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bulletin 7 5 T H A N N I V E R S A RY 1 9 3 7 volume 76, no. 11 april 2, 2012

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Leslie Meisels keynote speaker at Ottawa Yom HaShoah commemoration

Ottawa celebrates Purim Super heroes Aaron, Brandon and Tyler Fathi at the Beth Shalom Purim party, March 7. See pages 32, 33 and 42 for more Purim celebration photos.

Young Israeli hockey players spend 10 days in Ottawa

By Mitch Miller Twenty-seven eager players, Jewish and Arab, boys and girls, aged nine to 14, from the Canada Israel Hockey School (CIHS) in Metulla, Israel visited Ottawa, March 2 to 11 for an intensive week of on- and off-ice hockey fun.

Thanks to the generosity of Ot-

tawa’s hockey and Jewish communities, they enjoyed a hockey experience of a lifetime.

The Ottawa Senators and Ottawa 67’s donated ice time for practice and tickets to home games.

The CIHS players attended a Sens home game versus the New York Rangers and a 67’s game

against the Niagara IceDogs.

They had on-ice training from NHL alumni and off-ice training like the pros.

During their stay in Ottawa, the players were housed by families from the Jewish community and their home base was the Soloway Jewish Community Centre.

See photos on pages 12 and 13.

By Cynthia Nyman Engel The day Leslie Meisels was born – February 20, 1927 – the small Jewish community of Nadudvar, Hungary rejoiced.

There was much to celebrate.

Leslie was the seventh generation of Meisels born in Nadudvar, where his father, a kosher butcher, catered to the 45 Jewish families living in the little town of 10,000.

Leslie was joined by two brothers born in 1933 and 1934, but Hitler would deprive the Nadudvar’s Jewish community of the opportunity of ever welcoming an eighth generation of Meisels to the town.

“I am one of those survivors who came through the Holocaust with my family intact,” said Meisels, who moved to Toronto in 1967, in an interview with the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin.

“Every single survivor of the Holocaust, who came out alive did so because of miracles, acts of faith or an act of God … or a combination of all three. This is also true for my family.”

Leslie Meisels will tell his story of surviving the Holocaust at Ottawa’s Yom HaShoah commemoration, April 18.

Leslie Meisels will share his story as the keynote speaker at Ottawa’s Yom HaShoah commemoration on April 18.

The retired co-owner of Toronto’s FGL Precision Works Ltd., manufacturers of moulds for the plastics industry, is heavily (Continued on page 2)

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Page 2 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Toulouse attack leaves French Jewish community shaken

By Dana Kennedy (JTA) – When Arie Bensemhoun, a Jewish community leader in Toulouse, woke up Tuesday morning, March 20, he thought for a moment the horrific shooting of three children and a rabbi at a local Jewish school the day before might have been just a bad dream.

“Then the reality hit and I knew it was true and it had really happened,” Bensemhoun told JTA. “We are living a nightmare. It’s hard to describe the shock felt by our whole community. It’s worse than you can imagine.”

Despite their grief, Bensemhoun and other Jewish leaders in France lost no time in mobilizing their community after southwestern France went to a scarlet terror alert, the highest possible, shortly after the shooting, which occurred just after 8:00 am on March 19 at the Collège et Lycée Ozar Hatorah in Toulouse.

Working in concert with emergency protocols put in place by the French government in the event of a terrorist attack, security was increased at Jewish synagogues and schools all over France. President Nicolas Sarkozy and Interior Minister Claude Gueant called for a stepped-up police presence at Jewish institutions in France, particularly in the southwest.

Guards were stationed at all religious schools and outside Jewish and Muslim institutions.

David Ben Ichou, the social welfare director at the Fonds social juif unifié (FSJU), the country’s main Jewish welfare organization, said the Jewish community in France also has a Jewish community protection service consisting of volunteers who guard

Rabbi Jonathan Sandler and his two sons, Arieh (left) and Gabriel, were killed in the shooting at the Collège et Lycée Ozar Hatorah in Toulouse, France. The rabbi’s wife is holding their daughter.

(Photo: Flash90/JTA)

Jewish institutions in time of crisis.

“They were mobilized within two hours of the shooting,” Ben Ichou said.

Three days after the attack, on March 22, the main suspect died after a standoff with French police. Mohammed Merah, a 24year-old French national of Algerian descent who claimed ties to al-Qaida, reportedly had been known to French intelligence for many years. Merah’s brother was arrested, and two police officers were injured in an earlier shootout outside the home, according to reports.

Merah allegedly told police that he carried out the murders to “avenge Palestinian children.”

Gueant was quoted as saying that Merah “has made trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan in the past ... and says he belongs to alQaida and says he wanted to avenge Palestinian children and to attack the French army.”

Dozens of French police and anti-terrorism investigators were involved in the manhunt for the gunman and any accomplices.

The Collège et Lycée Ozar Hatorah re-

opened March 21 for the first time since the attack two days earlier, when a gunman with a video camera around his neck pulled up on a black Yamaha motorbike and fatally shot three Jewish children and a teacher who were waiting to enter the building at the start of the school day.

Rabbi Jonathan Sandler, 30, and his two young sons, as well as the seven-year-old daughter of the school’s principal, were killed in the attack.

Thousands attended the March 21 funeral of the victims at Jerusalem’s Givat Shaul cemetery.

“Your grief, your pain is ours too,” French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said at the funeral. “All of France is in shock.”

Schoolchildren all over France stood and paused for a moment of silence on March 20 to remember the victims.

Jewish community leaders wasted no time in making sure frightened students at the Collège et Lycée Ozar Hatorah and their parents received psychological counselling and help, according to Ben Ichou. The government automatically deploys counsellors to schools after such an event, but the students and families at Ozar Hatorah also had the chance to speak with Jewish social workers, he said.

Sarkozy, who suspended his presidential campaign for two days and flew to Toulouse after the attack, called the tragedy “obviously anti-Semitic,” and the interior minister called for heightened security at all Jewish schools and institutions in France.

France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish community, has an estimated 600,000 Jews.

On the evening following the morning (Continued on page 11)

Meisels met some of his liberators 64 years later (Continued from page 1)

involved in Holocaust education. He and his wife, Eva, a child survivor of the Budapest ghetto, regularly address elementary, high school and university students at the Toronto Holocaust Centre. They also speak in schools, synagogues, lodges and libraries in the GTA and beyond. During Toronto’s 2010 Holocaust Week alone, Meisels spoke to 2,800 students.

“Every time Eva or I speak, we relive the horrors,” said Meisels. “So, why do we do it? You can’t believe the kind of letters we receive. That’s why we do it.”

Meisels was 17 when Hungary’s Jews

were marked for annihilation.

“Until then, we lived a relatively normal life,” he said. “Hungary ideologically supported the Nazis, which was why it was not overrun until 1944. But, in the spring of 1944, the Hungarian government secretly tried to contact the allied forces in an attempt to get out of their alliance with Germany.”

When the leaders of the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross Party got wind of the government’s clandestine effort to change sides, the situation immediately changed for Hungary’s Jews.

“From one night to the next, Hungary

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became an occupied country,” said Meisels.

“On March 19, 1944, the Germans marched into Hungary, the last country to be occupied by the Nazis, and, within days, Eichmann and a small group of officers were sent to oversee the annihilation of Hungarian Jewry.

“Within days, we were ordered to put on the yellow star and allowed to continue with our lives, but only for a short time. At the end of April, there came the order that we would be leaving our homes on May 1 to go into a ghetto.”

The unravelling of Hungarian Jewry had begun.

Meisels’ account of the family odyssey is rife with cliff-hanging, near-death experiences, of loved ones lost and found, truly incredible miracles and sojourns near Vienna, in Bergen-Belsen and in Hartford, Connecticut.

A post-War miracle occurred in 2009, when the Meisels met some of the American soldiers who had liberated him from the train transporting him from Bergen-Belsen to certain death.

Leslie and Eva met in Montreal at his brother’s wedding.

“It took me a fraction of a second to fall in love with her,” he said. Last May, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The Meisels have two daughters and four grandchildren, all living in Toronto.

On April 26, 2010, Premier Dalton McGuinty joined the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem in honouring 18 Holocaust survivors who have made contributions to their communities and to the province of Ontario. Leslie Meisels was among the honourees.

Ottawa’s Yom HaShoah commemoration, a program of the Shoah (Holocaust) Committee of Ottawa, will take place Wednesday, April 18, 7:00 p.m., at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre (JCC).

For information, contact Sarah Beutel at 613-298-4696, ext.

253, or sbeutel@jewishottawa.com.

The National Holocaust Remembrance will take place Monday, April 23, 3:30 pm, at the Canadian War Museum.

A bus will leave the Soloway JCC at 2:15 pm. To reserve a spot on the bus, contact Sarah Beutel at 613-298-4696, ext. 253, or sbeutel@jewishottawa.com.

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 3

Page 4 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Israeli Arab author and television producer to appear at Ottawa International Writers Festival

By Maxine Miska Soloway JCC “It’s a mirror for Israeli Jews of how they are seen through the eyes of their Arab compatriots,” said Penni Namer, Vered Israel Cultural and Educational Program manager, describing the Israeli TV series Arab Labor.

Sayed Kashua, the creator of Arab Labor, will appear at

the Ottawa International Writers Festival on April 22.

An Israeli Arab, Kashua is the author of three novels and writes a satirical column for the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz. His columns lampoon the absurdities of life in Israel from the viewpoint of Israeli Arabs with ruthless honesty, sparing neither Arab nor Jew. While some of his jousts

are particular to Israel, many will be familiar to North Americans living with hyphenated identities. He writes about assimilated minorities attempting to fit in – in some cases fitting in so well they are mistaken for the majority and forced to hear slurs directed at their people.

In one Ha’aretz column, Kashua wrote about trying to sell his car and eventually

Notice of Annual General Meeting The Jewish Federation of Ottawa will hold its 78th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 7:00 pm in the Social Hall of the Joseph and Rose Ages Family Building.

The entire Jewish community of Ottawa is invited to attend.

Section 17.1B of the by-laws state that “At least thirty (30) days before the annual general meeting, the board of directors shall send the Nominating Committee report to each Full Member and invite each Full Member to provide the President and Chief Executive Officer, at least fourteen (14) days before the annual meeting, the name of any additional candidates which he/she wishes to nominate, together with a letter of support from five (5) other Full Members of the Corporation and a statement by the candidate of interest and qualifications.”

At the June 1, 2011, Annual General meeting of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, the following individuals were elected to serve a term of two (2) years, ending June 2013, as members of the Board of Directors: Debbie Halton-Weiss – Chair Steven Kimmel – Vice Chair Linda Kerzner Lisa Rosenkrantz Tamara Fathi – Emerging Generation representative The following individuals are nominated to serve a term of two (2) years as members of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, serving to June 2014:

Jennifer Kardash Phillip Stein Michael Shahin Mark Thaw The Chair has indicated that she will appoint two (2) individuals to serve as members at large of the Board of Directors.

Ex-officio members of the Board of Directors include: Donna Dolansky Immediate Past Chair Neil Zaret Chair of Jewish Community Campus Mitchell Bellman President and CEO The Full Members of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa include one representative of each funded agency; each of the Pulpit Rabbis; a representative of each community synagogue; a representative of every local Jewish community organization that is not a funded agency; and the Chair of the Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation.

In addition, the Board of Directors will appoint fifteen (15) Full Members at Large within thirty days of the AGM. The Full Members are responsible for electing the Board of Directors and for approving the Strategic and Business Plans.

Please address any questions to Mitchell Bellman at 613-798-4696, ext 224 or at mbellman@jewishcottawa.com

omitting his name, since he found that Jews were reluctant to buy a used car from an Arab. He then tried to buy a car from a man named Boaz.

When Kashua and his wife discussed the car in Arabic in front of the seller, Boaz understood them and admitted he was really Bassam, also an Arab, disguising his ethnicity in order to sell.

This porousness of identity relating to Israel’s modernity permeates the Arab Labor. The central characters are a professional couple, Amjad, a journalist with a Hebrew-language newspaper, and his wife, Bushra.

They are always stopped at the checkpoints when they leave their Arab village to drive into Jerusalem.

Amjad’s best friend, who is Jewish, tells him that it is because of his Subaru. Only Arabs and settlers drive old Subarus and the IDF is trained to stop them. A new car transforms his identity, at least superficially, as he is waved past the checkpoints.

Kashua adroitly dramatizes contrasts between Jewish and Arab culture. In his native village, Amjad contends with his scheming father and local petty criminal enterprises. His father scolds him for wearing a seat belt while driving in his Arab village as it brands him as an outsider (but beyond the borders of the village he can be fined). Cars are an important trope in Kashua’s writing: a sign to be instantly interpreted in the rapid transition between boundaries in Israel.

Kashua is not only a gentle humourist. His novels, written originally in Hebrew, cover much of the same territory, but in a flat tone of inevitability reminiscent of Franz Kafka. In Let It Be Morning, he presents the

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Ha’aretz columnist Sayed Kashua, creator of the Israeli TV series Arab Labor, will appear at the Ottawa International Writers Festival, April 22.

view of an Arab journalist striving to fit into Israeli society and facing hostility.

The journalist returns to his native village from Jerusalem in order to live cheaply, following the withering of his career on a Hebrew language newspaper. Jewish attitudes have changed since a demonstration by Israeli-Arabs, and the narrator learns that his village has been transformed as well into a terrifying enclave plagued by gangs and crime. When Israeli tanks and barbed wire suddenly surround the village, he is cut off from work, cell phone communication and

supplies – all the things that link the village to other citizens of the country.

Sayed Kashua will appear at the Ottawa International Writers Festival on Sunday, April 22, 3:00 pm, at the Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank Street. The event will include a screening of the first show of Arab Labor’s second season.

Kashua’s appearance at the festival is made possible by support from the Embassy of Israel and the Vered Israel Cultural and Educational Program. For more information, contact Penni Namer at 613-798-9818, ext. 243, or pnamer@jccottawa.com.

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April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 5

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Celebrations Engagement Martin and Barbra Snyder of Nepean are pleased to announce the engagement of their son, Aaron of N. Roxbury, Mass, to Sarah Kittredge of N. Roxbury, Mass, daughter of Sidney Kittredge of Enfield, Conn, and Liz Rome of Springfield. Mass. A wedding is planned for later this year.

Engagement It is with great pleasure to announce the engagement of Mendy Taller to Lori Loeb.

• Mazal Tov • Mazal Tov • Mazal Tov • Mazal Tov • Mazal Tov •

Getting married, celebrating a special birthday or anniversary, just had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah?

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To advertise call Barry Silverman 613-798-4696, ext. 256 Email: bsilverman@ottawajewishbulletin.com

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The Ottawa Jewish Bulletin, first published on October 22, 1937, is celebrating our 75th anniversary this year. Each issue in 2012 will feature a reprint from our past. Our communitywide Chanukah edition will include a special supplement looking back on our first 75 years.

