Image – Page 20

Hebrew Bible stories inspire

On Sept. 16, Stephen Schecter will retell three stories from the Hebrew Bible at the 40th anniversary celebration of L’Chaim Adult Day Centre. He promises the stories will bring laughter and tears. (photo from Stephen Schecter)

“I love the Hebrew Bible,” Stephen Schecter told the Independent. “It is, after all, the template of Western literature and the DNA of the Jewish people. Its stories are all told twice, inviting the reader to ask what is going on here. And the stories invariably end badly, teaching us the importance of getting a handle on our passions if we want to have a halfway decent life together.”

On Sept. 16, in celebration of L’Chaim Adult Day Centre’s 40th anniversary, Schecter will share a few of his favourite biblical tales.

“Retelling these stories,” he said, “is my way of giving the Jews back their pride and their backbone, steeling them to be proud Zionists, once again going back to ‘In the beginning,’ which is the title of my show on Sept. 16. The stories – and I will be retelling three of them – when you examine them closely are rather funny, but this is no laughing matter. Some of them bring you even to tears.”

Schecter, who was a sociology professor at Université du Québec à Montréal, has always been interested in literature, but not necessarily the Hebrew Bible.

“When my kids had their bat and bar mitzvahs, I started going to Shabbat services again, which meant I read the weekly Torah portion and, lo and behold, I was swept away,” he said. “When a friend put me on to a contemporary rewrite of some of the books of The Iliad, I thought I could do that too but within my tradition. The upshot turned out to be a 170-page poem called ‘David and Jonathan,’ published in 1996.

“From there, I went on to lecturing about the Hebrew Bible to multiple audiences in Montreal and ended up doing a one-man show on the first half of the book of Genesis in 2003 at the Saidye Bronfman Centre theatre [now the Segal Centre for Performing Arts]. In 2005, I moved to Vancouver and gave a number of series of talks on the Hebrew Bible to seniors at the JCC.”

Schecter continued to write about sociology and, in 2012, published a book called Grasshoppers in Zion about Israel’s situation in the Middle East. In that book, he said, “I explained how a reading of the Hebrew Bible could help Jews immeasurably in dealing with the Palestinians. No one listened, but I continued to write and now do so on Substack at schecter.substack.com.”

He also noted how people don’t listen to – or even know about – the lessons of the Hebrew Bible. Hence, he quipped, “the constant rewrites. Steinbeck’s East of Eden retells Cain and Abel. Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet turns the Dinah story into a five-act play. The end of the Book of Judges replays Sodom and Gomorrah, which now finds its rehash on our TV screens in Gaza. Not for nothing is the Hebrew Bible laced with irony, engendering that particular form of Jewish humour Sholem Aleichem and S.Y. Agnon each captured.”

The English-speaking world once used the Hebrew Bible to learn to read, but people have stopped reading it altogether, said Schecter.

“Many Jewish day schools do not teach it, especially at the high school level, which is where Jewish youngsters could begin to immerse themselves in their tradition,” he said. “When I attend shul, I often hear more about food banks than the wild poetry of the parashah [weekly Torah portion]. The answer to antisemitism lies not in refuting the arguments of those who slander us; it is in asserting the timeless truths of this sacred text, which lay out the indissoluble link between the Hebrew Bible and the land of Israel and our identity as Jews.

“I am blown away every time I reread these stories,” he said.

“So, I hope Jews come to see the show,” said Schecter. “I hope especially community leaders, activists, rabbis, principals and teachers come and hear these magnificent tales and see how they still speak to a modern audience. It is a show to celebrate the 40th anniversary of L’Chaim, the only adult Jewish day centre in the Lower Mainland, whose exceptional level of care would have well served even our founding patriarchs, all of whom could have used its services. Come and see why.”

“We are on our way to becoming the gold standard of adult day programs in Vancouver,” said L’Chaim executive director Leah Deslauriers of but one of the many reasons to celebrate the organization’s 40th year.

“L’Chaim is fortunate to have community support, from foundations to private donors, which allows us to offer an enriched program to our clients and their families. All of us at L’Chaim are forever grateful for this support,” she said, adding that “L’Chaim continues to grow, and shows no signs of slowing down.”

In the coming years, said Deslauriers, “L’Chaim will prepare to move into the new JWest building upon its completion. In the next 10 years, our hope is to increase our funded spaces from 16 to 22 each day. And, if demand increases, maybe even add an additional day and be open on Sundays.”

Tickets ($18) for In the Beginning, which takes place Sept. 16, 7 p.m., at the Rothstein Theatre, can be purchased at eventbrite.ca.

Victoria Fringe has started

Director Francis G. Matheu, right, with actors Nolan Fidyk and Dan Landry rehearsing Alan Segal’s Shade Apparel. (photo by Sarah Nicole Faucher)

This year’s Victoria Fringe Festival, billed as “12 days of madcap fun this summer,” started on Aug. 20 and runs to Aug. 31. Included in the lineup are pieces by two local Jewish community members, Alan Segal and David Heyman.

Segal describes his play, Shade Apparel, as “comedy, drama and absurdity.” It features Danver, a playwright rooted in daily routine, who tries to find answers to questions he never knew he had. And, Segal told the Independent, “He is not prepared for the answers. Shade Apparel is a play about wanting to know more and not knowing where to find anything.”

In Segal’s words, our society is “heavily psychologized,” in that everything is given a psychological or emotional origin story, he said. “But, if we breathe, we absorb culture, ideas, ideals and assumptions.

“Most of the time, we have a slight awareness of the precise origin of these. Their origin tale, however, is found in the social cauldron of daily life. This, too, is our apparel. We are clothed in more than material fabric,” he said.

From an early age, Segal has had an interest in how people become, well, anything; for example, how are allegiance, assurance, belonging, anger, dissent, happiness, or its opposite, created?

