The Jewish Magazine 2008 by orisher

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. Iron Clad

page 24

JANA KOHL

A Rare Breed of Love page 6

GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR MOTHER’S DAY! pages 18-19

Issue 154 June 2008

FROM NORTH YORK TO “Wish us MAZEL TOV! HOLLYWOOD:

Filmmaker Jeremy Podeswa It’s our BAR MITZVAH!” Meet the mishpochah behind page the mag, 16 page 5

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www.TheJewishMagazine.com www.TheJewishMagazine.comJune May 2008

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Bereshit*

*Beh-ra-sheet= In the beginning G-d created heaven and earth. Dear Readers, A Bar or Bat Mitzvah these days has started to look uncannily like a wedding. You have a professional party planner (not your brother’s girlfriend); a hired band or a DJ (many of whom bring THEIR own entertainment); table assignments, center pieces, PowerPoint presentations! Oy gevalt! How do you celebrate a Bar Mitzvah for a magazine?! Do you invite all of its relatives? Even the ones you have to be re-introduced to at every family function? “Jewish Magazine, you remember your 5th cousin Marty from New York, don’t you?” Where would you have it? The Palais Royale? A synagogue? The Rogers Centre?! Would you cater it Kosher? Who would sit at the head table? We can’t even begin to imagine the family politics involved in figuring out the table arrangements for all of TJM’s friends and relatives! Oh my…if we’re planning a party in honour of TJM’s Bar Mitzvah, we’d better get started. It could get messy. But in the meantime, while we’re duking it out with our planner 5th Element Events (white or eggshell tablecloths?!), we’d like to present to you, dear readers, our official Bar Mitzvah issue. We’ve come a long way over the years and so we thought we’d celebrate this simcha by giving you a snapshot of TJM behind the scenes and introducing you to the people and places that make it happen. Everyone picks up a magazine for the articles, right? This one couldn’t possibly get into your eager hands without the talent showcased in these pages. Our writers and editorial staff, we feel, are some of the brightest growing talents this business has to offer. Some of them dedicate all of their efforts only to this magazine, while others have their hands in many, many jars. Some of them we’ve featured in the following pages, and others have revealed a bit about themselves through a Bar/Bat Mitzvah memory. Most notably, we’ll introduce you to Shimon Sher, TJM’s founder, publisher and esteemed father to Ori Sher, the magazine’s creative director and its biggest (and hairiest) cheerleader. If this letter was to be read aloud at the magazine’s (supposed) Bar Mitzvah celebration at some (likely) hip joint in Toronto, we would have to ask everyone (friends, family, writers, editors, sales, advertisers, printers) to raise a glass and drink to the tireless efforts of everyone involved in making The Jewish Magazine the awesome publication it is today. L’Chaim to you! L’Chaim to us! L’Chaim all around! Finally a big thank you to Serge Chriqui of the Scollard Street Gallery for shooting our cover photo and profile shots of our publisher and Helen! Serge’s gallery is located at 112 Scollard Street in Yorkville, Toronto www.scollardstreetgallery.com (Oh! And don’t forget to check out the other great stuff we have in this issue! While you’re at it, send in your best Bar/Bat Mitzvah stories to us. We’d like to compare notes.) But more importantly, tell us how we’re doing, because as always, The Jewish Magazine is your magazine. The Editorial Staff - The Jewish Magazine editor@TheJewishMagazine.com

Founder & Publisher: Simon Sher Editor In Chief: Helen Hatzis Editor: Sam Title Creative Director: Ori Sher Sales and Marketing Director: Ari Elo Advertising: Elie Malka, Edan Sher, Jordana Smiley Jr. Copy Editor: Miriam Cross Editorial Interns: Ilan Mester, Lauren Soul Contributors: Steven Chupnick, Miriam Cross, Jeremy Freed, Rena Godfrey, Helen Hatzis, Jewreview.net, Lauren Kramer, Derek Kreindler, Elayne Laken, Ilan Mester, Dvira Ovadia, Sarah Pearson, Marc Saltzman, Lauren Soul, Marcie Somers, ,Shira Schwartz, Tracey Erin Smith

Features:

6 Editor’s Pick 8 Gift Guide 121Bark Mitzvah 16 TJM Contributors 18 Coming of Age 20 Summer Trends

Cover :

24 History of TJM

Columns:

10 Entrepreneur: Ori Sher 14 J’Walkin 22 JewReview.net 26 Montreal Mensch 28 Shiksa in the City 29 Burning Bush 33 City Guide 34 Events 36 People in the City: Aaron Abrams 38 Tech & Toys: Marc Saltzman 40 Travel 43 Horascopes 46 Jew or No Jew How To Subscribe:

L to R front: Shimon Sher,Jordana Smiley, Miriam Cross, Sam Title L to R back: Ori Sher, Helen Hatzis

Cover photo by Serge Chriqui

For just $19 a year, you can get the best of Canada’s Jewish community in a glossy, full colour format - the only one of its kind. To get your 12 issues a year, send an email to subscribe@TheJewishMagazine.com or call us at 416.987.3201 “We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Magazine Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage for this project / Nous reconnaissons le soutien financier du gouvernement du Canada, par l’entremise du Fonds du Canada pour les magazines, du ministère du Patrimoine canadien, pour ce projet.”

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Photo by Serge Chriqui

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’s r o

t di

c Pi

Shimon Sher

In our line of work, we have the pleasure of meeting some of the most interesting people in the community - some more unique than others, but definitely interesting. They’re the type of personality that you feel compelled to share with friends and family during dinner or drinks. Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of such individuals that I will introduce to you in this new column on a monthly basis. One individual at a time will be presented. In their own way, they have made a unique mark on society, making life more interesting. Finally, I’ll leave you with a bit of advice…as the old adage goes, don’t judge a book by its cover because frankly, you’ll be wrong. I certainly was… See you next month for another interesting edition to Editor’s Pick. Feel free to send ideas to editor@thejewishmagazine.com. Enjoy! Helen Hatzis.

’d like to introduce Shimon Sher. Although I see him on a regular basis, I must admit that I really don’t know much about him. And after sitting down to chat with him, I still don’t know much - and there is good reason for this. Sher spent over a third of his life with Sayeret Matkal, an elite special forces unit of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and quite frankly, he is not permitted to talk about it; however, after doing a little math, I can tell you that he joined “The Unit” (the nickname given by the IDF) when he was only 17, approximately two years after its inception. And, with a little research, I quickly learned that we have a James Bond (of sorts) before us. The Unit was modeled on the British SAS, and organizationally reports to the Directorate of Military Intelligence. Counter-terrorism, deep reconnaissance and intelligence gathering were their forte. According to multiple sources, The Unit was first and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, used to obtain strategically important intelligence far behind enemy lines; they were also in charge of hostage rescue missions outside of Israel’s borders. Their motto is “Who Dares Wins” (the same as that of the SAS). If you kept up with political affairs during the late 50’s through to the 70’s, you may have heard of the daring operations conducted by them (although until recently, the Israeli army had an official policy of denying existence of this elite unit). Operations included 1968’s Operation Shock, where they sabotaged a power plant and Nile bridges in Egypt, and the recapture of Mount Hermon from Syrian commandos in the Yom Kippur War (jointly with Golani Brigade) in 1973. When you ask Sher about it, he assumes a look even the best poker player could not decipher, nods, and says, “Yes, I have heard about this.”

Sher was born in Haifa, as the third eldest of five kids, and raised at Kibbutz Hulda near the city of Rechvot. As a child he would hear stories of his late father, who was very close with Menachem Begin and decorated for his contributions in his role with Irgun (a militant Zionist group that operated in Palestine between 1931 and 1948). Growing up, it was always Sher’s aspiration to be in the army, but he also had a passion for singing and acting. And although he dabbled in the arts world for a short period of time, his devotion to the army was paramount. As you may know, his time spent with Sayeret Matkal was voluntary. He was selected to be a part of this prestigious ‘Unit’ and that alone was priceless. To make ends meet, he held a couple of businesses: a toy store and a flower shop – of all things! He stumbled into print media working for Israel’s biggest newspaper, Yedioth Achronot, for over a decade. And having been a part of The Unit for all these years as a silent partner, he loved working for the paper simply because it gave him a voice. Eventually Sher, who has always had a love for Canada, uprooted his wife and three kids and started anew. “I came to Canada as a visitor and I really took to the calmness and the people. There was no war and no uncertainties,” said Sher. Within a few years, Sher became the voice for his fellow Israeli immigrants with his beloved publication The Israeli Magazine. Using the publication as a vehicle, he would bring a little bit of Israel to Canada with vibrant articles and well-known artists such as Yehoram Gaon, Enrico Macias, Moti Giladi, Eyal Golan, Sarit Hadad and David Broza as well as a number of fundraising events in the community. “Canada has been very good to me and my family and for that I am proud to be a Canadian citizen.” Undercover operations, starting a magazine from scratch, even selling flowers…Shimon Sher is truly a man with a mission.

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Compiled by Miriam Cross; Written by Ilan Mester

SUMMER NIGHTS PARTY GUIDE As the days heat up, the balmy summer nights become the perfect time to host a party. Whether you’re looking to fire up the grill or celebrate a simcha, here are some ways to make the most of your summer in the city. Drink In Style

Swarovski Bridal Crystalline cocktail glasses; $500/set of two at Swarovski. Why we love it – Now that the temperatures are rapidly changing (for the better!), it’s time to throw away the whiskey and bring back the martinis. These cocktail glasses will ensure that your drinks are served in style.

Search For Nemo As You Drink

KSP Fish Pitcher and Glasses; $3-$10 at Kitchen Stuff Plus. Why we love it – When there’s no pool to dive in or beach to swim, this set is the closest you can get to that swimming sensation – plus they look great.

Flower Power

KSP Summer Flower Bowls; $2 each at Kitchen Stuff Plus. Why we love it – If you’re a 60’s fanatic, these bowls will bring you back to the day where boogie still meant dancing and the word cat could represent a man. The hippie-inspired design will make a great addition to your summer dishes.

Minty Fresh

The Mint Box customized mint tins; $1.60-$6.25, www.themintbox.com or 1-866-646-8269. Why we love it – Ever wanted your face or a personal design on a mint tin? This is a great gift idea for mint lovers and as wedding or Bar Mitzvah (or ‘Mints Vah’) souvenirs.

