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Ex-pats make good in Israel

Former Montrealers Shmarya and Lainie Richler opened their first Muffin Boutique in Jerusalem in 2014; their second, in 2023. (photo by Adina Horwich)

My interview with Muffin Boutique owners Lainie and Shmarya Richler took place on the afternoon following the US airstrike on Fordow and other Iranian nuclear facilities. It was 2 o’clock on Sunday and the couple took time out from their breathlessly busy schedule to sit with me at their Talpiot location, minutes from Haas Promenade, aka Tayelet Armon Hanetziv, in Jerusalem.

I have been coming to this coffee shop almost every Tuesday afternoon for almost a year. As a participant in the Anglo Women’s group, which was initially supported by the local community centre, we are encouraged to meet and eat. Facilitated by Helena Flusfeder and Rachel Beenstock, we enjoy a hot or cold beverage, salad, bagel with a variety of spreads, a slice of cake or a muffin, good company and laughs. Another of the members is native Montrealer Paula Dubrow, Lainie’s mother.

photo - A Canadian flag flies beside the province of Quebec’s fleur-de-lis
A Canadian flag flies beside the province of Quebec’s fleur-de-lis. (photo by Adina Horwich)

The café, which has indoor and outdoor seating for about 30 people, was busy, while the rest of the city felt deserted. I introduced myself, sharing my own Montreal experiences as an adolescent from 1969 to 1975. While the younger Richlers used to live in the very Jewish neighbourhoods of Côte Saint-Luc and adjacent Hampstead, I had lived in the suburbs, with a much smaller Jewish presence.

Shmarya hails from the large and prominent Richler family, most famous of whom was his first cousin, author Mordecai Richler. Shmarya’s mother, a survivor from Hungary, immigrated after the Second World War. Lainie’s paternal grandmother was English, as was my paternal grandfather.

We discussed their decision to make aliyah. It was always in the cards, they said, both having been raised in Modern Orthodox and Zionist homes. They studied at Jewish day schools and attended Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Synagogue in Montreal. As teens, both were active in the Bnei Akiva youth movement, which is where they met and later started dating. Lainie studied and completed a master’s in psychology, while Shmarya majored in commerce. They married and had three children.

In 1995, they moved to Israel, living at first in Beit Shemesh, later and currently, in Efrat. Two more children were born here.

Lainie had intended to work in her field, but, as is wont to happen for immigrants to many countries, ran into the profession’s licensing body demands that, for her credentials to be recognized, she would need to take further studies. Since Lainie was trying to acclimatize to life’s challenges with a newborn, she preferred to shift her focus to that and raising the other children. 

She became involved in various exercise classes, giving them at community centres and other venues around Gush Etzion. Nutrition was a subject that had captured her interest, too, so she delved into that, taking a training course and becoming a certified alternative nutrition counselor.

Shmarya worked at first for a foreign company, then at a few Israeli startups, in high-tech, but the sector was continually growing and the jobs became increasingly demanding.

Needing to support a family of five kids, while coping with the everyday adjustments of aliyah, the couple began to wonder what to do. Their vision for retirement had been to run a B & B in the Galil or Golan. They thought, why not bring that idea forward, adapting it to their current situation.

Friends and family were skeptical, saying they were unrealistic, out of their depth; many a naysayer told them it would never work. But Lainie was determined to give it a go. She had always loved baking and cooking, informally making and selling muffins to friends and neighbours. She improved by testing many a recipe and soliciting feedback.

Shmarya was reluctant at first, but soon agreed. He took a  government-sponsored course at MATI (Jerusalem Business Development Centre), which trains and assists people interested in starting a small business. He was mentored by someone who took a serious interest and fully backed the couple’s plans, believing they could and would succeed.

photo - A Quebec licence plate – sporting the Quebecois nationalist slogan “Je me souviens” (“I remember”) – is prominently displayed behind the counter
A Quebec licence plate – sporting the Quebecois nationalist slogan “Je me souviens” (“I remember”) – is prominently displayed behind the counter. (photo by Adina Horwich)

Their first shop opened in 2014 on Jerusalem’s fashionable and ever-popular Ben Yehuda Street, a key menu component being Montreal-style bagels. And the store is replete with Canadiana. A Quebec licence plate – sporting the Quebecois nationalist slogan “Je me souviens” (“I remember”) – is prominently displayed behind the counter. It brings a half-smile to my face.

The second location, where I was conducting my interview, opened nearly two years ago. Scheduled to open Oct. 10, 2023, just days after the tragic events of Oct. 7, the opening was delayed – but only by a couple of weeks. When the doors opened on Oct. 23, the Richlers could barely keep up with the crowds. Locals warmly welcomed a chance to reaffirm their lives.

Ever since, this has been the local go-to café – the place is open 11 hours a day. Behind the register, a Canadian flag flies beside the province of Quebec’s fleur-de-lis.

photo - Both Muffin Boutiques prominently features the Richlers’ Canadian roots
Both Muffin Boutiques prominently features the Richlers’ Canadian roots. (photo by Adina Horwich)

Shmarya runs between the two branches, overseeing operations, keeping an eye on inventory, dealing with suppliers, expenses and all matters related to the running of the business.

