You may not know there is an election underway. Voting to elect delegates to the Canadian Zionist Federation closes Sunday, so you still have time to cast your ballot.
Although some of us have been receiving emails urging us to vote, it’s likely that most of us don’t even know there is campaign going on. It’s not front-page news.
Those chosen in the CZF election on Sunday will become delegates to the 39th World Zionist Congress, in Jerusalem, in October. (The legendary First Zionist Congress was convened by Theodor Herzl, in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897.)
Even if you haven’t yet heard about the elections, we think it’s worth taking a few moments to familiarize yourself with the slates, their platforms, and the role of CZF in connecting Canadian Jews to Israel. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have a small but important voice in the future of Zionism and our relationship with the Jewish homeland. Registering to vote costs $2.
The Canadian Zionist Federation is a national affiliate of the World Zionist Organization, and is comprised of 11 national Jewish Zionist organizations. These include the religiously affiliated groups ARZA Canada, “the Zionist voice of the Canadian Reform movement,” the Conservative movement’s MERCAZ Canada, and the Orthodox Eretz HaKodesh; political groups affiliated with Israeli parties, including Likud Canada, Herut Canada and Meretz Canada; ethnically oriented groups like Shas Olami, affiliated with the Sephardi and Mizrahi Orthodox party Shas, and Mizrahi Canada; and a linguistic grouping, the Canadian Forum of Russian-Speaking Jewry, as well as the non-denominational, non-partisan youth group Young Judaea, and Ameinu Canada, “a national, multi-generational community of progressive Jews in Canada, the United States, Australia and Brazil.” The slates in this election reflect and overlap within and across these groupings.
The World Zionist Organization styles itself as “the parliament of the Jewish people,” and it convenes every five years. WZO sets priorities for the Zionist movement worldwide. It is the main global voice on policy around Israel-diaspora relations, on such topics as Jewish education funding abroad, aliyah and religious recognition. The WZO allocates hundreds of millions of dollars in funding through Zionist institutions like the Jewish Agency, Keren Hayesod (United Israel Appeal) and Jewish National Fund.
Through the Canadian Zionist Federation – and then via the World Jewish Congress – each of us is granted a say in these essential issues. If you care about Israel and its relationship with the diaspora, and you would like to have a voice in the direction of that relationship, this is one important avenue.
Take time to peruse the platforms of the various groups vying for your vote.You may want to place particular attention on issues around the preservation of Israeli democracy, and legal protections and social equality for women and minorities in the country. Perhaps one or more of the platforms will reflect your views on how Israel can work toward peace while protecting its citizens and ensuring the long-term security of its borders.
Read the materials and see which slate best reflects your opinion on how many millions of dollars should be spent to strengthen Jewish life in Israel and worldwide. These elections – and the decisions to be taken at the Congress to which the delegates will be sent – represent the values and priorities of world Jewry.
Israel and Jews collectively are at an unprecedented moment – and while, by definition, every moment is unprecedented, especially in Jewish history, this feels different.
Perhaps you didn’t know you were eligible to vote. Maybe you were only vaguely aware of the Canadian Zionist Federation and what it does. You had probably heard of the First Zionist Congress but maybe didn’t know that the through-line in Zionist history continues from Basel in 1897 to Jerusalem in 2025.
Now you know a little more. Dive deeper. And, on or before Sunday, vote at czf.ca.
Pelicans and cranes gather at Hula Lake in Israel. (photo from commons.wikimedia.org)
Beginning with the Book of Genesis, we read about the raven and especially about the dove: “After 40 days, Noah opened a window he had made in the ark and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth. Then, he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water all over the surface of the earth; so, it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.
“He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there, in its beak, was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.”
In Deuteronomy 32, we read that God Himself is compared to a bird: “Like an eagle who rouses its nestlings / Gliding down to its young / So did [God] spread wings and take them / Bear them along on pinions.”
Eagles are so important to our culture that Israel’s 1949/50 rescue of 46,000 Yemenite Jews was named Operation on the Wings of Eagles.
Jews had lived in Yemen for millennia, experiencing both relatively good and more oppressive times. In the 20th century, especially following the United Nations Partition Plan of 1947, conditions worsened. Arab rioters in Aden – then a British protectorate on the southern tip of Yemen – killed at least 82 Jews and, in early 1948, accusations that Jews murdered two Muslim Yemeni girls led to further violence and looting of Jewish homes and businesses.
When news of the young state of Israel’s planned evacuation reached Yemeni Jews, they walked and walked, some from hundreds of miles away, to a refugee camp in Aden. Few of them had seen an airplane before and, to convince them to go aboard, someone painted an eagle with outstretched wings over the door of each craft, reflecting Isaiah’s prophesy: “They shall mount up with wings as eagles.”
Despite the attempt to keep the evacuation secret, the planes going from Yemen to Israel were routinely fired on by Egyptian forces. Pilots were warned that, if they were forced to land in enemy territory, the passengers and perhaps the crew risked being executed. Luckily, this never happened.
Di goldene pave, or the golden peacock, refers to a mythical bird that is a common symbol in Yiddish poetry. For Itzik Manger, the golden peacock symbolized Jewish resilience and optimism, and Israeli singer Chava Alberstein sings a song about the golden peacock, which you can listen to on YouTube.
There is a legend that King Solomon gave the hoopoe – Israel’s national bird – a gold crown, after the bird spreads its wings to protect the king from the sun’s rays. But then people began hunting the hoopoe for its crown. When the bird told this to the king, the king replaced the crown with a crest of feathers.
Although there are several negative comments about the raven and the ostrich in Jewish texts, there are also some positive statements made about them. For instance, the raven brought Elijah bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening. (I Kings 17:7)
In his prophecy, Micah (1:8) uses the ostrich to show what will become of the faithless. But, while the ostrich generally receives a “bum rap” in Scripture, there is no mention in any sacred Jewish writing of ostriches hiding their heads in the sand. When a threat does appear, the ostrich flattens itself on the ground. With its colouring, it is often able to camouflage itself. Furthermore, when an ostrich senses the danger is too close, it can rapidly run away.
A section of the Bird Mosaic, a large mosaic floor that was apparently part of a Byzantine villa. (photo from commons.wikimedia.org)
Storks are mentioned in Psalms 104:16-17 and in Jeremiah 8:7 for their beauty, grace and devoted parenting: “Storks in the sky know their seasons; swallows and cranes their migration times; but my people do not know the rulings of Adonai!”