Sweet Drinks That Give Your Taste Buds A Treat

Pomtini with Green Tea ($9.95) and Margarita King ($19.95); available at the LCBO. Why we love it – These drinks have summer written all over them. The subtle aromas and flavours of green tea add an interesting twist to the Pomtini, while the margarita cocktail is made with double-distilled tequila. Pour over ice and escape the heat for a few minutes.

Add Some Spice To Backyard Barbeques Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas ($23) and Spain and the World Table ($40); available at http://cn.dk.com. Why we love it – After a certain amount of time, burgers and hot dogs get quite bland. The Grilled Pizzas book provides innovative grilling ideas and the Spain book features over 120 mouth-watering recipes that explore Spain’s culinary regions. We all know Spain is synonymous with summer sun!

Recycle Spills

Cashmere and SpongeTowels EnviroCare; $3.99-$9.99 at major retail stores. Why we love it – Both products are made from 100 % recycled fibre, so you can clean up spills & messes in an eco-friendly way.

Play Like Zeppelin

MJS Music & Entertainment’s new GUITAR DVD #1 Beginner Basics & Beyond ($24.95) and the Butterfly Jumbo Bubinga Guitar ($499); available at musical instrument stores. Why we love it – Splurging for a band or musical entertainment can get expensive. This DVD teaches anyone – even if they’ve never played before – the quickest and easiest way to play guitar, so you can host and provide the entertainment for your next outdoor party or campfire! 8

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No More Hot Dishes!

Corningware Portables sets include insulated cases with hot/ cold pack, and a stylish carrier; $46.99 at Home Outfitters. Why we love it – Bringing dishes to the neighbour’s outdoor potluck has become one step easier with these trendy portable sets.

Long Live The Grill

KSP Gourmet BBQ Tool Set includes spatula, tongs, grill cleaning brush and four skewers; $24 at Kitchen Stuff Plus. Why we love it – This stainless steel BBQ set comes with a durable aluminum carrying case to make you feel like a pro griller.

Go With The Glow

Flashing LED Balloons LUMI-LOONS ($18.95) and LED Duck ($3.95); available at www.glowproducts.ca. Why we love it – Glow products make amazing Bar/ Bat Mitzvah decorations and are great for those late summer-night parties. The ducks glow underwater, so imagine what a pool would look like with funky glowing ducks splattered across the surface!

Keepin’ It Cool (Just The Drinks)

The Sub-Zero Undercounter Refrigerator’s 4.9 cubic foot model is available in classic stainless steel with electronic controls, LCD display, spill-proof cantilever glass shelves and two-litre bottle storage; $2825, www.maroline.com for retailers. Why we love it – It keeps ice cold drinks and salads close at hand, and is also Star-K Kosher certified – perfect for sunlit Shabbat dinners!

Groovy Umbrella

The Musical Umbrella connects to MP3 players to play music through built-in speakers: $149.99 at Canadian Tire. Why we love it – Just the fact that you no longer have to shlep your stereo down to the backyard is a reason to love this umbrella!

A Couch Potato’s Dream

Mandalay Conversational Collection; Sectional Corner $214.99, Sectional Middle $149.99, Sectional Ottoman $119.99, at Canadian Tire. Why we love it – This outdoor couch has infinite uses: it can be used for casual backyard parties, to have outdoor dinners/snacks with your family, or simply to lie down and relax outside. Also, the couch is made from waterproof, rust-free fabric, so you don’t have to worry about the rain!

Gazebo For The Stylish

Sandstone Gazebo, hex design, bar and mosquito netting included; $299.99 at Canadian Tire. Why we love it – This gazebo combines aesthetics with practicality. Why? Not only does the gazebo provide shade, but you can now share a few drinks with friends through the built-in bar and not have to worry about pesky mosquitoes.

Patio On-The-Go

Grill Thursdays at SkyLounge – InterContinental Toronto Yorkville; for more info: www.toronto.intercontinental.com. Why we love it – If you’re either too lazy to host a patio party or just feel like going somewhere new, don’t miss SkyLounge’s Grill Thursdays, located at 220 Bloor Street West. The nights will feature an outdoor grilling experience of Wild boar burgers, Rosemary skewered lamb chops and Peppercorn crusted grilled pineapple spears.

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Photo Credit: Peggy Lee

Entrepreneur By Helen Hatzis

Marching to the Beat of his own Drum

Ori and son Kai Ocean in Miami Beach

Taking over someone’s business is risky business. Taking over a family business can be a rite of passage… or suicide. For Ori Sher, the brains and brawn behind The Jewish Magazine, it was a matter of survival.

ow in his 30s, Ori Sher was born and raised in Israel until the age of 11, when his parents decided to uproot the family and move to Canada. “Just another two hours south and we could have ended up in Miami,” jokes Ori. “But no. MY father had this uncanny love affair with Canada, a country he had visited only once!” Although Ori (the eldest of three kids) went back to Israel on a few occasions to visit, as well as to serve his time in the Israeli army, considering all his friends and family reside here, he definitely considers Canada his home. But growing up in Toronto’s northern Jewish community of Thornhill had its ups and downs. “In Israel, a Jew is a Jew,” explains Ori. “Right away, I noticed segregation in the community – Sephardic versus Ashkenazi/Canadian-born Jews and so forth – and the lack of connection to Israel.” Ori remembers one neighbourhood kid asking him if he had a camel in Israel. In typical Ori fashion (you’d understand if you knew him), he smugly replied, “Yep, we have two – one for my mom and one for my dad.” It was cultural-gap situations like those that inspired Ori to try and bridge the divide he saw within the community. In 2003, Ori’s father Shimon (TJM’s publisher), was diagnosed with cancer and made the decision to step back from hands-on activities with the magazine. Without skipping a beat, Ori took the helm, leaving behind his successful career as a restaurateur and club DJ. This Mac-loving, computer savvy (he taught himself Photoshop and InDesign in a matter of weeks), techie type is borderline “geeky” – but you’d never know it because his remarkable sense of style, topped off with his medusa-like locks and sharp-tongued wit (no one is safe), puts him in a category of his own. And it’s this unique style and voracious desire to succeed that has allowed Ori to keep TJM moving up in the world of magazines. Working with younger brother Edan (who has since moved on to other business ventures), his first action after taking over the magazine was changing its name from The Israeli Magazine to The Jewish

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Magazine. Then he removed half of the Hebrew text and began running more English advertising and articles. “We found that only a small portion of the community actually reads modern Hebrew; most of them need to do it with vowels,” says Ori. “We eventually decided to take out the Hebrew completely and focus more on celebrating the positive aspects of the Canadian Jewish community and abroad.” Ori admits that taking on this venture has been pretty challenging. “Changing the look and feel of the magazine was just like starting over,” he explains. “But we’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far.” In the last few years, Ori’s staff and cache of dedicated writers has grown to an eclectic group complementing and contributing to the magazine’s mantra: a spontaneous, creative expression of the Jewish experience in the 21st century. As one professional notes, in 200 years, when people look back at what Jewish culture was like, they’ll find The Jewish Magazine and see an honest depiction. Running a magazine in Canada is no easy feat – especially one catering to a single culture/religion. “The overwhelming feedback we receive from the community validates that we’re doing something right,” says Ori. “What really bothers me is that, unlike other Jewish publications, we don’t get the full support of our community organizations. The Jewish Magazine definitely resonates with community members of all sorts. It would be nice to see some loyalty and support from the Jewish organizations who claim to represent its best interests.” To help promote the magazine and the interests of the community, The Jewish Magazine partnered with Mark Breslin’s Yuk Yuk’s in 2007 by introducing an ongoing Jewish comedy night with proceeds going to local charities; TJM also partnered with the Toronto Jewish Film Festival in 2005. As Ori explains, “Our outlook is the same as these fine people and we complement each other nicely.” And now, with TJM celebrating its Bar Mitzvah year, for Ori it selflessly seems like it’s all about the community’s interests. “We have an amazing community in Canada and the potential of The Jewish Magazine to represent is even stronger. We have endless stories to share that show just how rich and diverse we really are.” And as for bridging that gap he recognized as a young new immigrant to Canada, “It’s still there – but it’s getting smaller.”

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Bark Mitzvah?! By Lauren Soul

For a Howling Good Time Bar and Bat Mitzvahs aren’t just for the human members of the mishpacha.

O Photo courtesy of Lauren Soul

“If he was not as obedient as he was, I don’t think we could’ve handled it.”

Babe Elie sitting at the head of the table.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Lowy

Kasha Lowy cuts the challah.

Photo courtesy of Bruce Lowy

Kasha’s family at the children’s table. 12

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n October 4, 2002 little Kasha Lowy became a man, having his Bark Mitzvah with friends and family, both stuffed and non-stuffed. “Every thirteen-year-old boy needs a Bar Mitzvah,” says Rose Elie, who once held a Bark Mitzvah for her own dog, Babe, along with her daughter Shelley, and two sons Jack and Jeff. A Bark Mitzvah, for those wondering what I’m talking about, is a Bar Mitzvah for your pet, usually for a dog, but occasionally for a cat or even a hamster. A Bark Mitzvah occurs on the dog’s thirteenth birthday, usually in dog years. A Bark Mitzvah may be easier to have for some, but for others it may become a huge thing, with catering, local musicians, and doggy bags. Being TJM’s Bar Mitzvah issue, I thought we should celebrate with everyone – whether they be sitting on the couch reading this, or lying on the floor scratching themselves, everybody deserves a Bar Mitzvah. The Bark Mitzvah – a trend that has recently become popular in Canada and the States – is growing fast. Most tend to be jokes, but for some, it’s a real deal. Bruce Lowy, proud father of Kasha Lowy (a Jack Russell terrier) and a certified business broker in Chicago, helped make this event popular in the States.

