EDMONTON
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Volume 30, No. 02
Talmud Torah Society rejects JCC lease deal
March, 2019
Chai Sticks win the JNF Alberta Cup trophy
By Deborah Shatz (EJNews) - A heated meeting was held by the Edmonton Talmud Torah Society on February 11, 2019 to decide whether or not to give its board of directors the power to enter into an agreement to lease a portion of its lands and building to a new Jewish Community Centre. What seemingly could have been a vote of confidence for the board became a laundry list of grievances about the process and the substance of the negotiations. In the end, the vote on the motion was 68 in favour and 56 opposed, which was short of the 2/3 majority (83 votes) required by the Talmud Torah Society Bylaws. Therefore, the Society will not be proceeding with a lease negotiation at this time. According to TT President Michael Sadovnick, there is hope that differences can be resolved to keep the process moving forward. Following the meeting, Jewish Federation president Steve Shafir and the Federation negotiation committee responded to the vote. They wrote, “[Over the past several years], the community repeatedly told us that the preferred site for a new JCC was on the site of the Edmonton Talmud Torah. For the past 10 months, a group of volunteers representing the Talmud Torah Society and the Jewish Federation of Edmonton has met countless times and for hundreds of hours, putting together a plan to build the centre on the Talmud Torah site. “Unfortunately, a consensus was not reached. So where does that leave us? “The Federation will get back to work trying to find a solution that will work for our Jewish community. All options for the use of the funds are on the table, including either the identification of land to purchase, a significant capital campaign for a free-standing facility or dedicating the use of funds for programming to enhance our Jewish community without a physical JCC.” It is unclear why the Society membership voted no – was it the substance of the lease agreement or was it something else? It is also unclear from Publication Mail Agreement Number: 40050628
Edmonton's Chai Sticks, sponsored by Acme Scrap Iron and Metals, won the championship at the JNF Alberta Cup tournament held earlier this month at the West Edmonton Mall Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace. The game was the culmination of a wonderful weekend of hockey with teams from Calgary and Edmonton competing and with the proceeds going to Jewish National Fund. the Federation’s response if reexamining the terms of the proposed Talmud Torah lease agreement is one of the options that is still on the table. The February meeting demonstrated the lively discourse and polarized viewpoints that have become commonplace whenever the topic of a Jewish Community Centre in Edmonton is discussed. One hundred and twenty-four people attended the meeting representing a cross section of current Talmud Torah parents, past parents and dedicated community members who care about the future of the community. Sadovnick chaired the meeting. He read the motion that was to be put before the TTS and opened the floor for questions and comments. Before moving into the discussion portion of the meeting, Sadovnick told the members in attendance that he was taking off his “facilitator hat” to share his own personal views on the motion. He said, “First, I want to be clear that I support building a JCC and while the design is not optimal, it will hopefully
work for the community. I believe that the Talmud Torah community is willing to support the JCC, but the potential cost to Talmud Torah and the financial risks are too great for the benefits we are receiving in return.” Sadovnick explained that although there were many benefits to having the JCC on the Talmud Torah site, there were some terms in the lease negotiations that he felt were untenable. The first was a 99-year lease with 2 options to renew. “I don’t believe it is appropriate for Talmud Torah to agree to something for this length of time,” he said. “The Federation has made it clear that should Talmud Torah move to a new location, the school must build a replacement JCC or if it chooses or needs to move without the JCC that the JCC will receive the value of their building plus 20 percent of the value of the entire Talmud Torah land. JCC will have no requirement to provide funds for a new JCC other than their initial investment,” explained Sadovnick.
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Don't miss the YEG Schoolboys Alumni concert: March 24 (Edmonton) - Concert band music has a unique sound, different from symphony, different from small ensembles. The Edmonton Schoolboys Alumni band is a seniors’ band, average age 78. It started in the 1930s, disbanded in 1969, and Edmontonians Frank Sklove z”l and Harry Goldberg z”l were members. Ray Friedman was instrumental (pun intended) in helping get the Alumni version started in 1996 and conducted it for the first five years. He’ll be the guest conductor for a special concert taking place this month at Beth Israel. “Today, the members are obviously not “boys”, not even all male,” explained Friedman. “But all our members have a love of this kind of music.” Please come to Beth Israel on March 24 to hear excerpts from Fiddler on the Roof (the main theme plus Far from the Home I Love, Matchmaker, Rich Man and To Life) and Exodus (the main theme of course, plus the ballad
Karen, the Summer in Cyprus rumba, and the mournful tribute to Barak and Akiva). “Our special hi-light piece is called To the Life of This People, a piece commissioned by the Israeli Ministry of Education and performed, we are told, by bands all over Israel, Europe and North America,” noted Friedman. “It’s a medley of Israeli folk songs including the title song (l’Chai’i hay’am hazeh), Shi’ir Sameach Happy Song), Ha’areuth (Friendship, aka Brothers in Arms), and one called Haleilot (There were Nights).” The Alumni Band will also be playing Hava Nagila, Shalom Alechem, and an Israeli Dance. “The latter tune … no one we know can put any other name to it other than dance,” remarked Friedman. “Perhaps you can come and help solve the mystery.” Tickets for the concert can be purchased at BI or from one of the band members. Tickets are
$15 in advance and $18 at the door. Bring your kids to the concert – they get in for free. The band will be playing a medley from Disney and one from Saturday cartoons just for them. “And tell your kids to bring a Kitchen Utensil,” said Friedman. “The noisier the better. Or bring their Purim Gregors. We have found a piece called the March of the Kitchen Utensils, and we want them all to help us out.” Ray encourages everyone to come out and enjoy the concert. “We tried to mount this concert last year and unfortunately encountered too many conflicts in timing and had to cancel,” he noted. “Please don’t let that happen again this year. Buy your tickets in advance if possible. We’d like to see a sell out, and if we do, we can plan for this to be an annual event.” To purchase your tickets, call 780-488-2840.