Segal’s first Victoria Fringe experience was not as a playwright but as a supporter of the arts who was captivated by the aura and array of creativity he observed. Last year, he founded Imbroglio Theatre, which will put on Shade Apparel.

“Beyond headlines and supposed fame, people venture into many realms of expression. I loved it from the start, and I expect many will be enlivened by what is approaching in Victoria at the end of August,” he said.

The creative team for the Fringe show comprises Dan Landry, Nolan Fidyk and Kendra Bidwell (cast), Alan Segal (writer), Francis G. Matheu (director), Elaine Montgomery (stage manager), Luke Weston and Andrea Gregg (lighting design), Phil Letourneau (music and sound design), Sarah Nicole Faucher (costume design) and Doug Wills (poster and program).

“Shade Apparel is the second play I have written – a project I never intended to write and had no inkling of, until it leaped into my mind as a single scene,” said Segal.

His first play, Frey’s Anguish, premiered in March 2024 at Paul Phillips Hall in Victoria.

photo - David Heyman’s Ducks co-stars, right to left, Gloria Snider, Lorene Cammiade, Ryan Kniel and Danielle Greschner — David Heyman’s Ducks co-stars, right to left, Gloria Snider, Lorene Cammiade, Ryan Kniel and Danielle Greschner. *(photo from David Heyman)*

Heyman’s play, Ducks, takes place in the aftermath of an incident in which 1,600 ducks flew into an oilsands tailings pond in northern Alberta and died – a true event that caused international criticism of the provincial government. Years later, the oil company that owned and operated the pond was fined and the government promised tighter restrictions; however, the damage to Alberta’s reputation was significant.

The fictionalized theatrical story centres on a government communications director who has 20 minutes to retrieve an embarrassing, career-ending invitation erroneously sent out in his name before the media or public find out about it.

“I was communications manager for the premier of Alberta at the time [of the real-life incident] and, although I was not involved in managing the issue … I was able to observe the crisis-management efforts from up close,” Heyman said.

“The characters and events in the play are entirely made up but are informed by my inside knowledge of how communications offices work, and how the media deal with such situations,” he said. “Before joining the Alberta Premier’s Office, I was a political reporter at the Calgary Herald for many years. Many people who work in governments in Alberta and BC have told me that the play feels authentic, which was my goal.”

When Ducks premiered at the Victoria One-Act Play Festival in 2023, it won the prize for outstanding original script. When it was performed at the 2024 Edmonton Fringe Festival, five of eight shows sold out and the play received stellar reviews. The play has also been performed at the Nanaimo Fringe Festival and in Tofino.

Heading into the Victoria Fringe, Heyman said, “We’ve got a top-notch cast, a great director and a great stage manager this year. The rehearsals are going very well and I’m confident it will be a hit.”

Heyman is the show’s producer and, joining him in mounting the Fringe show are Ryan Kniel, Lorene Cammiade, Gloria Snider and Danielle Greschner (cast), Francis G. Matheu (director), Andrea Gregg (stage manager) and Sarah Heyman (associate producer).

David Heyman has written an as-yet-unperformed sequel, Rhymes with Ducks, that he hopes to put on at next year’s festival. “The sequel is designed also to be a second (and final) act, and perhaps one day both will be performed as a single show,” he said.

For the Fringe, Shade Apparel is at Victoria Conservatory of Music’s Wood Hall, while Ducks is at James Bay United Church. Both plays are 45 minutes long. For tickets and more information, visit victoriafringe.com.

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

Israeli dance sessions

The Vancouver Israeli Folk Dance Society hosted their annual BeLev Echad Workshop at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver May 23-25. The society is holding an open house on Sept. 10 for anyone interested in seeing what Israeli dance is all about. (photo from VIFS)

The Vancouver Israeli Folk Dance Society (VIFS) hosted their annual BeLev Echad Workshop at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver May 23-25. With a spring theme and the Dance with One Heart slogan, VIFS welcomed more than 100 dancers from at least 12 different cities from all over the world, as far east as Italy and as far south as Costa Rica. This year’s guest choreographers/teachers were Tamir Shalev from Israel, on his ﬁrst visit to Vancouver, and Marcelo Marianoff from Argentina – on his ﬁfth consecutive visit.

The weekend started with a Shabbat dinner catered by Nava Creative Kosher Cuisine, followed by a dance party that only wrapped up at 1 a.m. Saturday was devoted to teaching and dancing, meeting new friends and catching up with old acquaintances, and even trying one’s hand at a 1,000-piece puzzle. Attendees could choose between a more relaxed-paced room or the main auditorium for more advanced dancers. Both circle and couple dances were taught. The evening session began with games of balloon pickle ball, and there was a caricaturist artist on site as well. After Havdalah, the dance party began with line dances, circle and couple dances. The hardiest and most energetic dancers continued dancing until 2 a.m.! On Sunday morning, dancers once more gathered for some new learning and a review of all the dances introduced over the weekend.

The event was sponsored by the Snider Foundation, the Lorna Donner Fund, the JCC and the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. It could not have been as great a success as it was without all of those who organized and led it. Many thanks to the wonderful volunteer helpers throughout the weekend. Planning for next year’s workshop is already underway: mark May 29-31, 2026, on your calendar.

VIFS is an inclusive and welcoming community where people of all ages, background and abilities come together to explore and nurture a deep love for Israeli dance and music. On Wednesday, Sept. 10, the society will hold its annual open house, and all those who are interested are encouraged to come and see what Israeli dance is all about.

On Oct. 22, VIFS starts its next season of Beginner’s 1, where new dancers and those who may want a refresher course can learn the basics and start to learn the repertoire. The intermediate class season will also begin on this date, and it will help incorporate dancers into the larger group, as well as teach more of the repertoire. This will be followed by an open session, which combines circles and couples, teaching the newer dances that are currently circulating. There will also be a Monday afternoon session that is only circles, and is devoted to dancing and teaching older repertoire that may not have been danced for many years.