“Since we did this and put it on the web, I can’t count how many e-mails from people around the world telling me how much they enjoyed it,” says Bruce. Although the event happened almost six years ago, he is still being asked about it. “It was in a lot of newspapers and magazines, it was in the Jerusalem Post, it was in the Australian Jewish News, it was in the French newspaper.” Bruce Lowy has a website with tons of photos of the celebration, of Kasha and his guests, and the kiddie table of stuffed dogs. Make sure you turn up the volume; in the background you can enjoy the Hora. Bruce went full out, spending around $1,000 on a local musician, catering, and much more. While Bruce spent a fortune, some prefer to spend as little as they can. “It was Friday night dinner and he sat at the head of the table, we put the kiddush glass in front of him and we all said a le chaim,” says Shelley, reminiscing on Babe’s Bark Mitzvah 29 years ago. A friend of Shelley’s came up with the idea to celebrate her dog’s birthday as a Bar Mitzvah. Not being Jewish, she was eager to try out this Jewish ritual. She made the tallis and kippa for Babe and joined the family for the celebration. “It was just gonna be a simple party, then it ended up being a very themeoriented party, with our dog as centre stage,” says Bruce as he remembers the event. “It was not a religious ceremony, obviously there was no reading from the Haftorah, there wasn’t a service done, it was just a party where people ate and mingled.” “He just sat there and observed,” says Rose, recalling her old white poodle sitting in a chair with his tallis and kippa. “If he was not as obedient as he was, I don’t think we could’ve handled it.” Why not have a Bark Mitzvah for your pet? I mean, there’s no religious service, you can just skip all of the uncomfortable parts and go right to the fun party! To see more pictures from Kasha Lowy’s Bark Mitzvah, visit www.brucelowy.com/kasha.htm

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J-Walkin’ By Jeremy Freed

t all started, as so many things do these days, with a post on Craigslist. A writer friend of mine had been browsing online and had come across a listing that made her think of me. Amid the ads for used furniture, nannies, ‘adult services,’ and apartment sublets, there was one that stood out. She emailed it to me, and I was immediately taken. “This is NOT your parents’ publication!!” read the headline. “We are a new national lifestyle magazine for Canadian Jews,” it went on. “We want writers of all sorts to work with us to produce a magazine you would actually want to keep on your coffee table, read on the subway or in the office. You can write about anything...politics, religion, entertainment, fashion, clubbing, parenting, good stuff, bad stuff. Being Jewish means lots of things...this magazine will be too.” Being a young, reasonably hip, urban Jewish writer, with lots to say about who I was and what I was interested in, this magazine seemed to be exactly the sort of thing I’d been looking for. To me, being Jewish isn’t all about Zionism and Israel and keeping kosher for Passover. It’s about identity. It’s about honouring the history of my ancestors. It’s about examining what it means to be a Jew in this ever-changing modern world. This new magazine looked like it could be a uniquely Canadian take on modern Judaism, with all of its cultural and human implications, and a place for all kinds of commentary on what it means to be Jewish in the 21st century. I was sold.

gets used to it. But, excited as I had been to discover this new Jewish magazine, I was disappointed. About two months later I had almost forgotten about the whole thing, when I got an email apologizing for the delay and asking if I was interested in meeting with them the following week. I wrote back immediately and told them I was. When the day came, I made the trek to TJM’s former offices at Dufferin and Steeles, which was several subways, buses, and a brisk walk from my apartment in Little Italy, a considerable expedition for a guy who’s never lived north of Bloor. The outcome of the meeting, as is probably obvious by now, was favourable. I told them I wanted to write about the Jewish singles scene, and they said they could arrange it. I told them I was interested in writing about Jewish musicians and filmmakers, and they offered to set me up with some. By the end of the meeting I had two assignments for the next issue, and the promise of more to come. I stepped out onto Dufferin, took a deep breath of the crisp November air, and smiled. I knew I was onto something good. More than a year and many articles later, my original feelings and excitement about this magazine remain. Issue by issue, I have watched it add more columnists and bigger stories, growing and maturing into the great Canadian publication I always knew it would be. It’s a place where you’d be just as likely to read about Jewish porn legend Ron Jeremy as the history of Purim. It is, as ever, a place where Jews of all kinds can come together in celebration of our very modern, very vibrant people and culture. On this most auspicious of occasions, The Jewish Magazine’s Bar Mitzvah, I am proud to remain a part of it. Mazel tov, TJM! Photo courtesy of Jeremy Freed.

And then there was J-Walkin’

His style is unmistakeable, and his stories are unique. Here’s how J-Walkin’ Jeremy Freed met TJM.

I immediately typed out a cover letter and sent it off, along with some stories I’d written in my previous life as a freelance journalist in Los Angeles. “Hi there,” I wrote, “I like the sound of your magazine a lot, and I think there’s never been a better time for it.” I told them that I’d been inspired by things like Heeb magazine and the book Bar Mitzvah Disco; examples, I thought, of young Jews bringing their religion and culture into the new millennium in new and relevant ways. I wanted to be a part of what they were doing, I said. Days passed, then weeks, then months, and still no response. In my line of work this is not uncommon, to send out a query about a new magazine or job and hear nothing back, and one

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“To me, being Jewish isn’t all about Zionism and Israel and keeping kosher for Passover. It’s about examining what it means to be a Jew in this ever-changing modern world.”

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Profiles

Meet TJM’s Extended Family We’re a modest publication, but as we celebrate our Bar Mitzvah, we asked our contributors to join in our naches and recall their most memorable Bar/Bat Mitzvah moments. SAM TITLE

Full-time marketing communications manager for a growing cleaning products company. A part of TJM since: 2003 Why he loves TJM: “‘Love’ is such a strong word, don’tcha think? Anyways, I try and try and try to get away, but they keep drawing me back with their innovative story angles, humourinjected prose, and of course, my editing wizardry…it’s quite hard to resist.” Best Bar Mitzvah memory: “The endless record deal offers after finishing my Torah portion.” Worst Bar Mitzvah memory: “Being woken up by the rabbi.”

CASSIE BETH FRIEDMAN Journalism student at Ryerson University, entering her second year. A part of TJM since: January 2007 Why she loves TJM: “It brings together the Jewish community of Toronto, but still includes other members of the city. TJM tries new things and is open to modern and liberal ideas, but still stays true to its Jewish roots.” Best Bat Mitzvah memory: “I got to help my mother plan the entire event. And I loved my theme – camp!” Worst Bat Mitzvah memory: “A friend and I made a speech at our friend Sarah’s Bat Mitzvah. We were laughing so hard from all of the old stories we were telling that we almost couldn’t finish the speech.”

MIRIAM CROSS

English student at the University of Toronto, entering her fourth year. A part of TJM since: May 2007 Why she loves TJM: “It covers almost everything that fascinates me – arts, entertainment, film, books, lifestyle, culture – but with a Jewish angle. It’s like the content is tailor-made to my interests.” Best Bat Mitzvah memory: “I’ve always been shy about performing in front of an audience, but it was nice to know that months of practicing, and knowing my Torah portion inside out, meant I wasn’t even nervous when I got up on the bema.” Worst Bat Mitzvah memory: “We did the Torah service, we had a luncheon, and we had family over at our house that night, but I felt like the only kid in my grade who never had a big party.”

JENNA KALINKSY

Private writing coach, editor, copywriter, teaches classes in Toronto, London, and online, and takes notes for hearing-impaired college students. Also, she’s a lawyer (just kidding). A part of TJM since: Summer 2007 Why she loves TJM: “Its enthusiasm is contagious. It’s a great place to bring up issues that are relevant – being yourself in a Jewish framework. Plus, the editors have always been gracious about my ideas.” Best Bat Mitzvah memory: “I loved when the rabbi took my shoulders in his big hands up on the bema and spoke quietly just to me in front of all the people. He had a beard and played folk guitar during services, and I thought he was the coolest.” Worst Bat Mitzvah memory: “I insisted on wearing a white eyelet pinafore dress that made me seem like an immigrant sailing to the new world. I’d also overdone the Sun-In the week before, so I looked like a carrot in a napkin. We were all geeky, dancing to Poison and Aerosmith in our gangly legs.” 16

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ILAN MESTER

Finishing his Grade 12 year at Westmount Collegiate Institute, entering his first year of journalism at Ryerson. Also an intern at OMNI Television. A part of TJM since: February 2008 Why he loves TJM: “I love TJM for its ‘realness.’ As a writer and an editorial intern, I see that our contributors can truly speak their minds. It doesn’t matter how controversial or bold statements may be, TJM brings out new ideas. It’s really refreshing to be involved in a magazine where the editor doesn’t just lay out stories for the writers.” Best Bar Mitzvah memory: “Hosting over 15 out-of-town family members during my Bar Mitzvah week.” Worst Bar Mitzvah memory: “Sharing a bathroom with over 15 out-of-town family members.”

MARCIE SOMERS

Senior marketing manager with a national telecommunications company. A part of TJM for: Two years Why she loves TJM: “I like the edginess of the magazine and the fact that it’s not as mainstream as other Jewish publications.” Best Bat Mitzvah memory: “I didn’t have a Bat Mitzvah when I was 13 years old. I had one three years later when I was 16 and in Israel with my confirmation class. After studying for three weeks, I had my Bat Mitzvah at the top of the Mount of Olives on a beautiful Sunday evening overlooking Jerusalem.”

RENA GODFREY

Freelancer for other publications. A part of TJM for: 1.5 years Why she loves TJM: “A range of topics are covered, interesting people are interviewed, and for the humourous and candid style of writing.” Best and Worst Bat Mitzvah memory: “At my party, a cute guy pulled my tube top down while slow dancing.”

DEREK KREINDLER

Journalism student at Ryerson University, entering his third year. A part of TJM since: June 2007 Why he loves TJM: “I really enjoy the laidback atmosphere and the closeness amongst the staff. TJM is a great place to grow as a writer, and you really get some good hands-on experience.” Best Bar Mitzvah memory: “Seeing my brother on the pulpit, reciting his Torah portion. I was (and still am) so proud of him.” Worst Bar Mitzvah memory: “For my Bar Mitzvah, my dad took us to Barbados to show us his childhood home, where he had his Bar Mitzvah, and other important places. My mom ended up getting really sick and did not recover until some months later.”

LAUREN SOUL

ERICA EHM

Creator of YummyMummyClub.ca, a playful, edgy website where mummy gets to play. A part of TJM since: March 2007 Why she loves TJM: “It’s cheeky and it’s making Jewish cool.” Best and Worst Bat Mitzvah memory: “Most of them are painfully overly lavish and inappropriate for a twelve- or thirteenyear-old’s birthday party. They’re more like weddings. I’m not a fan.”

Finishing her Grade 11 year at Westmount Collegiate Institute. A part of TJM since: February 2008 Why she loves TJM: “It’s not a stickler for religion, it’s not political and you can have fun with it.” Best Bat Mitzvah memory: “At my friend’s Bar Mitzvah, it was in a small venue and I was chosen to light the candle and symbolize all of his friends. Also, we put a bunch of food (salt, pepper, chocolate, etc.) in his water and made him drink it.” Worst Bat Mitzvah memory: “It was in December, I believe, when I misread my invitation for my best friend’s sister’s Bat Mitzvah, and went the wrong night.” www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

FRUMFATALE By Shira Schwartz

Coming of (Orthodox) Age in a Goyeshe World Shira Schwartz, a nice frum rebel, explains how she balanced the ultra-orthodox world with modern-day temptations, and ‘came of age’ because of it.

irst, a bit of background: In my ultraorthodox Jewish family, Elana was always the pretty one, Naomi was the smart one, Moshe, the funny one, and I, the rebellious one.

wearing jean skirts and listening to Yeshiva Boys Choir like the best of them.