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Edmonton Jewish News
edmontonjewishnews,com Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050628 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Circulation Department: 102, 10155 114 Street NW Edmonton AB T5K 1R8 E-mail: ejnews@telus.net Tel: (780) 421-7966 Fax: (780) 424-3951
Volume 30, Number 2, March 2019 PUBLISHER / EDITOR: Deborah Shatz ADVERTISING: Daniel Moser FOUNDING PUBLISHER: Barry Slawsky
Book Review
Child of the Holocaust: A Jewish Child in Christian Disguise By Jack Kruper ISBN: 978-0-7352-3670-7 Reviewed by Deborah Shatz (EJNews) - Child of the Holocaust: A Jewish Child in Christian Disguise is a remarkable true story of a young boy struggling to survive in World War II Poland. Jankele Kuperblum was just eight years old when he came home to find everyone in his family gone. The night before, Germans had come to his village in rural Poland and taken away all the Jews. Now alone in the world, he uses his wits to survive; he learns that with his fair features he can pass for Christian. He travels from town to town in a desperate search for safety and shelter, living in fear of being arrested or killed for being Jewish. Not only has he lost his home and his people – he’s forced to abandon his identity. Author Jack Kuper tells the story of his youth in a powerful childhood memoir. On his journey, he encounters a
Aviva Chapter helps out
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Next deadline: April 3, 2019
March 07, 2019
Members of the Aviva Chapter, the Senior group of Na’amat Canada Edmonton performed an Act of Kindness last month. Many donations go to women and children, but men in shelters need help too. Essential items such as toques, gloves, underwear, throw away razors, toothpaste and brushes were bought, sorted, and packaged into clear gift bags.They were then donated to the Bissell Centre for distribution to men in need.
variety of people, some who react to him with overt hate and others who show him reserved kindness. But in every situation, he changes his name and makes up an elaborate fictional backstory to explain how he came to be separated from his Christian family. His very survival depends on his ability to keep his story straight and deceive the people who employ him and befriend him. As soon as he is discovered, he is forced to relocate. Jankele forgets his language and abandons his religion in order to survive. He wanders through Nazi occupied Poland for four years, with no place to hide and no one to trust. At each stop in his journey, he is fearful of being recognized as a Jew. He has nightmares that he will be discovered and comes to loathe his Jewishness and question what G-d is allowing him to survive. Child of the Holocaust is a true story about adversity and triumph. Jankele survives the war and emigrates to Canada at the age of 15 and eventually becomes an acclaimed Canadian author. His journey is powerful and heartbreaking; it is a remarkable story of resourceful survival. Child of the Holocaust is a fast-paced story that is well written and gripping. The reader cares about Jankele and even understands the behaviors of the people who he
encounters. The characters are layered and relatable. The book has been continuously in print since it was first published in 1967 and has been translated into several languages. It is part of the curriculum on the Holocaust in schools across Canada, the United States and Italy and is a must-read book for everyone aged 12 and up. The current edition was published by Penguin Random House on January 29, 2019 and includes some beautiful archival photos of the author, his family and some of his war time acquaintances. Nearly thirty years after the publication of Child of the Holocaust, Kuper published a sequel to the book, After the Smoke Cleared, which won the Jewish Book Award for Holocaust Literature and chronicled his complex reunion with his father in the post-war years. Author Jack Kuper is an award-winning graphic artist, animator, playwright, actor, producer and director who lives in Toronto.
March 07, 2019
Edmonton Jewish News
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JNF Ambassadors’ Club launched at TT The first JNF Ambassadors’ Club met on February 14 at Talmud Torah School with 18 students participating in a facilitated lunch 'n learn workshop led by Jewish National Fund Edmonton Executive Director Jay Cairns and Talmud Torah faculty. The students followed up the workshop by giving an outstanding presentation about the importance of water, Israel and the JNF on February 24 at the school’s Mensch Assembly. Israel is one of the most innovative countries in the world, noted Cairns. The aim of the JNF Ambassadors’ Club is to provide students in Grade 5 & 6 with an opportunity to learn more about what Israel has developed and shared with the world over the years. “There is so much to be proud of, let’s talk more about it!” remarked Cairns. He will be facilitating the program in collaboration with members of the Talmud Torah faculty. “We are providing an atmosphere to explore the Jewish National Fund and Israel and share that knowledge with the student body,” explained Cairns. “JNF is working with Talmud Torah to ensure that all themes include curricular links and act as curricular enhancements.” The JNF Ambassadors will have the opportunity to attend
JNF Edmonton launched a JNF Ambassadors' Club at Talmud Torah school this month and the topic was water, Israel and the Jewish National Fund. Executive Director Jay Cairns is pictured above with the students. a pizza lunch once a month from now until June 2019. The students will also participate in a monthly project that they will share with the student body at the monthly Mensch assemblies focusing on a different theme each month. Presentations may take the form of a display, short presentations, Google slide shows, and more. “Thank you to all the students who participated in the session on water, Israel and the Jewish National Fund,” concluded Cairns. “I look forward to your creative input in
JE WISH NATIONAL FUND OF EDMONTON
the months to come.” The JNF Ambassadors' Club is just one of the excellent programs offered by JNF in Edmonton. They bring in guest speakers, host events and co-sponsor most of the family centred programs offered in our community. For more information about JNF Missions to Israel, the Negev Gala or their work with youth and young adults, call Jay Cairns at 780-481-7881 or email edm@jnf.ca.