Further, the stork appears on decorative Torah wimpels, long strips of fabric used to bind the scroll when it’s not in use. Once, they were made from the swaddling clothes of a newborn baby. (This custom began in the second half of the 16th century and lasted for a few hundred years.) After the circumcision ceremony, the fabric was cut into segments that were sewn together to form a long sash, which was embellished with painted or embroidered inscriptions and images and donated to the synagogue.
Most storks use Israel just as a stopping off point on their way to and from Europe to Africa. Sadly, according to Israeli wildlife veterinarian Dr. Rona Nadler Valency, many migrating storks are killed or injured along their journey. She blames Israeli electric and wind turbine companies, which, she claims, do not invest in measures to protect the birds.
Although the type of bird is not mentioned, it is said that birds guided the Jewish people and kept watch over their crossing during the splitting of the Reed Sea.
Psalms 84 mentions the sparrow and the swallow: “Even the sparrow has found a home / and the swallow a nest for herself / where she may have her young….”
According to Uzi Paz, author of The Birds of Israel, there are about 470 bird species in Israel today. There are three main reasons for why Israel is a haven for birds. First, for European and West Asian birds, Israel is located on a main migration route to and from Africa; these birds stay in Africa during the European winter and return to Europe when spring comes in Europe. Second, Israel provides a range of habitats. And, third, Israel stands at the crossroads of three continents and assorted climate zones.
When you visit Israel, stop near Caesarea to see the remains of a large mosaic floor that was apparently part of a Byzantine villa. It is called the Bird Mosaic because the centre part of the floor features 120 medallions, each of which contains a bird.
Deborah Rubin Fieldsis an Israel-based features writer. She is also the author of Take a Peek Inside: A Child’s Guide to Radiology Exams, published in English, Hebrew and Arabic.
מלחמת הזדון של הממשלה נגד המדינה והחברה הישראלית נמשכת ללא הפוגה. התוצאות ניכרות בכל אתר. יו”ר ועדת החוקה ממשיך את מלחמתו נגד המערכת המשפטית. מצרים מאשימה את ישראל בהפרת הסכם השלום ומצמצת את שיתוף הפעולה הדיפלומטי. הולנד ונורווגיה מאיימות בהפסקת שיתוף הפעולה הצבאי והמדיני. ישראל מפליאה להכות בתימן, אבל מספיק טיל תימני אחד כדי לצמצם את מספר הטיסות לישראל מהלך שמבודד את ישראל
הצהרות מדיניות של שרים, בורים ביחב”ל מחבלות במעמדה הבינלאומי של ישראל. דירוג האשראי מצביע על סיכונים כלכליים. מתרחב הנתק בין ביבי נתניהו לדונלד טראמפ. עוד ועוד כתבות של אנשי ימין מוכיחות את הצורך המידי בהחלפת הממשלה שפשטה את הרגל גם מבחינה מדינית וגם מבחינה מוסרית
הסוציאל דמוקרטיה הישראלית מתה והחליפה אותה מין יהדות יהירה, שחצנית מבית שמאי. בעוד ההלכות כמעט כולן הן על-פי בית הילל
ומה נאמר על טראמפ: הוא שונא לוזרים. ברגע שהוא סימן את נתניהו כלוזר, כינה אותו מחסום דרכים להגיע להסדרים ואמר כי מתקפה עצימה חדשה בעזה כפי שנתניהו מתכנן היא מאמץ מבוזבז, הוא לקח אליו את המושכות והטיל את נתניהו לצד הדרך. בממשל האמריקאי גוברת תחושת המיאוס מנתניהו אחרי שטראמפ קרע את המסכה מעל פניו: הוא יודע שהוא נלחם למען הישרדותו הפוליטית בלבד, שהרי טראמפ מבין בזה דבר או שניים, כי גם הוא נרקיסיסט הפועל בעיקר למען עצמו. וברגע שטראמפ הפנים שנתניהו מהתל בו, שאין לו כוונה לסיים את המלחמה בעזה, שאין לו תכנית ליום שאחרי
טראמפ הגיע להסכמות עם החות’ים שלא כללו את ישראל, הודיע על משא ומתן ישיר עם איראן בלי לתת לנתניהו הצצה לפרטיו, ועכשיו כשהוא בסעודיה, חומד את ארמונותיה וכספה, הוא הולך להגיע כנראה להסכמים שלא כוללים נורמליזציה עם ישראל כתנאי לשיתוף פעולה עם ארצות־הברית. נותרנו מאחור, כי ראש הממשלה נתניהו הדיר עצמו – לא כי הוא חשב שהמהלכים שמקדם טראמפ הם רעים, אלא כי הם לא מתחברים לנוכלות האופפת אותו ולא מתאימים למתווה שהגה במוחו כדי להישאר בשלטון ויהי מה
טראמפ נענה לתביעותיו של נתניהו לפני כעשר שנים לצאת מהסכם הגרעין, שאמנם לא היה מושלם אבל היה טוב. היו אלו הימים שבהם נתניהו התייחס לטראמפ בהתנשאות כאל אידיוט שימושי, וניצל את חוסר הבנתו במהלכים מדיניים־ביטחוניים כדי לסובב אותו על האצבע הקטנה. הגלגל התהפך: עכשיו, טראמפ הוא זה שזוקר את אצבעו ונותן לנתניהו להסתחרר עליה. הוא עושה מה שהוא רוצה ומה שנכון בעיניו: מדבר ישירות עם חמאס כדי לשחרר חטופים. גם הוא מבין ששלום עושים עם האויב, גם כשהוא מר ואכזר. מנעד הרגשות של טראמפ מצומצם, אבל נושא החטופים נגע לליבו, והוא נרתם להביא לשחרורם מהמנהרות בעזה
טראמפ דוהר עתה למזרח התיכון כשהוא נחוש לשנות אותו מהיסוד: משימתו היא להביא לסיום המלחמה בעזה, לשחרור החטופים ולשיקום הרצועה. הוא מגייס את סעודיה ושאר מדינות המפרץ כדי להוביל מהלך גדול: גם הסכם עם איראן שנתניהו לא שותף בסודותיו, גם שיתוף מדינות ערב בתכניות היום אחרי בעזה
בימין הישראלי שמחו וצהלו על בחירתו של טראמפ וסילוקו של ביידן. הם טעו לחשוב שהוא יהיה המריונטה שלהם. טראמפ הראה להם שהוא לא סופר אותם: הוא חדור מטרה להביא למהפך של שלום באזור, שישרת אותו היטב – הוא גם יקבל מקטאר ארמון מעופף, וגם סעודיה תזרים מילארדים לארצות־הברית
Last month, 16 students from three different high schools in the Galilee visited Vancouver, where they participated in several activities. (photo by Kristin McIlhenney)
“It is nearly impossible to put into words the profound experience we had in Vancouver,” Dr. Rachel Ravid, co-director of Galilee Dreamers, told the Independent. “For the first time, host families welcomed us directly at the airport – a moment of emotion I will never forget. The level of care and thought given to our visit was evident even before our arrival, through a preliminary Zoom meeting during which we shared about the Galilee Dreamers program and the backgrounds of the students they would be hosting. From afar, we could already feel the warmth that awaited us.”