To give you some context, by ‘rebellious’ we’re not talking sex, drugs, and rock and roll; more like hand-holding, nargilla-smoking, and kosher-style United Bakers. Not exactly hard-core. I resented my Orthodox lifestyle because it made everything off-limits: I couldn’t go out Friday nights, wear normal clothes, or eat at most restaurants.

My siblings all had religious friends and attended Jewish educational institutions -- they fit in the frum world. I, on the other hand, still had one foot in my old country; I went to a conservative camp, followed seamlessly to CHAT, and went on to study Theatre (of all things) in university.

There was only one problem: I was becoming religious, “frum,” in a goyeshe world.

Everything in theatre school was a challenge: the laws of Shabbat prohibited Friday night and Saturday shows and rehearsals; the laws of tzniut, modest conduct including mode of dress, limited my ability to really move around (you try doing yoga and stage-combat in a pleated skirt!); the laws of shomer sign of negia, limiting physical contact between men and women, made scene-work a constant struggle (“um, Romeo, do you mind if we just shake on it?”), etc.

I couldn’t even attend some of my closest friends’ Bar and Bat Mitzvah parties because they began before Shabbos ended. (Never mind the fact that most of these soirees were essentially glorified

“Uncertainty is not a weakness, it’s the mark of

a real grown-up.”

burlesque shows of which the performers were my fellow seventh-graders; suffices to say, my own party was slightly unlike its competitors.) In fact, one of my greatest religious struggles surrounded my own Bat Mitzvah, as the Orthodox synagogue of which we were members did not permit me to read from the Torah. As an elevenyear-old feminist and more so as a youngest child, I was outraged; why was Moshe allowed to read from the Torah and not I? (This was before I understood the reason behind it, which involves an explanation that exceeds the space this piece permits.) My parents, in their eternal merit, found a way for me to lead an all-women Rosh Chodesh service at my shul instead, but I still wasn’t satisfied – it felt makeshift, like a band-aid solution for a wound that was slowly becoming infected. Somewhere along the line, however, there was a shift – I became one of them. I suddenly realized what I always knew: that the Torah was true and that I needed to follow its laws. So slowly, I started following in the footsteps of my chareidi family,

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

Every day there was a new issue, a new reason for me to feel more alienated from my classmates. Nevertheless, after three years of being in almost daily, sometimes nightly contact, and developing a bond unique to theatre class – only in theatre do you expose a side of yourself kept hidden from the rest of the world – I began to form close friendships. Still, there was a wall between us – my goy friends had difficulty identifying not so much with Judaism than with my adherence to mainstream orthodoxy and its cultural codes. Reluctant to be pegged as a typical, National Post-reading, Conservative-voting Orthodox Jew in a liberal society, I kept my mouth shut. The only real thing we had in common was our love for theatre and each other. When it comes to my personality, my character, there’s much that I’m not proud of. One thing I’m never ashamed of, however, is ambivalence -simply not knowing. In fact, I would argue that the act of confronting that which is unclear, the moments of ambiguity when one is forced to test new waters or enter unmarked territory, is the

true test of growth. Uncertainty is not a sign of weakness, it’s the mark of a real grown-up. We see it in all the ‘coming of age’ stories, and heroes like Todd in Dead Poets Society and Holden in Catcher in the Rye are far from “knowing it all”; they take risks and learn to live with the consequences. That’s what it means to come of age – whether or not you become an adult simply depends on the nature of the risk. In my life, I had two opportunities to take the easy way out: either to resign my religious observance and acculturate – theatre school gave me the perfect outlet to extinguish an already wavering sense of religiosity – or to decline my admittance to theatre school and major in psychology like a ‘good, frum girl.’ But instead I took a risk: I chose both. Despite the fact that I had no freaking clue what I was doing. And as a result, I think I’ve finally grown up.

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Summer Trends Dvira Ovadia is a Chief Designer and an expert in everything to do with residential and commercial design and décor. Dvira has a sharp eye which explains her forte for colour and material composition. Her educational background began with a degree in architecture from the University of Toronto and a Masters in interior design from Pratt Institute in New York. She has trotted the globe on a mission to discover the world in the context of design and architecture. Dvira has worked on an extensive line of design projects and has been a part of some of the most renowned design firms. Most notably, Dvira was a winner of a reality show called From The Ground Up, where she beat out 9,000 applicants and 14 finalists who competed to become Debbie Travis’s chief designer.

By Dvira Ovadia

Summer’s here, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and we’re all in good spirits. Summer is just one of those seasons that we all look forward to. It’s a time to relax, a time to catch up, a time to go out, a time to entertain and most importantly, a memorable time to share with your friends and loved ones. Here are some of my favourite items this summer that will have everyone knowing that you’re fully geared up for this season’s latest trends!

The hot colours this season are pastels:

Yes, believe it or not they’re making their comeback from the 80’s, but let’s not get confused – the pastels of summer ’08 are different from those primary pastel colours we’ve associated with in the past. What’s most exciting about these colours is that they are fresh, warm and sophisticated! They are reminiscent of the organic: the sea, the sun, the beach, the flowers and all those summer feelings we often associate with. Combine pastel colours of yellows, peaches and pinks with bright blues. To tone the look down, use dusty greys – this will help offset the colours, creating an overall appearance of purity, freshness and simplicity.

The Sherwin-Williams Company

Sea treasures:

Photo credit: Dvira Ovadia

Bringing those special items that are reminiscent of the beach and cottage life help cozy-up your home and make you feel like you are by the seaside all summer long. To create your special space in your home, pick the bedroom, the living room or even kitchen table. For the ultimate look introduce such elements as seashells, corals, pictures, nets and all your favourite sea treasures!

Summer organization!

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

Photo credit: Dvira Ovadia

Get yourself organized this summer with a series of wicker baskets, from large to small, square or round. These attractive hand-woven pieces are a great way to store away your winter blankets, papers, and even the kids’ toys. Their neutral notes will coordinate with every colour and design style in your house. Find your favourite baskets at your local home décor store. For an affordable alternative, check out one of my favourite discount home stores – Ikea!

The whites and linens

are by far the most refreshing colour and material for the summer season. Drape a linen tablecloth on your dinner table and accent with white linen napkins. The natural and sensual presence of linen and the purity of white spells summer like no other. For an alternative to linen, look for a 100% cotton white crisp tablecloth! Make sure to iron your tablecloth for that restaurant-like feel. To bring this sensuality into the bedroom, switch up your bedding this summer for an all-white set! Pottery Barn

Catherine Denoual

The art of lemons:

After spending several days in the Amalfi Coast (the south of Italy), I came to realize the importance of lemons to this region and simply the importance of lemon as a fruit, especially during the hot summer season! This summer, have fun with lemons! Not only are they beautiful in shape and colour and are attractive in a fruit bowl, but they make for some wonderful lemonade! Pour your homemade juice in a beautiful decanter and serve in an array of fun translucent glasses of various shapes and sizes.

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Catherine Denoual

Let’s bag the bag!

One of my favourite trends this season is the reusable bag…everyone is doing it! Just about every large company has stamped their brand name and are hoping that you’ll trot to the grocery store with these reusable bags. Let’s face it, in about 3 to 5 years plastic bags should be obsolete, and there is nothing better than a designer like Anya Hindmarch coming up with a new, trendy “I’m not a plastic bag” bag to help set off this trend and send out the message! Just about every celebrity in Hollywood can be caught with this environmentally-friendly shopping bag, so I say, if design can help the cause, then so be it. For the past six months now I have gathered my favourite recyclable bags to use at the grocery store. Find your well-designed sac and do your part to help save the environment. www.baggu.com

Bring your sofas outdoor this summer!

Many of the major patio furniture companies are doing their part to bring the comforts of indoors outside this summer with pieces resembling sofas, recliners and even beds! Some outdoor pieces are more cutting edge and design-conscious than others, but even the more traditional designs have proven to make the outdoors a much more pleasurable place to entertain family and friends for long periods of times. No more shall we sit on vinyl and canvas folding chairs, or plastic patio sets! Treat yourself to comfort this summer and take a nap in the outdoors. Check out DEDON for some of the leading designs in shapes, colours and dimensions of outdoor furniture. For a more affordable option, check out Home Outfitters; my personal favourite is Gluckstein’s Suede Fiji Patio Set.

DEDON www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

MOVIES BY

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June Movies Heat Up The Screens

Wanted: Universal Pictures

Incredible Hulk: Universal Pictures

Kung Fu Panda: DreamWorks Animation

Wow, thirteen years of The Jewish Magazine…it seems like only a year ago I started

filling everyone in on the latest in entertainment. Oh wait, it has only been a year, and it’s been a great year! But I first want to say congratulations to everyone associated with this magazine for staying current and always improving. And I’m glad to be a part of it. Now, on to one of the busiest months of the year when it comes to movies – and we’re not even halfway through 2008. Adam Sandler kicks off the month with his hilarious new comedy You Don’t Mess with the Zohan. He plays an Israeli soldier who moves to New York to become a hairdresser. Just that plot was making me laugh; after seeing it, you’ll have tears in your eyes from cracking up. Adam is just the perfect person to play this role – after all, he did help co-write the script with Judd Apatow and Robert Smigel (Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog). Dennis Dugan returns to the Sandler brand (he directed Benchwarmers, Big Daddy, Happy Gilmore). Starring with Adam are Emmanuelle Chriqui (TJM cover girl) and of course, Rob Schneider. Zohan hits theatres June 6th.

Get Smart: Warner Bros. Pictures

Also on June 6th is DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda, starring Jack Black as a panda bear who stumbles into a world of martial arts. Jack is basically playing an animated version of himself (as we know him). The CG picture will knock your socks off; the guys over at DWA have really stepped up their game with the computer graphics. And some of the dialogue between Jack and co-stars Jackie Chan, Ian McShane and Angelina Jolie is great and very funny. Dustin Hoffman and Lucy Liu also lend their vocal talents to the pic. Don’t make him angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. That’s right, the big green guy is back on the big screen – The Incredible Hulk returns to theatres starring Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, and his larger and meaner alter ego. Marvel Studios got this sequel together rather nicely with one of the best in-the-streets battles you’ll see in theatres. And the script from comic guy Zak Penn works very well with Norton’s style of acting. Liv Tyler is playing Betty Ross and Tim Roth will transform from Emil Blonsky to Abomination – great stuff with this one. The Incredible Hulk terrorizes movie houses on June 13th.