Lainie is in charge of getting the daily, on-site baking up and running, with the help of a dedicated and hardworking staff. The restaurant serves coffee and breakfast from 8 a.m., while also accepting orders from their dairy menu for events, be they an office party or a family simcha. This aspect of the business comprises some 30% of its income. Everything is prepared fresh daily, using only natural ingredients, under Lainie’s expert watch and Badatz Mehadarin hechser (kosher certification).

Many employees have worked at both of the locations, most are native or near-native English speakers. This is vital, as the clientele is largely Anglo olim (immigrants). 

Every effort is made to maintain a family atmosphere – two of the Richlers’ children regularly work the counter – with friendly, personal service.

When you come to Jerusalem, do pay a visit to the Muffin Boutique, either at 16 Ben Yehuda or 13 Daniel Yanovsky, and have a nosh. Tell them Adina sent you! 

Adina Horwich was born in Israel to Canadian parents. In 1960, the family returned to Canada, first living in Halifax, then in a Montreal suburb. In 1975, at age 17, Horwich made aliyah, and has lived mostly in the Jerusalem area. She won a Rockower Award for journalistic excellence in covering Zionism, aliyah and Israel for her article “Immigration challenges.”

“Royal” mango avocado salsa

Mango salsa on a fish taco. The Accidental Balabusta enjoyed her husband Harvey’s salsa with quesadillas, marinated salmon and broccoli. (photo from jamdownfoodie.com)

Forgive me. I am late to the party. The one that happens on May 5. While Cinco de Mayo is not exactly what you’d call a national holiday in Canada, it is cause for celebration for many people. Note: I am including my husband Harvey. He loves anything Mexican, especially the food. Tamales – excelente! Enchiladas – muy bien! Chile relleno – la mejor! But the food that garners the most points is salsa. Any and all types.

In the spirit of all things Mexican, Harvey decided to make his famous mango avocado salsa. He was swayed in his decision by the fact that we had four-and-a-half very ripe avocados languishing in our fridge, just waiting to be transformed into something fabulous. Who am I to say no to such a perky side dish?

So, off Harvey went to Whole Paycheque to shop for the other key ingredients, which should have included a few limes, cilantro, one jalapeño, a red onion (optional) and a few mangoes. A couple hundred dollars later, Harvey arrives home. He waltzes in, all proud of himself, with blue organic tortilla chips, tequila, all the makings for quesadillas and some MANGOES. I capitalize this fruit because they feature front and centre in this Mexican-Canadian drama. These were not just any old mangoes, bought in bulk with the odd imperfection, scrawny in stature from early picking and a long journey north. These were capital M mangoes. Probably flown in on a private jet.

My first tip-off that these were indeed fruit royalty was their house. Yes, each organic mango came in its own dwelling. Not a mansion, but a respectable-sized condo, made of slatted wood, so the mango could breathe on its journey, nestled among shredded paper (probably also organic). Not only that, but each mango was encased in Styrofoam-like padding.

I took one look at the MANGOES and asked Harvey the fatal question (central to this drama): “Harvey, how much did you pay for each mango?” 

Harvey: Silence.

Me: “Seriously, what did they cost?”

Harvey: “They’re worth it.”

Me: “Spill it. Now.”

Harvey: “Look at the bill.” (Harvey slinks off into the living room.)

I feared what I might see. (Note: self-fulfilling prophecy.) After a few minutes of silence, Harvey returns.

Harvey: “I went up to the cashier at Whole Foods and she scanned the first mango. Then, in a hushed voice, so as not to potentially embarrass me, she asked if I knew how much it cost. Proudly, with head held high, I said I did. Then she asked me if I still wanted to buy it.”

At this point, I realized that my husband’s dignity and masculinity were on the line. There was no way he was going to decline buying the mangoes, as though admitting that he couldn’t afford them. He was damn well going to buy those mangoes, even if it meant getting a bank loan or selling a kidney. In true macho fashion, he told the cashier – with mock enthusiasm for these extravagantly priced fruit – “Of course I want them!”

Once he escorted his royal fruit (and other plebian ingredients) home, he entered the house looking like a Golden Retriever who’d just eaten his owner’s socks. Very, very sheepish. Yet somehow triumphant. Once I heard his long, drawn-out confession and his assurance that this would be the greatest salsa ever (do I hear echoes of Trump – “Make mangoes great again!”), what could I do? I might have threatened divorce if he ever did this again.

Without further ado, he got to work. And I hate to admit it, but it was the best darn mango avocado salsa I have ever scarfed down. And I’ve scarfed a lot of salsa in my day. Thank you, Harvey.

MANGO AVOCADO SALSA 

2 ripe avocados, peeled and diced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups ripe mango, pitted, peeled and diced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
2 tbsp lime juice (or lots more, if you prefer)
2 tbsp cilantro chopped (or more, if you really like cilantro)
1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped
2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Other recipes for mango avocado salsa call for diced red pepper and grated lime zest. Use your tastebuds as your guide.

The salsa was the star of our belated Cinco de Mayo dinner, which also included quesadillas, marinated salmon and broccoli, none of which came in its own house. A few shots of tequila later and we were all dancing the samba, la bamba, the rumba and the danza de acatlaxques (just kidding about this last one … I have no idea what it is, but it sounds festive). I no longer cared what the mangoes cost. My anger had subsided (as had their capitalization) and Harvey was no longer in danger of being divorced. Our guests were cheerful and well-lubricated, and a good time was had by all.