Galilee Dreamers is a program of Oranim College of Education, in Israel. Established nearly a decade ago, it “brings together Jewish and Arab high school students from northern Israel, cultivating dialogue, empathy and mutual respect, while helping participants explore their personal and collective identities,” Ravid said.
A key aspect of the program is connecting these Israeli students with peers abroad and Galilee Dreamers groups have traveled to cities in several countries, including Canada, where Toronto has participated in previous years. Last month, 16 students from three different high schools in the Galilee came to Vancouver, where they were hosted by 12 local families, visited a few schools and participated in several activities. The delegation then headed to Seattle.
There were six students from Akhva-brotherhood High School in Yarka, a Druze school; five students from Jewish schools Einot Yarden and Misgav Regional High School; and five students from Atid Bir al-Maksur, a Muslim school representing a Bedouin way of life, said Ravid. “The students ranged in age from 16 to 18 and were selected for their leadership potential and their capacity to develop leadership skills.”
The co-director of Galilee Dreamers, Dr. Malek Hujeirat, who is deputy principle at Atid, led the group from there, and Diana Mulla, a Druze English teacher, led the delegation from the Druze school. “I was responsible for accompanying the Jewish students and overseeing the delegation,” said Ravid.
While the process of planning the April 18-25 trip was challenging, Ravid said “the spirit of volunteerism and support from community members in Vancouver was truly remarkable. Marion Rom led the planning team with vision and dedication, alongside Dalia Margalit, who offered support from both near and afar.
Galilee Dreamers participants at Tsleil-Waututh Nation siʔáḿθət School. (photo by Kristin McIlhenney)
“The intention was to create as many opportunities as possible for interaction with different parts of the Vancouver community, in order to better understand the local realities and challenges,” said Ravid. “In parallel, we aimed to connect the visiting students with the natural environment, the region’s history and its diverse cultures.
“Alongside school visits with Jewish students – where we discussed the core values of the Galilee Dreamers and universal values such as solidarity, listening, compassion and empathy – our students also learned what daily life looks like for peers their own age in a different society.
“A key element of the itinerary was community volunteering,” said Ravid, and, at the Jewish Community Garden, the group spent some time working and learning.
The host families also “initiated activities rooted in their own strengths and passions, allowing each student to experience something unique within each household,” added Ravid.
One of those families – Tal and Avital Jarus Hakak, who had two Jewish students stay at their home – “hosted a dinner that included another host family of two Druze students and a hike afterwards. One of us also helped with a tour of UBC,” the couple said.
“The positive impact of this trip on the students’ attitudes towards their peers and teachers from different communities and cultures was heartwarming. We felt like these impacts have a great importance for the future,” said the couple, who were motivated to take part because, they said, “The idea of a youth program for facilitating dialogue between Jewish, Arab and Druze sounded very appealing and interesting, particularly in this time of local and global conflicts.”
Kristin McIlhenney found out about the visit from a friend.
“Knowing I had previously hosted international students, she encouraged me to consider it,” said McIlhenney, who hosted a student from the Bedouin school and teacher Hujeirat, “who also serves as the principal overseeing multiple schools in his village.”
“As an educator, I deeply believe in the transformative power of travel and intercultural exchange to build empathy and global awareness,” she said. “That belief, combined with my background, made me genuinely enthusiastic about supporting the Galilee Dreamers by becoming a host.”
Beyond providing room, board and transportation for her guests, McIlhenney said “the experience organically evolved into something much richer. Groups often gathered in the evenings, leading to shared dinners and deeper connections, both in our home and in others’. It was incredibly moving to hear three languages spoken under our roof, and to learn everything from simple cultural details – like the high price of sushi where they live – to complex and personal perspectives on life in a conflict-affected region.”
For McIlhenney, there were two particularly special benefits of being a host. “First,” she said, “my two elementary-aged sons formed a strong bond with the student who stayed with us. A gifted soccer player, he spent hours playing with them and they even accompanied him to a match where they watched [Lionel] Messi play against the Whitecaps – a memory they’ll cherish for years. Second, as a former educator, I deeply appreciated the profound conversations I had with the principal. Whether while preparing meals, driving or winding down in the evening, our discussions gave me a rare and meaningful glimpse into his reality – and helped me reflect more critically on my own.”
Both McIlhenney and the Jarus Hakaks would “absolutely” host again. And trip co-organizer Rom would “definitely help bring those kids in the northern Galilee next year if they want to come back.”
Rom, Margalit’s brother and Galilee Dreamers co-founder Dr. Desmond Kaplan all went to high school together in South Africa, explained Rom of the local connection to the program and how the Vancouver stop came to be.
Rom and Margalit found the host families, and Margalit, who was out of town when the visit took place, “gave this program ‘legs’ in the early stages of planning,” said Rom.
“I wanted to help because I believe that dialogue and interaction of the Jewish, Bedouin and Druze high school youth in the northern Galilee is one of the most impressive paths to peace in that region,” said Rom.
“The most moving part,” she added, “was when the youth and host families all met together one evening to talk about life in northern Israel since Oct. 7, 2023, and what this program means to them.”
“For my part,” said Margalit, “I agreed to assist in arranging the visit when I heard that the group would be made up of students from the Bedouin, Druze and Jewish communities. At this time of tensions between Israel and Palestine, I felt this was a particularly important aspect of the visit, and of daily life in Israel, that would be very important for the Vancouver Jewish community to hear about.”
“As the region faces heightened tensions and conflict, the lack of mutual understanding and shared vision between Arab and Jewish communities threatens the very fabric of society,” said Ravid. “These divisions are compounded by systemic separations: Jewish and Arab teenagers grow up in separate neighbourhoods and towns, attend schools where different languages are spoken, and rarely – if ever – encounter one another in meaningful ways that could challenge stereotypes and foster understanding. Frameworks that nurture mutual respect, empathy and collaboration are critically absent.
“This reality not only affects the people of Israel,” she said, “but also perpetuates a global lack of awareness about the rich and diverse voices that make up Israeli society. Around the world, young people often have little understanding of the complexities of life in Israel and few models for overcoming divisions to build shared futures.”