Zohan: Sony Pictures

Thanks to the brilliant comedic brain of Steve Carell, Maxwell Smart is heading to the big screen. Warner Bros. Pictures is taking Get Smart to the modern era in the new feature film starring Steve as Agent 86 in this battle between CONTROL and CHAOS. Directed by Peter Segal, the cast also includes Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Terry Crews, Alan Arkin, Terrence Stamp, David Koechner, and Anne Hathaway as Agent 99 to give the flick a boost of star power. Get Smart rings up theatres on June 20th. We all saw the Super Bowl commercial where Angelina Jolie slides her car around to pick up James McAvoy. But what you don’t know is that’s only one of the amazing scenes you’ll see in the new action flick Wanted. Based on the comic book series, McAvoy (Last King of Scotland, Atonement) plays a kid who seeks revenge for the death of his father; Morgan Freeman also co-stars as his mentor. Visionary director Timur Bekmambetov takes the reins on Wanted, hitting theatres June 27th.

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

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June 1995

The Israeli Magazine marks its first year in publishing, having created a solid foundation in the Israeli community. For the next seven years, while releasing a monthly magazine, publisher Shimon Sher concentrates on bringing a little bit of Israel to his community with huge Israeli artists such as Yehoram Gaon, Enrico Macias, Moti Giladi, Eyal Golan, Sarit Hadad, David Broza and comedian Eli Yatzpan in venues like Leah Posluns, Toronto’s Sheraton Hotel, the Metro Convention Center and the Opera House. The magazine would also focus on bringing in these well-known artists for various fundraising events for charities such as a Beit Halochem function featuring Ilanit.

June 1996-2003

Publisher Shimon Sher proudly presents the premiere issue of The Israeli Magazine. A full-colour, glossy, 100% Hebrew text monthly magazine is distributed all over the city (for free!), offering a fresh twist on Hebrew news and coverage in Canada. Copies are snapped up quickly, which leads the publisher to bump up his circulation copies.

Start Here...

A gentile officially becomes editorin-chief after joining the magazine in October 2006 (see page 28 to find out how that happened). The logo and look of the magazine begin a new facelift while adding new columns to the mix: Shiksa in the City, J-Walkin’, Jew or No Jew, film reviews (JewReview), Yummy Mummy, City Guide and Travel.

February 2007

May 2005

Ori partners with the Toronto Jewish Film Festival. Known for their quirky advertising, readers readily recognize the similarities.

The first (and so far only) shiksas land the cover of TJM, inadvertently giving young Jewish boys hope that Paris Hilton happens to be Jewish. (Sorry.)

June /July 2006

TJM becomes an entirely English text publication.

Januray 2006

The look, the language, the staff, even the name have changed over time, but after 13 years of publishing, TJM remains the cultural voice of Judaism in Canada. In celebration of our major Bar Mitzvah milestone this month, here’s a look back over all the little milestones that made TJM the magazine you know and love today.

Timeline 1995-2008

Issue128 Winter 2006

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

Ori changes the publication name to The Jewish Magazine (TJM), reflecting its widening scope over Jewish, not just Israeli, issues.

November 2004

Ori introduces English articles into the magazine to appeal to a broader audience – not just Hebrew-speaking Israelis, but Canadian Jews (or even non-Jews) who may never have been to Israel. Hebrew content is now half. A website is created to offer TIM readers abroad the entire magazine online.

May 2004

Publisher Shimon Sher is diagnosed with cancer and proudly hands the reigns over to his son Ori, who takes the next few months to focus on taking the magazine to the next level.

December 2003

To Be Continued....

TJM celebrates 13 years in publishing, becoming the first magazine in history to actually have a Bar Mitzvah.

June 2008

TJM partners up with Mark Breslin’s Yuk Yuk’s for the 1st Jewish Comedy Night. Jewish Comedy Night premieres to a sold-out crowd with proceeds benefitting the Reena Foundation.

January 2008

Both local and international celebrities grace the cover of TJM, prompting cries everywhere of “He’s Jewish?!”: Howie Mandel, Bar Refa’eli, Ami James, Amy Winehouse, Gene Simmons, Sophie Milman, Lorne Michaels, David Cronenberg, and Emmanuelle Chriqui. New columnists added to the mix include: Montreal Mensch, The Burning Bush and FashionWatch.com. TJM also begins its monthly online newsletter to over 30,000 registered readers, offering prizes to its ever expanding readership.

March 2007 – December 2007

Montreal Mensch By Sarah Pearson

Writing Writing with with my my Mouth Mouth Full: Full: Why Why The The Jewish Jewish Magazine Magazine feels feels like like Family Family

To contact Montreal Mensch with anything on your mind, email her at MontrealMensch@TheJewishMagazine.com

y story of how I came to The Jewish Magazine, like most good stories, seems serendipitous. It was a steaming hot Friday morning last August, and I was packing my duffel bags to fly that afternoon to San Francisco, where I had a month-long job waiting. I was minutes away from leaving for the airport when I received a phone call from a 416 number. It was Helen Hatzis calling from The Jewish Magazine. They had received my writing samples I’d sent in response to a Craigslist call for writers, and she wanted to discuss having me write a monthly column based out of Montreal.

As a freelance writer I do a lot of work for people I have never met in real life. Sometimes that can feel really weird – communicating solely through email or telephone usually keeps work relationships from ever evolving past the get-to-know-you formalities. But five minutes on the phone with Helen, and I knew that this would be an exception to the rule. I sat on my front steps, already resolved to take the later airport shuttle-bus, and chatted with Helen. We talked about the magazine, about the weather, about the pros and cons of Toronto-versus-Montreal, about my job in San Fransisco. I knew I’d stumbled into a good thing when I casually mentioned that, it being Friday afternoon and all, my whole street reeked of cholent, and Helen got very excited. She got it. I had to rush like hell through customs two hours later, but it was worth the lovely phone chat on my front steps.

“As with any relationship, a sign of a good match is when you can just ‘be yourself’ from the outset. Finding my voice with this magazine has been effortless.”

With any new writing job, there’s always a period of finding one’s “voice.” It’s a process of sussing out the publication’s tone, of carving out a niche, of establishing something of a verbal persona. As with any relationship, a sign of a good match is when you can just “be yourself” from the outset. Finding my voice with this magazine has been effortless. I often feel that my columns for this magazine just write themselves, and I have thoroughly taken pleasure in writing every single article thus far. Sometimes things just fit. TJM’s been a perfect fit for many reasons. The obvious ones: it’s fun, it’s clever, it’s hip. It’s glossy. It’s vibrant and full of colour. Like all good things in life, it’s free. But it’s more than that. Writing for The Jewish Magazine is like talking to my extended relatives. I can use my hands a lot, I can talk with my mouth full. I can use words like “schtick” and “schlep.” I can use lots and lots of adjectives to describe food, and food-metaphors to describe something non-edible, and no one thinks I’m weird. It’s sassy, it’s slick, and it’s ever so slightly dorky (in a bad-yiddish-pun kinda way). Most of all, reading it is always a pleasure. My roommates look forward to our monthly delivery of TJM. The copy sits on our kitchen table for weeks, perused over breakfast, discussed over evening tea. I feel I know a lot of the writers, even though I still haven’t met a single TJM staff member or contributor. It takes a special kind of magazine to create community like that, and to foster a sense of family amongst strangers. Of course, what else would we expect from a Jewish magazine? I am delighted to have found a publication where I can “write with my mouth full.” It’s a magazine we should all be proud of, especially in this, its Bar Mitzvah year. TJM is taking the giant leap into adulthood, and I’m standing at the proverbial dessert table (Montreal) scoping out the cute young men (J-Walkin’?) and waiting for the hora to commence. Let’s all take hands and dance.

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

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Helen Hatzis Our Very Own Shiksa Between her work at TJM, her charity contributions and social life, and her spiritual core, Helen Hatzis, Greek Orthodox/ Head Heeb Hottie, is our favourite shiksa of all. Miriam Cross on TJM’s editor-in-chief:

Tracey Erin Smith on her spirituality:

Jews gravitate to her. “Shalom!” and “Ma shlom’cha?” are a regular part of her vocabulary. She’s been to more brises than she cares to think about, and she knows more about Judaism than most of her Jewish friends. Helen Hatzis, editorin-chief of Canada’s only monthly Jewish lifestyle magazine, is the ultimate Shiksa in the City.

It is my pleasure and honour to write about the spiritual side of our Head Heeb Hottie! Believe it or not, our very own shiksa Helen Hatzis grew up in an Orthodox home...ummm, Greek Orthodox, that is. Nevertheless, she says both Greek and Jewish traditions are remarkably similar, such as the men and women sitting separately in church.

When I met Helen a little over a year ago, the obvious question – how can a Greek Orthodox shiksa be qualified to market, shape, and maintain the tone of a Jewish publication? – never materialized, because Helen understands, respects, and appreciates our religion and culture as much as any Jew around. Aside from the blonde hair and occasional BLT sandwich for lunch, Helen is, in her character and day-today conduct, distinctly Jewish. She constantly philosophizes and asks questions – about customs, about the holidays, about Hebrew words. Signature features of the magazine – J-Walkin’, Montreal Mensch, and of course, Shiksa in the City – are results of her innate creativity. Her warmth, generosity, and genuine concern for others evoke the stereotypical Jewish mother, just without the guilt.

As a little girl, Helen was innately spiritual with an understanding beyond her years, always asking her parents a million questions about religion and the nature of the universe.