T U E S D A Y, J U N E 1 8 , 2 0 1 9
CO-CHAIRS: REBECCA & SHANE ASBELL FANTASYLAND HOTEL BALLROOM - WEST W EDMONTON MALL - RECEPTION: 6 P M
DINNER: 7PM
FREYA & LEWIS WASEL Committed to family, to community, and to Israel, Lewis and Freya Wasel are most fitting Negev Gala honourees. Since moving to Edmonton in 2000, Lewis has been an active community volunteer. He is currently Gabbai of Beth Israel Synagogue, president of Jewish Seniors Drop-In Centre, and a past president of Jewish Family Services. Freya is an incredibly dedicated volunteer. She has been president of Ami Chai chapter, Hadassah WIZO; National Secretary, National Council of Jewish Women; programming chair, Beth Israel Synagogue; and volunteer at the Cross Cancer Institute. Freya chaired the Beth Israel committee that created the ‘100 Years of Memories’ historical display, on permanent exhibit in the synagogue’s foyer.
Support Na'amat by booking a Pesach greeting in our next
AIRPLANE PARK IN KIRYAT SHMONA DINNER: 7PM
A MUNICIPAL NATURE PARK IN THE GALILEE PANHANDLE
JNF Edmonton invites you to help support the expansion of Airplane Park in Kiryat Shmona, Israel’s northern most city. Right in the heart of the Galilee Panhandle and the Hula Valley, the Airplane Park project is an example of what JNF does best, creating fantastic green spaces to support and enhance the quality of life for the residents of Kiryat Shmona and surrounding communities. This new municipal park spreads across 19 acres, providing bicycle and walking trails, seating and picnic areas along the Nahal Ayun streambed that leads to various wading pools.
Kiryat Shmona lacks the resources to develop beautiful amenities like Airplane Park. Given the significant child poverty rate in the area, the park will provide much needed recreational space for underprivileged youth and families. Airplane Park will be accessible to special needs populations, so that everyone who wants to come can enjoy the park and its planned features With your generosity, we will further develop this important Park and make it a source of enjoyment for all.
FOR MORE INFFOR RMATION, SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITTIESS, DONATION AND TICCKETS: JNFEDMONTON.CA I EDM@JN NF.CA I 780.481.7881
edition of Edmonton Jewish News. Email edmjnews@shaw.ca or call 780-421-7966.
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Edmonton Jewish News
March 07, 2019
Festival Hatzafon returns to YEG to celebrate Israeli dance: Mar. 17 As the weather slowly changes we are reminded that not only are Purim and Passover around the corner but so is Festival Hatzafon! Festival Hatzafon, which literally translates to “Festival of the North,” started eight years ago as a showcase of Israeli dance talent. The Festival is a true celebration of Israeli culture and local art that is sure to entertain community members of all ages and affiliations. Festival Hatzafon has proven to be and continues to be a true collaboration of different Jewish and community organizations. It unquestioningly provides a unique opportunity to bring people from many diverse backgrounds together. The Festival, this year themed ‘Ima Adamah’ or Mother Earth will return to ATB Financial Arts Barn, Westbury Theatre on Sunday, March 17th, 2019. The performance, which is full of song and dance, will commence at 3 pm but guests are urged to arrive early to enjoy the fun atmosphere in the lobby. The lobby doors will open at 1:30 pm and you can enjoy a small nosh at our concession stand, take pictures at our photo booth and let your little one create a fun craft! Additionally, please consider purchasing a Mishloach Manot bag for your loved one or as a way to congratulate your dancer after the show! They will be on sale in the lobby for $10 dollars a bag. This year we are pleased to welcome Linda Ozromano, a Turkish Jewish photographer whose work “is shaped significantly by her social conscience and her engagement with social and cultural issues.” She will be showcasing a photographic exhibition called ‘Grandmother’s House.’ This series explores topics of heritage, hyphenated identity and sense of belonging. You can find more information at
www.lindaozromano.com Surely, this is not to be missed. Our lobby will be full of a series of wonderful events – a little something for everyone! The show’s main performance will include the talented Aviv Dancers and teen groups Mayim and Shemesh with many new numbers as they continually expand their repertoire. The show will also feature Israeli Circle Dance as well as the younger elementary school dancers from Rikud Academy who are sure to delight. A special singing appearance by some of the grade three and four students from Talmud Torah will add a special touch and a unique accompaniment to one of the dances. We are also extremely happy to announce that Beyachad from Winnipeg will be joining our show this year. What a wonderful way for our dancers to build relations and experiences with other dancers from around the country! We are so lucky to have a talented group join us this year at our festival. The Aviv Israeli Folk Dance Association began as only a handful of adult dancers meeting once a week at the JCC. It quickly evolved to become a multigenerational, nondenominational dance program exhibiting a polished, professional style and continues to offer recreational circle dancing twice weekly. The goal of the Aviv Israeli Folk Dance Association is to spread peace, tolerance and understanding to as many people as possible. The Rikud Academy came into being when Aviv Israeli Folk Dance Association’s Founder and Artistic Director Sari