Galilee Dreamers “creates safe and meaningful spaces where young people from different backgrounds – who might otherwise remain strangers – build real relationships based on trust, empathy and common purpose,” said Ravid.
“Equally important is the program’s impact on the communities that host us – whether in Israel or abroad,” she continued. “By sharing their personal stories and experiences of living in a complex, multicultural society, Galilee Dreamers offer host communities a window into what grassroots peacebuilding can look like. These encounters inspire interfaith dialogue, foster global solidarity and leave lasting impressions on local families, educators and youth who engage with the group. The mutual learning is profound, and many host communities describe the visit as hopeful, eye-opening and deeply moving.”
While some communities and institutions in Israel and the diaspora “have become more cautious about engaging with programs like Galilee Dreamers” since Oct. 7, “the program continues to operate, with participants expressing a renewed commitment to dialogue and understanding,” Ravid said.
Galilee Dreamers students visited Jewish and other institutions, including Peace Mennonite Church, while they were in Vancouver. (photo by Kristin McIlhenney)
The students who participated in the delegation that came to Vancouver shared with Ravid “that they had never experienced such a meaningful and warm form of hospitality. They spoke about the deep love and care shown to them, and how much the host families prioritized their personal well-being,” she said. “They expressed sincere gratitude for the time and attention their hosts gave to hearing their personal stories – and the stories of their families. The connection was so strong that many of the students affectionately referred to their hosts as their ‘second parents.’
“In addition to the emotional connection, the students also appreciated the opportunity to take part in activities they had never experienced in Israel: from ice hockey games and bike rides, to hiking in nature, riding a ferry, and taking a cable car up a snow-covered mountain. Perhaps most enthusiastically, they spoke about the unique food experiences, especially the sheer number of donuts they joyfully consumed without pause!”
For Ravid, “One of the most emotional moments of the trip was the community gathering toward the end of our stay,” she said. “Each of us shared reflections and feelings from the journey. I was particularly moved by the words of Ezra Shanken, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, who said that the Galilee Dreamers’ visit brought out the strengths of the local Jewish community and its ability to mobilize around a meaningful initiative. His emphasis on solidarity was incredibly powerful and deeply relevant – especially in these days, when personal and collective security in Israel and around the world feels fragile.”
Both the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver and the Jewish Federation contributed to the local visit, the latter helping with the planning as well as funding. There were many other organizations and people that Rom, Margalit and Ravid thanked.
“On the day of departure,” said Ravid, “I saw many tears and heartfelt hugs – testament to the meaningful connections and impact this journey had on both the students and the families.”
The Nova Exhibition commemorates the massacre at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023. The exhibit is in Toronto until June 8. (photo by Lorraine Katzin)
My friend Karen Shalansky and I, from Congregation Har El, went on a Jewish National Fund tour to Israel in April 2024, traveling with some congregants from Congregation Beth Israel. We were based in Tel Aviv but drove to the south to see the Nova Festival Memorial and the car cemetery. (See jewishindependent.ca/reflections-on-april-mission.)
When I heard of the Nova Exhibition, which had been traveling to New York, Los Angeles and then Miami, I Googled to see if it was going to be in Toronto. While we live in Vancouver, my husband and I were going to be heading to Toronto for our granddaughter’s Grade 1 siddur celebration. I was able to purchase tickets to the exhibition for May 6, during the time we (and our daughter) were going to be in the city.
Normally, when we go to Toronto, we attend Saturday morning services at our son’s synagogue, the Village Shul. It just so happened that, on the Shabbat of our visit, the guest speaker was Ophir Amir, one of the founders of the Nova music festival and one of the producers of the Nova Exhibition. Amir was shot in both legs by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023. He survived, but so many of his friends did not. He shared: “While I was hiding from the terrorists, I thought about my wife, who was pregnant, and that’s what saved me.”
(photo by Lorraine Katzin)
The Nova Exhibition tells the stories of the victims and helps this community begin to heal – we will dance again.
The first part of the exhibit is a movie. It shows people having fun, enjoying life, singing and dancing, until 6:29 a.m. on Oct. 7, when the music stops and security starts shouting “Red alert! Tzeva adom!” as they could see the rockets flying over Israel. They tell everyone to go home. The movie ends.
We were then led to another room for a reenactment of what came next. There were different TV screens showing how the Hamas terrorists came through the fence, the continuous firing of their weapons, the continuous shouting of “Allah Akbar!”
The next area is filled with belongings from the festival, which include tents, sleeping bags, chairs, clothes, snacks, trees, the market, featuring various items, portable toilets, the bar, freezer chests, burnt-out cars, shelters, and more. By each display there is a TV screen with a survivor telling their story. One young girl lost 15 friends, another young man lost more than 40 friends, a mother lost two of her daughters. Many different stories of loss, as well as stories of heroism.
On one wall of the exhibit are photos of the Nova hostages still held in captivity by Hamas. On another wall are photos of all the people at the Nova festival who were murdered on Oct. 7 – as well as their hats, shoes, other clothing and knickknacks.
(photo by Lorraine Katzin)
As you walk through the exhibit, it shows how the larger community is helping with the psychological trauma, the grieving process, the bereavement, the difficulties of survivors to function day-to-day. All the proceeds from the exhibition are dedicated to helping heal and rehabilitate survivors, commemorate those who were lost, and support the bereaved families.
We spent two-and-a-half hours walking around and reading testimonies. We came out emotionally drained. Our Israeli brethren are resilient, they have ruach, spirit, and they are dancing again.
The Nova Exhibition runs until June 8 at 1381 Castlefield Ave., in Toronto. For more information, visit novaexhibition.com.
Images from the exhibition:
(photo by Lorraine Katzin)(photo by Lorraine Katzin)(photo by Lorraine Katzin)(photo by Lorraine Katzin)
Dina Wachtel of Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University, and Ido Aharoni, a former top Israeli diplomat who now teaches at various universities. (photo by Pat Johnson)
Zionism is as popular now as it has ever been on North American campuses, according to a former top Israeli diplomat who now teaches at multiple American universities.
The bad news, he added, is that Zionism was never a hit on North American campuses.
“Zionism was never popular in academia,” said Ido Aharoni, speaking with the Independent during a trip to Vancouver as a guest of Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University. “In fact, I would argue that … we’ve never had so many Zionists in North America as we have today.”
Protests on campuses and reports of professors inculcating anti-Israel ideas are disturbing, he said, but it’s not new.
“The people that are at the front of the effort, that spearhead the effort, are different,” he said, arguing that the vanguard now is comprised of foreign students and descendants of immigrants from societies where antisemitism is endemic. “But it’s the same thing, the same messaging that was designed by the Soviet Union.”