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Page 6 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Initiatives fuel involvement of emerging generation Here I am again in Israel, writing a Bulletin column, and I know immediately what some people are asking themselves: “Is she there again because of this dragon boat thing? Is this all she cares about?”

I’ve been asked these questions, both directly and indirectly, in various ways over the past several months. I have no problem responding honestly and confidently when I say that we at Federation have been busy with many things beyond dragon boating. I have always declared that Dragon Boat Israel (DBI) has merely been a tool, an innovative way to inspire people to experience Israel. Fortunately, our efforts have been very successful in that 150 Ottawans, the largest contingent from Ottawa ever to travel to Israel together at one time, will be going to Israel in May as participants in DBI. One of the groups heading to Israel in May is a team of 20 young adults aged 22 to 35 travelling together on the Social Action Mission and paddling as a crew in DBI. Dragon Boat Israel was just one of the hooks used to entice these young people to get involved.

One of the objectives coming out of the openOttawa young adult symposium was to engage this demographic, and I am happy report the fruits of our labour are

Federation Report Debbie Halton-Weiss Chair worth celebrating.

So, in addition to successfully filling the Social Action Mission, I would like to share some of the other initiatives and activities that have ignited the interest of the emerging generation and fuelled their involvement in Ottawa’s Jewish community: • Two new Jewish sports teams have been created with a third to begin this spring; • The Federation Board of Directors and all its committees now have at least one representative from this demographic; • Individuals from the emerging generation are working with the Federation as it looks at new strategies to revitalize the Annual Campaign; • jnetConnect was introduced in December and launched its new magazine at the jnet networking event that featured Senator Pamela Wallin, and it plans to hold its first

newcomer luncheon in May; • Changes that make the Federation website more emerging generation-friendly have been implemented and its online presence has been enhanced through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and much more; • Young Women’s Leadership Council continues to flourish, and a new mentoring program has been started pairing young professionals with experienced mentors; • The Shabbat dinner program was launched, and ongoing invitations bring together small and larger groups to enjoy Shabbat; • An Innovation Grant program is about to be implemented that will support initiatives targeting this demographic; • The director of Initiatives for the Emerging Generation has formed good working relationships with many, if not all, community organizations targeting this same demographic, fostering a sense of cooperation rather than competition; • Social, cultural, religious gatherings are being held, are well attended, and next steps are being developed to provide opportunities to more fully engage those who are now feeling welcomed and connected to our community.

When I return from Israel, there will be

the added challenge of preparing the house and getting ready for Passover. The emerging generation will be well represented at our table, providing perspective and a sense of continuity. We begin our seder with a prayer I wrote a few years ago, which I would like to share with you.

I count my blessings every day; have learned what blessings are from ones who survived, from ones who count their blessings every day.

I look at our children, so appreciative of their health, of their beauty, of their intelligence, and of their glow, and I count my blessings.

We look to each other, our close friends, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, who share a common legacy and history, who feel the weight of what was and the freedom for what may be, and I count my blessings.

I look at our family and our community, l’dor v’dor (from generation to generation) united by our shared memory, creating our new moments in time, bonded by the unknown paths of tomorrow, and together, we will count our blessings.

Wishing you and your family a Chag Sameach, meaningful seders, and many blessings.

‘Pesah is the season of remembering God’s passion’ Do you feel passionate about Pesah?

Perhaps we may feel excited about being with friends and/or family for the seder, or anxiety if we have to prepare the seder.

We may be less than enthusiastic about all the preparation and cleaning, and we will likely feel even worse if a week’s diet of matzo doesn’t exactly agree with our system!

Yet, somehow, I imagine that passion or fervour are not the emotions we generally associate with Pesah.

Nonetheless, passion is very much part of Pesah. The stories of the Exodus are filled with strong emotions: • Pharaoh’s concern and frustration over the increasing numbers of Israelites; • The Israelites’ suffering in slavery; • The midwives’ deep moral convictions in disobeying Pharaoh’s orders and Pharaoh’s daughter’s compassion at the sight of the baby Moshe; • Moshe’s indignation that leads him to strike down the Egyptian taskmaster and his defiance of Pharaoh; • The anguish of the Egyptians during the plagues; • And, God’s fury in Egypt at the Sea of Reeds.

Perhaps most indicative of the passion and fervour inherent in Pesah is the custom of chanting “Shir ha-Shirim (Song of Songs)” on the intermediate Shabbat.

The deeply passionate lyrics of the song – matched by their setting in the natural stirrings of spring – allegorically express

From the pulpit Rabbi Charles Popky Agudath Israel the passion of the relationship between God and Israel. And that is the central message of Pesah.

Why does God redeem the enslaved Israelites?

Because God cares. Deeply.

God rescues Israel in order to establish a relationship with them, a passionate relationship frequently described by our tradition as a marriage.

And the passion continues after the Exodus: • God carries and sustains the people in the desert; • God gives Israel the Torah, a token of divine love, in an intimate act of selfdisclosure at Sinai; • God endures disappointment and disloyalty over the Golden Calf and the Israelites’ constant lack of faith.

Yet, God renews the relationship and the Divine Presence accompanies the Israelites in the symbol of the Mishkan (Tabernacle).

Unlike the impassive philosophers’ god who merely sets the universe in motion, the Pesah story describes an “impassioned

God,” El qana, as described in the Ten Commandments, who deliberately involves Himself in the lives of His creatures, entering into a special relationship with Israel regardless of the challenges.

Of course, a successful relationship has to work both ways. If we want a relationship with God, then it is time for us to stop playing hard to get.

Just as God passionately pursued us, so we must passionately pursue God. Our seders should not merely be rote-

reading, abbreviated affairs that only vaguely connect us to a distant past. They must be engaging reflections on how the holiday’s meanings and messages will have significance in the present and future.

Our Pesah ritual must not be a mere recollection of our ancestor’s piety, but a challenge to sanctify our own experiences through our tradition and our creativity.

Pesah is the season of remembering God’s passion; let it also be the spark that ignites ours.

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April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 7

Your opinion is just as important as our columnists’ There are primarily three different kinds of articles that we publish in the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin. There is a different approach applied to each of these kinds of articles.

The first are news stories, which are usually written by Bulletin staff or assigned to freelance reporters, or taken from JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency), the wire service to which almost all mainstream Jewish newspapers in the Diaspora subscribe.

We strive for measured objectivity in our news stories. The personal opinion of the reporters and editors should be irrelevant.

When we cover a speaker at an event, we report on what the speaker has to say in the news story, not what our personal feelings happen to be about what the speaker has to say.

For example, I disagreed with much of what the well-known American commentator Daniel Pipes had to say when he spoke in Ottawa in 2008. But my news article was about what he said, not what I felt about what he said. Rereading the article more than three years later, I can confirm that my personal opinions were, indeed, irrelevant to the story I wrote.

The second kind of article we run are submissions that come from the various agencies and organizations in our community. The byline for such a submission will generally include the name of the organiza-

Editor Michael Regenstreif tion that submitted the article, along with the name of the author. These articles might include news about the organization or its programs, or previews and reviews of its events. We edit such articles for space and newspaper style and fact-check the accuracy of what is said to the best of our ability. But, essentially, such articles reflect the message of the organizations that submit them.

The third kind of article we publish in the Bulletin are opinion-driven and include all of our various columns, guest columns and letters-to-the-editor. These pieces generally reflect the opinion of the individual, or, in some cases, the organization they represent. Such submissions are also edited for space, newspaper style and, when appropriate, fact-checked.

But we do not censor our columnists’ opinions. Within the mandate of their column, they are free to say what they want to say.

In a diverse community, and in a community newspaper that welcomes diversity

of opinion, not everyone will agree with everything written in our opinion columns.

Nor should they, and nor should a columnist generally refrain from expressing an opinion because someone will disagree or because someone with a vested interest will take offence.

Last issue, one of our columnists expressed a critical opinion that made some people angry – and that some people applauded in agreement. By press time, one person wrote a reasoned response, which is published in our Mailbag on page 8.

As I noted in a column last year when another columnist expressed an opinion that made some people angry, none of our opinion columnists, including me, has a monopoly on truth. You might agree with some things our columnists write and disagree with others. I’m the editor and I don’t agree with every opinion expressed in our pages.

If you want to dispute or applaud something you read in the Bulletin, please do so.

Write a letter-to-the-editor or submit a guest column. While personal attacks are unacceptable, feel free to argue with opinions.

Yours is just as important.

East of Berlin The night before this issue went to press, I attended the opening of Hannah Moscovitch’s East of Berlin at the Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC).

I read the play a few weeks ago in preparation for an interview with Moscovitch published last issue so I knew it was a very strong work. But reading it on the page and seeing it come to life on stage are two different things.

In East of Berlin, Moscovitch explores the effect of the Holocaust on the son of a Nazi war criminal wracked by the guilt never felt by his father.

There are strong themes, language and sexuality, which make the play inappropriate for children, but the GCTC production, well acted by an all-local cast, is the most powerful play I’ve seen recently. It continues at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre until April 8.

Passover Passover, which I’ve always found to be the most inspiring of Jewish holidays, is almost upon us. As we sit down at our seder tables to retell the story of Moses leading the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt thousands of years ago, we should not forget the continuing relevance of the story in our own time in a world that still knows too much repression and even slavery. Until freedom reigns in every corner of the world, the journey begun by Moses continues.

On behalf of the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin, I wish all a Chag Sameach.

Changing the primary loyalty of Jewish ex-Montrealers There has always been this thing about Montreal Jews who live in Ottawa. The thing comes from Jewish people born and bred in Ottawa.

Call it rivalry, call it clannish, call it a thing about roots – you either have them or you don’t. To native Ottawa Jews it is automatic. If you are a Jewish person from Montreal, you are more a Jewish prince or princess than any Ottawa Jew could ever possibly be.

One of the things about Montreal Jews is how they talk funny. I know this from my first weeks of employment at the CBC, so many years ago, when I had to take voice lessons to eliminate, or to try my best to eliminate, what was referred to as “that Montreal Jewish sing-song.” I guess I’m proud that I never lost it completely and can hear it in my own voice and from other expat Montreal Jews. After 32 years in Ottawa, that accent is both a label and a minor source of irritation to Ottawa Jews who, of course, speak the nation’s capital English.

But there is probably nothing in the whole wide world that irritates Ottawa Jews more than their heartfelt belief that Montreal Jews come here and still think Ottawa is a small town, and that nothing, and I mean nothing, could possibly be as good as anything in Montreal. The list would include fashion, entertainment, education, natural

It really can be an easy transition.

Jason Moscovitz beauty, shopping, smoked meat, bagels, and, of course, the best ski hills this side of the Rockies. But the biggest irritation is their mighty Montreal Canadiens.

Yes, for years and years, almost all of us Montreal Jews have believed that les Canadiens were major league and the Ottawa Senators, by comparison, were a junior Bteam somewhere near Stittsville. Without question, the arrogance of this attitude has driven Ottawa Jews around the bend. And for good reason.

I remember 20 years ago when the Senators were first founded and they played at the Civic Centre. A Jewish Montrealer friend of mine and I attended a game – Montreal, of course, was playing – and there we were laughing at how crazy it was to build a new hockey arena in far-away Kanata. I remember his blurting out, “If I have to go on the Queensway to see an NHL hockey game, I am going to drive east instead of west so I can see a real hockey team.”

If I can make it, anyone can.

I’m ready to buy the cap, the sweater and yell at the appropriate moment, “Go Sens Go!” That real hockey team, that championship team, the team of Richard, Geoffrion, Beliveau, Lafleur, Robinson and Gainey, is dead. And, it has been dead for many years, but, it seems, most Montreal Jews have been very late arriving at the funeral. I think it took this year’s particularly dismal showing for even the diehards among us to say, “Gee, are we ever losing our time with these losers.”

The Ottawa Senators, as even we Montreal Jews now know, are a really good team, a solid team, a team not only fun to

watch, but a team worth watching and worth the emotional investment of following and rooting for.

It is a well-coached team, well-led by Alfie, with a superstar defenceman, Erik Karlsson. It is a team that has all of us transplanted Montreal Jews taking notice, a team worthy of our allegiance. It may have taken a long time, but most worthwhile things do.

I would think apologies are expected.

After all, just a year ago, my kin from Montreal was having a good laugh at the expense of the Senators in what I am sure was considered Montreal Jewish arrogance.

Things are different today in the hockey world. Simply put, in one year’s time, the Senators have so improved against the once mighty Canadiens, who got so much worse.

As the playoffs near and les Canadiens have “left the building,” so to speak, there might be a chorus of ex-Montreal Jews rooting for any team other than the Senators. That is what is expected of us, so let’s fool everyone and not do the expected.

It really can be an easy transition. If I can make it, anyone can. I’m ready to buy the cap, the sweater and yell at the appropriate moment, “Go Sens Go!” Now if I can just say it without that Montreal Jewish sing-song!

Page 8 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

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Mailbag Conflicting narratives Conflicting narratives have been presented in the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin as to why Temple Israel’s new location will not be on the Jewish Community Campus.

According to the article, Temple Israel will not relocate to the Jewish Community Campus (February 6), Temple Israel is not moving to the Jewish Community Campus because it would not be able to have ownership of the land it would build on.

But, according to Mira Sucharov (Values, Ethics, Community, February 20), the issue that broke the deal was Temple Israel’s wanting to have two kitchens, one a supervised kosher kitchen, and one unsupervised in which members could reheat food prepared at home. According to Sucharov, the Jewish Federation of Ottawa insisted there be only one kitchen and that it be under the supervision of the Vaad HaKashrut.

The problem with that logic is that there are two kitchens at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre (JCC).

One supervised kitchen for the restaurant and one unsupervised, with fridges, a sink and microwave, for the Soloway JCC and Federation staff to use.

Thus, we can see there is a precedent for an unsupervised kitchen on the Jewish Community Campus. The same policy that applies to the Soloway JCC and Federation staff should have been applied to the members of Temple Israel.

Dani Schwartz Congregations and community Jason Moscovitz’s column, How can synagogues best serve their congregations, and the community-at-large?

(March 19) article requires comment.

Synagogues were not formed to “serve the community.”

They were formed to serve their communities. That is, Jews who come together because they see common ground from which to pray and form a community.

When I grew up, most of the congregations were Orthodox and there appeared to be little or no fractiousness between them. Even the most forward looking of these congregations, Agudath Israel, was little more than what I call a “Conservadox” shul with mixed seating and relatively Orthodox liturgy and practices.

Agudath Achim and Adath Jeshurun did not merge to form Beth Shalom because of any community obligation.

bulletin@ottawajewishbulletin.com Their buildings were old, parking was impossible and the new building housed both their merged congregations and the fledgling Jewish Community Centre (JCC). Ottawa’s Jewish population was becoming geographically diverse.