Everyone is welcome to any of VIFS’s sessions – no dance experience is necessary, just a smile and lots of enthusiasm. For more information, contact Pam at 604-839-3931, Nona at 778-834-3488 or Yael at 604-993-0223; or visit vancouverisraelidance.com.

– Courtesy Vancouver Israeli Folk Dance Society

The Dark Lady enlightens

Arghavan Jenati as Emilia Bassano and Nathan Kay as William Shakespeare in Jessica B. Hill’s The Dark Lady, now playing at Bard on the Beach. (photo by Tim Matheson)

There has always been a controversy over whether William Shakespeare was the sole author of all his works. He penned 37 plays and 154 sonnets, with 25 of the sonnets referencing a “Dark Lady,” with raven black brows and wiry hair. Perhaps she contributed to his writing in more tangible ways?

Current thinking is that the Dark Lady was Emilia Bassano, a Jewish woman whose father was Italian and mother Moroccan. She was headstrong and wanted to find success in her own right – something unheard of in Elizabethan England. She was the first woman there to have a work published, her Salve Deus, Rexum Judaeum (Hail G-d, King of the Jews).

In The Dark Lady, playwright Jessica B. Hill invites audiences to imagine what could have happened if Bassano and Shakespeare had met, particularly early on in his career, around 1589. At that time, Bassano was also starting on her quest to be a published poet. Hill postulates that Bassano enchanted Shakespeare and became his muse, collaborator and lover – and bore his child.

Bard on the Beach brings this Canadian work to the Douglas Campbell Stage under the steady hand of director Moya O’Connell. With only two characters and 90 minutes long with no intermission, it is an opportunity for the audience to invest in the all-consuming tension, both intellectual and sexual, between the protagonists.

photo - Arghavan Jenati as Emilia Bassano and Nathan Kay as Shakespeare. The opening scene of Jessica B. Hill’s The Dark Lady, with the couple’s Elizabethan pas de deux is a precursor to their complex relationship dance — Arghavan Jenati as Emilia Bassano and Nathan Kay as Shakespeare. The opening scene of Jessica B. Hill’s The Dark Lady, with the couple’s Elizabethan pas de deux is a precursor to their complex relationship dance. *(photo by Tim Matheson)*

Bassano is an intelligent match for Shakespeare and has no difficulty exchanging witty repartee with him. She challenges him to portray his female characters in a stronger light. At one point, he tells her, “Collaborate with me, I need your mind.” And she willingly gives him the benefit of it. However, despite her contributions, she watches his career flourish while her work remains unrecognized. Ironically, her influence becomes apparent in Shakespeare’s later works, where he does pen female characters who defy traditional stereotypes.

After Shakespeare’s death in 1616, Bassano comes across his folio of published works and is surprised to find that many of his female characters are named Emilia – clearly a tribute to her – which surprisingly appears to satisfy her thirst for recognition.

Arghavan Jenati plays Bassano with passion and fury, while Nathan Kay infuses the Bard with the right mix of angst and joy. The opening scene with their Elizabethan pas de deux is a precursor to their complex relationship dance and its inherent power struggle. One memorable scene is their experiment with cross-dressing, as trousered Jenati becomes an aggressive alpha male and Kay an innocent maiden.

While I enjoyed both performances, Jenati was more one-dimensional in her presentation, while Kay provided a more varied interpretation. The dialogue, while mostly classical, is peppered with modern jargon. Throughout, there are references to Bassano’s Judaism, including her grandfather’s forced conversion to Catholicism, his translation of the New Testament into Hebrew, the persecution of her people and her placing of a stone on Shakespeare’s grave in the final scene.

Ryan Cormack’s sparse set is simple, a series of stacked crates containing various props and costumes. Flowing red silks become bed sheets for the lovers while a cape morphs from a picnic blanket to a shawl to a baby’s coverlet to a shroud. The lighting plays dark or light as needed. Bespoke music by composer and sound designer Anju Singh becomes the third actor in the play, as it accompanies the couple through their 30-year relationship. Alaia Hamer, the costumer, outfits Bassano in a whimsical white frock covered with a suede drawstring bodice while Kay is given a period look for a gentleman of his time.

This is a production well worth seeing. As artistic director Christopher Gaze notes in the press release, “The Dark Lady invites us to consider how stories are shaped and who gets to shape them.” Director O’Connell sees the play as “an opportunity to shine a light on Bassano and spend time in her orbit.”

Running on alternate nights with The Dark Lady on the small stage is the fast-paced, slapstick romp through all of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised][again]. Jenati and Kay, along with Craig Erickson and Tess Degenstein, share duties with a different combination of three of them taking the stage each night. Director Mark Chavez is at the helm of this irreverent take on the Bard’s repertoire.

On opening night, Kay, Erickson and Degenstein were on stage and were hilarious in their efforts to cover all of the Bard’s works in 90 minutes to avoid a penalty (an offstage voice counts down the minutes). Rife with contemporary references to all things Vancouver and Bard, the audience was in nonstop laugh mode from the start. The second act is all Hamlet, done forwards, backwards and upside down – a credit to the talented, energetic thespian trio. Warning: audience participation is part of the shtick, so you may not want to sit in the front rows.

Cormack’s set is lined with shelves of props from past Bard productions and Hamer brings back statement pieces from the past for the show. Jewish community member Anton Lipovetsky provides the sound design.

This show is probably the most fun you will have at Bard this season. And, if you’ve hated Shakespeare since your high school English classes, it might just change your mind.

For tickets to all the Bard shows, which run to Sept. 19/20, go to bardonthebeach.org or call 604-739-0559.

Tova Kornfeld is a Vancouver freelance writer and lawyer.

Making space for kids to play

Simon Fraser Elementary School’s playground, which opened in 2024, was a beneficiary of financial support from the Dayhu Family Foundation. (photo from Dayhu Family Foundation)

For more than 30 years, the Dayhu Family Foundation, formerly known as the Ben and Esther Dayson Charitable Foundation, has helped create playgrounds both locally and in Israel.