Will I ever let Harvey buy mangoes again? Hell, no. But I do let him loose in Costco once a month. I suppose I run the risk of him potentially coming home with a kayak. Or an $8,000 massage chair. Or a $20,000 golf simulator. But he knows in his heart that I’d rip his tonsils out through his ears if he did that. Using common sense (and his fondness for his tonsils) as his guide, the most exorbitant thing he ever purchases at Costco are ribeye steaks. And I’m not going to argue with that! Also, how can I get mad at a man who comes home with a 48-pack of two-bite brownies and chocolate truffles, just because? I realized later that I had no business berating him about those diva mangoes. After all, I wasn’t paying for them. And I did reap the benefit. 

The takeaway is this: when hubby overspends on something, let it slide. Unless he comes home minus a kidney. Then you can start worrying. In case you’re wondering, each mango was $13.50. Enough said. 

Shelley Civkin, aka the Accidental Balabusta, is a happily retired librarian and communications officer. For 17 years, she wrote a weekly book review column for the Richmond Review. She’s currently a freelance writer and volunteer.

Arab Zionist recalls journey

On June 12, Rawan Osman spoke with Daniel Koren, founder and executive director of Allied Voices for Israel, which brought her to the West Coast. (photo by Pat Johnson)

Rawan Osman, among the most visible Arab advocates contesting antisemitism and anti-Israel ideology, recently brought to Vancouver a bleak overview of hate ideologies across the Middle East and North Africa – but her prognosis is hopeful.

Osman is a Syrian-born, Lebanon-raised, German-based – and soon to be Israeli – accidental activist who shared her experience going from what she said is a characteristically antisemitic Arab into an “Arab Zionist.” She spoke at Temple Sholom June 12, in conversation with Daniel Koren, founder and executive director of Allied Voices for Israel, which brought her to the West Coast.

Osman took Islamic and then Jewish studies at Heidelberg University. After Oct. 7, 2023, she founded a social media channel called Arabs Ask, to combat antisemitism in the Arab world. She is writing a book about her relationship with Judaism and Israel, and is the narrator and central figure in the documentary film Tragic Awakening, about antisemitism after Oct. 7.

“My case is unusual,” she acknowledged. “There aren’t many people born in the Arab world who support Israel.”

She recounted the story of her first encounter with a Jew. She had moved to Strasbourg, France, and found herself living in the Jewish Quarter. She had assumed that the neighbourhood’s name was like the Jewish Quarter in Beirut or Damascus – an historical designation. When she went into a grocery store on her first day there, she stumbled into a kosher grocery and saw real-life Jews for the first time.

She had a panic attack, left her purchases and belongings behind and fled to her apartment. After she recovered and returned to collect her things, she had a life-altering experience.

She made an excuse that she had forgotten her wallet but she is certain the shopkeeper knew what had happened. He asked where she was from and how long she had been in town. He helped her with her groceries and behaved like a human being, not the monster she had been told was the way of the Jew.

“He allowed me to save face and, that day, without knowing it, that gentleman converted me from an enemy to an ally,” she said. “I realized it was the first time in my life that I was sharing the same space with a Jew, the enemy, and it was the first time in my life when I asked, why is the Jew my enemy?”

Osman’s father was Sunni from Damascus and her mother was Shia from the Beqaa Valley, which is the stronghold of Hezbollah.

“I grew up in Lebanon, attending a French Catholic school,” she said. But, negotiating between her family’s dual Muslim identities and Christians in Lebanon, she chose a middle path of atheism.

“They were secular, progressive, relaxed, laid-back,” she said of her family and the broader environment in which she was raised – with one exception. “The only thing everybody hated was Israel and the Jews and the Zionists.”

She said she employs these three terms – Israeli, Jewish and Zionist – interchangeably because that is how they are used in the Arab world.

“They say, I am anti-Zionist, not antisemitic. That’s a farce,” she said. “I grew up in that part of the world and I too believed [they were different things].” 

Studying abroad and having access to uncensored information in Europe was a privilege with which she was unaccustomed. The more she explored the history of Judaism and met and interacted with Jews, the more she rejected the antisemitism with which she was raised. Eventually, she moved back to the Middle East and decided to challenge the prevailing narrative.

“After living in the Middle East for awhile, I decided, OK, it’s hopeless,” she said. “I’m going to leave. I’m going to move to Europe. And I did.”

She chose Europe because she identified with Western values, she said, and because, as one person, “what can I change?”

She opted to mind her own business in Germany. Even so, she was alarmed by what she was seeing.

She viewed the notorious gang rapes that took place in Cologne on New Year’s Eve and the early hours of 2016 as a symptom of Arab misogyny imported to Europe. What was more jarring to her was seeing herself in the place of others perpetrating hate crimes. She watched a video of a young Arab man encountering a Jew in Berlin.

“He took off his belt and he was hitting the young Jew with the metal buckle on his head,” she recounted. “This was me. I was the civilized version … I wouldn’t hit a Jew. But I had a panic attack the first time I saw a Jew.”

She did not plan to become an activist. After Oct. 7, it just happened.

“I started speaking on social media and became an accidental activist and influencer,” she said. “I thought influencers made nail designs, baking and makeup.”

She is part of a small but notable group of Arabs who are speaking out against antisemitism and other regressive realities.

“We refuse to continue to raise our children and grandchildren in a world that tolerates what happened on Oct. 7,” she said. 