Uretsky Leung recognized a need for Jewish youth to unite and engage in an educational and physically stimulating dance activity. With the advent of Rikud Academy at Talmud Torah, the school halls have been filled with Israeli music and dance, both traditional and modern. The students’ enthusiasm often carries over into their recess time where they can be found on the playing field practicing their newly acquired Rikud Academy dance skills. The dance classes have not only provided a social outlet for Jewish youth to connect but, as with any fitness activity, have also contributed by expanding their education and improving their general well-being. We certainly enjoy seeing our former Talmud Torah students returning as assistant Rikud Academy teachers who pass on their love of Israeli dance to younger students. Talmud Torah is proud of our Rikud Academy Israeli dancers and is excited to invite our school community to support our students at Festival Hatzafon by attending the show! We would like to take a very important moment to thank the volunteers who have been working tirelessly to put on an event of this magnitude. Your time and commitment are very appreciated. Furthermore, without the support of our generous sponsors our Festival Hatzafon would not be possible. The Aviv Israeli Folk Dance Association and Festival Hatzafon would like to thank NCJWC Edmonton, Hawkstone Physical Therapy, General Recycling, The Jewish Federation of Edmonton, Witten LLP, Panes Window Manufacturing, The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy Meadowlark, Boucher Entertainment and Firehouse Graphics. We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you. Tickets are available for purchase at festivalhatzafon.com or the Talmud Torah School office for $20. For more information please feel free to contact us at festivalhatzafon@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you at the show!
March 07, 2019
Edmonton Jewish News
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A Purim directive: Laugh it up! By Dasee Berkowitz NEW YORK (JTA) -- Little kids will laugh at anything. The simplest knock-knock joke or a tickle fest -- even the threat of one -- can so easily end in hysterics. They laugh because they are surprised by something unexpected in a world they are constantly discovering. If only that kind of laughter came as easily as we got older. While the laughter of childhood is characterized by the element of surprise, the laughter in adulthood becomes a way of managing stress (filmmakers know this well and skillfully employ any element of comic relief during an action thriller to release some of the tension). Laughter becomes a coping mechanism to get us through difficult times. Paradoxically, many of us are so loaded down with responsibility and worry that we don’t indulge often enough in this emotional and physical release. It’s a good thing Purim is nearly here. Purim is a holiday that isn't ripe with laws and ritual obligations save for reading the Megillah, giving mishloach manot (gift packages) to friends, matanot l’evyonim (gifts to the poor) and having a festive meal. However, there is one directive for observance that is very clear: “they (The Jews) should make [Adar 14 and 15] days of feasting and joy …” (Scroll of Esther 9:22). We each might experience this commandment on a different level. For 5-year-olds, putting on funny costumes, enjoying bobbing for candied apples at the synagogue carnival and seeing the rabbi dressed as a superhero evokes one kind of joy. For most grown-ups, joy and laughter may be an expression of a different kind. While we appreciate the dark comedy of the Megillah, our laughter also is a collective sigh of relief in having averted near annihilation unscathed. The storyline of Purim, which this year falls on the evening of March 20, is a dramatic comedy of errors and grand gestures with over-the-top reactions. It is so different in content and style than nearly every other book of the Bible that scholars speculate about the veracity of the story altogether. Drunken parties, political posturing and sexual innuendos weave their way throughout the narrative. The Megillah begins with a raucous party hosted by King Achashveros, who demands that his wife, Vashti, appears (only! as commentators point out) in her crown. After refusing to appear naked, she is told to never appear before the king again. After his “wise” counselors offer advice, an edict is sent out across the provinces demanding that all
wives respect their husbands’ every demand. Not sure what all the wives had to say about that! It is a story about reversals. The Megillah has Mordechai, the Jewish hero who refuses to bow down to Haman. The act of disobedience ignites the ire of Haman, the recently promoted chief adviser to the king. Haman, in turn, calls for the destruction of all Jewish people. Esther, who until this point has hidden her identity, then reveals that she also is a member of the doomed people and calls on Achashveros to punish Haman. Achashveros does by bestowing all the raiments and honors that were reserved for Haman to Mordechai. Further, the very gallows that Haman had ordered to be built for the hanging of Mordechai are the ones on which Haman meets his end. Purim is a story of incongruencies. A people once despised and on the verge of destruction are told that they can defend themselves thanks to Esther’s petitions to the king and suddenly become a force with which to be reckoned. For pragmatic reasons, the text indicates that “many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.” Averted disaster becomes an unusual catalyst for conversion. While grand gestures, plot reversals and a storyline that doesn’t mesh quite right are elements that are employed by comedy writers and will evoke laughter, our general state of reverie on Purim is born from what the philosopher John Morreall observes about the evolution of laughter. Morreall believes that human laughter became a gesture of shared relief that a dangerous situation had passed. Laughter puts us into a state of relaxation and can build bonds between us. As the cultural anthro-
pologist Mahadev Apte observes further, "Laughter occurs when people are comfortable with one another, when they feel open and free. And the more laughter [there is], the more bonding [occurs] within the group." Jews have always used humor as a coping mechanism for Jewish survival and as a common reference point to connect to other Jews. Jewish comedians knew this well. As a people who have been oppressed for so long, we have always appreciated laughing at our situation before others could. So this Purim, hold the childlike laughter of discovering new things (maybe someone you didn’t expect will give you mishloach manot; maybe you will surprise yourself at your generosity when you give a gift to the poor) and appreciate the narrative of the Purim story itself. But most important, experience the joy that comes from release, knowing that the Jewish people not only survives but continues to thrive. As you raise your glass at Purim, toast “l’chaim" -- to life - and to a life filled with deep laughter.