Aharoni is a 25-year veteran of Israel’s foreign service, a public diplomacy specialist, and founder of the Brand Israel program, which, since 2002, has sought to reposition Israel in the public mind globally. He served in the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles in the 1990s and was consul general of Israel in New York and the Tri-State Area from 2010 to 2016.
Since retiring from government in 2016, Aharoni has lectured and spoken at academic institutions including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Wharton and Berkeley on topics such as Israel’s foreign relations, mass media, the information revolution, public marketing, and nation branding. He has served as a professor of business at Touro University, as a professor of international relations at New York University and is the Murray Galinson Professor of International Relations at University of California in San Diego and San Diego State University’s business school.
In addition to teaching and lecturing, Aharoni provides advice to international companies to accessIsraeli innovation. He also helps businesses and agencies communicate with governments. His third focus is strategy and planning, particularly helping clients tell their story.
Aharoni contests widely held assumptions, including that Israel is unpopular in Western countries. Opinion polls say large majorities of respondents side with the Jewish state, he said. That does not necessarily translate, however, into family vacations in Israel or investments in Israeli enterprises. Changing that mindset could include convincing non-Israelis to consider differently the challenges the country faces.
“Think of terrorism the same way you think of crime in any major urban centre in North America,” he said. “If you only focus on attempts to carry out criminal acts, or the number of criminal acts carried out, then the picture can be very scary.”
If all anyone heard about Vancouver was crime statistics, he said, they might be reluctant to visit or invest. “That’s what happened in Israel,” said Aharoni. “We communicated our problems to the world. At one point, it became the only thing we communicated to the world. As a result, the world doesn’t see us beyond those problems.”
It’s hard to alter a narrative once it is set, he said. And yet, he added, Israel is no more dangerous a place to visit – and far more stable a place to invest – than many other spots in the world.
“You know how many inflammations of violence we have right now in the world taking place?” he asked. “People are talking about Israelis and Palestinians as if it’s the only conflict in the world and I think there’s something wrong about that.”
Early in his career, Aharoni was involved in the beginnings of the Oslo Peace Process. He was the policy assistant to Uri Savir, director-general of the Israeli foreign ministry under then-foreign minister Shimon Peres. “I was part of a very small group of people that knew about the secret negotiations and my job was mostly to prepare him for meetings,” he said.
Aharoni rejects the narrative that the entire process is a story of failure. What did fail was the assumption by Israelis and the broader diplomatic world that Yasser Arafat would confront the extremists on his side, get Hamas in hand, end incitement against Israelis and prepare his people to live in peaceful coexistence.
The Palestinians faced their Altalena moment, he said, citing a pivotal incident in the earliest Israeli history, when the prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, ordered the nascent Israel Defence Forces to attack the Irgun ship Altalena, effectively ensuring there would be a single, unified military force in the country.
“If you ask me, this was the biggest mistake: the assumption that Arafat was of that calibre. But the truth is that Arafat was no Ben-Gurion,” said Aharoni. “Arafat was not of that calibre. He was in it way over his head. He didn’t have the skill or the character – nor the desire. To have the desire, you have to have some knowledge of history, you have to have some depth. He had none of that. He was in love with the position of a rebel, of a revolutionary. He thought he was Che Guevara and that was his historical reference. If you ask me, that was the biggest failure.
“Other than that,” he argued, “Oslo was a big success.”
Before Oslo, he noted, Israel did not recognize the existence of the Palestinians and vice versa. The recognition and direct contact between the two sides, for whatever shortcomings that dialogue has had, allows Israel to coordinate anti-terror efforts with the Palestinian Authority.
“A lot of people don’t know that,” he said, “but the Palestinian Authority, which is the creation of the Oslo Accords … they have been very instrumental helping Israelis curb terrorism coming out of the West Bank.”
Oct. 7, 2023, or “10/7,” changed everything, he said.
“Before 10/7, there was this expectation on the part of Israelis that, somehow, we will be able to introduce peace in its full conceptual meaning.… I think, after 10/7, it’s very difficult for people to imagine that kind of peace.”
The best hope now, probably, is what Aharoni calls “a livable arrangement,” which would protect Israel’s security needs and deliver maximal Palestinian civil self-rule, while limiting the Palestinians’ military capabilities. Eliminating the antisemitism and genocidal incitement in the Palestinian and broader Arab education systems is another priority, he added.
Aharoni forcefully rejects the idea that support for Israel has become a partisan wedge issue in the United States, noting that a vote on an Israeli aid package passed the US Congress after 10/7 with 366 in favour, 58 against and seven abstentions.
“It’s true that we pay a lot of attention to the fringes,” he said, citing vocally anti-Israel representatives Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, who, he said, “represent a very marginalized and very narrow agenda.”
Aharoni was in Vancouver to meet with local supporters of Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University. CFHU will host a public event next month, in which the mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion, will be in conversation with Rabbi Jonathan Infeld. The event, titled Diversity as Strength During Challenging Times, takes place June 9, at 7:30 p.m. Register at cfhu.org/moshe-lion.
בחודשים האחרונים לא מעט ישראלים שעברו לקנדה עקב המלחמה, בעקבות אירועי השבעה באוקטובר, חוזרים בחזרה לישראל. קנדה הפעילה תוכנית מיוחדת עבור הישראלים עקב המלחמה, ואיפשרה להם לקבל רישיון עבודה לשלוש שנים. לאחר מכן יתאפשר להם במקרים מסוימים לקבל תושבות קבע ואזרחות. כמה עשרות אלפי ישראלים ניצלו אפשרות זו ועברו לקנדה בשנה וחצי האחרונות. מרביתם מטבע הדברים עברו לגור בטורונטו שבה יש את הריכוז הגדול ביותר של יהודים וישראלים בקנדה
עתה המצב התהפך ורבים מישראלים אלה חוזרים הביתה לאחר שלא הצליחו להתאים את עצמם למגורים קבועים בקנדה. זאת, בעיקר כיוון שלא תכננו נכונה מראש את החיים הצפויים להם במדינה הקנדית. לפי הערכה כחמישים אחוז מאלה שעברו לקנדה בגלל השבעה באוקטובר יחזרו בסופו של דבר לישראל
רוב הישראלים שחוזרים לישראל אמרו לעצמם נעבור לקנדה ואז נזרום, וזאת כמובן לא תוכנית טובה. רובם הבינו רק בדיעבד שלא תהיה להם אפשרות להישאר בקנדה מעבר לשלוש השנים של קבלת רישיון העבודה. אם הם היו קוראים מידע לפני המעבר או מבררים באתרים ייעודיים, הם היו חוסכים לעצמם עשרות או מאות אלפי שקלים. ישנם גם ישראלים שגילו בדיעבד שבמקום שבו הם נחתו בקנדה – הם לא יוכלו לקבל תושבות ואחרי ששכרו בית, רשמו את הילדים לבית הספר ומצאו עבודה, הם נאלצים לעבור לגור באזור אחר.