It is something she could not have undertaken if her extended family did not also live abroad, she said. To be known as an activist for Jews and Israel would endanger family in the Arab world, which means even many who live in the West remain silent, she said. But those who have the freedom to do so need to join her, she contended.

Osman receives private messages from Arabs and Iranians lauding what she does. She admires the courage of those who write to her from the Middle East. For those writing from Sydney or Toronto, she has strong advice.

“Those people who are living in the comfort of Toronto or Sydney tell me, I’m proud of you, I wish I could do what you’re doing,” said Osman. “Don’t be proud of me, darling. Do it. Do it. You might lose a friend or two but you will make a thousand more.”

Osman has chosen to convert to Judaism and is making aliyah this summer.

“The thing I love most about Judaism, what’s phenomenal, is that Judaism encourages your imagination. It encourages debate. Two Jews, three opinions. This is the talmudic tradition. It encourages challenging ideas.

“Islamic ideology is exactly the opposite,” she said.

When she decided to convert to Judaism, she got pushback – from Jews.

“Jews will tell me, you have to be a Muslim Arab ally,” she said, noting that some have told her she has a more powerful voice as an outsider. “You’re missing the point. Converting to Judaism is a privilege, my privilege. It’s not my dirty secret. It is time to say, I stand for that.… Your ancestors accepted that mission not because you’re special – you are the chosen people because you accepted that mission.”

Israel is not an easy place, she acknowledged, but the dichotomy of life in the Jewish state amazes her. The Israeli who pushes in front of her in queue and steps on her toes would, conversely, take a bullet for her, she said. 

“As soon as there is an alarm, a siren, they have each other’s back,” she said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Osman ultimately is hopeful. The new Syrian president, Ahmed al-Shara, is a jihadi terrorist turned – apparently – a suit-and-tie-wearing diplomat. Some doubt his sincerity. Osman believes that young Arabs who are drawn to extremism can see his transformation and believe there is an alternative path for them as well.

A billion Muslims are not going anywhere, she said. The only resolution to what she sees as a civilizational conflict is internal reform within Islam. This is already visible in the Abraham Accords – which she is certain that Syria will join – and the small number of activists like her speaking out.

Gabriela Rosenblum, director of education with Allied Voices for Israel, welcomed the audience and thanked Dr. Neil and Michelle Pollock of Pollock Clinics for sponsoring the event. Rabbi Carey Brown, associate rabbi of Temple Sholom, welcomed guests to the synagogue and led a prayer for the redemption of those held captive and a prayer for the soldiers of the Israel Defence Forces. 

Bringing joy to people

Ira Pettle, middle, with actors Dave Francis and Cedar Lynn Dobbin. (photo from Ira Pettle)

Laugh Out LIVE! will be hitting the road in the fall. On the list of cities and towns it will be visiting are Pemberton, Squamish, North Vancouver and Bowen Island, with classes on the North Shore coming this winter.

Known as a children’s entertainer for the last 25 years, Ira Pettle began producing Laugh Out LIVE! in December 2021 in Whistler with funny woman and partner, Rebecca Mason.

“Comedy has always been on my radar. Laughter is the best medicine and it lights me up to bring joy to others. Being raised on SNL, In Living Color, and a countless number of comedy films, TV shows, actors and the like, I feel like I’ve always known this was one of the paths for me,” Pettle recently told the Jewish Independent.

Currently, Laugh Out LIVE! brings stand-up, improv and sketch comedy shows to packed houses at various venues in Whistler, including the Maury Young Arts Centre, Rainbow Theatre, Whistler Conference Centre, Dusty’s Bar & BBQ, and the Garibaldi Lift Co. Bar & Grill (GLC). Pettle performs in all three shows. 

The Marquee Variety Show is devoted to a mix of different comedic acts and can involve improv, sketch, musical comedy, film and parody. The Improv Battle pits teams against each other weekly “to claim unscripted victory,” and Stand-Up Standoff is a monthly competition where the best comics win $500 in prize money. There are also opportunities for writers, theatre technicians, stage managers and filmmakers on the show’s website. 

Pettle began his improv and sketch career at the Second City Conservatory program in Toronto but was drawn to comedy from an early age.

“As a kid, I was always drawn to and fascinated by comedy. Watching The Carol Burnett Show, and SCTV (Second City Television) with John Candy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O’Hara, Rick Moranis … those were the most influential comedy shows for me as a young, aspiring performer,” said Pettle, who lists Jerry Seinfeld, Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder, Adam Sandler and Bob Einstein as the Jewish comics he has been most influenced by.

Pettle has a master’s of education and has taught improv, acting and music to thousands of kids, teens and adults. In 2022, his debut children’s album, A Little Bit, co-written with Juno Award-winning singer/songwriter Norman Foote, was nominated for children’s artist of the year at the 2023 Western Canadian Music Awards. His next record is slated for release this winter.

Known as “DJ Ira” throughout the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, Pettle is a sought-after family entertainer. As a key player in the BC performing arts scene, he was named the 2019 Champion of Arts and Culture at the Whistler Excellence Awards, with another nomination at the 2023 awards.

“I discovered very early in my life that I was a performer,” he said. “An entertainer. I remember as a kid, the joy I felt bringing a smile to someone or soliciting a laugh. In those early days, it was my coming to the dinner table on all fours, pretending I was an ape, making my mom giggle, or going to the Blue Jays baseball game when I was 14 with my buddies and pretending to fall down the stadium stairs, getting 500 people sitting in the stands to simultaneously gasp.”