“My mother and father always liked the idea of children playing,” said Shirley Barnett, chair of the Dayhu Family Foundation, about her late parents, Esther and Ben Dayson.

In Vancouver, finding the monetary support for playgrounds can be orchestrated by parent advisory councils (PACs) within the public schools. The PACs initiate the fundraising drives, sometimes years in advance, through a multitude of means, from bake sales and lemonade stands to other forms of financial outreach.

According to Barnett, the PAC at Simon Fraser Elementary School was an enterprising group that canvassed the neighbourhood in search of support for their playground project. Dayhu Group of Companies, a real estate investment, development and property management company with a large development near the school, was approached and quickly recognized that this was a worthy endeavour. Before the playground, put together by Habitat Systems, opened in 2024, Simon Fraser had to make do with an area ill-suited for children’s recreational activities.

“My son Jonathan said to me, ‘Didn’t we build two playgrounds in Israel and one at the JCC? Why don’t we just stick with playgrounds and fund a couple because children need to play?’ It is such a good fit for us,” Barnett explained.

photo - Shirley Barnett at Dayhu Family Foundation’s first venture into playgrounds – the Dayson Playground in Modi’in, Israel, which was built in 1993 — Shirley Barnett at Dayhu Family Foundation’s first venture into playgrounds – the Dayson Playground in Modi’in, Israel, which was built in 1993. *(photo from Dayhu Family Foundation)*

The foundation has a long history of providing financial support to cultural, educational and social causes both within and outside the Jewish community of Greater Vancouver. Its first venture into playgrounds started with the Dayson Playground, a Jewish National Fund project, which was built in Modi’in (outside of Jerusalem) in 1993.

The second playground was also in Israel. Launched in 2018, the Ben and Esther Dayson Outdoor Learning Centre at the Ilanot School in Jerusalem was designed for children with special needs, as the Ilanot School serves children with severe motor and cognitive impairment, including many with cerebral palsy. Its pupils come from many cultural backgrounds, including Jewish, Muslim and Christian.

“We have also been very involved with the JCC for many years, and so we helped the early childhood education playground, on my son’s initiative, in 2012, at the current JCC,” Barnett said of the Dayhu initiative at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.

A new project at Britannia Community Elementary School is a good fit for the foundation as well, said Barnett, who described the reactions from both Simon Fraser and Britannia as “phenomenal.”

“These are schools that really needed help. The parent committees at Simon Fraser and Britannia have worked so hard to bring about these playgrounds. They are in need and the parents can’t raise much money,” Barnett said.

“A playground can make a huge difference in getting kids outdoors and getting them active, rather than them just running around a gravel field. I think it is obvious that kids need to play. We trust their design, we trust their need and their rationale.”

With both elementary school playground projects, Dayhu operated swiftly after being approached, understanding that there is a process involved before work can commence. Dayhu is not involved in the creativity or development of these projects; rather, it looks at a site and how much money has been raised. When it sees that more funds cannot be raised, it steps in as the lead donor.

Cassandra Torok, a parent at Britannia, said that, after four years of advocating and fundraising for an expansion and upgrade to the school’s playground, the East Vancouver community felt stuck, unable to obtain the money needed.

“Meeting Jonathan and Shirley was this amazing tipping point for our school’s playground project,” Torok said. “Her family’s generosity and openness gave our community the support and agency needed to reach the fundraising goals that felt impossible before. Providing the necessary funds to meet students’ needs was a surprising gift that we are so grateful for.

“Without her, her family’s and Dayhu’s philanthropic commitment, we know that we would not be getting the playground needed at our school, the playground our children deserve to grow, develop and improve their well-being as a whole,” Torok added.

image - A rendering of the proposed playground enhancements at Britannia Community Elementary School, which will be built with financial assistance from the Dayhu Family Foundation — A rendering of the proposed playground enhancements at Britannia Community Elementary School, which will be built with financial assistance from the Dayhu Family Foundation. *(image from Dayhu Family Foundation)*

Britannia school expects to have shovels in the ground within the next few months. When it opens, the playground will also be accessible to the larger community after school hours, on weekends and during the summer months.

Dayhu’s efforts have led others to back the creation of playgrounds. At least one other family foundation saw what Dayhu had supported at the JCC and was motivated to help fund similar projects, said Barnett.

“It is a huge accomplishment to be an inspiration for someone else,” Barnett said. “We are not trying to promote our philanthropy. I would love it if someone read this article, and said, ‘You know, we have a few dollars and there is a neighbourhood school with a gravel field, maybe we could do something there.’”

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

Krieger takes on new roles

Nina Krieger, centre, member of the BC Legislative Assembly for Victoria-Swan Lake, connects with community members. Krieger is the new public safety minister and solicitor general. (photo from Nina Krieger)

After a cabinet shuffle last week, Nina Krieger, member of the legislative assembly for Victoria-Swan Lake, is the new public safety minister and solicitor general, replacing Garry Begg, who became parliamentary secretary for Surrey infrastructure.

Saying she is “humbled and excited” to take on the position, Krieger told the Independent: “Our province faces complex challenges, and I am committed to working with my colleagues, local governments, Indigenous leadership, police services, business and community organizations to build safe, healthy and resilient communities for everyone.

“Public safety is one of the central issues of our time,” she said, “and British Columbians are looking to us to strengthen public safety through effective support of our law enforcement services and working across government to address the root causes of public disorder.

“I look forward to working with partners around the province to take meaningful action to keep BC a safe place to live, work and enjoy this beautiful province we call home,” she added.

Before being elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia last fall, Krieger was the executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre (VHEC). She takes over her new cabinet position after having served as parliamentary secretary for arts and film. Prior to this shift in roles, she spoke with the Independent about her time in office since being sworn in.