ישנם מקרים קיצונים יותר של ישראלים שלצערם לא הצליחו למצוא עבודה, ונאלצו לבקש מחברי הקהילה היהודית עזרה במגורים ומזון. במקרים כאלה הומלץ להם לחזור מייד לישראל, להתארגן מחדש ולנצל את רישיון העבודה שלהם בעתיד
קבוצות הפייסבוק מהוות מקום בו אפשר לשאול ישראלים אחרים את כל השאלות שמטרידות אתם לפני המעבר, אך הבעיה מתחילה כשמקבלים עשר תשובות שונות ורובן אינן נכונות ואף מטעות. כשמתכננים מהלך כזה מורכב, חובה לקבל תשובות מקצועיות, המתאימות למצב האישי של השואל ולא להסתמך על מידע שניתן מאנשים, שחלק מהם היגרו לפני שנים רבות כשמערכת ההגירה היתה שונה והתנאים בקנדה היו שונים. ישנם גם יועצים מטעם עצמם ובעלי אינטרסים כלכליים, שמסתובבים בקבוצות השונות ומחלקים עצות בחינם – גם במקרה הזה חינם עלול לעלות הרבה כסף בטווח הארוך
חלק מסוים מאלפי הישראלים שהגיעו לקנדה ארזו מזוודה, ובהחלטה של רגע הזמינו כרטיס טיסה ועברו. ישנם צעירים, ששמעו מחברים שעברו לקנדה ללא שום תכנון מראש. אך לאחר כמה חודשים בקנדה הבינו שמכיוון ואין להם אפילו תעודת בגרות ולכן יהיה להם קשה לקבל את תושבות הקבע, ועל כן חזרו לישראל
יש ישראלים שחזרו לישראל מקנדה למרות שקיבלו רישיון העבודה והתחילו לעבוד, אך לאחר כמה חודשים הבינו שהחיים בקנדה אינם נוצצים כפי שדמיינו. הם הרגישו מנותקים מהמשפחה והחברים והתקשו להתאקלם בתרבות החדשה. אחרי מספר חודשים, החליטו לחזור לישראל ולהתחיל את חייהם מחדש
המעבר לקנדה כולל גם הסתגלות לשוני תרבותי נרחב. רבים מהישראלים גילו כי התרבות הקנדית שונה באופן משמעותי מזו הישראלית. הקנדים ידועים ברוגע שלהם לעומת הפלפליות הישראלית. כמו כן, הנורמות החברתיות וההתנהלות היומיומית בקנדה שונות מהותית מאלו שבישראל. ישראלים רבים חושבים שכמו בישראל הם יתארחו בבתי חברים וגם ילדיהם יוזמנו על ידי החברים שלהם לאחר יום הלימודים ולחלופין. אך זה לא קורה, כיוון שבקנדה קובעים פגישות חברתיות כולל בין ילדים, מספר ימים או אפילו שבוע מראש, ואין מקום לספונטניות הישראלית
A photograph by David Seymour (Chim) of children in Normandy, in 1947. Part of the exhibit Chim’s Photojournalism: From War to Hope, at the Zack Gallery until June 15. (photo from Ben Shneiderman)
The new show at the Zack Gallery, Chim’s Photojournalism: From War to Hope, features one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century – David Seymour (known as Chim). Chim was killed in 1956, a few days before his 45th birthday, while photographing the Suez Crisis in Egypt, but his legacy lives on even now, almost 70 years after his tragic death.
Gallery manager Sarah Dobbs told the Independent that Ben Shneiderman, Chim’s nephew and the manager of his estate, approached her about the show.
“I was immediately intrigued,” she said. “I met with him and asked if we could host the exhibition. I recognized its importance to the community at the JCC and also to the city of Vancouver. It is a rare opportunity to showcase such an amazing photojournalist. It made sense to host it during the Festival of Jewish Culture in May. I met with the art committee here, and they agreed.… This is the first time these works will be shown together in Canada.”
According to Dobbs, the exhibit was initiated by Cynthia Young, a curator at the New York International Centre of Photography, using vintage prints in their collection.
“Then, the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Centre produced the 51 modern prints for their showing,” Dobbs said. “Later, they were presented in Portland, Ore., at their Jewish museum and Holocaust education centre. I flew down to Portland to see the exhibition while it was there and chatted with the curators.”
To package and ship the display to Vancouver, Dobbs needed funds. “I applied for grants and approached individuals,” she said. “In addition to the shipping cost, we also had a special wall built inside the gallery. It will serve us for other exhibitions, moving forward.”
The show preview on April 22 was a joyful event, presided by Shneiderman, who shared with guests his intimate knowledge of his uncle’s work and life.
David Seymour was born in 1911 in Warsaw. His father, Benjamin Szymin, was a respected publisher of Yiddish and Hebrew books. As a young man, Seymour studied printing in Leipzig and, later, chemistry and science in Paris. He wanted to become a scientist. Meanwhile, photography fascinated him. He started taking photographs and selling them to support himself financially, and unexpectedly found a passion for humanitarian photojournalism. His first credited photographs appeared in the French magazine Regards in 1934.
Interested in social issues, Seymour photographed labourers and political rallies, famous actors and street scenes. At that time, he adopted his professional name, Chim, a simplification of his last name, Szymin.
Between 1936 and 1938, as a photojournalist, Chim documented the Spanish Civil War and other international political events. Twenty-five of his Spanish stories were published in Regards. Several of those photos are included in the Zack show. One of them, a close-up of a nursing mother looking up, obviously troubled (1936), is well known. Shneiderman said several history scholars studied this photograph and concluded that it was one of the inspirations of Picasso’s 1937 masterpiece, “Guernica.” Chim’s photo of Picasso in front of “Guernica” positions the painting’s detail of a woman looking up at the falling bombs, right behind the artist.
In 1939, Chim escaped the unfolding war in Europe for Mexico and, later, the United States. As a multilingual and Sorbonne-educated journalist, he served in the US military intelligence as a photo-interpreter. After the war, he resumed his photojournalism career.
In 1947, he and a group of his friends, like-minded photographers, founded Magnum Photos, a cooperative run by photographers. Chim served as Magnum president from 1954 until his death.