Today, when he’s not entertaining children or performing comedy, Pettle leads a number of improv, stand-up comedy, public speaking and presentation workshops. He uses improvisation as a tool to “release tension, awaken joy and return to the present moment.”

Many of the performers on his improv stage started out taking classes with him. 

Pettle grew up in Toronto and says that learning about Judaism was a huge turning point in his life. 

“Having been raised Reform, and being the grandchild of a Holocaust survivor, I was always told how important my Jewish roots were,” he shared. “But, because my family’s religious practices were very surface level, I was confused and became deeply confronted by what I was told versus what I was doing in my daily life as a ‘Jew’ and, through a series of divine interventions, became committed, for the first time, to seeking out a deeper understanding of my Jewish roots.”

Pettle eventually found out about the yeshivah Ohr Somayach and studied with them in Israel.

“I felt ready (and passionately interested) in making a clear choice on whether to declare myself Jewish definitively and pursue/develop a more conscious connection to Judaism, or allow my Jewish roots to remain as is, or simply fall by the wayside/disappear. I needed to dive deep into the learning at the source.”

Pettle’s connection to Judaism was affirmed and, with a renewed and more solid understanding of his cultural roots and heritage, he remains, he said, “very honoured to be Jewish.”

To contact Pettle regarding his work as a kids entertainer, go to irapettle.com. For Laugh Out LIVE! inquiries, contact him via laughoutlive.com. 

Cassandra (Cass) Freeman is a Vancouver improviser and journalist.

Workshops, shows & more

This year’s Eastside Arts Festival, which runs July 18-27, features an expanded list of unique and affordable art-making workshops. (photo by Wendy D Photography)

Eastside Arts Society returns with an expanded edition of its summer arts event, Eastside Arts Festival, at various Eastside Arts District (EAD) studios, breweries and performance venues, plus an all-day outdoor musical event at MacLean Park, from July 18 to 27.

“We are thrilled to mark our fifth anniversary of the Eastside Arts Festival with our most dynamic and culturally rich exploration of the EAD’s vibrant arts and culture scene yet,” said Jewish community member Esther Rausenberg, who is artistic director of the Eastside Arts Society. “We welcome arts lovers and community members, especially those familiar with our annual Eastside Culture Crawl, to dig deeper – learn about our district’s rich cultural heritage, enjoy a behind-the-scenes art-making experience and soak in a live performance from musicians and dancers who call this incredible community home.”

The festival features an expanded list of unique and affordable art-making workshops, including a series of never-before-offered workshops, such as eco-printing, a natural textile dyeing technique using plant materials, from indigo artist Naomi Yamamoto; goldwork embroidery from textile artist Candice Weber, incorporating metallic threads in intricate designs; and felted mason jar cozy covers from felt expert Chantal Cardinal. These workshops, and many others, will run at artist studios and breweries daily throughout the festival.

In partnership with the Rickshaw Theatre, the festival will include a show by up-and-coming artists Young Friend, Babe Corner, worrywart and Kylie V on July 25 at 8 p.m. Drew Tarves, aka Young Friend, captures the nostalgia of post-adolescence through his indie rock sound, while Babe Corner brings a nostalgic rock vibe with catchy riffs and four-part harmony. They’ll be joined by five-piece band worrywart and lyrical indie-pop innovator Kylie V. 

This year’s festival will also introduce more opportunities to explore the district, including guided neighbourhood walking tours from Hogan’s Alley Society and Heritage Vancouver Society, and the 360 Riot Walk – offered through Powell Street Festival Society and created by artist Henry Tsang – on July 19, 20 and 24; the Dance Deck with Belle Spirale Dance Projects on July 19, 20, 26 and 27; and Creative Cultural Collaborations (C3) Big Print Powell Street/Paueru Gai Carving demonstration on July 24.

On July 26, the festival brings back its popular, free all-day outdoor event, this year at MacLean Park, sponsored by Strathcona BIA. The event features live music presented in partnership with the Rickshaw, a festival shop with handmade artworks and goods from local Eastside artists, free art activities for all ages and abilities, food trucks (Midnight Joe’s and Planted Love) and a beer garden hosted by Strange Fellows Brewing. The music lineup includes Janky Bungag, Twin River, ReViberators and singer/songwriter Madelyn Read. 

Free afternoon live music returns to MacLean Park on July 27, presented by the long-running MacLean Park Music series and supported by Strathcona BIA and Eastside Arts Festival.

New this year is the Eastside Arts Society Beer Passport. Running July 18-Aug. 4, passport holders enjoy a beer at four different participating Eastside breweries. Patrons who purchase both passport variations can enjoy drinks at all eight local brewery partners: East Van Brewing Company, Luppolo Brewing Company, Off the Rail Brewing, Parallel 49 Brewing Co., Storm Brewing, Strathcona Beer Co., Strange Fellows Brewing, and Superflux Beer Co. All proceeds from the $35 Beer Passport go to supporting artist programs in the EAD. 

Art workshops are $35, walking tours are $20, and ticketed performances range from $20 to $60. For a full festival schedule and to purchase workshop, guided walking tours and live performance event tickets, as well as the Beer Passport, visit eastsideartsfest.ca. 