“The role of MLA is a unique opportunity and responsibility. I don’t think anything can quite prepare you for the busy, ever-changing schedule, and the range of issues and people that you encounter on any given day,” Krieger said.

“The learning curve is steep but exciting and I’m grateful to be learning alongside other new MLAs, from veteran members of caucus and from the incredible teams behind the scenes at the BC legislature.”

Krieger describes the move from the VHEC as “bittersweet,” saying it was difficult to leave an organization and a community for which she cares deeply. Nonetheless, she said the skills, experience and values she honed during her work at VHEC have proved meaningful and timely in her current role.

“I keep in close touch with former colleagues and the Holocaust survivor community and was honoured to return to the VHEC this spring to emcee a Yom Hashoah commemorative program featuring Premier David Eby, presented in partnership with the Province of BC and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs,” she said.

Her introduction to the legislative side of the MLA job came during the recent spring session that concluded in May. She sat in the house and committee rooms, sometimes late into the night, delivering speeches about her community and constituents’ achievements and needs, as well as debating and voting on proposed legislation.

“I was proud to deliver several statements in the house, marking days of significance for BC’s Jewish community,” said Krieger.

“This spring, government passed legislation to protect consumers, respond to the threat of tariffs and implement countermeasures, deliver more renewable energy projects and major infrastructure projects, among other work,” she said.

During the summer months, MLAs return to their communities.

“I visit and meet with local organizations to hear about the work they do and how we can spotlight and support them,” she said. “I also have the chance to attend local events as an MLA over the summer, from graduation ceremonies to festivals, markets and sports games. With so many amazing people putting on great events around town here over the summer, it adds to the fun of this role.”

As the parliamentary secretary for arts and film, Krieger worked closely with the minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport to advance the

development and growth of British Columbia’s film, television and animation sectors, as well as supporting and growing the arts and culture sectors in the province. One of the perks of that job was attending film-related events and meetings, like local film festivals.

“It has been amazing to see the talent and work coming out of BC, and rewarding to stand strong in support of workers in the face of tariff threats,” she said.

Krieger acknowledges that it is a difficult time for Jews in the province and throughout Canada, with challenges in finding their political “homes.” She is grateful that there were Jewish voters whose values aligned with those of the BC NDP.

“I know that there is work to do to ensure that Jewish people in BC feel safe and supported, and that nobody is targeted because of who they are,” Krieger said. “Combatting antisemitism – which is illiberal, toxic to democracy and dangerous – requires the work of all levels of government and civil society.”

She continues to be in active contact with Jewish constituents and community leaders in Victoria, which, she says, is home to a diverse Jewish community. Constituents from a range of backgrounds have contacted her and expressed deep concern about the toll of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war on the civilian populations of the region.

“While foreign policy is beyond my scope as a provincial representative, it is vital to discuss ways to ensure that BC is a safe and inclusive place for all people,” Krieger said. “From my work as a Holocaust educator, I know that it is vital to counter misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories, which can fan the flames of xenophobia, antisemitism and hate, and keep communities divided. In my work as MLA, I hope to counter this by bringing people together, modeling respectful dialogue and upholding the values of truth and trust in democratic institutions.”

Krieger explained that her experience as an anti-racism educator showed her the importance of listening and continually learning with openness and compassion. It is relevant to her current work, she believes, because she is entrusted with the stories and experiences of many constituents, which are often shared to build a more just and inclusive society.

“The province helps fund anti-racism and anti-hate work done around BC,” said Krieger, “and I have the opportunity to talk to organizers that are the recipients of grant funding and hear about their work, share experiences and learn how we can continue to collaborate to do this vital work effectively.”

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

New day school opens

Tamim Academy of Vancouver is accepting kindergarten through Grade 5 applications for the 2025-2026 school year. (photo from TAV)

Tamim Academy of Vancouver, a new Jewish day school, is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year.

Located at Granville and 62nd, in what was the premises of Vancouver Hebrew Academy, Tamim will offer an integrated Judaic and general studies curriculum, with small class sizes.

Vancouver Hebrew Academy had been struggling financially. Several VHA staff members will help as the transition to Tamim takes place. New staff will also be joining the team and “will undergo intensive summer training to prepare for Tamim’s unique, child-centred educational approach,” Rabbi Shmulik Yeshayahu, who sits on the board of the school, told the Independent.

Open to all Jewish families, no matter how observant, Tamim will start this fall with a kindergarten through Grade 5 program and expand to include Grade 6 in 2026 and Grade 7 in 2027. Additionally, Ner Atid, a full-day early-years program for children 5 years old and under, just launched, with the aim of providing a smooth transition into the elementary school. Spots for younger siblings in the Ner Atid daycare program, adjacent to the school, are available as well.

“Together, Tamim and Ner Atid offer a seamless educational journey rooted in tradition and ready for the future, beginning in infancy and extending through the foundational years of learning and growth,” said Yeshayahu, who is also the director the Ohel Ya’akov Community Kollel.

The school day will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with optional extracurricular activities – an hour before and/or an hour after those times – included at no extra cost.

“Our objective is to create a school that offers a unified, child-centred and future-ready approach to Jewish education, where academic excellence and spiritual development go hand in hand,” Yeshayahu said.

“At Tamim, general and Judaic studies are integrated, not compartmentalized – reflecting the belief that students should be empowered to live as their whole selves in every environment. We educate the whole child,” he said, “nurturing intellectual growth, emotional well-being, social responsibility and Jewish identity in equal measure.”

Yeshayahu emphasized that each student at the school will have their own learning plan, developed to meet their unique strengths, interests and areas for growth. Tamim offers an educational model that is personal, and designed for the real world, he said.

According to Yeshayahu, the school will include Hebrew taught by native speakers; a values-based culture that stresses kindness, responsibility, resilience and leadership; a nutritious hot lunch; and a diverse community.

photo - Tamim Academy of Vancouver will offer an integrated Judaic and general studies curriculum, with small class sizes — Tamim Academy of Vancouver will offer an integrated Judaic and general studies curriculum, with small class sizes. *(photo from TAV)*

Among some of the additional program highlights will be gardening, nature exploration (hiking and wildlife observation) and art across several media. The school, with access to a large field and playground, will also feature outdoor play.