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Ritual Ceremonies across the Life Cycle
Edmonton Jewish News
March 07, 2019
Special Moments at the JNF Alberta Cup
By Dr. Karen Arends Remember or imagine a time when the passages of your life were honoured by community – a time when your accomplishments and losses were publicly acknowledged, respected, and celebrated. Our modern life has limited public celebration primarily to the rites of marriage and funerals. Of course, these are important ceremonies in our lives … and yet, we know there is more to celebrate in life’s journey. The modern family is so much more complex than we imagine. Structured ceremony can play a crucial role in cementing once-in-a-lifetime moments into the collective memory of the family – whatever that family embraces. Adoption, birth, gender change, or re-naming events can benefit from allowing a planned time of ritual ceremony to acknowledge the acceptance and love offered to the honoree. For example, the process of Coming-of-Age is very complicated in these days. The bar or bat mitzvah at the onset of the teen years signals acceptance into the faith life. Yet, we can honour the personal developments that occur at any age. A 10-year old who is exploring physical and psychological changes can be celebrated with a Ceremony of Acceptance. An 18-year old who comes into an inheritance can be honoured with a Ceremony of Responsibility. Or a group of teens can go together through ritual ceremonies created to support their exploration of identity. How different it would have been to have the many stages of your passage from childhood into adulthood marked by Comingof-Age Ceremonies that affirmed your story and shared your dreams with family and friends. Imagine acknowledging the blending of two families with children into one with a Commitment Ceremony that expresses the hopes for the years to come. Accomplishments of your “heroes” deserve more than a party at the pub – consider a ceremonial celebration of a new home or a business opening or grandma’s first university degree. How much more closure would be reached for the whole family if your parents downsizing move from the family home was marked with a Farewell Ceremony of memories and hopes for the future – rather than a garage sale and a hired mover to haul the "stuff." A Life-Cycle Celebrant works with you to create ceremony that honors a Rite of Passage – that is, any change moment in life’s journey from which you emerge with a new status or path. Celebrants are ritual specialists trained in the theory and building blocks of good ceremony. Based on the process of listening to the client’s story, the celebrant scripts the
words and rituals to reflect exactly who you are and what you envision. The client has complete and final approval over the script. Celebrants then officiate the ceremony with warmth and sincerity while retaining a guiding presence. Finally, the celebrant provides a keepsake document of the ceremony for the family memory. The client questionnaire is a critical part of the ritual creation process. The honoree must have the opportunity to tell their own story. In essence, the celebrant shares a hero’s story and then serves as witness to the process. In all of life’s transitions, the hero has to leave behind something in order to move forward and this may be a time with some anxiety. Ceremony can play the role of guiding and easing transitions – even difficult ones such as separation or divorce. Consider honouring changes of all kinds with a wellcrafted and presented ceremony. Whatever your family feels the need to recognize deserves the support of a professional Life-Cycle Celebrant. When a family is drawn to create such a ceremony, I relish the chance to sit together to discuss the process and the options. I work with families to create the
ceremony they wish they had time to develop themselves making your once-in-a-lifetime moments meaningful and memorable for your family. Rev. Dr. Karen Arends is certified through the Celebrant Foundation & Institute for Ceremonies Across the Life Cycle, Weddings, Healing and Funerals. She can be contacted by email at TidalCeremonies@KestrelsNest.ca.
March 07, 2019
A Lit Time in New York by Elizabeth Ossowska As February came to a close, eleven Jewish teens from Edmonton joined hundreds of others from around the world at the eleventh international Cteen Shabbaton in New York. Led by Chabad Edmonton’s lively Rabbi Dovid Pinson, and later joined by lovely Chaya Vaisfiche from Montreal to be with the girls, the group got a taste of life in Crown Heights in a flurry of learning, discussing, meeting tons of new people, eating delicious food, exploring Times Square, and mastering the art of being very low on sleep (a skill that anybody who has ever been on a Shabbaton is quite familiar with). While the weekend went by tremendously quickly, each of us took away a gem of sorts, whether it be of new friendships, love of our culture, devotion to Torah, or in opening doors to our future. It is not the sort of trip that goes by and is forgotten, replaced by the mundane realities of everyday life; rather, it stays with us in some way or another, and certainly will for a long time. That being said, not every part of the Shabbaton was imbued with such a level of sagacity and meaningful rhetoric. After all, it’s New York; teenagers are there to have fun! Perhaps the highlight of the Shabbaton for many was the concert in Times Square on Saturday night, featuring the popular singer Yaakov Shwekey. The raw energy of proud Jewish teens from everywhere gathered in one spot, defying thousands of years of persecution, was a beautifully bewildering thing to witness. Seeing the Rebbe on those huge, 21st-century billboards, I couldn’t help but think of how far we have come as a people, and how against all odds we are still here, celebrating our faith in such an overt, unashamed manner as a concert in the middle of one of the busiest areas of the world. Of course, there were parts of the Shabbaton that were much quieter and less exciting-sounding, yet were just as valuable. Our hosts were absolutely incredible in providing a calm, comfortable space to return to at the end of each actionpacked day. To think, with how often Shabbatons occur in Crown Heights, and how readily people volunteer their