Some continued to live in Sandy Hill and others, moving further west, joined a shul that was geographically closer to where they lived and was somewhat more progressive than the shuls to which they were formerly members.

The need for Jews to pray together in a community comfortable for themselves is the most important factor in whether a shul will survive. Beth Shalom has a Conservative congregation in the old style not because it wants to compete with other Conservative synagogues, but because that is what their constituency demands for their shul community. Agudath Israel moved towards egalitarianism and welcomes Jews of diverse backgrounds. There is still a significant difference between how these congregations connect with their members. The idea that shuls are competing is, frankly, ludicrous.

Mandating that they merge or share a building will not bridge the gap in congregational ethos. In my opinion, Moscovitz’s litany of the problems befalling Ottawa’s congregations shows a lack of understanding of how congregations work. As with any collection of individuals, both religious and organizational positions differ from member to member. As a member of Agudath Israel, I bristle at the suggestion that recent clergy issues were clumsily handled.

The bylaws of the congregation were followed. Proper evaluations and notice were given to the clergy and a forum was convened for those who had contrary views. The matter was resolved in an orderly and respectful manner. Our congregation has withstood more divisive issues and still remains cohesive and vibrant.

As for the issue of a shared-use building, no one has come forward with a comprehensive plan of how such a building might work and where the savings of a combined infrastructure and administration might arise. There are myriad questions that remain unanswered.

There is one problem that appears to be the elephant in the room. Regarding the proceeds from the sale of the land on Chapel Street: Whose money is it?

It seems improbable to me that all 18 million or so dollars should belong to Beth Shalom. The current talk is that all of the money belongs to that congregation and the surplus funds not required for a new building will be set aside to defray operating costs.

Because the building housed our JCC for so many years and we all, in our time, contributed to the establishment and running of the JCC, I believe the Jewish community at large has a significant stake in these proceeds. While there were some prior dealings regarding ownership of the building, I don’t believe the community was involved. I believe the Jewish Federation of Ottawa owes an explanation to the community of where it stands. I believe that is a more important question than the ones posed in Moscovitz’s column.

Bernie Shinder

Letters welcome Letters to the Editor are welcome if they are brief, signed, timely and of interest to our readership.

The Bulletin reserves the right to refuse, edit or condense letters.

The Mailbag column will be published as space permits.

Send your letters to Michael Regenstreif, Ottawa Jewish Bulletin, 21 Nadolny Sachs Private, Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1R9; or by e-mail to bulletin@ottawajewishbulletin.com.

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 9 Advertorial

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND More than trees 613.798.2411

Oliver Javanpour president

When JNF doesn’t plant trees When more than 200,000 students in Southern Israel stayed home because the wave of rocket fire in March led to the closing of schools as a precaution, my thoughts turned to the ever-elusive peace that we all seek for the Middle East.

I usually write about water and trees and flowers and bicycle trails – all things that build a more sustainable Israel and contribute to the science that makes the world, as a whole, more sustainable. All of these things create a better quality of life for Israelis, too. But quality of life is a relative concept. For some Israelis, quality of life is measured less by success in sustainable environment projects and more by sustainability of life at a very basic level. In areas of Israel that know rockets well, JNF has to put aside its green trees, parks and agricultural research for projects that help people to stay indoors rather than outside where the trees are.

In March 2009, JNF’s Sderot Indoor Recreation Center opened. It took only 10 months and $5 million to turn an old textile warehouse into a 21,000 square-foot indoor recreation centre, featuring: • Recreational and exercise facilities for children ages 16 and under; • Jungle gym equipment; • Soccer field and volleyball court; • Rock climbing wall; • Snack area and gift shop; • Movie and television area; • Disco, swing sets and more; • Three therapy rooms to help children suffering from trauma.

Not every recreation centre has a medical station and psychologists on site for intervention with children and families in need of counselling. Not every recreation centre is surrounded by anti-shockwave walls. In Sderot, however, such a facility provides children with a place to play that is much safer than playing outside, where kids should be. The town’s 3,000 children – who are forced to remain indoors all day rather than risk the chance that they won’t be able to reach a bomb shelter quickly enough during a rocket attack – now have a place indoors where they can all play together. In this playground, the play area is the bomb shelter.

The facility is large enough to hold 500 people at a time.

While this is not the vision we have of what Israel should be like, it is a solution, hopefully a temporary one, to the realities of everyday life in certain parts of Israel. It is a solution that gives parents a little peace of mind knowing their children are playing and learning in an environment that is safer and more secure than the outdoor playgrounds that most Israeli and Canadian children take for granted. Not trees, not parks, not innovative new fruits and vegetables – it is what JNF can do for those who could not enjoy more trees if we planted them.

If you would like to learn more about the ways in which you could make a difference, please contact JNF at 613798-2411.

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Mike Fegelman to speak on Middle East media coverage at CFHU Passover Lunch

By Shelli Kimmel Canadian Friends of Hebrew University Myrna Barwin, Ottawa chapter president of Canadian Friends of Hebrew University (CFHU), has announced the keynote speaker at CFHU’s annual Passover Lunch on Wednesday, April 11, will be Mike Fegelman, executive director of HonestReporting Canada.

A graduate of Carleton University’s journalism program, Fegelman specialized in broadcasting and international reporting and was a former editor, reporter and anchor of various news programs and publications. Fegelman has written widely on international affairs, media bias and journalistic ethics. His work has been published in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette, National Post, Journal de Montréal and Jerusalem Post.

HonestReporting Canada is an independent grassroots organization promoting fairness and accuracy in Canadian media coverage of Israel and the Middle East. With the assistance of

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more than 25,000 members from coast to coast, HonestReporting Canada’s main focus it to monitor Canada’s mainstream media outlets and report on significant lapses in ensuring accuracy, content, fairness and objectivity.

CFHU is partnering with Congregation Agudath Israel to present this year’s Passover Lunch. It will be held at Agudath Israel on Wednesday, April 11 from noon to 1:30 pm.

Patron tickets, which include a $100 tax receipt, are $136. Regular tickets are $40 and student tickets are $18.

Tickets are available on-line at cfhu.org or by calling Shelli Kimmel at 613829-3150. For catering purposes, tickets must be purchased in advance by April 2.

Mike Fegelman

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Page 10 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs to launch volunteer Jewish security team Toronto (JTA) – The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is forming a volunteer network to provide security at Canadian synagogues and Jewish community facilities.

The Community Security Network will be similar to neighbourhood watch programs, only on a national scale, CIJA said in its announcement.

“I’m not looking to train commandos,” program co-ordinator

Doron Horowitz told the National Post in a story published March 13. “It’s a neighbourhood watch.

We’re not looking for vigilantes.”

Horowitz, the director of national security infrastructure for CIJA and a decorated Israeli army officer, said the effort is intended to complement law enforcement.

This is the Jewish community taking an active role in [its own] security on a civilian level,” he said.

Toronto is the site of the pilot project. Once the program can field a team of 25 volunteers, it will be rolled out in Jewish communities across the country, including Ottawa.

Volunteers, who must be aged 25 to 50, will undergo a series of background checks and psychological screening “to weed out individuals who have a different agenda or idea of what it means to protect the Jewish community,”

Horowitz said.

Trainees will learn about counter-surveillance methods, as well how to conduct patrols and recognize signs of suspicious activity, Horowitz told the Canadian Jewish News.

He stressed the program will be “emphatically, categorically” different from groups like the Shomrim, unarmed civilians who patrol Jewish communal buildings and large events in Brooklyn, N.Y.,

Doron Horowitz

and Toronto.

Horowitz can be reached at dhorowitz@cija.ca.

JFS Tikvah Unit assists low-income Jewish families celebrate Passover

By Rabbi Michael Goldstein Jewish Family Services Passover is a wonderful time filled with family, friends, good food, wine and, of course, matzo. And. while all of these elements make for a beautiful holiday, paying for it all can be a strain on the wallet. For many low-income Jewish families, the strain is overwhelming.

To address this financial challenge, the Tikvah Unit at Jewish Family Services (JFS) is offering its annual Passover Program, distributing financial assistance and Loblaws gift cards to 110 Jewish families in Ottawa. These are families who struggle at the best of times to cover their basic expenses and would otherwise be unable to purchase kosher for Passover foods and celebrate the holiday with dignity.

The Passover Program, however, is only a small component of the services provided by JFS and the Tikvah Unit.

Throughout the year, Tikvah provides assistance to low-income Jewish families in a variety of ways, including direct financial assistance, Miriam’s Well (a monthly fresh fruit and vegetable distribution), advocacy, crisis management and counselling. In addition, Tikvah collaborates with Agudath Israel and Temple Israel to operate the Kosher Food Bank.

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from the services offered by Tikvah, contact Andrea Gardner, the Tikvah manager, at 613-722-2225, ext. 321.

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 11

Ottawa Jewish students write letters of condolence (Continued from page 2)

attack, thousands of Jews and non-Jews, including politicians, gathered in Paris for a silent demonstration organized by the French Union of Jewish Students.

“It could have been anyone’s child,” said Jacques Benichou, the FSJU executive director. “Even if the killer was targeting other minorities, there’s no escaping that he targeted Jewish children as well. We all feel deeply sad and very alarmed.”

Nicole Yardeni, one of the leaders of the Toulouse area branch of the CRIF (Conseil représentatif des institutions juives de France), France’s main Jewish umbrella organization, said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support after the shooting.

“What I’m focusing on is how we feel about the outpouring of support from our neighbours, the country and beyond the country that came so quickly,” she said.

“Even the Jewish community of Istanbul has called us.

And not just Jews, many

people all over the world have reached out. It has been such a great help. We never expected such an outpouring of support.”

Yardeni’s son attended Ozar Hatorah a few years ago and she, like many in the roughly 30,000-strong Jewish community in Toulouse, knew parents and teachers at the school.

She said that the Parisborn Rabbi Sandler was an enormously well-liked teacher who had just begun work at the school in July.

Not everyone knew that he was an alumnus of Ozar Hatorah and, after 10 years of study and training in Israel, had decided to return.

“He wanted to give back to this school that had given him so much,” Yardeni said.

She spoke to reporters through tears after viewing the surveillance tape of the shooting.

Witnesses described the gunman as “calm” and “determined” as he pulled up to the school, dismounted without taking off his helmet, and started shooting.

He first shot Sandler along

with his two young sons, Aryeh and Gavriel, as they waited for a minibus to take them to their nursery.

When the first of the killer’s two guns jammed, he reached for a second and continued shooting as he chased pupils into the schoolyard, witnesses said.

He cornered seven-year-old Miriam Monsonego, the daughter of the school’s principal, Rabbi Yaacov Monsonego, and shot her in the head. He also shot a 17-yearold boy, who was hospitalized in critical condition.

Police say the killer used the same weapon used in the shooting the week before of three French paratroopers of North African and Caribbean origin in the Toulouse area.

Gueant said surveillance tapes at the school showed the killer wore a video camera around his neck, but said they do not yet know if he was recording his own carnage.

Reaction around the world to the attack was swift. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack had a “strong, murderous anti-Semitic motive” and the Obama White House added it was “outrageous and unprovoked.”

The Jewish Federation of Ottawa released a statement “condemning the heinous attack that claimed the precious lives of a Jewish educator and three young children” and “in solidarity with Jews around the world as we try to

What’s happening at

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For more information, please contact the synagogue at 613-789-3501 or info@bethshalom.ca www.bethshalom.ca

Miriam Monsonego, the daughter of Collège et Lycée Ozar Hatorah principal Rabbi Yaacov Monsonego, was killed in the shooting attack at the school in Toulouse, France.

(Photo: Flash90/JTA)

come to grips with this heartbreaking tragedy.”

At the Ottawa Jewish Community School (OJCS), students wrote condolence cards and letters in Hebrew and French to the students and staff at Ozar Hatorah and invited Ottawa’s other Jewish day and supplementary schools, as well as the community at large, to join the OJCS students in sending messages to the Jewish school in Toulouse.

(This report includes files from the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin.)

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Page 12 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Canada Israel Hockey School visits Ottawa

Hockey is increasingly popular with girls as Jess from Canada (left) and Bisan from the Druze village of Majdal Shams can attest.

(Unless noted, all photos by Mitch Miller)

Canada Israel Hockey School founder Sidney Greenberg of Toronto drops the puck with CIHS player Peleg and Quinte Red Devils captain Cody before the teams faced off at the Bell Sensplex.

Coach Imry and the CIHS players on the ice at the Bell Sensplex.

The CIHS players training like NHL pros at Greco on Sparks Street. Off-ice training is important to all hockey players.

The CIHS players made the most of their ice time at the Ottawa Civic Centre. Among their coaches there was NHL alumnus Shawn Rivers (seventh from left, back row).

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 13

CIHS players and coaches visited the Ottawa Jewish Community School. The Grade 5 class was excited to meet the Jewish and Arab hockey players visiting from Israel.

Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Stephen Harper of Canada hold sweaters presented to them by visiting Israeli players from the Canada Israel Hockey School in the House of Commons foyer, March 2.

(Photo: Jason Ransom)

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Page 14 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

OJCS Grade 1 students receive a siddur Grade 1 students at the Ottawa Jewish Community School take part in their siddur party, March 16. Over the course of the year, the students learned key blessings and prayers. At the siddur party, each received his or her own siddur to use in class.

Grades 6 and 7 students of Ottawa Modern Jewish School put 16th century Jewish pirate Sinan on trial. Student Eliana Torontow is seen here as Sinan and Paul Rose as the trial judge.

OMJS puts Jewish pirate Sinan on trial

By Janet Kaiman Ottawa Modern Jewish School Sinan, the 16th century Jewish pirate, was put on trial by Grade 6 and 7 students of Ottawa Modern Jewish School (OMJS).

The trial was a demonstration of the creative learning methods at OMJS and the relevancy of teaching Jewish history and ethics.

Students played the roles of Sinan, the prosecutor and the de-

fence lawyer. They researched this period of history and were able to compare and contrast the period of the Spanish Inquisition to modern times.

Though Sinan was known for his humane treatment of prisoners, he and his group were at odds with King Charles V of Spain.

OMJS parents played the role of the Spanish jury finding Sinan guilty of treason.

HAPPY NCSY prepares Grade 12 students for campus life Neil Lazarus, an international lecturer on Israel advocacy, brought to Ottawa by the Embassy of Israel, was the keynote speaker at an NCSY program for Grade 12 students, March 6.

The program, which also featured presentations by Ross Diamond of Hillel Ottawa, Rabbi Chaim Boyarsky of Chabad Student Network, and Rabbi Shaya Greiniman of the Jerusalem Fellowships, was geared to helping graduating high school students prepare for Jewish life and Israel affairs on university campuses.