– Courtesy Eastside Arts Society

Jerusalem a multifaceted hub

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, left, speaks with Rabbi Jonathan Infeld on June 9. (photo by Pat Johnson)

Against the backdrop of regional and global challenges, Mayor Moshe Lion of Jerusalem brought a message of resilience, innovation and unity to Vancouver this month during a community event co-hosted by Congregation Beth Israel, the Jerusalem Foundation and Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University.

Now in his second term as mayor of Jerusalem, Lion spoke about his vision for one of the world’s most complex and sacred cities. His priorities, he said, include improving the quality of life for all residents, expanding affordable housing, creating economic opportunities, and reinforcing Jerusalem’s role as a city that belongs not just to its citizens but to all people of faith and conscience.

“Jerusalem is not just a city for Jerusalemites,” the mayor told an audience at Beth Israel June 9. “It is the capital of the Jewish people. It belongs to every Jew in the world – and it welcomes people of all backgrounds.”

With nearly one million residents – one-third secular and religious Jews, one-third ultra-Orthodox, and one-third Muslim – Jerusalem is not an easy place to govern, Lion acknowledged.

“Every day is different. Every day brings new challenges,” he said. “But I wake up every morning and say thank you to God for the privilege of being the mayor of Jerusalem.”

A certified public accountant and former chair of Israel Railways and the Jerusalem Development Authority, Lion acknowledges the differences among his population but said he strives to represent all.

“I am the mayor of everyone,” he emphasized. “I don’t agree with everyone, but I must care for them.”

That approach was tested acutely after Oct. 7, 2023, as the entire country reeled from the Hamas terror attacks. Lion acted swiftly to prevent similar violence in Jerusalem.

“My first thought was: how do I make sure that Gaza doesn’t happen in Jerusalem?” he recalled. “And I’m proud to say that despite tensions, we did it. We stayed united. We kept the city peaceful.”

Now, Lion said, he and his administration are focused on building on a 3,000-year foundation.

“The focus is on the future, education, economic opportunity, culture, innovation,” he said. “With the Jerusalem Foundation, we are creating a city where young couples, young families, dreamers and builders can thrive.”

The mayor’s visit to Vancouver coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, founded by such visionaries as Albert Einstein, Martin Buber and Sigmund Freud. Today, its three campuses serve more than 24,000 students from diverse backgrounds – Jewish, Arab, Druze, Christian, religious, secular, immigrant and local – studying side-by-side, noted Dina Wachtel, vice-president, community affairs, Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University, who emceed the evening’s event.

Lion highlighted the strong partnership between the university and the municipality, including the construction of new buildings, and the development of employment opportunities and research programs. 

While some associate Jerusalem with prayer and problematic politics, the mayor wants people to think of it as a dynamic hub of science, culture and coexistence. Lion would like to see Jerusalem become one of Israel’s numerous high-tech hubs.

“It takes time because we have to develop it,” he said, “but we are doing it with Hebrew University.”

Projects like the Bloomfield Science Museum, the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, and the Hebrew University Youth Division for the Advancement of Science are touching lives in both East and West Jerusalem, he said.

One standout initiative, Sahi, targets youth at risk. Teen volunteers identify families in need and then participate in programs that assist them anonymously.

“These are the young people who will shape the next Jerusalem,” Lion said. “We are investing in education, in culture, in the power of everyday kindness.”

Lion outlined ambitious infrastructure goals, including high-rise housing to prevent suburban sprawl, expanded light rail networks, and preservation of Jerusalem’s cherished green spaces. Under his leadership, annual housing unit construction has jumped from 2,000 to more than 7,500.

“Jerusalem is undergoing an evolution,” he said. “We are building not just a city, but a future – one where Jews, Muslims and Christians all have a place to thrive.”

From the revitalization of Mahane Yehuda Market – once limited to produce stands by day but now with restaurants and social life at night – to cutting-edge healthcare and high-tech campuses, Lion sees Jerusalem as Israel’s next great engine of opportunity.

Beth Israel’s Rabbi Jonathan Infeld interviewed the mayor and posed the historical question: “If you could sit with King David, Jerusalem’s first Jewish mayor, what would you say?”

“I would ask him – are you satisfied?” Lion replied. “After 3,000 years, is this what you hoped for?” He paused. “And I think he would say yes. Jerusalem is a complicated city, but it is united, it is strong, and it is ours.”

The mayor urged anyone considering making aliyah – or who knows anyone pondering the move – to choose Jerusalem as their destination.

The evening featured remarks from Joel Reitman, president and chair of the Jerusalem Foundation of Canada, and Arik Grebelsky, president of the Jerusalem Foundation. Both highlighted Canada’s deep and ongoing investment in Jerusalem’s development and social fabric, including projects that encourage academic excellence, youth empowerment and cross-cultural partnerships.

Reitman lauded Hebrew University’s role not only investing in academic excellence but in helping shape the city’s economic and civic trajectory, and spoke of the contributions made by the Jerusalem Foundation, which was founded in 1966 by the legendary, longtime mayor of the city, Teddy Kolek.

“Together, we are creating a Jerusalem that is smart, inclusive and prepared for the future,” hsaid.

While Grebelsky was in town in his capacity with the Jerusalem Foundation, he could not resist noting another connection. He is the third-generation proprietor of the company that provided the wall of Jerusalem stone behind the Beth Israel bimah, in front of which the speakers sat.

Reitman and Grebelsky traveled with the mayor on a cross-Canada tour that began in Toronto and carried on to Calgary after the Vancouver stop. 