“Tamim students don’t just learn, they flourish,” said Yeshayahu. “They leave school each day feeling capable, connected and proud of who they are.”

Yeshayahu made clear that, while the Tamim Academy is situated on the location of the former Vancouver Hebrew Academy, it is a completely new school with a distinct vision, leadership team and educational model.

“Tamim Academy of Vancouver is part of a growing international network of schools that are reimagining Jewish education for today’s world,” he said.

“We honour the legacy of Jewish education in this city,” said Yeshayahu. “Tamim carries that commitment forward with renewed energy, a modern educational philosophy and a warm, inclusive community. We welcome Jewish families of all levels of observance and are proud to offer a space where every child is supported, celebrated and inspired to grow.”

Laen Hershler, the school’s director of education, is currently a teaching associate and mentor for pre-service teachers at the University of British Columbia. His work focuses on literacy education, creative pedagogy and inclusive teaching methods. He has previously served as a Judaic educator at King David High School, developed interactive and performance-based learning programs, and contributed to curriculum development across K-12 and post-secondary education.

Itay Reuven – a former army officer and commander, with a background in business studies – is the school’s operations and safety coordinator, and Preet Brar serves as director of student life, innovation and learning enrichment.

Khezia Gibbons is the manager of Ner Atid Early Childhood Centre. She brings more than a decade of experience in early childhood education and, most recently, worked with the Township of Langley, where she guided young learners.

Tamim Academy of Vancouver will be the third Tamim in Canada after those established in the York region north of Toronto and the Kineret Tamim Academy, which opened in Victoria last year. (See jewishindependent.ca/groundbreaking-may-26.) There are 20 such academies in North America, and others around the world. The name stems from Tomchei Temimim, the first formal yeshiva system of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement that was founded in 1897 by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Schneerson in Russia. Each student was referred to as tamim: pure, perfect or complete. The assumption is that each child is inherently holy and good, with the concept of “wholeness” being the foundation of the education model.

For more information, visit tamimvancouver.org.

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

Marazzi at VHEC helm

Hannah Marazzi is the new executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. (photo by Alina Ilyasova)

The Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, which is marking three decades of educating about and commemorating the Shoah, has a new executive director: Hannah Marazzi. She is the first person of non-Jewish background to hold the role.

Barry Dunner was the first executive director of the Vancouver Holocaust Centre Society for Education and Remembrance, the not-for-profit organization that operates the VHEC. Ronnie Tessler then helmed the centre, followed by the late Dr. Roberta Kremer, then Frieda Miller. Nina Krieger served more than a decade as head of the institution before successfully running for the British Columbia legislature last fall. (See story, jewishindependent.ca/krieger-takes-on-new-roles.)

Marazzi had been the VHEC’s director of communications and special projects for about 10 months before being appointed interim executive director. Her permanent appointment was announced on June 17, at the annual general meeting of the society.

The organization’s president, Al Szajman, credited Marazzi’s background as a good fit.

Formally announcing Marazzi’s appointment, Szajman noted her role as “Irwin Cotler’s right-hand person” and her existing relationships with partner groups like the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and with various foundations, government leaders and influencers locally, nationally and internationally.

“In short, we’ve come to recognize Hannah as a leader, someone with passion, vision and maturity. Her Italian-Mennonite background reminds everyone that you don’t have to be Jewish to stand against antisemitism and advance the lessons that everyone should have learned about the Shoah,” he said.

Marazzi has an undergraduate degree in history, political science and government from Trinity Western University and a master’s degree in public policy from Cambridge, where she served as an assistant editor of the Cambridge Review of International Affairs.

Early in her career, she was working on Parliament Hill when Cotler reached out to her boss, then-MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country John Weston, to become involved in the case of a woman sentenced to death in Iran. Through the Cotler connection, Marazzi went on to help organize the Nuremberg Legal Symposium. The gathering, which was co-created by March of the Living and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, in 2016, educated legal professionals and the next generation about the lessons of Nuremberg and how to apply them today, especially as the legal sector addresses hate, denial and incitement. Marazzi became administrative coordinator for the event.

She went on to work for the Cardus Institute, a Christian think tank, and then for United Nations Volunteers, in Amman, Jordan, before Cotler coaxed her to join him when he was appointed to inaugurate the office of Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism.

Marazzi returned to the West Coast – she grew up in the Fraser Valley – to be closer to her family when her father faced a health crisis.

Addressing the VHEC annual meeting, Marazzi paid tribute to the founders of the organization, who opened the doors to the centre 30 years ago, including Dr. Robert Krell, the founding president, who was present at the meeting.

She reflected on her first visit to Auschwitz, at age 22, 10 days after graduating from university.

“I did not know then that I would return to places like Auschwitz, Treblinka and many other sites of memory and begin learning in my own country at places like the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre,” she said. “I feel strongly in my bones that we must not allow the lessons of the Holocaust to fade from memory. As my mentor Irwin Cotler says, ‘No one can say that we did not know. We knew. But we did not act.’ This is why I believe so resolutely in the power of Holocaust education to awaken us to the reality of what happens when a society, through silence and inaction, allows evil to flourish unchecked.”

The VHEC has become Western Canada’s leading Holocaust museum dedicated to the promotion of social justice, human rights and genocide awareness. It is at a turning point in its history, as all such facilities prepare for an era when there are no longer eyewitnesses to the events who can share their narratives.

Holocaust museums have increasingly used technology to capture and immortalize those stories – and Marazzi credited Krell as a pioneer in that field, having begun one of the world’s earliest archives of video-recorded survivor testimonies, beginning when the technology was fresh.