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personal space by opening their homes to complete strangers - it is difficult to come up with such an impeccable example of A selflessness. particularly pertinent example of this warmth and hospitality was when we had Shabbos kiddush with some of Dovid’s Rabbi extended family. They were exceptionally welEleven Jewish teens from Edmonton traveled to NYC with Rabbi Dovid Pinson and coming, not to Chaya Vaisfiche for the 11th International CTeen Shabbaton. It was an amazing mention the delicious experience for everyone! food we were served (though throughout seconds until it detects him looking at it, in order to write. the entire Shabbaton, every meal was delectable - just as we While this process is long and arduous and the disease was were filled with inspiration we were filled with food). devastating news to the father of seven, he uses his story as Meeting part of a family that we already know added a a symbol of positivity in the face of adversity. He certain irreplaceable personal dimension to the weekend, continuously writes and uses his message to uplift Jews who and we are very grateful that we were able to meet them. are confronted with dire circumstances such as his own or While countless friendships and connections were formed who are struggling in any capacity. We also heard stories throughout the Shabbaton - across the globe, literally - to a from other Cteeners who have made a difference in their own smaller scale our group had plenty of opportunities to deepen communities, from setting up a Kosher Food Club in a public already-existing bonds. Whether through a loud Torah school to vouching for recognition of Jewish holidays. The discussion on the subway or in an intense round of Jewish Shabbaton prized each of our uniqueness all the while spot-it, many within the Edmonton chapter were able to strengthening the Jewish connection that binds us together strengthen their friendships with other local Cteen - thus striking a perfect balance between being an individual members, and to celebrate our differing tastes and opinions and being part of a collective, loving the way Hashem made us different all the while staying true to the principle all the while remaining a solid group. This individuality is exactly what went into this year’s of ahavat Yisrael. The Shabbaton was also dotted with workshops and theme, “I matter.” We heard many impactful stories from dozens of inspiring people, most notably that of Rabbi Yitzi educational activities. Many incredible speakers were flown Hurwitz, who was diagnosed five years ago with ALS, leaving in, from Rabbis to baal teshuva, university professors to him incapable of moving or speaking. Thanks to modern Rebbetzins. These sessions covered various topics catering to technology he can communicate using a computer program, diverse interests - leadership, science and Torah, self-esteem, where he stares at a letter on an onscreen keyboard for a few
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Edmonton Jewish News
March 07, 2019
JNF Alberta Cup achieves success both on and off the ice The 2019 JNF Alberta Cup was held at the West Edmonton Mall Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace on February 23 (after Shabbos) and all day on the 24th. The event was a huge success. “Not because an NHL scout identified one of our players as the next McGretzky,” explained JNF Edmonton Executive Director Jay Cairns, “but because we gathered as a community to participate in an event that contributes to health and wellness while promoting pride in identifying as a Jew and supporting Israel through the Jewish National Fund.” The tournament included one team from Calgary – the Girouxsalems – and three from Edmonton – the Fighting Yids, the Oyveylers and the winning team Chai Sticks. As with all hockey tournaments, the teams played competitive hockey and there were some great plays demonstrated over the course of the two days – some precision passing, some tremendous saves and some bullet shots. However, as you can tell by the names of the teams, the tournament was filled with good natured camaraderie as well as a sense of humour. There was also an abundance of good sportsmanship that shone throughout all the games. The tournament was well organized by Cairns and the variety and number of sponsors and contributors helped keep the costs down for the players, especially for those who came up from Calgary. The West Edmonton Mall proved once again to be an excellent venue for the event. Families and friends came out to cheer for their favorite teams and even patrons of the mall got into the spirit of the games, clapping and cheering for the great plays. This year’s Negev Gala honouree, Lewis “Dovid Cherry” Wasel was a warm and welcoming JNF ambassador for the tournament – suit and all. Shane Asbell was enthusiastic as the sports commentator during the tournament. He brought a lot of ruach to the job and maintained a fast-paced description of goals scored and goals saved. Part of the fun was the care that the players took in choosing the names on the back of their jerseys. The name of the goalie for the Chai Sticks was Goornisht, the goalie for the Fighting Yids was Iron Dome. Other player’s names were Shlemiel, Chutzpah, Oy Gevalt and Kvetch. Another highlight of the tournament was the singing of
Hatikvah before the championship game. The free family skate was also a really nice component of the event that allowed families to come together to enjoy the venue. It was also very meaningful that Jack and Rowena Schwartzberg attended the tournament to present the MVP Trophy named in memory of their son Stevie Schwartzberg z”l who passed away in December 2017. Adam Martinson from Chai Sticks was awarded the Stevie Schwarzberg MVP Award. One of the event sponsors Barry Slawsky dropped the puck for the The tournament came to championship game. With Jay Cairns announcing, Jack Schwartzberg a close at around 5 pm with presented the Stevie Schwartzberg Memorial MVP Award to Adam Martinson handshakes and cheers all from Chai Sticks. around. The Edmonton players were thrilled that everyone to enjoy. Sponsor for the MVP Award was TD the Alberta Cup trophy was returning to Edmonton after Jasper Gates. Dan Moser and Top Shelf Analytics spending the past year in Calgary. coordinated the referees and advised on hockey operational Cairns was particularly appreciative of the event sponsors matters. Cairns also singled out the valuable assistance he and contributors. The title sponsor was the Alvin and Mona received from the Edmonton Jewish Hockey League. Libin Foundation. The event sponsors were Barry and “I’d like to extend a big thank you to all of our players, Cristine Slawsky and Barry had the pleasure of dropping the sponsors and contributors. Their help and positivity made it puck at the beginning of the championship game. The host a memorable event!” remarked Cairns. “I look forward to sponsor was West Edmonton Mall and the team sponsors seeing everyone again next year.” were ACME Scrap Iron and Metals, General Recycling Industries, McLeod Law and West Edmonton Mall. The media sponsor was Edmonton Jewish News, the hospitality sponsor was David Cynamon and a special thanks goes to Old Dutch for providing promotional chips for
March 07, 2019
Edmonton Jewish News
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This month's update from Talmud Torah School
It has been a busy month at Talmud Torah School.The school celebrated the 100 day of classes with some fun activities.Tu B'shvat was also celebrated throughout the school culminating with an announcement by the Tu B'Shvat tree leaders that 302 trees were purchased by the school community. A very interesting JNF program was held with the grade 6 class and the grade 5 JNF student ambassadors gave a presentation about Israel's water supply. Fifteen grade 6 students attended a Shabbaton in Vancouver, along with 3 parents and TTS Director Jerry Sorokin. Around 50 students from Vancouver and Richmond also participated. The students are pictured above enjoying a Havdalah service and a post Shabbaton hike.