Israel and international law

British barrister Natasha Hausdorff speaks with StandWithUs Canada executive director Jesse Primerano in Toronto on June 11, as part of a four-city Canadian tour. (photo by Dave Gordon)

British barrister Natasha Hausdorff is challenging prevailing narratives about Israel’s legal rights, arguing that the uti possidetis juris principle of international law – which mandates that newly independent states inherit their predecessor’s borders – undermines claims of “illegal occupation” and “settlements” in the West Bank and Gaza, and exposes what she calls a double standard in global responses to territorial disputes.

Hosted by StandWithUs Canada, Hausdorff spoke June 9 in Vancouver, at King David High School. On June 10, she was in Calgary and, on June 12, Montreal. On June 11, she spoke in Toronto at the Nova Exhibition, which features videos, presentations and artifacts from the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the Nova music festival in Israel. (See jewishindependent.ca/ visiting-the-nova-exhibition.)

Uti possidetis juris “is a universal rule that applies as a default wherever there is no agreement to the contrary,” Hausdorff explained at the Toronto talk. Mandatory Palestine – which included today’s Israel, Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and Gaza – would, by law, become Israel’s territory, at the time of independence.

In 1967, Israel recovered Judea and Samaria, the eastern part of Jerusalem and Gaza, and expected a forthcoming “land for peace” formula with Jordan, she said. But, in the 1994 peace agreement between the two countries, Jordan stepped back from any demands for territory.

Hausdorff said there are modern parallels, giving as an example the “consensus that Russia has occupied Crimea from Ukraine.” According to international law, once the Soviet Union collapsed and its former states declared independence, the states inherited the previous borders, which means Crimea is Ukrainian territory.

If Ukraine were to recover Crimea from Russia in the same way that Israel recovered East Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria from Jordan in 1967, she said, most likely no one except for Russia would complain Ukraine had taken what didn’t belong to them.

She sees world bodies guilty of a double standard, “a total inversion of international law.”

“You cannot have a general rule and an exception for a country you don’t like very much, that you have some political or ideological opposition to,” she said. “You cannot occupy what is your own sovereign territory – it puts the lie to illegal settlements, which is predicated on calling this land occupied.”

Hausdorff, an expert in international law, regularly briefs politicians and organizations worldwide on legal matters, and has spoken at parliaments across Europe.

On the charge of genocide against Israel, she said Amnesty International’s report with the allegation had faulty methodology – including using “local authorities in Gaza,” a codeword for Hamas, as a source. The report cycled through several parts of the United Nations and, in turn, made its way to the International Court of Justice, she said.

The “disinformation cycle” continues to spin its way through the media, who “are complicit in parroting this Hamas propaganda and in snuffing out the realities of the situation,” she added.

Several issues cast a pall over the international court, including that it has no jurisdiction over Israel, which isn’t a signatory – and neither is the Palestinian Authority, for lack of a state, said Hausdorff.

The International Court of Justice lost more credibility when, last year, it called for the ethnic cleansing of Jews from East Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, she said. “That is unacceptable on every basic moral level. The position that Jews should not live in certain areas simply because they are Jews is what is being advocated by the international community?” she questioned.

The court’s former president, Nawaf Salam, who left his post earlier this year to become Lebanon’s prime minister, had called Israel a terror state while he was an ambassador to the UN. “A judge like that would need to recuse himself,” she said, owing to a clear conflict of interest.

“If we are going to be honest about the drivers of this conflict,” she said, it would be “indoctrination to terror, incentivization to terror – that is what the international community needs to commit itself to counter.”

StandWithUs Canada executive director Jesse Primerano told the Jewish Independent that the speaking tour’s goal was for attendees “to hear the legal truths buried beneath the headlines.” 

“With Israel’s legitimacy and actions constantly under scrutiny, it’s more important than ever to turn to experts who can clarify the facts,” said Primerano.

“What became most clear over the week,” he said, “was this: in a world where truth is often distorted, Canadians are eager for clear, fact-based insight to push back against the rising tide of misleading narratives.” 

Dave Gordon is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in more than 100 publications around the world. His website is davegordonwrites.com.

New tractor celebrated

On May 28, near Mbale, Uganda, the Abayudaya Jewish community celebrated the arrival of a tractor, gifted to them by Harmony Foundation of Canada. (photo from Elisha Higenyi & Tarphon Kamya / JRU)

On May 28, near Mbale, Uganda, the Abayudaya Jewish community celebrated a unique occasion – the arrival of a long-dreamt-of tractor.

For decades, the Abayudaya have lived as small and vibrant Jewish communities in a predominantly Christian and Muslim region; their faith rooted in a century-old embrace of Judaism. Life in this rural area is beautiful but challenging. Clean water is hard to find, health care is distant and most families, living on $2 a day, can’t afford to provide their children basic education. A tractor may seem unremarkable to many of us, but, for the Abayudaya and their neighbours, it is life-changing. With it, they can cultivate more land, increase yields, feed more families and send more children to school. 