Broader developments in the community will have a profound impact on the VHEC. The centre is slated to double in size and attain a new visibility thanks to JWest, the redevelopment of the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, where the VHEC is located.

Marazzi emphasized the importance of partnerships in the VHEC’s success, including local connections, such as with the Roma and Rwandan communities. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the VHEC partnered with the University of British Columbia to bring to Vancouver

Dr. Nataliia Ivchyk – an expert on Holocaust studies in Ukraine and East-Central Europe, focusing on gender, memory politics and the experiences of Jewish children during the Holocaust – who was identified as a scholar-at-risk. At the VHEC, Ivchyk took on the Russian-Language Holocaust Testimony Project, conducting interviews with Russian-speaking survivors in the Lower Mainland.

Internationally, World Jewish Congress has reached out to borrow the centre’s current exhibit, Age of Influence, which focuses on how the Nazi regime used propaganda specifically targeted at raising and indoctrinating young Germans. Demand for this exhibit, an original VHEC creation, has led to the creation of traveling versions.

Marazzi acknowledged that, when she tells people where she works, they sometimes suggest it must be a depressing daily grind.

“It’s actually the most hopeful place you can be at this time,” she said. “You have the survivors who have experienced unimaginable horrors and yet not only are they here with us contributing to society in extraordinary ways, they are willing to dig deep into what was the worst experience of their life and share it to educate students.”

The VHEC has never been busier, she added. Hundreds of kids, teachers and adults, including elected officials and diplomats, law enforcement, groups of coworkers, unions and others, attend the exhibits every week. At national and international conferences, Marazzi has discovered this is not the case in all such institutions. Security fears and possibly other factors have seen attendance drop in many Holocaust education institutions, she said, even amid a flourishing of antisemitism and intolerance, the phenomena they are intended to address.

Marazzi credits the trajectory of success with the work that the VHEC has done for the past 30 years in creating relationships based on trust and mutual respect with other communities, school districts and educators across the province.

“We are completely inundated and it’s exhausting but it’s delightful,” she said.

The confluence of events – Marazzi’s appointment, the impending expansion of the VHEC and the global increase of antisemitism – place the organization at a moment of challenge and opportunity, said Szajman.

“The moment is – I was going to say big, but it’s huge,” he said. “In my lifetime, I’ve never seen the kind of antisemitism that I’m witnessing now. It sounds horrible, but I’m glad my father, a Holocaust survivor who passed away a few years ago, doesn’t have to see it. I think there’s been a very overt and visible right-wing antisemitism for decades. What we’ve witnessed over the last few years in particular is this explosion of left-wing antisemitism, sometimes overt, sometimes veiled – and thinly veiled at that.”

The organization’s work has never been more important, he said.

While the eventually expanded VHEC will accommodate more visitors, Szajman noted that the centre has always reached beyond its walls, going to audiences where they are – both in-person and through virtual technologies even before these became everyday tools during COVID.

Szajman used to call the VHEC “the little engine that could.”

That’s not true, though, he said.

“It’s the little engine that does. It’s remarkable. This tiny little group of people who bust their butts every day putting in incredible hours, are so committed, including not just Jewish staff. It’s non-Jewish staff, too, that are so committed to this that, as a board member and as president, I couldn’t be any more motivated if you paid me,” he said, adding with a trademark laugh: “And they don’t.”

Editor’s note: This article is different than the print version that ran July 25, 2025, to reflect more fully the list of executive directors who helmed the VHEC.

Victoria’s new market

The grand opening of Essential Kosher on March 26. Cutting the ribbon are Rebbetzin Chani and Rabbi Meir Kaplan, centre, and Essential Kosher co-managers Zev Kantorovich, left, with wife Andrea and daughter Stephie, and David Franco, second from the right, with his wife, Claudia, and son, Jacob. (photo by David J. Litvak)

Victoria’s observant Jewish community can now do one-stop shopping – at a new kosher market.

Essential Kosher opened March 26. The brainchild of Rabbi Meir Kaplan of Chabad of Vancouver Island, the market is co-managed by two Mexican Jews, David Franco and Zev Kantorovich, who came to Victoria with their respective families to embark on a Canadian adventure together.

Until now, Jewish residents of Victoria had limited options in purchasing kosher food. They could buy challah from Chabad before Shabbat, a selection of kosher products from Fernwood General Store, and products with hechshers (kosher certifications) in various local supermarkets. Kosher meat and poultry would have to be shipped in from places like Omnitsky’s in Vancouver.

photo - Essential Kosher in Victoria, adjacent to Chabad of Vancouver Island, is open Sundays to Fridays — Essential Kosher in Victoria, adjacent to Chabad of Vancouver Island, is open Sundays to Fridays. *(*photo by David J. Litvak*)*

Kaplan said he conceived of the idea of a kosher market after concluding that “no affordable kosher food was available on the island, which made it very difficult for people to keep kosher in Victoria and the rest of Vancouver Island.

“The idea became a reality once we realized that we had a space next to the synagogue that could accommodate a market, and we had two Jewish families who moved here from Mexico and who were looking to do something for the community,” he said. “It turned out be a great opportunity and a match made in heaven for all of us.”

Both the Franco and Kantorovich families had established businesses in Mexico.

Kantorovich’s grandfather, Kiva, migrated from Russia during the Second World War and, starting from scratch, opened a hardware store in downtown Mexico City. The store survived for more than 70 years and could have continued, but, after managing it for 30 years, Kantorovich decided to sell the business, hoping for a fresh start someplace else.

Franco had a company that sold plastic bags used for food packaging but decided to leave Mexico, he said, because of “the growing insecurity and increasing crime rates” and out of a desire “to look for a better place for our son to grow up.”

The two families chose to move to Victoria because Franco’s wife, Claudia, and Kantorovich’s wife, Andrea, both had an opportunity to pursue master’s degrees at Royal Roads University. While the Franco family had never been to Victoria before, the Kantoroviches had fallen in love with the city when their cruise ship to Alaska stopped there for a day. This short stay was the catalyst for the two families, who are close friends, to move to Victoria together.