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Edmonton Jewish News
March 07, 2019
What’s up with airfares in Canada? By David M. Tait The simple answer is… most of the airfares in Canada. And, until recently they have been ‘UP’ for a long time. The sad fact is that, on average, Canadians have been paying more than twice as much to fly as do residents of almost every other nation in the civilized world: as well as in some less civilized David Tait ones! Why? Well, a lack of any real competition is the easy answer: In 2018 Air Canada and WestJet flew 80% of all domestic passengers: Air Canada had 46% and WestJet 34%. With 5% of the market, Toronto Island-based Porter came in a distant third – that’s quite a gap! Flair Airlines, Edmonton’s new hometown airline, carried a little over 2% and the remaining 13% was spread around a variety of small regional carriers like First Air and Canadian North. Compare this to flying within Europe where 36% of all airline seats sold in 2018 were on so called Low Cost Carriers’ (LCCs) - a number that’s projected to pass 50% within five years. In 2018, Europe’s biggest airline, Dublinbased Ryanair, had an average fare that equated to about CA$60.00 - less than a third of the CA$204 average for all its big competitors. Prior to the emergence last year of independently owned Flair Airlines, LCCs had been conspicuously absent in Canada for a number of years. I say “for a number of years” because when Calgary-based WestJet first burst on the scene in the late nineties, they were hailed as the long-awaited low fare panacea. After decades of high fares for low customer service, here was an airline with amazingly low fares and great service. The upstart airline unashamedly took its lead from the hugely successful Southwest Airlines in the US: a model that calls for just a single type of aircraft (the Boeing 737) and a rigorous focus on keeping costs to an absolute minimum. But that was then. These days, where they compete head-
to-head – which is just about everywhere - Air Canada and WestJet invariably have almost identical airfares. Also in terms of customer service, of late, it’s hard to tell one from the other. WestJet seems to have turned its back on the low fare model and with it the customers who made them so successful. Today their intent seems to be to morph into a second Air Canada, which is fine: Assuming you think the country really needs another Air Canada! But let me maybe explain what a low cost/low fare airline is really all about, because there seem to be a lot of misperceptions out there. For example one constantly hears complaints like, “In the old days checked bags were free” or, “Airlines used to give us free drinks and free meals, now you have to pay for everything.” Yes, things have changed but it’s important to realize that none of those things were ever free - they were simply baked into the airfare. You paid for them whether you used them or not: When you didn’t check a bag you were subsidizing a fellow passenger’s two ‘free’ bags. If you didn’t have a drink, you were subsidizing the other guy’s two or three ‘free’ beverages. The easiest analogy for the traditional airline pricing model is to imagine every restaurant having nothing but ‘prix fixe’ menus – that’s just one all-inclusive price for an appetizer, entrée, desert and coffee. If you only wanted the entrée, too bad - you had to pay for the whole four-course meal. Silly right? But that’s exactly how airlines used to price their tickets. Today LCCs like Flair offer à la carte pricing. Want to snack or have a drink on board? Both are available for purchase. If you’d rather bring your own sandwiches with you, go for it! If you want to check a suitcase you pay for it – and if you don’t you don’t. At Flair we charge a fee for bringing a wheelie bag on board, which at first hearing may sound outrageous… until that is you consider the rationale
behind it. By charging slightly more to bring a bag on board than we do to check it, we create an incentive to check it in. On our flights you’ll notice that only about 20% of passengers bring a big bulky roller bag on board. That means the rest have checked their bags at the counter – or are travelling with just a small backpack or handbag that fits under the seat in front of them. This makes getting on and off the airplane a breeze. Contrastingly, by charging only for checked bags all the other airlines have created a very effective incentive for almost 100% of their passengers to try and smuggle their cabin trunks with wheels on to the airplane! As a result boarding takes forever as passengers fight – sometimes quite literally - to stuff their bags into (often other people’s) overhead bins. Round two follows on landing, when the deplaning process is equally slow and painful because of all the cabin baggage. So you see, it’s what at Flair we like to call “Plane and Simple” – it’s all about giving air travellers the option to pay for only those things they value as opposed to the old all inclusive four-course meal approach. In turn that means we can offer consistently lower airfares along with better service and give millions more Canadians the chance to get out of their comfy couches and fly away to visit friends or just discover this fabulous big country of ours. Check it out and we hope you’ll soon be checking in! David M. Tait OBE is Executive Chairman of Flair Airlines.