This gift of a tractor was made possible by the Harmony Foundation of Canada, which is supporting sustainable agricultural initiatives with the Abayudaya Jewish community in Uganda through Jewish Response Uganda. JRU is a  nonprofit founded by members of the Abayudaya in 2017. The organization has worked to improve lives by offering training in sustainable agriculture, helping farmers grow high-value crops, and supporting initiatives in education, health care and women’s empowerment.

photo - With a tractor, the community can cultivate more land, increase yields, feed more families and send more children to school
With a tractor, the community can cultivate more land, increase yields, feed more families and send more children to school. (photo from Elisha Higenyi & Tarphon Kamya / JRU)

In a region where religious divisions often deepen hardship, JRU has chosen a path of inclusion. Today, Christians, Muslims and Jews work side by side in JRU programs, united by shared needs and a common hope for a better future. This inclusive approach fosters interfaith cooperation, mutual respect and a stronger, more united region.

For more information, watch the Harmony Foundation’s video The Abayudaya; Jews of Uganda on YouTube. You can email JRU at [email protected], or be in touch with Tarphon Kamya, project manager of JRU ([email protected]), or Elisha Higenyi, spiritual leader at JRU ([email protected]). 

– Courtesy Harmony Foundation of Canada

Pacific JNF 2025 Negev Event

Australian actor and Israel advocate Nathaniel Buzz speaks at the June 19 JNF Canada, Pacific region, Negev Event, as National Post editor-in-chief Rob Roberts and Nova festival survivor Noa Argamani look on. (photo from JNF Pacific region)

photo - David Greaves, executive director of JNF Canada, Manitoba/Saskatchewan, and interim director, Pacific region, addresses those gathered at Congregation Beth Israel for the June 19 Pacific Negev Event
David Greaves, executive director of JNF Canada, Manitoba/Saskatchewan, and interim director, Pacific region, addresses those gathered at Congregation Beth Israel for the June 19 Pacific Negev Event. (photo from JNF Pacific region)

 

Putting allyship into action

Zara Nybo leads an Israel on Campus meeting at the University of British Columbia. Nybo is the new BC representative for StandWithUs Canada. (photo from Zara Nybo)

When Zara Nybo transferred to the University of British Columbia from Camosun College on Vancouver Island, she wasn’t sure if Hillel was a place where she belonged, since she is not Jewish. Her partner encouraged her to check it out anyway – and it set her on a course to become an ally for Jewish students.

Recently, Nybo was hired as educational outreach and content manager for StandWithUs Canada, a nonprofit dedicated to pro-Israel education and advocacy. Though still finishing her degree in sociocultural anthropology and Jewish studies, she works full-time, overseeing the Emerson Fellowship for university students in British Columbia and the Leventhal Internship for high school students in Western Canada. She’s also responsible for non-Jewish outreach and community partnerships across the province.

“I think a lot of people assume this work is just for Jewish students,” Nybo said, “but education is the pathway to peace, for everyone.”

That idea fuels her days managing fellowships, mentoring students and helping young people navigate what have become among the most emotionally and politically charged issues on campus: Israel and antisemitism. In recent years, as anti-Zionist activism – and antisemitism – have surged across Canadian universities, Jewish students have increasingly found themselves isolated and targeted. Nybo has been impacted by what she has seen.

“What really struck me,” she said, “was watching Jewish and Israeli students grow afraid to go to class, to speak openly, to walk freely with a Star of David necklace. I wanted them to know – you’re not alone. There are people who see you, who care, and who are willing to stand with you.”

Nybo’s advocacy didn’t come out of nowhere. Raised in a family that prioritized global experience over staying in one place – she moved 13 times before age 13 – she learned early how to build bridges. But it was through Hillel and a series of fellowships, including the Campus Media Fellowship, a joint initiative of Allied Voices for Israel and Honest Reporting Canada, and the Israel Leadership Network, which consisted of more than 150 of the top Israel-focused student leaders from within the Hillel movement across North America, that she gained the knowledge, tools and confidence to become a leading pro-Israel advocate at UBC.

“I used to think of antisemitism as a historic form of hatred,” she said. “But once you learn to see the invisible forms of antisemitism, you realize how present and widespread it really is. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”

As a 2024/25 Canadian Emerson Fellow and Campus Media Fellowship alumna, Nybo staffed tables, hosted dialogues and wrote op-eds that challenged misinformation and promoted empathy. She’s continued to write ever since, crediting those programs with awakening her voice.

Now, in her leadership role, she trains others to do the same – Jewish and non-Jewish students alike.

“The Emerson Fellowship isn’t about slogans,” she said. “It’s about education. It’s about staying calm in hard conversations, being grounded in facts and speaking with authenticity – even when it’s scary.”

Nybo acknowledges she sometimes feeling “shaky” while tabling on campus. But she refuses to let fear stop her and she sees it as an important part of her role to encourage others to stand up even when it is daunting.

“Our job isn’t to scare students out of advocacy,” she said. “It’s to empower them to do it anyway.”

As tensions around Israel and antisemitism continue in Canada – on campus and beyond – Nybo is one of a small but crucial group of non-Jewish individuals who have stepped up to contest the atmosphere that is making Jews on campus uncomfortable and vulnerable.

“This isn’t just about being pro-Israel,” she said. “It’s about being anti-hate. No student – Jewish or otherwise – should walk around feeling like there’s a target on their back.”

In her new role, Nybo has already filled the BC positions open next year to Jewish and non-Jewish students seeking to broaden their knowledge and skills by participating in the programs StandWithUs Canada offers. She will oversee the students as they proceed through the range of learning and experiential projects she herself engaged in last year. These students, like Nybo, will go on to amplify the voices of Jews and allies on campus and, after graduation, take their places as leaders in the fight against antisemitism and anti-Zionism.