The families were invited by Kaplan for a Shabbat dinner, and their connection to Jewish life in Victoria began.

The Chabad community “has been especially kind to us, even though we are not Orthodox,” said Franco. “They include all kinds of Jewish families in their programs and events and make everyone feel at home.”

Franco likes that the Victoria Jewish community is growing, and offering more educational opportunities and activities for children. He remarked “how warm and welcoming people have been here.

“Back home, people tend to be a bit more distant or indifferent,” he said.

Mexico City’s Jewish community is much larger than that of Victoria.

“Victoria feels calm, friendly and full of nature,” said Franco.

Initially, Franco and Kantorovich were thinking about opening a business on their own, however, Kaplan convinced them to open a kosher store “because the community really needed one and he also explained how kosher supplies were missing.”

The three of them decided to run the store together.

“Rabbi Kaplan supports and guides the store, and we manage the store on a day-to-day basis,” said Franco.

The market, which is open Sundays to Fridays, offers a variety of kosher items, including meat, cold cuts and poultry, Chalav Yisrael dairy products, grape juice and gefilte fish, Israeli snacks and fresh baked challah every Friday, which is baked by Rebbetzin Chani Kaplan, with her family sometimes sharing baking and cooking duties with her. Soon, customers should be able to shop online, and additional products will be available. Opening just prior to Passover, Essential Kosher offered customers kosher-for-Passover items.

For more information about the market, visit chabadvi.org or email [email protected].

David J. Litvak is a prairie refugee from the North End of Winnipeg who is a freelance writer and publicist, and a mashgiach at Louis Brier Home and Hospital. His articles have been published in the Forward, Globe and Mail and Seattle Post-Intelligencer. His website is cascadiapublicity.com.

Tikva secures 45 rental units

Anat Gogo of Tikva Housing unveils the sign for the Ronald S. Roadburg Residences, with Tikva board co-chairs Andrew Charney and Penny Gurstein, former minister of housing and municipal affairs Ravi Kahlon, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and Richmond city councilors, and Bernard Pinsky of the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation with staff and board members. (photo by Alina Ilyasova)

Tikva Housing has acquired a 45-unit apartment building in Richmond, now officially named the Ronald S. Roadburg Residences. The purchase marks the largest acquisition in Tikva’s history and secures 30 two-bedroom and 15 one-bedroom units as long-term affordable housing.

This acquisition was made possible through a transformational gift from the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation and capital funding from British Columbia’s Rental Protection Fund, which enables nonprofit organizations to purchase rental housing at risk of being lost to private redevelopment.

“We’re working on every front to address the housing crisis and rising costs, so people have an affordable home in the community they love,” said Ravi Kahlon, who was at the time BC minister of housing and municipal affairs. “When a building changes hands, residents worry whether they will be forced to move or pay much higher rent. By helping nonprofits to buy these buildings, we are protecting the people who have lived there for years, close to their families, their jobs and the activities they enjoy.”

Located at 8660 Westminster Hwy., rents at the property average approximately $1,500 to $1,600, or about 42% below community averages, and will remain below local market rates, providing stability and peace of mind for more than 110 residents.

“It’s a relief that Tikva has stepped in to secure the future of the Ronald S. Roadburg building. It’s helped me set aside a nagging fear of needing to relocate due to redevelopment or similar,” said tenant Timothy Schafli. “I’m happy to have called Richmond home for over a decade and that I’m confident I’ll be able to continue to do that. Thanks to Tikva for the excellent communication during the transition as well.”

The property in central Richmond offers residents access to amenities like transit and schools, along with opportunities for individuals and families to engage in religious, cultural and social networks.

“This momentous acquisition embodies the core of Tikva’s mission to provide access to innovative housing solutions – giving new hope to individuals and families in need, transforming lives and strengthening the community,” said Anat Gogo, executive director, Tikva Housing. “We are deeply grateful to the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation for their extraordinary generosity and to the Rental Protection Fund for ensuring these 45 homes will remain protected and affordable for generations to come.”

The building is named in honour of the late businessman and philanthropist Ronald S. Roadburg.

“Providing secure and affordable homes strengthens the entire community, and we are honoured to help make this happen,” said Bernard Pinsky, chair of the foundation.

photo - Bernard Pinsky, chair of the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, helps Chabad Richmond Rabbi Yechiel Baitelman hang the mezuzah at the entry of the Ronald S. Roadburg Residences — Bernard Pinsky, chair of the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, helps Chabad Richmond Rabbi Yechiel Baitelman hang the mezuzah at the entry of the Ronald S. Roadburg Residences. *(photo by Alina Ilyasova)*

The project also received support from the BC Rental Protection Fund. Marking its first acquisition in the City of Richmond, the fund contributed $5 million toward the purchase, helping keep housing affordable for tenants. This includes $1.2 million in renewal grants to help with building improvements to keep the homes safe and comfortable.

“Investing in protecting the affordable housing we already have means we spend less while achieving more – more capacity, more resilience, more opportunity,” said Katie Maslechko, chief executive officer of the Rental Protection Fund.

According to the Metro Vancouver Jewish Housing Registry, of its 450 applicants, 200 are specifically seeking affordable housing in Richmond.

“Today’s announcement of Tikva acquiring 45 units of rental housing at the Ronald S. Roadburg Residences is great news for Richmond residents, as these 45 units will provide much-needed rental tenure housing for seniors, families and members of the local workforce for years to come,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

Tikva’s rental portfolio includes a mix of rental rates, ranging from shelter to below market and adhering to relevant provincial and federal social housing standards.

“This acquisition represents a strategic investment in long-term affordability and community stability in a region where purpose-built rental housing is increasingly scarce,” said Wei Liu, Tikva’s housing development manager.

For more information, visit tikvahousing.org.

– Courtesy Tikva Housing Society