Chim’s postwar photographic stories are a blend of anguish and hope. Many of the images are on display at the Zack, divided into several distinct sections. The biggest section is “The Children of Europe.”
In 1948, Chim took a UNESCO assignment to report on the plight of the 11 million European children displaced by the war. He visited Italy, Greece, Hungary, Austria and other European countries. He photographed children who were maimed and orphaned, children playing beside ruins or working in print shops or begging in the streets.
“When LIFE magazine published a spread of those pictures,” Shneiderman said, “together with a list of organizations that accepted donations on behalf of those children, the pouring in of donations was unprecedented.”
Another series of photographs focused on postwar Germany. One of the most poignant ones in this series shows a section of a beach divided by barbed wire – the border between West and East Germany. A couple of boys lounge on the sand. A young woman in a swimming suit runs towards the water. In the foreground, a border guard in uniform stands grim and watchful with his guard dog and his rifle. Tension thrums through the image, underlined by questions and uncertainties.
On the other hand, Chim’s Israeli photographs of the early 1950s are infused with hope. A man lifts his baby to the sky in elation – the first baby born in his village. A wedding is celebrated under the chuppah, its makeshift poles including a gun and a pitchfork. An Independence Day parade rolls through Tel Aviv. A team of fishers proudly display their catch of the day to the photographer.
A photograph by David Seymour (Chim) of a wedding in Israel, in 1952. (photo from Ben Shneiderman)
In all his visual stories, Chim is always there with his subjects. They are his co-authors.
“It is that emotional connection that made many celebrities willing to pose for him,” said Shneiderman.
Chim photographed Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren and Picasso, and many others. These photographs are not included in the show, but, together with those that are included, they portray their creator as a man of courage, integrity and vision, one of the best photographic artists of the 20th century.
“Is photojournalism art?” Dobbs mused. “Yes, I think so. Photojournalists capture a moment, an interaction at a specific time. Contemporary art is a mirror of our times. It reflects the societal changes, cultural shifts and significant events that shape our world. It is what the best photojournalists, like Chim, do.”
Dobbs is certain that Chim’s work is still relevant.
“It continues to inspire and draw attention. It teaches photographers to get close to their subjects,” she said. “His images remind us of the past, of the destruction of war, but also of the humanity that transcends it, and of peoples’ resilience.”
Chim’s Photojournalism: From War to Hope is on display until June 15. It is sponsored by the Averbach Foundation, Esther Chetner, the Yosef Wosk Family Foundation and the Government of Canada, in partnership with Shneiderman, Magnum Photos, the International Centre of Photography in New York, the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.
For more information and to see a selection of photos, visit davidseymour.com.
Olga Livshinis a Vancouver freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected].
Geoffrey Druker leads the Vancouver Yom Hazikaron ceremony at Temple Sholom on April 29. (photo by Pat Johnson)
On the morning of Oct. 7, Sgt. Tomer Nagar started his guard duty at 6 a.m. on the Israel Defence Forces base at Kibbutz Kissufim, near the Gaza border.
He was alone with his weapon and the standard 675 rounds of ammunition. Half an hour into his shift, the base was hit by massive mortar fire, then swarmed by Hamas terrorists. The surveillance soldier who was monitoring the border told Nagar to retreat because he was massively outnumbered.
Nagar chose to ignore the instructions and remain at his post, intending to prevent or delay the terrorists’ entry into the base, to give his colleagues time to prepare and to fight for their lives. The battle went on for hours.
“The Kissufim base did not fall into the hands of Hamas,” said Geoffrey Druker, as he began the annual Vancouver ceremony marking Yom Hazikaron, the day of remembrance for the fallen of Israel’s wars and all victims of terror, April 29, at Temple Sholom. “But 13 Golani solders and three from the Egoz unit were killed. When they finally reached Tomer Nagar, they found his body. Around him lay 675 empty bullet casings. He fought ’til his last bullet. He was 21 years old.”
Members of the British Columbia Jewish community lit candles in memory of loved ones, family and friends who have died during the 77 years of Israel’s existence as a state. The day of remembrance closed the following night at Congregation Beth Israel, prior to Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, celebrations.
Druker, who for many years has led the local commemoration, highlighted instances in which fighters risked and often lost their own lives to prevent the advance of terrorists, thereby saving countless lives.
There were 31 police officers securing the 3,500 or so attendees at the Nova music festival. Equipped mostly with handguns, the officers held off as many infiltrators as possible. In the process, 16 of the 31 were killed, as were another five officers from teams that arrived as reinforcements.
“Their battle helped prevent the terrorists from penetrating deeper into Israel and attacking other communities,” said Druker.
Nearby, in the city of Sderot, the police station was attacked by Hamas terrorists in white pickup trucks, armed with anti-tank rockets. Seven police officers raced to the roof of the station to fight off dozens of attackers. With limited ammunition, they held out for nine hours. A special rescue unit managed to reach the scene and save most of the officers, but Mor Shakuri, one of two police on site that day, was killed. She was 28.
Inbar Heyman was a world-renowned graffiti artist, whose works can be seen throughout Tel Aviv under the name Pink. She attended the Nova festival to provide emotional support to the attendees.
“When the attack started, she hid, and then tried to flee,” Druker said. “Around 1 p.m., she was caught and could be seen taken on a motorcycle into Gaza. Her family waited in fear to hear her fate – 71 days they waited until they were told she was murdered in captivity. She was 27 years old.”
Inbal Binder and Raz Shifer, friends of Heyman who were with her at the festival, were in Vancouver. They lit a candle in her memory and read Yizkor.
At the IDF base at Nahal Oz, 54 soldiers were killed after the kibbutz was overtaken by Hamas on Oct. 7. These included 15 tatzpitaniyot, female surveillance soldiers. Another seven tatzpitaniyot were taken hostage in Gaza.
“One was later rescued by the IDF,” said Druker, “and one, Noa Matziano, was murdered at the Shifa hospital in Gaza. It took 482 days until the final tatzpitaniyot returned home in January this year.”
Among those killed at Nahal Oz on Oct. 7 was Roni Eshel, the eldest daughter of Eyal and Sharon Eshel’s three children.
“She would typically end her text messages to her family, signing off with five emoji hearts, one for each family member,” Druker said. “On the morning of Oct. 7, when attacked, she was texting her parents. It was the last morning of her life. She ended her message with four hearts. Later, her father Eyal said, ‘I should have realized then what she was telling us.’”