Perhaps it was inevitable than Helen would end up in a Jewish environment. During WWII, her grandfather sheltered the Jews of his Greek village. Here in Canada, her mother has always found herself employed by Jews. Though nonreligious herself, Helen has always been intrigued by Judaism, and almost two years ago, when she was at a transition point in her life and eager to write, Ori Sher offered her this opportunity at TJM. As you can see by reading TJM month after month, the lack of a Jewish upbringing has no bearing on her ability to head a Jewish publication. Instead, our success and growth can largely be attributed to Helen Hatzis being the kind, smart, dedicated, and wonderful person – Jew or no Jew – that she is. 28

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

Our Helen finds herself drawn to the Jewish sense of community and says about TJM, “Even though we do not focus on religion in our pages, there is a strong sense of community in the traditional sense within the Jewish community; a togetherness, a social entity tied by a unique bond and loyalty that I find quite remarkable.” So, how did a nice Greek girl come to be so involved with the People of the Book? She says it was serendipity that when she leapt into her career of writing, it was the Jewish community that caught her first. And some of her closest friends are now and have always been of the Semitic persuasion. Today, Helen leads a very spiritual life and remains deeply connected to the Jewish community through comedy evenings at Yuk Yuk’s, Jewish theatre, fundraisers and award galas. This should come as no surprise, seeing as her last name ‘Hatzis’ is Greek for the word ‘khatziz,’ meaning a ‘pilgrim to Jerusalem’ – and that’s the truth!

Rena Godfrey on her tikkun olam: Helen’s the real deal. “We’ve got one life to live so make the most of it.” Helen has shared this mantra with me numerous times, and lives true to her word. Mother to threeyear-old Isabella, Helen has had an interesting journey before she took over as editor at TJM; she holds an English literature degree from York and studied film at USC and the Vancouver Film School. She has produced and directed music videos, worked for Warner Music and wrote for Lifestyles magazine as well as TJM. Helen is equally passionate about her volunteer work and feels very strongly about giving back to the community. Directly affected by a demyelinating disease in her family, Helen devotes much of her spare time to the Myelin Project, talking to families dealing with this disease and steering them in the right direction. She is also involved with Youth Bocce Canada, which uses the game bocce to promote participation and socialization among children and adults with disabilities. Helen feels blessed to be working for TJM. “I’ve learned so much being here at TJM,” she says. “One thing that really stands out about the Jewish culture is the whole sense of community, togetherness, oneness.” TJM is very lucky to have such a creative and caring individual leading the way. Shiksa or not – she’s the real deal.

The Burning Bush By Tracey Erin Smith

n celebration of The Jewish Magazine’s thirteenth year, I wanted to have a look back to when I came to be one of their columnists and share my Bat Mitzvah photo with you (feel free to return the favour!).

Creating that first column was a thrill. It allowed me to revisit my experience and share it with others. I was hooked! So my career coach (okay, my mom) said, “Why don’t you offer to write a regular column for The Jewish Magazine?” She had some very good ideas.

Last summer, The Jewish Magazine sent a very nice young lady named Miriam Cross to interview me after one of my performances of Two in the Bush! at the Toronto Fringe Festival. She was friendly, bright, and curious, and I was intrigued about this magazine she wrote for.

I looked through several past issues of TJM and thought what they’re missing is a Sex and the City-type column, but about spirituality! That was my angle when I pitched the idea to the lovely Helen Hatzis. I waited eagerly to hear her answer. When I found out I got the column, I was ecstatic! As I was jumping for joy, midair I thought, “Doh! What am I going write about each month!?”

Later that summer, I planned to attend the Burning Man festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. This event, which draws tens of thousands of people, is ‘dedicated to self-expression, selfreliance, and art as the centre of community.’ Some would call it a creative utopia for one week, which seems to be about as long as a utopia can last. But I digress. It was my mother who suggested I pitch writing an article about the Jewish experience at Burning Man. They went for it! I had my first assignment as a magazine writer. I wrote about my adventures at Burning Man and how I searched for the Jews there.

Photo courtesy of Tracey Erin Smith

Happy 13th Birthday to The Jewish Magazine!

‘Write what you know’ is the traditional wisdom. What I know is: I have a magnificent obsession with spirituality. I have questions, like many of you, and they’re big questions, such as who am I really? Why am I here? Does deep inner peace exist? Is too much soy milk bad for you? This is the stuff I think about.

Photo courtesy of Tracey Erin Smith

My fascination with spirituality began early. In my religious school class, at Holy Blossom Temple, I was the only kid who paid attention. The class discussions were between me and the teacher. While the other kids were showing off their new Roots sweatshirts and LeSportsac’s, I was the zaftig girl with glasses asking the teacher why there are two conflicting stories of creation in the Torah. Since then, I have dabbled in a variety of spiritual paths. Here are a few highlights: I’ve been a ‘water woman’ in a Native sweat lodge ceremony; camped under the stars at a Kudalini Yoga intensive in New Mexico; meditated at a silent retreat (officially impossible for Jews); written and performed two one-woman spiritual comedies in New York; and almost applied for rabbinical school! These experiences, which have taken me hither and yon, sound extensive, I’ll admit. I also believe that spirituality is not something you need a passport for.

I’ve had feelings of ‘oneness and peacefulness’ just by being quiet with myself, or deciding to choose compassion over judgment, when I can muster it. I’ve even had spiritual experiences lying on my bed with my laptop watching six episodes in a row of Sex and the City! Sometimes a girl’s just gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. So why do I write a column for The Jewish Magazine? Because I’d love some company as I try to figure out all this spiritual stuff. And that company, I hope, is you. In this, the thirteenth year of Canada’s only national Jewish magazine, I will ask you some questions. What is your magnificent obsession? What are the big questions you think about? What do you really want? You can drop me a line through The Jewish Magazine or contact me directly at www. theburningbush.ca. Perhaps you’ll give me an idea for next month’s column. Or at least the lowdown on soy milk! Oh yes, and thanks Mom!

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

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June 4-8

Art of Jazz Celebration

The Art of Jazz Celebration transforms the Distillery Historic District into a hotbed of rhythm, improvisation, harmony and sophistication. It is five days of concerts, themed programs, workshops and jam sessions. Clinics held by Steve Kuhn, Sheila Jordan and Egberto Gismonti form the educational side of the festival and the list of live concerts includes a tribute to jazz icon John Norris. $21 - $41.15. 416-840-7663 www.artofjazz.org

June 6-8

Leonard Cohen

Sony Centre For The Performing Arts welcomes the legendary singer-songwriter, returning to the stage for the first time in 15 years. Cohen, a recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, will begin his world tour in Toronto, the city that launched his career as a recording and literary artist. $75 - $250. 416-393-7469, www.sonycentre.ca

June 6-8

Waterfront Blues Festival

This year’s Blues Festival is taking place at Woodbine Park instead of the Distillery District. The event showcases Canadian and international blues talent, with both established and emerging artists. The live concerts are free to the public. The lineup features Duke Robillard, W.C. Handy Awards, Sharrie Williams, Paul Reddick and The Sidemen and more. 416-698-2152, www.distilleryblues.com

June 6-15 Luminato

Taking place at different venues across the city, including art, theatre, film, dance, music and literature events. Local, regional and international artists, playwrights and filmmakers showcase their talents to the city throughout the ten day event. Several events on this year’s schedule are free to the public. 416-368-3100, www.luminato.com

June 7-8

Woofstock

Woofstock is a large outdoor festival designed for dogs and the people who love them. Highlights of this year’s festival include the extreme doggy makeover, Woofstock fashion shows and the Ms. and Mr. Canine Canada Pageant. This is a free event. 416-234-9663, www.woofstock.ca

June 8

June 16

Join in on the fun! There will be tones of food, fun and rides located at the Lebovic Campus at Rutherford and Bathurst. This annual event is fun for the whole Family! 12:00 Noon - 5:00 PM on Ilan Ramon Blvd. 416-635-2883 x 316, gsarner@ujafed.org

The annual Tribute Gala, hosted by musical theatre sensation and Tony Award winner Bob Martin, star of The Drowsy Chaperone, at 8pm at the Al Green Theatre, Miles Nadal JCC. Throughout the evening Dr. Golden will be celebrated through various performances. Tickets: $250. 416 928 3537, judy@djds.ca

Annual Ilan Ramon Blvd Street Festival

June 12-15

NXNE North By Northeast

Take in a wealth of amazing music and films during the 14th annual NXNE Festival when it rocks Toronto to the core. (416) 863-6963, www.nxne.com

June 13-15

2nd Annual Niagara Wine Weekend & Auction

The event announces its line-up for the threeday annual fundraiser held in Niagara-on-theLake in support of the SickKids Foundation and the St. Catharines General Hospital Foundation. Grammy Award-winning pop trio The Pointer Sisters and soul legends The Temptations headline the exciting weekend. Tickets: $1000/ person. 1-866-946-3593, www.niagarawineauction.com

June 13-15

Taste of Little Italy

The annual Taste of Little Italy transforms College Street from Bathurst to Shaw into an Italian piazza with walking access to restaurants, shops and music on every corner. All food and drinks can be enjoyed for $1-$5. www.tasteoflittleitaly.ca

Tribute Gala Honouring Anne Golden

June 20-29 Jazz Festival

Toronto’s Jazz Festival features over 1500 musicians playing everything from bop and swing to cool and fusion. The more than 350 concerts take place at 40 venues across the city. Price: free - $130. 416-870-8000, www.torontojazz.com

June 22

Annual Zareinu Moveathon Festival

The 11th Annual Zareinu Moveathon Festival will be held at Downsview Park. Bring the entire family to An Event That Will Move You! You can walk, run, bike or just enjoy the fun rides and games, great food and entertainment! For more information and to register please log on to www.moveathon.com, 416-661-1800.

Ongoing Till June 28

Bermuda Ave. Triangle

A comedy about the adventures of a Jewish widow and an Irish widow whose successful daughters move them to Las Vegas where they share a retirement village condo. Price: $39.95 - $52.95. (905) 472-3085, www.herongate.com

June 15

Father’s Day at the Zoo with 97.3 EZ Rock

While Dad may feel as though he already lives at the zoo, show him a roaring good time at the Toronto Zoo’s activities that include face painting, buskers, animal visits and more. Visit with wild and famous Zoo Dads including Rowdy, Stripes and Charles. Price: Child (ages 3 & under FREE, Child (ages 4 - 12) $12, Senior (65+) $14, General Admission (ages 13 - 64) $20. 416-392-5929, www.torontozoo.com

July 11-13

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (TOAE) is a fresh-air spin on the traditional art show located on Nathan Phillips Square. Canada’s largest outdoor art show features the work of 500 established artists, craftspeople, students and undiscovered artists. Free event. 416-408-2754, www.torontooutdoorart.org

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

TJM’S events in the city All photos by: Helen Hatzis

Were you here? TJM staffers were out and about covering exciting events all over the city. WHO? WHAT?

Leadership Sinai’s - Eyes Wide Open WHERE? WHEN?