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March 07, 2019
Edmonton Jewish News
JCC lease
Cont. from page 1
“Also, the JCC will not be required to do any significant investment on their building for the next 300 years. And if their building deteriorates, it will be a liability to Talmud Torah and ultimately a burden on those families who are relying on the school at that time.” Sadovnick said, “I believe that this is completely unreasonable and at worst it could put the Talmud Torah’s long-term future at risk. If the Federation is demanding theses terms, Talmud Torah’s membership should vote no on this motion until the Federation is prepared to enter into a more equitable lease. The benefits to Talmud Torah are not worth the risk that it is expected to take.” A number of Federation board members addressed Sadovnick’s comments by reiterating that although the design of the centre had not been finalized, the framework for the agreement had little if any room for negotiations. There was some general confusion by those in attendance around the wording of the motion – whether it was about endorsing the board to proceed as they saw fit or about endorsing the substance of the current lease proposal. There was also a mixed response to Sadovnick’s comments at the meeting. Some felt he was out of line to speak out because he was chairing the meeting while others thought his personal perspective on the matter was an important opinion to hear. In the end, the vote was held and although the majority of the TTS members voted in favour of proceeding, the numbers did not meet the 66% majority needed to pass. What will happen next is anyone’s guess. Talmud Torah President Sadovnick indicated that the TTS is open to
CTeen
Cont. from page 7
and the key to Jewish relationships, to name a few, along with some farbrengens and crossfire panels where no question was off limits. The fact that the program was so enriched with wisdom, understanding and knowledge is what completed the weekend; it gave us a sense of purpose and renewed - revitalized - our love of Judaism. At the pinnacle of this learning was the moving experience of being in the Ohel, and chiefly in 770. It is true that there is something magical about those walls; the Rebbe’s presence has never ceased to resonate. This rings true even beyond Brooklyn - at the very start of our adventures we witnessed direct hashgacha pratis. The group was caught up at border control and we were about to miss our flight; we were told the plane was leaving and we were going to have to wait for the next one. Then, by the time we made it through, we were informed that in fact the flight was delayed by two hours due to fueling! It turns out we were lucky to have been stuck waiting in the airport instead of being crammed into airplane seats for extra time.
Happy Purim!
further negotiations, but it is unclear if Federation is prepared to revisit the terms. In December, Federation members voted to give their board the power to enter into lease negotiations with TTS – provided an independent $1 million capital fundraising campaign was completed by November 30, 2019. In their letter to the community following the February meeting, Shafir et al explained that the last JCC was sold “when it became evident that our community's demographics and finances could no longer sustain the site. All the funds from the sale of the land and building continue to be held in the bank in the hope that we could build or find another location for an Edmonton JCC. We have approximately $5.5 million, including interest, which has remained untouched. “For the past 11 years, Jewish leadership in Edmonton have been working toward building a new community centre. A place where people from our Jewish community can meet for social, educational or recreational activities. A place to bring our community together.” “The Federation will continue to communicate with community members throughout the process,” continued Shafir. “However, we unfortunately are running out of time. The funds from the sale of the old JCC are considered restricted funds according to the Canada Revenue Agency. All of the funds must be designated for use by the Jewish Federation of Edmonton by 2022.” “We are committed to keeping an open and transparent dialogue with our members,” concluded Shafir. “The Federation will do its due diligence to make sure that whatever decision is made will both lead to strengthening this community and that it will ultimately be sustainable. Being able to have a JCC that would satisfy all may ultimately be outside of our means, or at least exceed Overall, the eleventh annual Cteen Shabbaton was an undeniable success, drawing teens from all six continents (unfortunately, there is not much of a Jewish community in Antarctica… perhaps one day there will be Chabad shluchim there!). There were more than enough activities, insights,
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OPH welcomes Paula Weil Our Parents’ Home is pleased to announce that Paula Weil has joined our team as our mashgicha and kosher kitchen cook extraordinaire. Many will know Paula as a respected and integral part of Edmonton’s Jewish community in her Paula Weil capacity as a caterer as well as her 20 years as owner of the much loved Hello Deli. With Paula’s more than 40 years of experience in the food business, she is already elevating the offerings from our kosher kitchen. Her vision is to continue to bring great kosher food to OPH while also serving as an ambassador to OPH’s non-Jewish residents who are curious to learn and experience more from our splendid Jewish culinary traditions. From enriching our monthly Shabbat dinner experience to providing delicious small tasting plates for our “Food and Faith” discussions, Paula has already put her special mark on OPH’s food offerings. We are honoured that Paula has chosen to join our team. the funds we currently have, or are able to raise. But we sincerely hope that the next solution is one that brings us all together as a community, which is what a "Community" is all about.” and kindness to go around and touch every young Jew present. Despite the trip being only a few days, the effects of the Shabbaton are sure to reverberate through the lives of many, and will continue to do so for many years to come.
March 07, 2019
Edmonton Jewish News
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