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April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 15

Passover feature

Storytelling lends even more magic to the Exodus saga

By Dasee Berkowitz (JTA) – My children have carved out a role for me as storyteller, especially at bedtime. After reading the requisite three books cuddled on my son’s bed, he makes a soft demand: “Now tell a story.”

In the late hour, my mind wanders to the outskirts of creativity. To produce a little late-night magic, superpower strength and some basic facts are mixed together in the telling. But, instead of drifting off to sleep, my son stays keenly engaged: interjecting, questioning, elaborating and correcting. When a story gets really good, he’ll insist on acting out parts. While I never really follow a straight narrative line – who can keep any logical sequencing so late at night? – eventually we wind up with a happy ending.

Storytelling is essential to being human; it’s the way we make sense of our lives and derive meaning. Telling and retelling the same story as a

Dasee Berkowitz practicing her reading and storytelling skills with son Morris.

(Photo courtesy of Dasee Berkowitz)

group can have the same effect. It gives us a sense of who we are and shapes how we act and interact with the world around us.

During the Passover season, we all become storytellers par excellence.

The Exodus from Egypt is one of the central Jewish storylines. At the most basic level, we are commanded to “tell your child” the story of the Exodus and “all that the Lord did for me when I left Egypt,” as it says in the Hag-

gadah.

But, if we were only to tell the literal story, we would open up the book of Exodus and begin reading.

We don’t. With our Haggadahs in hand, we weave together a powerful story, filled

with its own kind of magic, which includes rituals and texts that date from the Bible, the Mishnah and the Midrash.

With the stated goals that “in every generation one should see oneself as if one had [personally] gone out of Egypt,” we are invited to add our own voice to the story. In fact, the Haggadah states, “all who expound upon the Passover story shall be praised.”

Reading ourselves into the story of the Exodus of Egypt is essential to the Passover ritual. As Torah scholar Avivah Zornberg pointed out in an American Public Media radio interview, “It’s not telling the story so as to remember what happened. It happened so as to be the stimulus for a ... meaningful story.” In the end, she said, “you might find yourself telling a better story than what is actually written in the text. So long as there is some connection.”

And while storytelling on seder night might be known as one of the longest storytelling hours around – “When are we going to eat, already?” – how will the story about the Exodus from Egypt become relevant to you as you retell it this Passover? What will be your way?

Are you a parent or grandparent wondering how you can make the ancient tradition come to life for your children and grandchildren?

Seder night is the quintessential teaching tool. We encourage children to ask questions and seek answers. Toward the very beginning of the maggid (the telling) are the Four Questions. When the youngest at the table reads the questions, create an opening and see what kinds of questions the children might have about Passover.

For the young ones, it might be about what they see on the seder table (add some things (Continued on page 17)

Page 16 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

SAY IT WITH TREES 613-798-2411

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Margie & Harvey Black on your 50th wedding anniversary by Susan & Charles Schwartzman Julia Shusterman Bokhaut on your graduation as a Registered Nurse Practitioner by Maureen & Jeff Katz Anna-Lee Tradburks-Chiprout with birthday wishes by Maureen & Jeff Katz Brenda & Jack Cola on the marriage of your daughter Kim to Rob Decklebaum by Brenda & Marvin Segal Haron Ezer on your 70th birthday by Brian & Rochelle Pearl Abe Feinstein on receiving the County of Carleton Law Society Solicitor Award by Ken Kavanat Janna & David Friedman on the arrival of Talia Shoshana by Maureen & Jeff Katz Sue & Bernie Gold on the arrival of your grandson by Linda Rossman Hal & Susan Grossner on the birth of your granddaughter Hazel by Carol & Laurie Pascoe Dr. & Mrs. Robert Harrison on your 50th wedding anniversary

by Gail & Stephen Victor Michelle & Harold Heilbut on your 40th wedding anniversary

by Brenda & Marvin Segal Dr. Gilaad Kaplan on being named one of Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2011 by Jackie & Lucian Sitwell Arthur & Sylvia Klein on your 50th wedding anniversary by Shirley Steinberg; by Brian & Rochelle Pearl Maurice Krystal on your special birthday by Ed & Janice Fine Adam Levi & Family on the occasion of your Bar Mitzvah by Cousins Myra & Sam Krane Bradley Lipszyc on the occasion of your Bar Mitzvah by Esther & Irving Kulik Joshua Lipszyc on the occasion of your Bar Mitzvah by Esther & Irving Kulik Sandra Marchello on your special birthday by Sheela & Si Morin Alvin & Natalie Miller on your anniversary by Miriam & Jeff Rappoport Sye Mincoff with birthday wishes by Maureen & Jeff Katz Bram Monson on your Bar Mitzvah by Maureen & Jeff Katz Veronica Nourasshan on your Bat Mitzvah by Janet & Jonathan Isserlin Rabbi Jeremy Parnes on obtaining your smicha by Floralove Katz Mr. & Mrs. Victor Peters on the birth of your grandson by Elaine & Marten Brodsky Martin Peters on the birth of your great-grandson by Elaine & Marten Brodsky Franceen & Larry Retik on the birth of your granddaughter Olivia Grace by Susan & Charles Schwartzman Rabbi & Mrs. David Rotenberg on the arrival of Simcha by Dr. Frank Brickle Yael Leah Sabo on your 10th birthday by your Zaydie David Shoihet Rosalie Schwartz on your special birthday by Judy & Mike Aranoff; by Susan & Charles Schwartzman Sonia and Sheldon Shaffer on your 65th wedding anniversary

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April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 17

Seder requires that we be engaged storytellers (Continued from page 15)

to pique their interest, like candies or plastic frogs). For older children, the questions might have to do with the central themes of the seder, like what freedom from slavery really means for us today.

Are you a spiritual seeker?

Focus on your preparation for Passover this year. The ritual of bedikat chametz (searching for leavened bread) offers a perfect opportunity. Chametz symbolizes excess and all that puffs us up. By contrast, matzo is a simple food without any of the extra leavening to complicate matters. Passover is a time to return to simplicity. As we dust away the crumbs in our search, consider the things that puff you up or get in your way of connecting to your true essence. Then take those last pieces of crumbs and burn them the next morning. This cleansing of your home might take on a purifying aspect for you personally.

Are you unhappy with the status quo?

Just think about how many questions there are throughout the Haggadah. The Four Questions at the start of the seder, then another set of questions the four children ask. The questions aren’t placed there just to engage children. Asking questions is a profound act; it signifies that we are unsettled and eager to move things forward. Asking questions is liberating.

And before any question is asked, at the very start of the maggid, we say, “This is the bread of affliction ... Whoever is hungry, let him come and eat ... This year we are here; next year may we be in the land of Israel. This year we are slaves; next year may we be free people.�

The positioning of the statement about the bread of affliction right before the Four Questions makes a profound statement. Perhaps we need first to envision the ideal situation

and then ask questions as a way of shaking up the status quo and potentially achieving profound social change.

What questions do you have for yourself this Passover that can make steps toward that change happen?

Are you, or are your guests, marginally connected to Jewish life?

When we come to the section of the four children, we read that in response to the simple child, who doesn’t know how to ask a question, as patakh lo, ordinarily translated as “you prompt him,� but which literally means “you open him up.� How might you engage those at your seder table who don’t see themselves as a part of the Jewish story? Consider asking them about their personal history and the Passover memories they have from their parents and grandparents. Have them share those memories at the table.

During “Dayenu,� after reading the tradi-

tional section, invite your guests to add their own words of dayenu. Move from the global to the local and the personal. Some examples might include global concerns, such as “When we care for our environment the way we care for our own backyards, dayenu�; local ones, such as “When we care for the homeless in our community the way we care for our own families, dayenu�; and personal ones, like “When we cherish our Jewish inheritance, the way we cherish fine jewels, dayenu.� Encourage people to make up their own versions.

The seder experience requires us to be engaged storytellers, not passive participants.

While the storyline might meander a bit from the script we have before us, as with my latenight musings with my children, strive to see your own self inside the Passover story.

What is the story you need Passover to tell you this year?

Ex-Mossad head Dagan: Israel should wait on attack on Iran JERUSALEM (JTA) – Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan said Israel should hold off on attacking Iran and that he would “prefer� the United States execute any attack.

Dagan also said in an interview on the CBS news program 60 Minutes that he feared an Israeli strike on Iran would lead to a regional war that would see at least 50,000 missiles fired on Israel from Hezbollah in the north and Hamas in the south. “It will be a devastating impact on our ability to con-

tinue with our daily life. I think that Israel will be in a very serious situation for quite a time,� Dagan told Lesley Stahl. “And wars, you know how they start.

You never know how you are ending it.�

Dagan began the interview by saying, “An attack on Iran before you are exploring all other approaches is not the right way how to do it.�

He went on to say, “No doubt that the Iranian regime is maybe not exactly rational based on what I call Western thinking, but no doubt they

are considering all the implications of their actions. They will have to pay dearly and all the consequences for it.�

One sign of the Iranians’ forward thinking, Dagan said, is how they stall through diplomacy.

Dagan pointed out that a nuclear Iran is an international problem, not solely an Israeli one. Thus he believes the United States could be the ones to attack Iran’s nuclear program. “If I prefer that somebody will do it, I always prefer that Americans will do it,� he said.

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Guest column

Pro-Israel students stand up to IAW challenges

By Yaelle Gang Israel Awareness Committee Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus marked a successful week, March 5 to 9, managing a professional campaign supporting the proud Canada-Israel relationship and shutting down the latest student association boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) motion, which came at the end of the latest effort to delegitimize the Jewish state via Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW).

Anti-Israel student activists at both Carleton University and the University of Ottawa gathered during IAW to express their hatred of Israel. Yes, Assad’s regime in Syria is firing missiles on Homs and killing civilians with impunity; the new Libyan regime is mass torturing Gaddafi supporters; the Egyptian regime is mass arresting NGO leaders; and Iran is carrying out public executions while continuing to call for the annihilation of the Israeli people.

But Israel exists. Our students recognized that, given all of what’s going on in the Middle East, anti-Israel activists would still put all of their efforts into assaulting the Jewish state; and this is what happened.

Our diverse group of proIsrael student advocates engaged their peers on the front lines every day during IAW. They worked with a professional platform, countering anti-Israel defamation and proudly standing up for Canada’s partnership with Israel, the real country that is the bastion of Jewish sovereignty and democracy, imperfections included. Our students were proud, professional and honest and brought our message and hopes to their peers. During the busiest times, there were 15-plus students gathered around our display having productive conversations.

Our biggest challenge was faced in the arena of student

politics when Carleton University’s Students Against Israeli Apartheid sought to mark the end of IAW by pushing their latest BDS motion. A caucus of student councillors successfully defeated this effort, rallying support to ensure that Carleton University continues to be a seat of responsible student governance.

Our student leaders and advocates truly deserve a thank you for their tireless effort and responsible outreach on the frontlines of our university campuses, volunteering their time and knowledge and standing up for Canadian values, Jewish values and the proud Canada-Israel partnership.

Madonna to perform ‘Concert for Peace’ in Israel (JTA) – InThe second ternational pop date has been star Madonna, announced as a who will launch Concert for her upcoming Peace, to which the star plans world tour in Isto invite orgarael, has added a nizations in Issecond concert rael who are date in Tel Aviv working for for a “Concert Madonna peace. for Peace.”

Madonna will perform at “Music is so universal Ramat Gan Stadium near Tel and if there’s any chance Aviv on May 29 and May 31. that through my performance I can bring further attention and enlightenment to honour the peace efforts in the Middle East and help people come together, it would be an honour for me,” Madonna said in a statement issued March 21.

“It is my way of thanking those who are making so much effort toward bringing peace to the Middle East.”

The names of the organizations have not yet been announced.

Madonna, 54, twice has performed sold-out shows in Israel, including the last performance of her Sticky and Sweet tour in 2009. She also has visited Israel with her children as part of her devotion to the study of Kabbalah.

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 19

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Passover feature

Tradition and modern literary sensibilities collide in New American Haggadah

By Eric Herschthal (N.Y. Jewish Week) – The novelist Jonathan Safran Foer grew up with a fairly typical North American Passover. His father would use the Maxwell House Haggadah, supplemented with his own pamphlet of writings, and lead the annual Foer seder. But, nine years ago, sitting at his family seder in Washington, D.C., Foer thought that literary-wise, the Haggadah could use a little work.

“It’s an idea that’s occurred to lots of people throughout history, and probably many other people who haven’t actually acted on it,” Foer said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever met a person who also doesn’t feel that this,” meaning their Haggadah, whichever one they use, “could be better.”

So Foer set out to rewrite one. He emailed dozens of prominent Jewish writers asking them for brief commentaries on some of the Passover themes. He thought he’d compile them all and create a supplement not unlike the one his father made, except with literary superstars.

But then he changed his mind.

“It became clear that I was making a book I really didn’t want to make,” he said. What he really wanted to create was a whole new Haggadah, not merely a supplement. So he began to revise. He pruned down the commentators to just four: journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, novelist and philosopher Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, children’s book author Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), and Jewish studies professor Nathaniel Deutsch.

They’d each write 10 short commentaries – some political, some philosophical, some whimsical – that responded to a line from the traditional Haggadah. His friend, Nathan Englander, an equally renowned Jewish novelist who grew up Orthodox, would translate the traditional Hebrew text itself.

Nine years later, the Foer-edited New American Haggadah has just been released.

“There was a lot of wasted time,” Foer said, explaining why it took so long. Yet, he added later, “There’s no reason to rush.”

Some of the delay can be explained by the change in format. Englander had first been asked to write a commentary but, some time later, Foer asked him if he’d do an entire new translation.

At first, Englander said, he was resistant about doing the translation.

“But [Jonathan] knows me well and he knows my brain well,” Englander explained. “Then he said, ‘This would be really special, something we could be proud of for a very long time.’

“I bet a great majority of people using this will probably be reading the English translation. I understood the weight of that obligation.”

To prepare, Englander spent three years studying one on one with a learned Orthodox man in Brooklyn.

He didn’t want to just read a Haggadah in Hebrew and find approximate words in English. He wanted his translation to be driven by a deeper understanding of the text itself.

“I wasn’t even looking at other Haggadot anymore,” Englander said.

“I was looking at the Torah,” the urtext (Continued on page 25)

The "New American Haggadah" is edited by Jonathan Safran Foer using a translation by fellow novelist Nathan Englander.

(Courtesy Hachette Book Group)

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 21

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Page 22 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

OJCS students show Wall Street how it’s done

By Sara-Lynne Levine Ottawa Jewish Community School The Ottawa Jewish Community School (OJCS) gym was transformed into a trading floor, March 2, as students in Grades 6 to 8 learned about the stock market through participation in the school’s Stock Market Challenge.

For three days, students were immersed into the world of the stock market.

They learned about shares, sector analysis, cash flow ledgers and how to analyze business news articles.

Students created a stock brokerage firm, conducted transactions and took part in an audit.