Ruthie Mizrahi, a Vancouverite who is a childhood friend of Eyal Eshel, lit three candles at the ceremony – one for Roni Eshel, one for Rotem Dushi, whose father Yaron was an army friend of Mizrahi, and one for her uncle, Oded Lifshitz, a founder of Kibbutz Nir Oz, whose family had to wait 503 days to hear that his body had been identified.
Kfar Aza was the first kibbutz Hamas conquered on Oct 7. An estimated 250 terrorists entered the kibbutz, murdering 64 residents and taking 19 hostage.
Vancouverite Micha’el Richenshtein’s father, Eliyahu (Aliko) Reichenstein, was among those murdered. Richenshtein lit a candle in memory of her father and all who were murdered on Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
More than 300 terrorists invaded Kibbutz Be’eri, where they murdered 102 people and took 32 civilians hostage. Among the hostages was Carmel Gat, who was later found executed with five others, murdered as the IDF advanced on their location in Gaza. Lynn Adam Saffery, a British Columbian who is a member of Gat’s extended family, lit a candle of remembrance.
Mushon Mizrachi recited kaddish for his nephew, Ben Mizrachi, the Vancouver-raised IDF medic who died a hero saving others at the Nova festival.
Other fallen were also commemorated.
Dany Guincher made aliyah with his family from Chile and, in 1967, joined the IDF, became a tank crew member, a commander and then an officer.
“On the sixth of October 1973 – Yom Kippur – Egypt and Syria tacked Israel,” said Druker. Guincher was then studying at university in Pennsylvania, but he managed to find a flight back to Israel.
“He was greeted at the Ben Gurion Airport by his brother, Lito,” Druker said. “Dany joined the forces in the Sinai and led his tanks into battle in the city of Ismailia. On the 23rd of October 1973, his tank was hit and Dany Guincher was killed.”
Lito, who was a member of the Vancouver community, has since passed away, but his son-in-law, Jack Micner, who is married to Dany’s niece Karen, lit a candle in Guincher’smemory and read Yizkor.
Also present was Zev Tanne who, with his 17- and 18-year-old classmates of Mikveh Israel agricultural school, fought in the 1948 War of Independence as part of the elite Palmach unit of the Haganah. He survived a battle in which 11 of his classmates were killed.
Lihi Shushan and Or Shukrun, shinshiniyot (teen emissaries), honoured fallen soldiers and civilian casualties from Vancouver’s partnership region in the Upper Galil.
Ruchot Hatzafon, headliners of the following evening’s Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration, performed.
Druker thanked the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver for supporting and Temple Sholom for hosting the event, as well as the musicians who performed.
Israel’s deputy consul general for Toronto and Western Canada, Shani Azulai, addressed the event in a recorded video message.
Rabbi Eliahu Barzilai of Congregation Beth Hamidrash recited El Moleh Rachmim.
Dr. Oren Wacht of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev will be in Vancouver this month, giving a public lecture May 25 and promoting Heartbeat of Education, a project geared to helping more Israeli paramedics further their education in emergency medical services. (photo from BGU Canada BC & Alberta Region)
Dr. Oren Wacht, who heads the department of emergency medicine and is the academic director of the Field Family Medical Simulation Centre at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, will be in Vancouver May 23 to 25. As part of his visit, he will speak to the community on May 25, 7 p.m., at an event titled Emergency Medicine in Action: Healing the Negev Post-Oct. 7.
An experienced emergency medical technician and the first paramedic in Israel to receive his PhD, Wacht serves, too, as a volunteer paramedic for Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency service.Since Oct. 7, 2023, he has seen months of active service between his teaching and training responsibilities.Thousands of BGU faculty, staff and students were called to serve after the Hamas attacks.
Wacht said his May 25 talk will be about his department, which trains paramedics, and will briefly touch upon his own experiences as a paramedic.
“Since the war, I have spent most of the time in the military, in the infantry, as a paramedic,” he told the Independent. “I am trying to combine this with my work at BGU as a head of department and researcher, and, of course, my personal life and family. It is very challenging, but there is no other choice.”
Wacht’s visit to Vancouver will promote Heartbeat of Education, a project geared to helping more Israeli paramedics from all walks of life access and earn a bachelor’s degree in emergency medical services (EMS).
As the national EMS system,Magen David Adom (MDA) has very close ties with the program. In February 2022, MDA and BGU signed an affiliation agreement as part of an academic initiative designed to improve training for paramedics and EMTs. The affiliation, believed to be the first between a national EMS service and a university, strives to bolster the quality of pre-hospital emergency care in Israel and elsewhere.
“We want Israel to have the best paramedics and, with the program’s support, we can help our students go through our very intense program with less financial stress,” Wacht said.
“Our program is unique,” he added, “because students do EMS shifts at MDA from the first year of studies. We are incredibly excited about this opportunity – and being able to support our students, especially since the war, is one of the most important things we need to do.”
In Israel, MDA paramedics are among the first on the scene in emergencies to provide critical care.However, many paramedics lack the financial means to pursue higher education. The purpose of the Heartbeat of Education program is to enable paramedics to take on more specialized roles within the health-care system, bring enhanced expertise to emergencies and thereby save more lives and improve outcomes, drive innovation and support a diverse, inclusive environment that can provide life-saving services to everyone who lives in Israel.
Wacht also has created a summer program, in English, in emergency medicine at BGU. It will open this year, from July 20 to 30, and is geared towards laypeople and professionals alike. The program uses the extensive experience of tactical medicine – the delivery of care in hostile or high-risk situations that integrates medical and tactical operations to preserve life – at BGU and brings it to people in the course in a realistic environment at the school’s medical simulation centre. In addition to offering graduates a certificate from BGU, the program hopes to provide participants with the confidence to handle demanding medical challenges.
The Field Family Medical Simulation Centre occupies four floors of the Rachel and Max Javit Medical Simulation and Classroom Building at BGU.It includes classrooms equipped with medical devices, advanced simulators and research laboratories, and features state-of-the-art medical simulation rooms to train doctors, nurses and paramedics.The rooms are designed to reflect real-life medical situations, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, procedures for trauma victims and emergency surgeries.
Since Oct. 7, many medical teams, from army and civilian organizations, have asked for guidance at the centre, and the centre has helped prepare many Israel Defence Forces teams.
“Despite the challenges we face, and despite the fact that a significant part of the team has been called up for reserve duty, hospitals and MDA, this is our small contribution, and we stand united with the medical community in these difficult times,” Wacht said in October 2023.
“The support of Jewish people from around the world gives all of us, and me personally, a lot of strength in these challenging times,” Wacht told the Independent. “We invite readers to visit BGU and see the fantastic work in many fields of research.”