Thursday, May 15, 2008 at This is London nightclub in Toronto.

Celebrity DJ Sky Nellor

hair Sebastien Centner (Director of Eatertainment Special Events), along with MTV’s Dan and Jessi from The Hills After Show as hosts and international DJ Sky Nellor on the turntables, brought forth the chic Toronto ‘in’ crowd for an evening filled with sumptuous hors d’oeuvres, non-stop champagne and masked models bearing painted-on bustiers. Quite different from the opulent 55th Auxiliary Ball (opposite page), yet the goal was in the same vein – to raise funds to advance research and patient care. Leadership Sinai is an organization that was created in 1993 to encourage and cultivate the philanthropic involvement of a new generation of fundraisers in the community. They completed its most ambitious campaign to date - $2 million towards funding Excellence in Research at the Hospital’s world-renowned Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute. The dynamic team continues to raise funds to help provide the highest level of patient care, teaching and research. Leadership Sinai’s new $8 million campaign pledge will include supporting six outstanding scientists specializing in cancer research at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute.

TSN’s Bryan Mudryk & Mary Prioriello Eyes Wide Open staff MTV Canada hosts Dan Levy & Jessi Cruickshank

QUOTE? Sebastien Centner, Chair and Creative Director Eyes Wide Open in support of Leadership Sinai - “For us, the main objective of Eyes Wide Open was to show that Mt. Sinai could host an event that was not only for a great cause, but also an unbelievably cool party. With our guests sipping on Rich Prosecco and dancing to Sky Nellor until the wee hours, I think we may have pulled it off.”

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

Scott Connor & Sebastien Centner

Masked bar maids

From Dusk til Dawn: The Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary, 55th Anniversary Ball

All photos by: Sandler/Townend

WHO? WHAT?

WHERE? WHEN? Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at the Fairmont Royal York, Toronto.

ptly titled From Dusk til Dawn, the Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary presented its 55th Anniversary Ball, featuring Juno-nominated crooner Matt Dusk and his Big Band, Las Vegas singer/impressionist Tom Stevens, and was co-hosted by Seamus O’Regan and Ken Shaw. On behalf of the Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary Ball Committee 2008, President Carole Grafstein and Ball 2008 Chair Wendy Switzer Myles proudly announced that the Auxiliary’s $3.5 million Healthy Babies pledge supporting the Mount Sinai’s world-renowned Lawrence and Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women’s and Infant’s Health was complete. This initiative allowed for necessary purchases such isolettes for the Valentine Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a new Fetal Monitoring System for the Labour and Delivery Suites and funding for fetal health research at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital. Mrs. Grafstein also announced that the Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary team will embark on a new challenge, a $2 million pledge that will fund innovative information technology initiatives to enhance the Hospital’s care. In 1953, when Mount Sinai Hospital moved from Yorkville Avenue to University Avenue in Toronto, the Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary was established. Their mandate remains the same – to assist the Hospital with raising funds and community awareness to provide the best patient care. Mount Sinai Hospital (originally named The Toronto Jewish Maternity and Convalescent Hospital) was established in 1922 by a group of dedicated women. The Auxiliary continues to be the largest hospital auxiliary in North America with over 1,300 members who continue to raise urgently needed funds for Mount Sinai Hospital’s world-renowned patient care, teaching and research that the Hospital is known for. Through special events and other fundraising programs, the Auxiliary is one of the largest single donors to Mount Sinai Hospital.

Jerry & Carole Grafstein

Lou & Wendy Myles

QUOTE? Carole Grafstein, Auxiliary President - “Completing our pledge is an exciting accomplishment for all women in our Auxiliary.”

Carole Grafstein, Joseph & Sherry Mapa, Jerry Grafstein

Julia & Randolph Paisley

Tom & Anna Koffler

Matt Dusk

Marlene & Andy Borins

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

People in the City By Ilan Mester

Dancing Monkey Meets Sarcastically Slick

Nice Jewish boy makes sex comedy for adults.

Unlike many kids with dreams of becoming the next Olsen Twin, Aaron started acting for different reasons. “I was a really annoying kid and my parents were trying to get me into anything just to keep me occupied, so they finally got me into an acting class when I was eight.” While his drama buddies performed monologues about drug abuse, Aaron created impressions of his parents. Fast forward five years of pre-puberty and it’s time for Aaron’s Bar Mitzvah. Since it is our thirteenth anniversary, I knew I had to ask him about his own, and let’s just say it was quite memorable. For starters, he was late to the Torah reading. “I was in my brother’s car following my mom on the way to the synagogue. She ran a red.” After three attempts at finding the right shul, they finally found it. “My mom was really nervous – I’m sure my grandmother let her have it.” But overall, his Bar Mitzvah went quite well. “I don’t remember being nervous or afraid. When you’re thirteen, you’re a little bit more fearless; when you grow up, you look back and think, ‘that was terrifying.’” After a couple more theatre classes here and there, Aaron entered the arts program at Earl Haig Secondary School. After that, he was accepted into the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago and earned his BFA. However, it wasn’t until Stargate Atlantis and Slings and Arrows that Aaron started receiving roles with first names. He was man enough to share with me his embarrassing audition moment: having three pages of script before his first line, Aaron realized just standing there wasn’t an option, so he decided to pull ropes, mime a wheel and bail water. “You can feel the room get awkward, like ‘what is he doing?’” Aaron said with a smirk. That and the fact that he almost ate thumbtacks after mistaking them for coloured candy – and still managed to book the job – confirms that Aaron is a talented actor. 36

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

But today, many Canadians recognize Aaron from the film Young People Fucking, a feature that made its premiere as an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival, and one which Aaron acted as a cast member, producer and co-writer with Martin Gero. “We thought there was something in the idea that sex comedies now were for kids trying to see their first boob. They’re fun, juvenile things, but they’re not for people who’ve had sex.” Photos by Steve Wilkie

here’s no better phrase to describe Aaron Abrams than a hybrid mix of dancing monkey and sarcastically slick – and I mean this in the best of ways. After interviewing the Toronto-based actor, writer, and producer, I realized I had never before witnessed someone who could both poke fun and at the same time, be the nicest guy. But before meeting Aaron for the first time, I knew there was one thing he had to be: funny.

“We thought there was something in the idea that sex comedies now were for kids trying to see their first boob. They’re fun, juvenile things, but they’re not for people who’ve had sex.”

The film follows five groups of people attempting to have “simple” sex. As Aaron explained, “To make a sex comedy for adults and a romantic comedy with a lot of sex in it was something we thought was new.” The film received rave reviews at the Festival and is set to release across Canada and the U.S on June 13th.

And as for the controversy surrounding Bill C-10, giving the government the ability to revoke tax credits for Canadian movies deemed “offensive,” Aaron said, “I’m just a first-time filmmaker with a movie with swearing in the title, but you have guys like David Cronenberg and Sarah Polley – these are internationally renowned filmmakers who have made great films that never would have been made if a bill like this was in place. This is going to kill our industry both creatively and financially.” And unlike many believe, having sex onscreen isn’t what it seems. “The apparatus they put you in is just plain uncomfortable. I call it the crotch-aflauge. They basically just put it in a thing and there’s a set bag that tucks underneath you like a Ken doll.” Aside from Young People Fucking, Aaron has quite a lot going on for him. He’s starring in two biopic movies – Amelia with Hilary Swank and Richard Gere, and Flash of Genius with Alan Alda, Lauren Graham and Greg Kinnear – and is working on an animated series called Producing Parker, one of the first Canadian primetime animated shows. Kim Cattrall lends her voice, as well as Kristen Booth, Aaron’s co-star from Young People Fucking. He’s currently working on a new script and has written plays since high school; in Aaron’s words, “I write to create more work for myself.” Even with multiple movies and TV shows under his belt, Aaron still manages to remain humble by calling himself a dancing monkey, sarcastically slick, and claiming he sounds like the Cookie Monster. As he said himself, “I don’t want to be the next anything, I just sort of wanna be.”

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

Tech&Toys By Derek Kreindler

y of Photo courtes Marc Saltzman

the Marc playing

r Mitzvah party

drums at his Ba

All work and all play He makes a living by playing video games, and always has time to pick his kids up from school – it’s no wonder technology writer Marc Saltzman loves his job.

riting professionally is a labour of love. The pay is miniscule, the hours can be long and proofreading your own work for the 50th time can easily drive you meshugeh. But making your living through the printed word, especially as a freelance journalist, has some very attractive fringe benefits. Flexible hours, interesting topics and the ability to find work that you are interested in lead many journalists to give up a steady job for the freedom that freelancing provides. For Marc Saltzman, a Thornhill native and one of North America’s most prolific technology journalists, choosing a career as a freelancer was an easy choice for him. “I wanted free video games,” he says as he sips his latté at a North York Starbucks. Saltzman decided to give journalism a try after finding his current job as a bill collector to be less than satisfying. “I was 25 and not doing anything with my U of T psych degree, and I was frustrated at the cost of video games. I realized that if I wrote about them, companies would send me games for free.” Starting with local publications, and a segment on 102 The Edge (which he did “while everyone else was on their smoke break”), Saltzman made a name for himself by reporting on the hot new technology of the time: the internet. Thanks to his persistence, the initial exposure eventually led to a book deal (Saltzman has gone on to publish 14 books in total) and a chance to work with a wide variety of media outlets including CNN, The Toronto Star, Playboy and Yahoo! What makes his story even more remarkable is that many of his opportunities came from cold calling various media and publishing outlets, pitching his ideas for technologyrelated stories. “It took a lot of chutzpah to do that. It’s very intimidating; I got a lot of rejection letters.” Reporting on technology for a living is a dream come true for Saltzman; his greatest enjoyment comes from the ability to spend time with his kids while working. “I’m so lucky to work from home,” he says. “My twins are five-and-a-half and I have a three-and-a-half year old, and they all play video games.” “I’ll let them play fighting games, but I draw the line at blood and gore,” he continues. Saltzman, who gives speeches to schools about inappropriate content in video games, is also careful about what he plays when his kids are watching but not necessarily playing along with him. “When I’m reviewing a violent game, I’ll pause it until they’re gone.” Saltzman sees himself as a “translator” of “geek-speak,” and reports on more than just video games. Among the up and coming technologies that excite him the most are RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags. “Imagine your fridge telling you your milk is expired, or that something you just bought has peanuts in it, and you’re allergic. This will be possible with RFID tags.” “Of course,” he adds, “a lot of people are worried about being tracked by this technology.”