On the final day, students assumed various roles, wearing costumes, creating props and collateral and reacting to real-time scenarios including the all-important bell.

Throughout the day, they received

news and information and reacted accordingly to the market. Stock prices changed at various times during the day and during various rounds as students determined the amount of each investment required to grow their portfolios.

While taking part in this hands-on activity, students practised working collaboratively, practised critical thinking and analytical skills, interpreted and discussed data, took ownership of decisions and learned about consequences.

Students embraced the activity.

For parents, it was a new way to see their children learning and they expressed positive opinions about the exercise, and the school.

The Stock Market Challenge was an example of differentiated instruction at OJCS in which students learn at different levels and instructors are able to use different teaching methods.

The winning students in the OJCS Stock Market Challenge, March 2.

Costumed Ottawa Jewish Community School students participate in the school’s Stock Market Challenge, March 2.

Jim Watson Mayor City of Ottawa

Chag Sameach!

Canadian Hadassah-WIZO (CHW) wishes all our members, volunteers and friends a wonderful Passover holiday!

You are the vital link that ensures we continue to provide lasting support to those in need through CHW’s projects for Children, Healthcare and Women in Israel and Canada.

Marla Dan, CHW National President CHW Board of Directors Alina Ianson, CHW National Executive Director Esther Kulik, CHW Ottawa President

Jim.Watson@ottawa.ca • 613-580-2496 • jimwatsonottawa.ca 110 Laurier Ave West, Ottawa, On, K1P 1J1

© Noam Armonn

Wishing you and your family all the best during this Passover Season

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April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 23

Yair Dalal at SJCC

Visiting HaNadiv Elementary School in Metulla

Noted Israeli musician Yair Dalal performs, March 18, at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre.

Abby Hamer and Evan Moore, Grade 4 students at the Ottawa Jewish Community School (OJCS), had an opportunity to visit HaNadiv Elementary School, the OJCS’s sister school in Metulla, Israel, March 14. Seen here with HaNadiv’s Extended English students, Abby and Evan deliver letters, written in Hebrew by their classmates in Ottawa, to the Israeli students.

(Photo: Nicola Hamer)

(Photos: Howard Sandler)

Page 24 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Generations of Jewish kids have sung Shirley Steinberg’s Pesach frog song

By Shirley Berman When the musically talented Shirley Steinberg moved to Ottawa in 1970 and visited Jewish schools, the children were awestruck that the person standing before them was the very same performer they were enjoying on the recording they were listening to.

The song was “One Morning,” also known as “The Frog Song,” which had swept the Jewish world almost two decades earlier, remaining a Passover standard ever since.

The Passover Music Box, released by Kinor Records in 1951, featured Shirley R. Cohen – as she was then known – singing both her original songs as well as traditional songs in Hebrew melodies.

Generations of children over the past six decades have sung Shirley’s words.

“One morning when Pharaoh awoke in bed There were frogs in the bed and frogs on his head

Frogs on his nose and frogs on his toes Frogs here, frogs there Frogs just jumping everywhere.”

In another of Shirley’s songs from the Passover Music Box, Moses demands that Pharaoh free the Jewish slaves to which Pharaoh responds, “No! No! No! I will not let them go!”

These songs have been embedded in children’s memories and have often been rediscovered as they’ve appeared in Haggadahs and been recorded on CDs. Now there are videos of children singing Shirley’s frog song on YouTube.

Shirley wrote her songs and recorded three albums because, as a teacher supervising Jewish preschools in New York City, she found little material available for participation by children. So she created some.

Shirley’s three albums of Jewish holiday songs for children are all now available for

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Reporting to the Board of Directors of the Centre, the Chief Executive Officer provides leadership to accomplish the vision, strategy, and priorities established by the Board and in accordance with relevant legislation; manages the day-to-day operations of the Centre ensuring a high quality of care to those being served; develops positive relationships with all stakeholders; and encourages innovation and system improvements that address current and future needs of the residents, their families, and the community.

Above all, we are looking for a dynamic leader who will harness the skills and energy of our exceptional staff and volunteers to deliver optimal care to our residents; compassionate support to their families; and superior ambassadorship of the Centre throughout the community.

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Shirley Steinberg’s Jewish holiday songs have been enjoyed by generations of children over more than six decades.

(Photo: Benita Siemiatycki)

listening online at the Judaica Sound Archives of Florida Atlantic University.

The Passover Music Box can be accessed at tinyurl.com/Passover-Music-Box while the Chanukah Music Box is at tinyurl.com/Chanukah-Music-Box and Purim Music Box is at tinyurl.com/PurimMusic-Box. Today, Shirley is still creating. Her goal

of preserving Yiddish led to her writing and producing humorous plays every spring for Die Folkshpieler, the amateur Yiddish theatre troupe at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre (JCC), which she founded.

In celebration of Die Folkshpieler’s 10th anniversary, a retrospective of past shows will be performed on Sunday, June 17, 2:00 pm, at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre.

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April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 25

Commentaries in new Haggadah invite discussion (Continued from page 20)

upon which the Passover story is based. “What’s the meaning? What’s the context? What’s the intent?”

He and his learning partner, Baruch Thaler, would sometimes spend a whole session arguing over a single line of translation, Englander said. And while Englander wanted his translation to be as inclusive as possible – avoiding gender disputes when possible, for example – he ultimately relied on a decidedly traditional Hebrew Haggadah for his main text.

“This idea that I was going to spend years on this one text, then my sister,” who is still Orthodox, and with whom he is close, “isn’t going to be able to use it” drove that decision, Englander said.

But the commentaries are markedly untraditional.

Goldberg, for instance, draws several parallels to more modern-day politics.

A commentary on the Four Sons segment of the Haggadah leads to a broader discussion about whether Jews should contribute to causes that benefit them-

, /

selves or humankind more broadly.

“Is it not a form of chauvinism to declare that the fate of Ethiopian Jews is an overriding concern of the American Jewish community, but what happens to non-Jewish Ethiopians is only a marginal concern?”

Goldberg writes.

In another commentary, he asks whether something in “the Jewish cultural DNA” has made Jews agitators for change throughout history. Jews are often found on the front lines of debates over the environment, taxes, immigration and civil rights, Goldberg writes.

“The question arises,” he concludes, “Do Jews who agitate so ardently for change do so as Jews, or because they are Jews?”

Foer said he gave the four commentators few directions, neither telling them to avoid controversy nor to deliberately court it.

“We didn’t go out of out of our way to challenge anybody, but nor did we go out of our way to avoid challenging people,” Foer said. “It’s provocative not in the sense that it makes people defensive but in that

Jonathan Safran Foer (Courtesy Hachette Book Group)

it invites a discussion.”

Deutsch, a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and co-director of the university’s Center for Jewish Studies, confirmed Foer’s laissezfaire approach. Foer never said “you have to toe this line or that line,” according to Deutsch, who added, “I don’t think you can look at this Haggadah and say it has an ideological bent.”

Still, some ideologically contentious issues seem unavoidable. One commentary responds to a line from the Haggadah, taken from Exodus, which in Englander’s translation reads,

Temple Israel

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Service Dedication of High Holy Day Torah Mantles with artist Temma Gentles

Saturday, March 31, 2012, 8:00 pm “No Tenors Allowed” concert with Dina Namer, Bruce Kelly, Matthew Zadow

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“And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

Deutsch interprets the line as meaning that Jews are a chosen people. He acknowledges in his commentary that “some of us do not accept it at all” – that is, the idea of chosenness, which more liberal Jewish movements have been de-emphasizing for decades.

But Deutsch rejects that idea. “Being chosen is something that has happened to us already, something that we must remember, and in doing so, make present in every generation.”

Deutsch said in an inter-

view that he finds the idea of chosenness central to Judaism, even if many Jews today downplay it.

“I’m opposed to getting rid of it,” he said, but adding a crucial caveat stressed in his commentary: “Now, what chosenness

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means is something we can debate.”

Foer noted that his Haggadah is not pitched to any one audience in particular.

But interest already seems highest among a more liberal, secular-minded set.

Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, a Reform rabbi and author of the movement’s official Haggadah, The Open Door , was thrilled.

“I don’t feel competition,” Rabbi Elwell said.

“I’m a rabbi and I want more people sitting around the table.” She felt bigname writers like Foer and Englander would only bring in more seats. “Part of the joy is having more people to talk with, to argue with. … It’s not competition at all.”

As for Foer’s family seder this year, and whether his father would replace the Maxwell House Haggadah or supplement it with his son’s new version? Foer answered succinctly: “He better.”

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Page 26 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

In support of the Bess and Moe Greenberg Family Hillel Lodge In the Joseph and Inez Zelikovitz Long Term Care Centre Card Donations Card donations go a long way to improving the quality of life for our residents. Thank you for considering their needs and contributing to their well-being.

On behalf of the residents and their families, we extend sincere appreciation to the following individuals and families who made card donations to the Hillel Lodge Long-Term Care Foundation between March 1 and 14, 2012 inclusive.

HONOUR FUNDS Unlike a bequest or gift of life insurance, which are realized some time in the future, a named Honour Fund (i.e., endowment fund) is established during your lifetime.

By making a contribution of $1,000 or more, you can create a permanent remembrance for a loved one, honour a family member, declare what the Lodge has meant to you and/or support a cause that you believe in.

A Hillel Lodge Honour Fund is a permanent pool of capital that earns interest or income each year. This income then supports the priorities designated by you, the donor.

Bill and Leona Adler Memorial Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Marilyn Adler, Neil and Daniel Blacher Avrum Rapoport by Marilyn Adler and Daniel Blacher Jack and Betty Ballon Family Fund In Honour of: Fred Ballon Mazal tov on your special birthday with love by Louise and Lorne Rachlis Tania Firestone Family Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Ida Firestone; and by Susie Caplan Firestone and Phil Firestone Jack Baylin by Susie Caplan-Firestone and Phil Firestone Friedberg and Dale Families Fund R’fuah Shlema: Ruth Tal by Elaine Friedberg and Bob Dale In Honour of: Ruth and Dale Fyman and family Mazal tov on the arrival of your granddaughter by Elaine Friedberg and Bob Dale

Joel and Sharon Edelson Family Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Joel and Sharon Edelson Malcolm and Vera Glube Endowment Fund In Memory of: Joe Lieff by Malcolm and Vera Glube Irving Taylor by Malcolm and Vera Glube Nell Gluck Memorial Fund In Memory of: Steffi Halton by Maureen Molot Irving Taylor by Henry and Maureen Molot Gina and Howard Grant Family Fund In Memory of: Avie Rapoport by Howard and Gina, Oliver and Amanda and Leo Grant Evelyn and Irving Greenberg Fund In Honour of: Peter Greenberg Mazal tov on receiving the Government of Canada award by Barbara and Sy Gutmajer Moe Greenberg and Elissa Greenberg Iny Fund: In Memory of: Eliezer (Leo) Lipnowski by Elissa and Avraham Iny Bill Outerbridge by Elissa and Avraham Iny David, Harvey, Victor Kardish Family Fund In Memory of: Avie Rapoport by Sheryl and Harvey Kardish and family Irving Taylor by Sheryl and Harvey Kardish and family Dorothy and Maurie Karp Endowment Fund In Observance of the Yahrzeit of: Maurie Karp Adar 15, beloved husband by Dorothy Karp Maurie Karp beloved father by Jeff and Janetand family; by Darrell Karp and family; by Deb and Debbie Karp; and by Joanna Karp Maurie Karp brother-in-law by Carol and Harvey Goodman and family; and by Barry Saslove and family

Joan and Russell Kronick Family Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Joan and Russell Kronick Avrum Rapoport by Joan and Russell Kronick Stephen and Debra Schneiderman Family Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Stephen and Debra Schneiderman Avrum Rapoport by Stephen and Debra Schneiderman Label and Leona Silver Family Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Label and Leona Silver Ralph and Anne Sternberg Memorial Fund In Memory of: Jack Weinman by Laya and Ted Jacobsen In Observance of the Yahrzeit of: Eileen Gardner by Ted and Laya Jacobsen Sarah and Arnie Swedler Family Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Arnie Swedler and Rhoda Zaitlin Milton and Mary (Terry) Viner Family In Observance of the Yahrzeit of: Sylvia Altschuler by Millie Schaenfield and family In Memory of: Jack Baylin Millie Schaenfield and family Eric Weiner and Arlene Godfrey Family Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Eric Weiner and Arlene Godfrey *************** Recreation/Music Fund In Memory of: Irving Taylor by Dee and Yale Gaffen Feeding Fund In Memory of: Shirley Winer by Carol Shipley; by Michael and Sylvia Caplan; and by Eleanor Lorenzi Irving Taylor by Mara and Isaac Muzikansky and family Therapeutics Fund In Memory of: Avrum Rapoport by Ira and Joanna Abrams

Mark Tolchinsky Happy birthday by Bill and Laurie Chochinov Leslie Siegman Mazal tov on your recent professional achievement by Golda and Ned Steinman Leon and Doris Bronstein Thank you by Jane James Dr. Gary Greenberg and Staff In appreciation by Gert Leyton Dr. K. Kichian In appreciation by Gert Leyton Rosalie Schwartz by Gail Krochmalnek IN MEMORY OF: Lena Gaum by the Residents, Board and Staff of Hillel Lodge Anita Dubinsky by Toby and Tedd Nathanson; by Ingrid Levitz; by the Bencze family; by Judy and Seymour Berger; and by Andrea Krockmalnek Dr. Avrum Rapoport by Ingrid Levitz; by Mathew Main; by Dr. Andrea McKay; by Dr. Gillian Espi and Staff at Lincoln Fields Dental Centre; by Candice and Stan Wilder and family;

by Joy and Eric Weisbloom; by the Ottawa B’nai Brith Bowling League; by Bella and Irving Green; by The Dubinsky Family; by the Bencze family; by Diane and Jack Dean; by Dr. Allison McKay; by Anna Bilsky and Peter Humber; by Tommy Bergman and family; by Steve and Roz Fremeth; by Judy and Allen Kader; Ryan Kader and Laurie and Joe Frenza; by Talia Cherun and family; by Leonard, Chris and Darlene and Staff of Besner, Galley and Kreisman; by Mona and Ron Goldsmith and family; by Arlene and Norman Glube; and by Bill Freedin Irving Taylor by the Residents, Board and Staff of Hillel Lodge; by Karen and Murray Osterer and family; by Beverley and Allan Silverman; by Golda and Ned Steinman; by Arlene and Norman Glube; and by Barbara, Jeffrey, Melanie, Minh, Kayla, Allison and Brandon Farber Doris Edelstein by Michael and Amy Levine Norman Tolchinsky by Bill and Laurie Chochinov Jack Tully by Bill and Laurie Chochinov Gertrude Chochinov by Bill and Laurie Chochinov Shirley Winer by A.C. and Mark Dolgin Lou Eisenberg by Gary Kugler

R’FUAH SHLEMA: Inez Zelikovitz by the Residents, Board and Staff of Hillel Lodge IN OBSERVANCE OF THE YAHRZEIT OF: Gordon Viner by Shirley Viner; and by Suzan Viner-Warkentin Archie Fredlender by Shirley Viner

IN HONOUR OF: Maurice Ryant Happy birthday by Jean Naemark Carol Tolchinsky Happy birthday by Bill and Laurie Chochinov

THE LODGE EXPRESSES ITS SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT AND APOLOGIZES FOR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, THE WORDING APPEARING IN THE BULLETIN IS NOT NECESSARILY THE WORDING WHICH APPEARED ON THE CARD. GIVING IS RECEIVING – ATTRACTIVE CARDS AVAILABLE FOR ALL OCCASIONS Here’s a good opportunity to recognize an event or convey the appropriate sentiment to someone important to you and at the same time support the Lodge. Card orders may be given to Bev at 728-3900, extension 111, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday. You may also e-mail your orders to donations@hillel-ltc.com or online donations can be made through CanadaHelps.org. All orders must include name, address, postal code, and any message to person receiving the card; and, amount of donation, name, address and postal code of the person making the donation. Cards may be paid for by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Cheque or Cash. Contributions are tax deductible.

