understood. All of this leads to greater understanding and greater self-compassion. This, coupled with the relief of finding a way to write this book my dad always wanted me to write, has indeed led to healing and catharsis.

JI: What does your dad think of the book?

BR: He loves it and says that it has given new meaning to his life at 95. A wonderful outcome.

JI: One theme of How to Share an Egg is you finding your voice, being able to stick up for yourself when bullied, to be yourself in the face of others’ expectations (notably, your father’s). From where did you get the courage to be this open?

BR: You can’t decide to write a memoir and then hide from the personal. Readers want to see all of that raw emotion on the page. For the memoir to be successful, the true, honest person in the book should resonate with the true person inside the reader. At a certain point, I realized all of this, and I came to see I was writing about the universal human experience and there is no shame in being human. In other words, I practised radical self-acceptance to get the job done.

JI: You comment in the book about pekeleh meaning both bundles and burdens. Judaism is full of those instances, holding joy and sorrow at the same time. Can you speak about that, in the context of How to Share an Egg?

BR: People often hold a pretty stereotypical idea of what Holocaust survivors and their families are like – severely traumatized, loaded down with psychological and emotional problems, etc. I wanted to address that – to challenge it and expand on it. There is sorrow and trauma, of course, but there is also so much joy and gratitude and celebration. So, the book is meant to express this fuller range of emotion. Part of my decision to write it as a food memoir was to offer the reader pleasure and comfort, even against the backdrop of the Holocaust. A Jewish approach, for sure.

JI: Hedy Bohm, who you mention in your memoir, just had her own survivor memoir published by the Azrieli Foundation. What is the importance of having these stories out in the world?

BR: Yes, I’m so happy for Hedy. She is a wonderful person. Preserving these stories has always been of the utmost importance – firsthand testimony is obviously critical. I also believe a plurality of stories and approaches brings the humanity back into the unfathomable numbers and statistics.

JI: How often have you been to Vancouver, and what are you looking forward to most about your March visit?

BR: I was just there in the fall for the Vancouver Writer Fest! I have friends I’m looking forward to seeing and I’m hoping for some nice weather so I can walk and admire your beautiful city.

For the full schedule and tickets to the book festival, go to jccgv.com/jewish-book-festival.

Community needs survey closes March 29

Twice Blessed 2.0: The Jewish LGBTQ2SIA+ Initiative 2026 is an ongoing partnership between JQT Vancouver and JFS Vancouver that began with conversations between the two organizations in 2020 regarding diversity education and ensuring that JFS supports the social, physical and emotional wellness of all people and is a welcoming and inclusive organization for the Jewish LGBTQ2SIA+ community. As part of this initiative, JQT and JFS conducted a community needs assessment in 2022: jqtvancouver.ca/twice-blessed-2.

It has been a handful of years since this assessment was conducted, and JQT is now updating its survey to understand what progress has been made on the group’s 13 Calls to Action for BC Jewish community organizations, what still requires improvement, and what may be completely new needs for the Jewish LGBTQ2SIA+ community in 2026. JQT wants to update the Calls to Action to reflect any changes.

The survey link went live on Feb. 1 and will remain open until March 29. It is open to all members of the Jewish LGBTQ2SIA+ community residing in British Columbia. In 2022, several allies participated as well, and allies are once again invited to fill out this survey, too. JQT also wants to include parents and caregivers of Jewish LGBTQ2SIA+ people.

Please share the survey links widely in your professional and personal networks, social platforms, “watercooler” channels, etc. so that it can reach as many people as possible across the province’s diverse Jewish community.

The survey can be found at s.surveyplanet.com/h44tdqiv and jqtvancouver.ca.

– Courtesy JQT Vancouver

Jerusalem marathon soon

Last year’s International Jerusalem Winner Marathon. (Sportphotography)

The International Jerusalem Winner Marathon returns for its 15th year and will take place on March 27, with tens of thousands of runners participating from across Israel and around the world.

“The marathon is much more than a sporting event, it is an expression of strength, mutual responsibility, unity and the Jerusalem spirit,” said Moshe Lion, mayor of Jerusalem. “This year, we once again salute the IDF soldiers, security and rescue forces, and reserve personnel who protect all of us every day, and we invite them to be part of an international celebration of sport, community and hope.”

The International Jerusalem Winner Marathon is organized by the Jerusalem Municipality Sports Division in collaboration with the Jerusalem Development Authority, Ministry of Culture and Sports, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, and other partners. Sponsors include Toto Winner, the main sponsor, as well as Azorim Ltd., and others. The marathon is produced by Electra Target.

Registered runners will receive a participant package including an official marathon shirt, bib number, timing chip, and a variety of additional benefits. For more information and registration, visit jerusalem-marathon.com.

– Courtesy International Jerusalem Winner Marathon