RFID tag

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

At the end of the interview, Saltzman heads out not to review the latest video game or digital camera, but to pick up his kids from school. “My line of work gives me the freedom to do this,” he says. Clearly, he’s in it for more than just the free video games.

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

TJM’STRAVEL

By Lauren Kramer Photos courtesy of Lauren Kramer

Barbados Opens Nidhe Israel Museum

Sun, sand and simchas: Starting your life as a man or woman can be a sunny prospect. Why not check out the oldest synagogue in the Americas for your bar/bat mitzvah?

The Jewish community of Barbados celebrated a joyous milestone in February 2008 with the opening of the Nidhe Israel Museum, which overlooks the Jewish cemetery and historic Nidhe Israel Synagogue in Bridgetown. The museum documents the contribution made by Jews to the island, one that had profound ripples throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. Barbados is home to the oldest synagogue in the Americas, built in 1654 by Sephardic Jews who were fleeing the Portuguese Inquisition in what was then Dutch-owned Recife. When they arrived on the island they brought with them invaluable experience from 25 years working on Brazilian sugar plantations and with their input, Barbados’

production technologies exceeded those of any other sugar-producing island, enriching the country considerably. Nidhe Israel Museum, literally meaning ‘the scattered of Israel,’ tells their story, connecting the past with the present. Created by Montreal-based Groupe DES, the interactive museum was built inside what was once the Jewish school house, overlooking the synagogue and the cemetery that contains the tombstones of the community’s founders. Inside, the floor is laid with large cement slabs that create a visual connection between those buried outside and their stories, related in the museum. Walk deeper inside the museum and you find yourself standing on glass cases containing relics from Barbados’ Jewish ancestors. “When the cemetery was restored a few years ago, the

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

There are only 16 Jewish families remaining in Barbados, but, says Altman, Friday night services are always augmented by Jews visiting from the world over. Many express an interest in holding their Jewish celebrations at the historic synagogue and Altman is already making plans to acquire land alongside the cemetery and build a reception facility that will allow such functions to happen.

For now, though, his attention is diverted to the excavations going on directly in front of the synagogue’s doors. In March 2008 the original rabbi’s house was unearthed by a team of community found it to be the repository of archaeologists from the University of the West bits and pieces of daily life in Bridgetown,” Indies. Alongside it they discovered what just might be says Paul Altman, the driving force behind the oldest mikveh in the Americas. the construction of the museum and one of its major benefactors. Those pieces include When You Go: pipes, perfume bottles and fragments of  Located in Bridgetown’s Synagogue Lane, dishes. the Nidhe Israel Museum is open 9am-4pm Monday through Saturday. Admission is US$12.50 for adults and It was important to Altman that the $6.25 for children aged 5-12. Info: (246) 436-6869 Holocaust be present in the minds of those who walked through the museum. He 1 - To reach the front door of the museum, guests walk created an arch over the entrance that says through an arch reminiscent of the infamous Arbeit ‘Yizkor,’ and the theme of remembrance is Macht Frei wrought iron arch at Auschwitz. mentioned repeatedly in the wall panels. “It was important to me to tie this museum in some way with the Holocaust, which has impacted every A far cry from the dusty, glass-encased Jewish family, including mine,” says Paul Altman. museums of the recent past where 2 - The museum overlooks the Jewish nothing was touchable, at Nidhe Israel cemetery,containing both recent burials and graves Museum, interactivity is key. Since the that date back to the first Jewish burial on Barbados. Jews were intimately involved in the spice Historians suggest that space constraints were the industry, one wall panel invites visitors to reason for the close proximity between the cemetery inhale the aroma of various spices and and the synagogue, which sit alongside each other. guess which ones they are smelling. A 3 - Paul Alman stands in a gallery of the Nidhe Israel film introduces Barbados’ history and the Museum. At his feet are glass panels below which Jews’ involvement in local industry, and the artifacts discovered on the grounds of the synagogue literature and pictures on the wall panels and cemetery and dating back to the community’s are informative and compelling. Jewish ancestors, are displayed. The museum was under construction for two years at a cost of $1.5 million, twothirds of it donated by the Monacobased Tabor family. It’s a new chapter in the island’s Jewish history and visiting the museum is fascinating, especially because the synagogue is a stone’s throw away, and the Jewish cemetery, with graves dating back to 1658, is in the immediate vicinity.

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For personal astrological consultations with ELI7, email eli7@writeme.com

ARIES (March 21 - April 19) Even if you lack confidence in whatever you’re doing these days, no one but you would ever guess. You mask a nervous stomach with a winning smile. This is no reason to test the limits of your magnetic charm, however. Therefore, gambling with a gregarious grin is a poor decision whereas nodding nobly during negotiations promises positive outcomes.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 22) Double-booking plans with two important dates is as bad as trying to come up with a believable excuse for the least best choice of the two. Even worse is deciding which of the two is least important to begin with. The moral of the monthly forecast? Keep a tight eye on your Daytimer or, in the worst case, pretend you lost it and remember that excuse only works once.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) Your desires are ambiguous. Do you even know what you want? Today you contemplate one dream, then tomorrow you crave the opposite. The problem isn’t that you aspire toward impossible, far-reaching goals. It’s that you’re always wondering what others will think. That said, instead of ruminating privately within yourself, seek advice from others. Stop asking yourself the same questions.

SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21) Changing peoples’ minds is tougher than usual these days. While you’re usually on top of your game, manipulating situations in your favour proves difficult when they’ve got more information on you than you think. Now, you can’t erase the secrets other people know about you, but you can make a conscientious decision to live more honestly from now on – or more covertly.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) Whom to love? Hopefully the two or more lovers you’re contemplating over don’t find out about each other before you make a decision. As you debate over the best mate, hurry up. Not only are you driving yourself crazy but the risk of exposure looms large. Now, for married Geminis considering cheating on their dearest spouses, the temptation will soon pass. So, hold off.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21) In order to proceed to the next level you have to make sure that everything is in order in the current scheme of things. That means annoying paperwork, up-to-date certifications and general oddities like having a degree in the particular field in which you wish to advance per say. Nothing is impossible if you start working on major things now.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) You’ve been planning a great work for a long time but now, you have some new ideas that may alter the course you’ve been pursuing. Consider your doubts a blessing in disguise because you have the potential to achieve an even better accomplishment. By month’s end, you’ll come to embrace your second thoughts and realize you’re on a better path than ever before.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19) If there are ways to break the rules, now’s a good time to find out how. Not that you should go and do something illegal, but if there’s a way to come close to circumventing the law without overtly becoming a criminal, then it’s fair game. Remember, it’s only cheating if you get caught.

LEO (July 23 - August 22) There’s no race yet you’re running in one. The finish line hasn’t even been laid down but you’re bent on being the first to break through. Be careful not to compete in too many marathons at once and moreover, make sure the prize is worth all the effort you’re putting in the long run – no pun intended.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18) Ideas float in and out of your head at record speeds but that’s just the problem: nothing is worthy of thinking about for longer than a few seconds. Shouldn’t this tell you something? Not every suggestion that rolls through your brain is worthy of entertaining and instead of stumping on it, move on to the next arguably genius scheme.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22) All of your efforts seem to go unnoticed these days and it’s bugging you. Genius ideas, money-saving strategies for the benefit of all, groundbreaking discoveries – why isn’t anyone paying attention? The question is, why do you care so much about improving the predicaments of others when they’re so blatantly unworthy of your suggestions?

PISCES ( February 19 - March 20) Just because someone challenges your authority doesn’t mean they don’t respect you, so stop taking things so personally. Ever think that the reason you’re so sensitive is because deep down you don’t believe that you’re all you make yourself out to be? So the deal is this: either start honouring your amazing qualities or stop thinking so highly of yourself.

ELI7 has been following the movement of stars and planets ever since she can remember. She has studied Western astrology, the Chinese zodiac and the Mayan calendar for over ten years and has a firm grasp on the movement of the cosmos. Having consulted people one on one for many years, she finally has found a home with The Jewish Magazine, ready to counsel you with your planetary alignments.

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

Jew or no Jew?!

Information compiled By TJM Staff

THE SPRING ISSUE

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. IRON CLAD

page 24

JANA KOHL

A RARE BREED OF LOVE

page 6

GREAT GIFT IDEAS FOR MOTHER’S DAY! pages 18-19

Issue 153 May 2008

FROM NORTH YORK TO HOLLYWOOD: FILMMAKER JEREMY PODESWA

page 16

ON THE TOWN: TJM CITYwww.TheJewishMagazine.com GUIDE PAGE 33 May 2008

TJMJUNE2006 This fun column came about during an editorial meeting while Ori and Helen were trying to figure out the lineage of some international acts set to perform at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. (TJM offices, November 2006, North York, Ontario)

TJMMAY2008 Just a couple months ago, the prospect of featuring Robert Downey Jr. on our cover sparked another is-he-or-isn’t-he debate in the office. Our writer said he was.

Ori: Pink is a Heeb.

Richard: Hey, that interview with Downey is set. The studio is flying me out on Saturday.

Helen: Really? Where did you hear that?

Helen: That’s fantastic!

Ori: She’s Jewish.

Richard: Is there anything else you want me to ask him?

Helen: That’s your answer? Fact checking will love that!

Helen: Make sure you ask him about his Judaism. No one believes he’s Jewish, and I want to win another argument at work.

Ori: She’s JEWISH! Helen: Or not? Let’s find out. Ori: What the [expletive] is this, Jew or No Jew?! The December 2006 issue featured the first installment of Jew or No Jew with Jack Black and Pink (both Jewish…who knew?) The likes of George Michael (Jewish), David Beckham (Jewish), Victoria Gotti (Jewish) and Norm Jewison (No Jew) have since graced our popular column. In June 2006, PR maven Danielle Iversen appeared on our cover alongside Paris Hilton. Little did we know that the Jewish savvy gal was a gentile! Thus this cover is… NO JEW

www.TheJewishMagazine.com June 2008

Richard: He’s half-Jewish. That’s what he says! Helen: Perfect! I want that in writing! According to Wikipedia (our trusted source for our Jew or No Jew conclusions), his father is of Jewish ancestry, while Downey Jr. characterizes his beliefs as “Jewish-Buddhist.” A consensus of Internet material showed that while only his father was Jewish, Downey has habitually dated and married Jewish (or half-Jewish) women, and married them both in Jewish wedding ceremonies. That was good enough for us. Hence this cover is… JEWISH