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 27

CIJA, Quebec Liberals rip Parti Quebecois’ questioning of ritual slaughter practices (JTA) – The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) accused a Parti Québécois member of Quebec’s National Assembly of raising “a false issue” when he questioned ritual slaughter practices in the province.

On March 14, André Simard expressed his party’s concern that halal meat, which is derived from slaughtering animals according to Islamic rites, is being sold by mainstream meat companies without proper labelling to unsuspecting consumers.

He said ritual slaughter, implying both Muslim practice and Jewish laws of kashrut, is at odds with Quebec “values” and could be dangerous for human health.

At the time, the CIJA said it would wait for a statement clarifying the Parti Québécois position that kosher slaughter does not run counter to Quebec values.

But the party issued no follow-up statement.

In a statement issued March 16, CIJA took Simard to task, saying he had “raised a false issue of transparency [in the] slaughter and marketing of kosher meat.”

The group said kosher meat has been “clearly identified and marketed as such for nearly a century in Que-

bec. To argue that it threatens to establish itself as the norm is strictly unfounded,” said CIJA Quebec Vice-President Luciano Del Negro.

“Our community is outraged that Mr. Simard has insinuated that traditional Jewish food practices can be at odds with Quebec values,” the CIJA statement said.

It also is “unacceptable” to suggest that kosher meat can represent a public health risk, the statement also said, noting that Jewish ritual slaughter meets the same health standards as other methods of killing.

A newer political party, the Coalition for Quebec’s Future, agreed that halal products must be clearly labelled as such in Quebec.

In a letter to CIJA, the Coalition for Quebec’s Future clarified its position, saying that “it is indeed known that the identification of kosher products is an established standard for many years, that the slaughter of animals according to this ritual is done according to Canadian standards, and that this practice is closely supervised. To claim that these practices lack transparency is therefore false.”

Lawrence Bergman, a Jewish member of the National Assembly from the

Quebec Liberal MNA Lawrence Bergman said the Parti Québécois attack on ritual slaughter is “ethnic bashing.”

governing Liberal Party, said that, while the public has a right to transparency, the Parti Québécois’ comments are disturbing.

“If you read between the lines, there is really ethnic bashing, which, in my opinion, is odious, unacceptable and reeks of intolerance,” Bergman said.

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Page 28 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Passover Kid Lit

Cleaning robots, Jerusalem tunnel adventures and an Old World feud

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By Penny Schwartz (JTA) – A vacuum-like robot that cleans the house and a spunky Israeli girl on an underground adventure in Jerusalem are among the characters featured in new children’s books for Passover. This year’s crop offers more than the typical retellings of the Exodus story.

Two books have Passover as a backdrop for entertaining and imaginative storytelling that can spark conversation about the holiday’s many rituals and traditions. One retells an Afghani folk tale that gives families a chance to discover Jewish life in an unfamiliar part of the world. A lift-theflap format book is aimed at the younger crowd.

In this delightful rhyming tale, Izzy invents a cleaning machine to help his mother in the ritual house cleaning before the start of Passover. Mom takes a rest and leaves Izzy in charge.

Think Dr. Seuss meets robot vacuum cleaner: “Izzy pressed the red button, McClean lurched and whirred. He cranked the green handle, it belched and it purred. The hungry machine chomped ten books for its lunch. Gobbled the rug, and continued to munch.”

Trouble of the Cat in the Hat variety follows, of course, but all is neatly tidied up before the start of the seder. Hartman’s cartoon-like illustrations are playful and lively – a perfect fit for the zany fun of this entertaining book.

Izzy the Whiz and Passover McClean

By Yael Mermelstein Illustrated by Carrie Hartman Kar-Ben Ages 3-8

Award-winning author Anna Levine and artist Ksenia Topazas, paired for the second time, bring ancient Jewish history alive in an adventure tale story featuring Jodie, a spunky Israeli girl who dreams of being an archeologist like her father. Jodie invites her visiting American cousin Zach, along with her older brothers, for an underground exploration of Hezekiah’s Tunnel, the famous secret water passage in Jerusalem’s Old City.

There are secrets to discover about how the tunnel was dug in ancient times, along with spooky shadows and a treasure.

After the adventure, the family enjoys a Passover picnic in an outdoor park.

and a Healthy Kosher Passover to all our

Donors, Supporters and Friends OTTAWA CHAPTER Seymour Eisenberg, President Phone: 613-224-2500 Email: seyeis@rogers.com

Sam Litwack, Honorary National Director Phone: 613-738-7778 / Fax: 613-738-1752 Email: samdora@sympatico.ca

Promoting quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities in a Jewish environmnent Tamir acknowledges with sincere thanks the following donations, which were received as of March 8, 2012.

Mazeltov to: Mr. Ken Mintz on his birthday by Larry Weisz Sandra and Maurice Kovler on their grandson Steven’s upcoming Bar Mitzvah

by Paul and Sharon Finn and family Joyce and Ted Burnett on their son’s wedding by Paul and Sharon Finn Refuah Shlemah to: Dr. David Binder by Lesley and Jack Cramer Mr. Arnold Tennenhouse by Selma and Les, Evan and Carol, Joel and Nancy and Grandchildren In Memory of: Ida Lesh by Sylvia Monson Geety Freedman by Judith and Vince Piazza Sylvia Golden by Sharon, Sol, Noah and Kayla Reichstein Joe Lieff by Evelyn and Norman Potechin; by Eric Potechin; by Ruth Elias, Shlomo Litwin and family; by Howard Yegendorf; by Sharon and Paul Finn and family; by Mark Palmer and family; and by Jonathan Fisher

Betty Nudelman by Mr. and Mrs. Michael Caplan Steffi Halton by Sharon and Paul Finn and family Jack Baylin by Sharon and Paul Finn and family; by Ellie and Max Greenberg;

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by Shirley Kriger; by Irene Waxman and family; by Participants, Staff and Board of

Directors of Tamir; by Miriam and Hermy Lior; by Norma and Philip Lazear; by Murray Citron; by Lesley and Jack Cramer and family; by The Pearson family; by Edie Landau; by Ellen and Marty Cardash; by Ellie and Max Greenberg; by Sandra and Sam Zunder; by Patricia and Martin Marcus; by Gladys and John Greenberg; by Cynthia and Herbert Cowan; by Leah and Bob Gencher; by Karen Kurzner and family; by Anita and Mike Roodman;

by Sylvia and Joel Cohen; by Sam and Roberta Goldmaker; by Gloria Wiseberg; by Glenna Gosewich; by Dr. Kathrine Stolee;

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by Tamir Participants

Donation cards can be purchased for a minimum charge of $18.00 by contacting the Tamir office at 613-725-3519, 11 Nadolny Sachs Private, Suite 218, Ottawa, Ontario, K2A 1R9, or by e-mail to aalmstedt@tamir.ca.

Jodie’s Passover Adventure

By Anna Levine Illustrated by Ksenia Topaz Kar-Ben Ages 5-9

The Elijah Door, A Passover Tale

By Linda Leopold Strauss Illustrated by Alexi Natchev Holiday House Ages 4-8 This folkloric story set in an Old World town explores the Lippa and Galinsky families, who shared their lives and cele(Continued on page 31)

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April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 29

Page 30 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 31

Children’s books for Passover (Continued from page 28)

brated holidays together before the parents have a foolish argument over geese and hens. The families stop talking and even board the door between their two houses, using side doors to avoid seeing each other.

But Rachel Galinsky and David Lippa are in love and plot a scheme, along with the village rabbi, to end the feud and bring the village together for the Passover seder. When it’s time to open the door to welcome Elijah, the hope of the prophet’s presence helps heal the bitter and angry hearts of the parents.

Alexi Natchev’s beautifully coloured block prints not only evoke an Old World feel, but also are playful and filled with expressive detail and movement.

The Wooden Sword

By Ann Redisch Stampler Illustrated by Carol Liddiment Albert Whitman Ages 5-8 While The Wooden Sword does not have explicit references to Passover, the picture book of an Afghani folk tale includes a character who disguises himself in a visit to a family – a theme reminiscent of Elijah the Prophet stories often told at Passover.

The tale is one that was part of Jewish life in Afghanistan for more than a thousand years, according to Ann Redisch Stampler, who won a National Jewish Book award for her retelling of the Yiddish folktale, The Rooster Prince of Breslov.

In The Wooden Sword, an Afghani shah slips out of his palace late one night disguised as a servant. He is welcomed into the home of a young shoemaker and his wife celebrating the Sabbath. The shah wonders how such poor people could

be so happy. The shoemaker tells his mysterious visitor he has faith in God that life will turn out as it should be. Despite a series of edicts issued by the shah to test the man’s faith, the shoemaker remains content in his belief in God. The poor but wise shoemaker eventually teaches the shah about faith and persistence.

Liddiment’s paintings portray what Afghani village life might have looked like with colourfully embellished clothing, floor pillows for sitting on during meals, men in turbans and the wife wearing a headscarf.

In an author’s note, Stampler explains how she came to this Jewish retelling of the Afghani version of the story. The book sparks opportunities for discussion about Afghanistan as well as conversation about the diversity of Jewish life around the world.

What Am I? Passover Anne Margaret Lewis Illustrated by Tom Mills Albert Whitman Ages 2-5 A fun, lift-the-flap book introduces young children to the customs and foods of Passover with easily understandable explanations and large, brightly coloured, cartoon-like illustrations.

“I am a mixture of apples, nuts, and a little wine. I am tasty and sweet,” reads the opening left-hand page. A bowlful of red apples and nuts is the clue.

Lift the What am I? flap on the right, and kids will be surprised by a young boy and his grandmother making charoset, reminding everyone of mortar used to build the pyramids.

Other pages reveal other seder plate symbols, holiday candles, a Haggadah and a kids’ favourite, leaping frogs, to explain the Ten Plagues.

Page 32 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Ottawa celebrates Purim

(More photos on page 33)

Supplementary schools An Ottawa Modern Jewish School student has his face pained at the joint Purim carnival held by Ottawa’s supplementary schools, March 4, at the Soloway JCC.

NCSY (From left) Aaron Naor, Josh McCarthy, Leah Susser and Sapir Fellus at NCSY’s City-Wide Teen Purim Party, March 7. Participants topped their own pizzas from a choice of 25 toppings and made their own fruit smoothies from a choice of seven kinds of fruit.

Machzikei Hadas Rabbi Moshe Baron (left) and Eric Wilner at the Machzikei Hadas Purim carnival.

(Photo: Alex Sarna)

Magillah at SJCC The Montreal-based klezmer band Magillah performs their Purim concert, March 3, at the Soloway JCC.

Merivale High School Mother’s Circle (From left) Sarah Rhamey, Lisa Feig, Inger Weibust, Erin Bolling-Bleichman and Susan Finkelman acting in a Purim skit at the Mother’s Circle Purim celebration at the Soloway JCC.

Liad Newmann holds a freshly baked hamantaschen at the Merivale High School Jewish Culture Club’s Purim celebration, March 5.

Bram Bregman and Gaby Scarowsky of NCSY led a hamantaschenbaking workshop with the students.

(Photo: Irv Osterer)

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 33

Ottawa celebrates Purim

Glebe Shul (From left) Laura Rebibo, Ilana Hadad, Leah Labib and Karina Milech at the JET/Glebe Shul’s Purim party, March 7.

(More photos on page 42)

Temple Israel The costume parade at the Temple Israel Purim celebration, March 7.

Tamir

Westboro Jewish Montessori Preschool

Tamir participants celebrate with Cantor Daniel Benlolo at the Beth Shalom Purim party, March 7.

(Photo: Zev Kalin)

Costumed children relax at the Westboro Jewish Montessori Preschool’s Purim pancake party, March 8.

Adath Shalom:

Costumed members of Adath Shalom after the Megillah reading, March 7.

Page 34 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Genealogical websites are important tools for researching family histories I recently landed at the Ottawa Airport with my wife and mother-in-law after a two-week vacation outside the country. As we retrieved our luggage and headed to the exit, it seemed that everyone was being allowed to leave without further inspection. As we neared the Customs official at the end of the room, I wondered if we would be the ones to be selected for a more thorough search.

Maybe it was random, or maybe it was because we were returning from Central America, but, for whatever reason, we were the only ones in the long line who were sent left to the inspection room instead of right to the main part of the terminal.

We were directed to a table where an officer began looking through our checked and carry-on bags in great detail.

Clothing and gifts were taken out and spread on the table.

Then the officer said she had to check my computer. As she looked at the contents of my hard drive, she noticed I had more than 5,000 photographs and called over to one of her colleagues. She apparently thought she had found something illegal.

As the two of them investigated further, they noticed the pictures were of gravestones. Most were of the two Ottawa Jewish cemeteries, which Hymie Reichstein and I had photographed for the Jewish Genealogical Society of Ottawa.

About 1,200 were from a cemetery in Ukraine and several dozen were of gravestones of people on my personal family tree.

The puzzled male officer turned to his associate and asked if she knew why someone would have so many pictures of tombstones. She quickly responded by saying, “I think he works for Ancestry.com.”

The point of the story is to emphasize that Ancestry.com, through its highly successful advertising campaign and its use of the popular television show, Who Do You Think You Are?, has created a general awareness of its services and of genealogy as a pastime. The company has experienced rapid growth, is very profitable and currently boasts more than 1.7 million paid subscribers. Its customers can search through millions of records in thousands of databases.

Ancestry.com isn’t the only big player in genealogical databases. Another huge site – Familysearch.org – is run by the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS). Genealogy plays a major role in that religion and part of the church’s teachings encourages members to search for ancestors who were not properly baptized. This practice has occasionally become controversial as some overzealous church members have extended the practice and posthumously baptized Jewish Holocaust victims. An agreement between the Church and the Jewish community was signed in 1995 to stop this practice, but some LDS members still continue to convert and baptize Jews.

Familysearch.org has millions of records, some indexed by name and many others that can just be browsed, page by page, with new databases coming online every week. Unlike Ancestry.com, this website is free to all users, although you may have to sign up to access some of the records. The LDS has sent its people throughout the world to photograph documents in thousands of archives. While these records were traditionally restricted to microfilm, more and more of the holdings are gradually coming online as the thousands of volunteers digitize them.

LDS records are among the most important coming out

Connecting the branches John Diener of Eastern Europe for Jewish genealogists. As I mentioned, I was recently in Central America, and learned new information about my wife’s family from cousins who live there.

With what they gave me, I was quickly able to find some of her family records on Familysearch.org in records originating from Panama, Jamaica and Colombia.

Save the date for a fabulous lecture!

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Ottawa has announced that William Saslow, historian of the Zaslavsky/Saslove family, will give an audio-visual presentation on Sunday, April 15, 7:30 pm at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre.

Bill produced Out of Uman: The Zaslavsky Family, Descendants, and Legacy, a 500-page book on his family history filled with stories, pictures, recipes, and much more, which I wrote about in this column in the September 5, 2011 issue of the Bulletin.

Since then, he has produced a DVD of interviews with his relatives, as well as a companion booklet to the DVD. His work is fascinating and will be enjoyed by anyone interested in genealogical research, creating a family book, or simply in the history of Ottawa’s Jewish community. There is no charge for this event.

If you would like further information on Bill’s talk or on anything related to Jewish genealogy, contact the society at jgsottawa@gmail.com.

Members of the Ottawa Liberal Caucus wish you a

Happy Passover

Hon. Dalton McGuinty Ottawa South 613-736-9573

Grant Crack Hon. Bob Chiarelli Yasir Naqvi Ottawa West-Nepean Glengarry-Prescott-Russell Ottawa Centre 613-446-4010 613-721-8075 613-722-6414

Authorized by the Ontario Liberal Caucus

Phil McNeely Ottawa-Orléans 613-834-8679

Hon. Madeleine Meilleur Ottawa-Vanier 613-744-4484

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 35

Towards a Values Declaration for our community In my February 20 column about why Temple Israel removed its bid to move to the Jewish Community Campus, I discussed why the decision was ultimately as much about potlucks as property.

Temple Israel planned to have two kitchens in its new facility, one that would be under the supervision of the Vaad HaKashrut and would be used for community-wide events, and another that would abide by a different set of dietary standards and would be dedicated to Temple events and private simchas.

I concluded the article by suggesting the dispute over dietary laws and standards merely scratched the surface of what is a broader conversation that needs to be had about the set of values that bind us as a community.

I often hear the term “Jewish values” mentioned, but I’m not always sure what that means. In the spirit of the goal behind this Values, Ethics, Community column, which I was invited to launch some years ago, I’m going to try my hand at laying out a first-cut Values Declaration. These are both aspirational values as well as descriptive ones. Where we fall short in practice, we should strive to improve.

My hope is that this will be a draft, which people will weigh in on, redraft, rework and wrestle with.

1. Jewish Literacy – This is a theme I’ve returned to, particularly around discussions of Jewish education and Jewish camp. I think it’s fair to say that a value of our community is ensuring our next generation is conversant in Jewish history, Hebrew (if not Yiddish) language, the cycle of the Jewish calendar and Jewish prayer.

This means we need to shore up the ability of our institutions to deliver the kind of Jewish knowledge that will sustain a content-rich Jewish identity. Having a Jewish identity with knowledge as its cornerstone is ultimately

richer and less prone to clubbishness for its own sake.

2. Kehila (community) – Our many community events and fundraising efforts signal to each other, and to our children, that shoring up existing institutions and their enhancement of Jewish life in Ottawa is a priority. But we should be cognizant of where we can strive to improve the various institutions that make up the landscape.

I have written previously about my desire to work within my own shul to strengthen practices around inclusion, for example. In Exit, Voice and Loyalty, Albert Hirschman’s famous social science formulation, the ultimate question for some, for whom mute loyalty doesn’t feel right, may be how one can exercise one’s voice before one abdicates altogether.

3. Israel – In many of our community activities, we work to inculcate a connection to Israel. I think we could work to encourage a more nuanced understanding of Israeli culture, as well as the serious political situation in which Israel finds itself.

Some people seem to view a connection to Israel as implying that Israeli actions should not be criticized. In my mind, there remains much more to be discussed around this, including the question of how we can be meaningfully engaged if we don’t wrestle loudly and visibly with the question of Israel in our lives, and with the impact of Israel’s actions on others.

4. Derekh Eretz (civility) – When someone acts unkindly, I sometimes hear the action criticized in terms of it not living up to Jewish values.

Jewish tradition points to the imperative of derekh eretz, (literally “the way of the land,” but generally understood to mean, kindness, appropriateness and civility). This, of course, should translate into awareness both of how we treat each other interpersonally within and across commu-

Values, Ethics, Community Mira Sucharov nities; how we manage pluralism, including different types of Judaic belief and practice; and how our community may occasionally deliver messages about other communities.

This also means that we should continue to be aware of the kinds of messages our community-sponsored speakers deliver about others groups.

5. Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) – Are there wrongs out there that need to be righted? Who is hungry?

Who is lonely? Who is excluded? Who is suffering? What is at risk?

Working to build up a sense of community feels hollow to me, if we don’t see our actions as being connected to a grander vision of repairing the rips in the fabric of the world, including on our planet itself. Though we are a strong and vibrant community, we should view our borders as permeable.

Let’s see how we can continue to hone the conversation on Jewish values in Ottawa. E-mail your thoughts to me at mira_sucharov@carleton.ca or, as always, write a letter to the editor at bulletin@ottawajewishbulletin.com. I will collect what I receive and get back to you in a future column.

Mira Sucharov, an associate professor of political science at Carleton University, blogs at Haaretz.com

The Syrian conflict: A proxy war with smoke and mirrors I’ve been avoiding writing about the so-called Syrian Spring. It has all the hallmarks of the United States and the United Kingdom making the same old foreign policy errors they’ve been making in this region for centuries. Some days, I wish we had more intellectual capacity behind foreign policy decisions.

We have reporters taking their lives in their hands to report on the terrible things the Assad regime is doing by bombing people. But, what we don’t hear about is the hundreds, if not thousands, of foreign fighters paid by the Saudis to take on the Syrian army. We don’t hear about the British Special Forces, the communication specialists and the strategists having a presence on the ground. We also don’t hear about the Iranian navy ships with the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) delivering troops, weapons and materiel in support of the regime.

Let’s not kid ourselves. The Arab Spring is shaping up to be the solidification of the Muslim Brotherhood across North Africa, a thrill for promoters of Sunni Wahhabism and fuel for the race against secularism and even nationalism. In the long run, this is not good news for Israel, Europe, Africa or the Americas.

Why do the Saudis want to change the Assad regime so badly? Because the Assad family is Shia, like the Iranians, and the regime is an ally of Iran, if not its puppet. With access to Syria, Iran has a direct route for influence from its next door neighbour Iraq, through Syria, to Lebanon. This has been a significant security risk for Israel, but most importantly for the Saudis, who feel surrounded by Shia Iran through its proxies.

The Saudis are not even left alone at home, where Shia Bahrain is an island connected to Saudi Arabia through a land bridge, and ownership of the territory has been disputed by the Iranians since the early 1900s. Last year, the

World Affairs Oliver Javanpour Saudis had to send in their own troops to snuff out the Bahraini Spring.

Let’s muddy the waters a little more.

The Chinese and Russians, who support Iran and Syria, have a lot of skin in this game and aren’t particularly interested in the Saudis installing a Sunni Muslim Brotherhood puppet in Damascus. The Lebanese Hezbollah definitely are not interested in such a move and would guarantee a significant front with their 50,000 to 100,000 rockets received from Iran since their last war with Israel.

Just to provide a bit of perspective: NATO coalition efforts to liberate Libya from Gadhafi took seven months and well over 7,000 strike sorties between April and mid-August 2011 by NATO forces, not to mention the covert boots on the ground providing advice and intelligence. And that’s also not counting the foreign fighters imported and paid by the Saudis and other foreign interests. And remember that Libya was unsophisticated and had very little military infrastructure compared to Syria.

On March 6, U.S. Central Command Chief General James Mattis briefed the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on Syria. His overarching message was that any military action in the country would be difficult (somewhat of an understatement) with the shadows of China, Russia and

Iran looming over Syria. Mattis’ remarks might have been the administration’s response to Senator John McCain, one of the committee leaders, who has been a vocal advocate of launching airstrikes.

So, all those blowhards who keep asking why the U.K. or U.S. are not getting involved in the Syrian awakening have had too many chocolate croissants with their Frappuccinos and their reality has become somewhat skewed.

One other key element is that the Syrian rebels have not yet been able to hold any significant territory. The rebels and foreign fighters have endangered and caused a great number of civilian deaths by their presence. Unlike the Libyan campaign, there are no safe zones for a permanent operational front.

To make matters even more interesting, Syria’s opposition groups remain fractured. There are dozens of opposition groups inside and outside the country. However, there are two groups targeted by the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. as potentially viable partners: the Syrian National Council, with some Muslim Brotherhood members on its roster, and the National Co-ordination Committee, a leftist activist group based in Damascus. The two have somewhat incompatible approaches on how to oust the regime and neither has the clear support of Syrian protesters on the street.

All of this is to say the so-called Syrian awakening is a misnomer with millions being spent by foreign interests to strengthen their strategic hold on the region and maintain their overarching influence over the Middle East oil strategy.

One must also keep in mind that some of this is simply the same old ethnic conflict between Shia Iranians and Sunni Saudis.

Oliver Javanpour is a public policy and international relations adviser in Ottawa.

Page 36 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Insights into conversion, Quebec society, Zionism and the Middle East After losing his seat in the 2006 federal election, Marceau, a lawyer, worked for the Canada-Israel Committee and is now general counsel and senior government adviser at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) based at CIJA’s Ottawa office. He lives in Gatineau with his wife, Lori Beckerman, and their two sons.

A Quebec Jew: From Bloc Québécois MP to Jewish Activist is the English-language adaptation of Juif, une histoire The life’s journey taken by Richard Marceau has been an québécoise, published in French last fall. Marceau wrote the unusual one for a 10th generation pure laine Québécois from French-language version with two goals in mind. First, to tell the Quebec City area. his unique story to his fellow Quebecers offering some autoWhile it’s hardly unusual for the 41-year-old to have be- biographical history and explaining his journey from Roman come a staunch Quebec nationalist and sovereigntist, Marceau Catholic seminary schoolboy through more than a decade– who served three terms from 1997 to 2006 as the Bloc long period of agnosticism after quitting the Catholic Church Québécois member of Parliament for the Quebec City-area at 17 and his return to religion with his conversions to Juriding of Charlesbourg – took a very different path when he daism. And, second, to offer to Quebecers a primer on the converted to Judaism in 2004. complicated issues surrounding Israel and the Middle East conflicts and peace process. Completed in late-2011, many of the issues he discusses are remarkably current.

I mention “conversions” in the plural because, as he explains in the book, Marceau converted twice. His first conversion was in the Reform tradition, guided by Rabbi Steven Garten of Ottawa’s Temple Israel. Later, frustrated over not being counted in the minyan at the Orthodox synagogue in Quebec City where he went to worship when he was back in his riding, he went through Orthodox conversion in Montreal after studying with Rabbi Reuven Bulka of Congregation Machzikei Hadas in Ottawa, and with Rabbi Howard Joseph of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue and Rabbi Reuben Poupko of Congregation Beth Israel Beth Aaron in Montreal.

Although he met and married a Jewish woman, Marceau did not convert to Judaism for marriage. As he relates, it was on his third trip to Israel as an MP in 2003, more than 15 years after leaving Catholicism behind, that he was inspired to reestablish a relationship with God, a relationship he determined would be Jewish.

Marceau’s account of his conversions are thought-provoking – why shouldn’t someone who goes through a Reform (or, Vicky Maguire for that matter, Conservative) conversion be recognized as Jewish when he goes to pray at an Orthodox synagogue? – and poignant.

It was also on trips to Israel as an MP, the first one at the invitation of the Canada-Israel Committee, one of a Toronto – Modern condo to share May 1 to Sept 1 number of MPs from various Looking for someone to share a beautiful 2-bedroom condo parties to be invited, Marceau explains, that he became a just west of Hyde Park. Located just a 10 minute drive from downtown, committed Zionist. In Israel, bike path to downtown is just outside the door. he discovered a country that Large bedroom with private bathroom, partially furnished, AC, reminded him – in some ways – of Quebec. While Quebec is 24-hr security,gym, dishwasher, washer, dryer, view of lake, and storage. a French society surrounded Indoor parking is available. $900/month (negotiable)

by English, Israel is a Hebrew society surrounded by Arabic.

Contact: kamirob@yahoo.com or (613) 820-8343 After his personal story, A Quebec Jew: From Bloc Québécois MP to Jewish Activist

By Richard Marceau Adapted and translated to English

by Lori Beckerman and Richard Marceau Éditions du Marais 307 pages

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Book Review Michael Regenstreif Marceau offers readers a quick history of Quebec’s Jewish community – although he does not mention that many thousands of Quebec Jews felt themselves driven out of Quebec by language laws and fear of the Quebec independence that Marceau devoted himself to in his political career – and then spends more than half the book to explaining, in an easy-tounderstand form, some of the many complicated questions driving the Middle East conflict and refuting such concepts as so-called Israeli apartheid.

And, while Marceau is a committed Zionist, to the extent that he joined the Canada-Israel Committee staff after losing his seat and now works for CIJA, he is also unafraid of being critical of Israel, particularly in relation to the settlement policy in the West Bank, and in being a high profile proponent of a Palestinian state.

While francophone Quebecers were the intended audience when Marceau sat down to write A Quebec Jew, it’s also an interesting read for anyone interested in combined insights into Quebec society, the Canadian Jewish community, Israel and the Middle East, and the motivation leading to religious conversion.

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 37

Fit is the new sexy They say that 50 is the new 40. Why not push the envelope even further? I declare 50 to be the new 30!

I’m approaching 50 and I feel young. So what if I have a few wrinkles I didn’t have 20 years ago? Do I really care if some parts of my body can’t defy gravity? I just stand on my head and everything points in the right direction!

In recent years, I’ve tried to slow the negative effects of aging on my health and appearance naturally by making smarter choices about exercise and diet. As a personal trainer, I encourage clients to do the same.

Our society’s youth obsession leads many people to place self-imposed limitations on their abilities, based purely on chronological age. Age is just a number. If you feel young and think young, then your age doesn’t matter. Keeping active and open-minded to challenging your body will help you feel young. A healthy lifestyle may be the fountain of youth!

I have another declaration to make: Fit is the new sexy!

Ladies, forget about trying to look like scrawny runway models. Skinny and fake are out of fashion. Sacrificing health and comfort for the sake of vanity is passé.

Today’s sexy woman, regardless of age, is physically active. She doesn’t need to count calories obsessively because she nourishes her hard-working body with healthy fuel. She glows with confidence. She proudly pumps iron, and is strong and empowered. She makes the most of what God gave her by focusing on her physical and emotional health, rather than worrying about a bit of cellulite. She redefines beauty with her contagious energy.

Let’s not forget about the men.

Guys, you know that it’s not cool to work excessive hours regularly, sit at a desk all day, sit in front of the TV in the evening, drive everywhere, eat highly processed convenience foods that have little nutritional value, and ignore stress. Today’s sexy man lives a more balanced life, works

out and eats right to get rid of his belly fat. He knows that a big waistline is correlated with an increased risk of heart disease. Today’s sexy man exercises to keep his blood pressure normal because he wants to be around to watch his kids grow up. He wants to feel energetic and flexible so that he can bend down and play with his grandchildren.

When you’re fit, you feel good about yourself and you can be your very best in so many other areas of your life. By living a fit life, you’re rewarding yourself with a marvellous gift – an opportunity for a better quality of life. You’re also giving your loved ones something priceless – a healthier, happier spouse, partner, parent, colleague or friend.

I recently noticed that an American fitness business was regularly posting motivational quotes on Facebook, accompanied by photos of incredibly buff men and women. The models had extremely ripped abs and abnormally low percentages of body fat. I felt the unrealistic images were undermining the company’s good intentions. I was concerned that ordinary people like you and me would not be able to relate to those images because it’s almost impossible to develop that kind of body. It requires extreme discipline coupled with freakish genes.

I suggested the company post a photo of a fit, toned woman who is around 50 and has a healthy amount of body fat. I think that’s so much more attractive than a model who’s been enhanced, lifted, liposuctioned, tucked and spray tanned. Don’t show me photos of people who exercise for hours and hours every day and live on protein powder. I want to see photos of real people who live real world, healthy lifestyles.

Of course, I volunteered to supply a photo of myself to illustrate what a normal fit person can look like – flaws and all. The company embraced my idea and posted the photo with the caption, “Just take a look at a realistic transforma-

Focus on Fitness Gloria Schwartz tion attainable by all. Thanks Gloria for the inspiration!”

Ladies and gents, being sexy is all about taking good care of yourself, from the inside out, and making your health and wellness a priority. When you feel your best, you can conquer the world. Whether you’re in your 20s or 80s, it is absolutely realistic to be fit and sexy!

Send your questions and comments to gloria.schwartz@rogers.com.

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How Mediation Can Help

by Arnold W. Zeman, Acc.FM (OAFM) Transformative Mediator Mediation is one of a number of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes that, despite its introduction in North America some 40 years, is still not widely understood. It offers a number of alternatives to the legal adjudication of disputes through the courts. Mediation is private, confidential (unless information is disclosed relating to individual safety and harm), voluntary, and without prejudice (so that participants can be confident that their words will not be used against them in the courts).

The benefits mediation offers to people are often thought of in terms of greater efficiency, less cost, and less emotional stress or turmoil in relation to other ways of managing conflict or differences. Most important, regardless of the approach used by the mediator, and there are several, it is universally accepted that mediation’s principal value lies in self-determination: it’s the parties that make the decisions on how to move forward not the mediator. The differences in approach lie in which decisions are made by the parties and which are made by the mediator, directly or indirectly.

Mediation can, when practiced a certain way, offer a distinct benefit to participants that is an objective of no other dispute resolution mechanism; it is a value in and of itself, and does not need to be described in relation to other processes such as the courts, negotiation by lawyers, arbitration, etc. Mediation has the potential of helping the parties re-orient themselves to each other. The key to this approach is to view conflict as disorienting for people in how they see themselves and how they see the other person. People in conflict often see themselves in terms of “I feel bad”; they see the other person in terms of “You are bad.”

The help a mediator can offer is to support the parties’ own movement in conversation towards strength of self and openness to the other person.

Sounds like therapy. Well, not really, because the objective is not to fix people, but rather to support what people can and want to do themselves: feel better about themselves in moving forward out of conflict.

So how does this work? First and foremost, it means creating a space where all decisions remain with the people involved.

The mediator isn’t in control or in charge but rather a guest invited into a conversa-

tion between the parties. My role consists of supporting the parties in having as constructive a conversation as possible while not taking any decision-making away from them, whether decisions about how to talk to each other, or decisions about what to talk about.

Transformative mediators, such as myself, are convinced that decisions about how people talk to each other, including the timing of what is raised, are best left to the parties themselves. If they aren’t left to the parties, the mediator intentionally or not, will have directly or indirectly affected decisions on outcomes. And if the parties want expert assistance and advice in any given area, that too can be part of the conversation in terms of who can offer that expertise and how it can be obtained.

When parties control how they talk to each other and what they talk about, the conversation can get heated. When this happens in mediation, I seek not to contain matters so as to avoid this heat but rather to support the parties to say whatever it is they decide to say, however they want to say it.

My belief is that difficult issues that are avoided will return once the parties leave the mediation room. Much better to allow the parties to work through all matters in their conversation, no matter how tough or

unpleasant. Settlements will take place provided that the parties freely decide to agree, and an agreement is feasible. And, any agreements that are reached in this way will have better prospects of lasting than when reached in a process that deals only with tangible differences chosen by the mediator. Where settlement is not the outcome of the process, parties will have had an opportunity, that they may take or not, to make decisions from a position of strength and openness to the other person.

Arnold W. W. Zeman Zem man, Acc.FM (OAFM) Transformative Tr T ransformattive ve Mediator Mediator

Convenient Dow Downtown wntown Location

613-203-5346 613-20 03-5346 dialogic@sympatico.ca dialogic@sy ympatico.ca Support for turn Support turning ning cco conflict onflict into to cco conversation onve versation in n the family, ffa amiilly y,, the workplace, wo w orkplacce e, and a elsewhere • Trained by b Fellow Fellows ws of the Institute for the Transformation • Sliding Fee Scale e consultation • Free consultation

Page 38 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Is it good for the Jews or bad for the Jews?

When I have serious political matters to consider, I often try to picture some source of wisdom speaking to me and advising me on the pros and cons of different approaches. But, perhaps, ‘picture’ is not quite the word. If there is a picture involved, it is a brief glimpse of a portrait, a photograph rather than a video.

But the voice, its intonation and its words, are what I hear distinctly, almost as if I were speaking to someone I know over the telephone or over some virtual spiritual connection, the ultimate Wi-Fi. In response to each world-shaking event, for each course of action I consider, I hear someone say, “Is it good for the Jews or bad for the Jews?”

This may seem to be a very parochial consideration, but do not be too hasty. If something is good for the Jews, does it

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have to be bad for everyone else? A more stable society? Less crime? More employment? Sometimes, the answer to the question of whether it is good for the Jews takes on a certain universality of application.

On the other hand, something may be bad for the Jews.

This, too, is not necessarily parochial. Perhaps what is bad for the Jews is also bad for everyone else. Nuclear war? Air pollution? Depletion of our natural resources? As humans, we share in everyone’s fate and, flipping it around, what is bad for the Jews may apply to all.

As I’ve grown older, the image – the picture of the one whose voice I hear – has changed from a stern man in a robe and sandals with white hair and beard to someone with a cap and rustic Eastern European peasant clothes, his tzitzits hanging out of his pants, with grizzled hair and beard and a sardonic smile. The voice that was once deep, commanding and definite is now more hesitant and questioning. I went from Charlton Heston as Moses to Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.

I wish to stress that this mode of thinking is not just limited to me. It is shared with those who hate Jews as well. They, too, want to know if something is good or bad for the Jews.

The United Nations itself has endorsed the view that Jews are at the centre of all political decisions since every subject is considered from the perspective of what motion can be passed against Israel.

Conspiracy theorists want to know if 9/11 was good or bad for the Jews. The answer to this question is apparently the key The Ottawa Jewish Bulletin Publishing Co. Ltd. collects and uses your personal information primarily for the purpose of providing you with the products and services you have requested from us.

The Ottawa Jewish Bulletin may also contact you from time to time to ask about

Humour me, please Rubin Friedman to understanding the causes and effects of the attack. The stock market crash? The Arab spring? A nuclear Iran? The preponderance of Jewish elderly in Florida? The record of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Just try thinking of these topics in this way and you’ll soon get the hang of it.

Barack Obama, good for the Jews or bad for the Jews? Discuss.

Hey, I didn’t say it would be easy. It just gives the same focus for thinking about things, a way of viewing life that is shared by so many. Just ask the former leader of Malaysia who thought problems with world markets were good for the Jews and must therefore have been caused by them. It’s impeccably simple logic.

Unfortunately, experience has now taught me the real answer to this question I keep hearing. So, if you were to ask me today whether a particular action was good or bad for the Jews, I would answer with a resounding “Yes!”

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Flowers on Gravesites

It is time once again to make arrangements for the purchase and planting of flowers at the cemeteries which must be made through the Ottawa Jewish Cemetery Committee. This ensures a uniform price structure and guarantees maintenance of the flowerbeds. Below you will find details for the present price structure. Orders must be confirmed and paid for by May 1, 2012.

A Single Plot: $128.32 + hst $16.68 = $145.00 • A Double Plot: $256.64 + hst $33.36 = $290.00 • Across Planting (adjoining plots): $192.48 + hst $25.02 = $217.50 Please forward your requests for planting along with your payment to:

✄

Flowers – Jewish Memorial Gardens, 21 Nadolny Sachs Private, Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1R9 or by fax 613-798-4695

PLEASE

RETURN THIS PORTION WITH YOUR CHEQUE.

Name:

Address:

Telephone:

Province, Postal Code:

WE

ALSO ACCEPT

Credit card number: Plot Name

VISA

AND

MASTERCARD.

Expiration date: Cemetery

Section

Row/Plot

For additional information, please call Jean Myers at 613-688-3530, ext. 3

Amount

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 39

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To make a donation and/or send a tribute card, call Jessica Borenstein (613-798-4696 ext. 274) e-mail: donation@ojcf.ca • website: www.OJCF.ca

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SANDI AND EDDY COOK ENDOWMENT FUND Mazal Tov to: Mitchell Bellman and Nicola Hamer on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Noah by Sandi and Eddy Cook.

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NATHAN AND REBA DIENER ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Gilberte Frenzel by John & Dayra Diener and family.

ELLEN AND RAHAMIM FATHI ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Ellen and Ray Fathi and family.

SAM AND SUSAN FIRESTONE ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Sam and Susan Firestone.

ALFRED AND KAYSA FRIEDMAN ENDOWMENT FUND R’Fuah Sh’lemah to: Norman Zagerman by Alfred and Kaysa Friedman.

Continued on page 40

JACK AND DORIS BAYLIN ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Jack Baylin by Gary and Jody Roodman and by Celia, Stephen, Matthew and Ryan Bobkin; by Marilyn and William Newman; and by Murray and Judy Lieff.

JENNIE AND MORRIS BAYLIN MEMORIAL FUND In observance of the Yahrzeit of: Jennie Baylin; a dear mother-in-law and Bubby

by Debbie Baylin and family.

ISAAC AND HELEN BEILES ENDOWMENT FUND Condolences to: Herb Beiles on the loss of his brother Normie

by Rachel and Jerry Schneiderman.

Wishing you and your family a happy and healthy Passover.

IRVING AND ESTHER BELLMAN MEMORIAL FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Mitchell Bellman and Nicola Hamer.

Avrum (Avie) Rapoport by Mitchell Bellman and Nicola Hamer.

May you enjoy a warm Seder with all its traditions.

JAMIE BEREZIN ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Shelley, Gary and Jamie Berezin.

TILLIE AND HARRY CHERM MEMORIAL FUND In observance of the Yahrzeit of: In loving memory of my dear father by Donald Cherm.

Happy Pesach

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Page 40 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

FOUNDATION DONATIONS Mazal Tov to: Margo and Gordon Roston on the engagement of Laura to Mark.

In appreciation to: Alfred and Kaysa Friedman by Marilyn and William Newman.

ROBERT AND LEAH GENCHER FAMILY FUND In memory of: Alan Roup by Robert and Leah Gencher and family.

EVA, DIANE AND JACK GOLDFIELD MEMORIAL FUND Mazal Tov to: Evan Landis and family on the Bar Mitzvah of Jonathan by Anita Landis.

In appreciation to: Arthur and Doreen Kaminker for the Friday night dinner in honour of Jonathan’s Bar Mitzvah

by Anita Landis.

Andrea Kaminker for her work planning Jonathan’s Bar Mitzvah by Anita Landis.

Moira and Hart Kaminker for the brunch after the Bar Mitzvah by Anita Landis.

In memory of: Irving Taylor by Anita Landis and family.

LAURA AND MILTON GREENBERG FAMILY FOUNDATION In memory of: Irving Taylor by Laura Greenberg.

NATHAN AND SARAH GREENBERG MEMORIAL FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Barbara Taylor.

Gertrude Budovitch by Sheldon and Corinne Taylor; and by Marilyn and William Newman.

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HY AND PAULINE HOCHBERG ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Pauline Hochberg and family and Brian and Lisa Hochberg and family.

SAMUEL AND TILLIE KARDISH MEMORIAL FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Cheryl Kardish-Levitan and Brian Levitan and family.

ARTHUR AND SARAH KIMMEL MEMORIAL FUND In memory of: Jack Baylin by Norman and Isabel Lesh.

Irving Taylor by Norman and Isabel Lesh.

SHARON KOFFMAN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND Mazal Tov to: Tina and Kenny Koffman on the marriage of their daughter Jennifer by Sandra Zagon.

In memory of: Irving Taylor by Fay Koffman; and by Sandra Zagon.

SUSAN AND DAVID KRIGER ENDOWMENT FUND In observance of the Yahrzeit of: Akiva Kriger a dear father by Susan and David Kriger.

RIVA AND ABRAHAM KROLL MEMORIAL FUND In observance of the Yahrzeit of: Riva Kroll a dear aunt by Yvonne and Harvey Lithwick and family.

Birthday wishes to: Vicki Weiss by Yvonne and Harvey Lithwick.

ANNICE AND SYDNEY KRONICK FAMILY FUND Birthday wishes to: Eric Levin by Debi and Neil Zaret and family.

ISSIE AND EDITH LANDAU ENDOWMENT FUND Mazal Tov to: Jonathan Goldman on his engagement to Anais

by Edie Landau.

Ken and Anne Mozersky on the birth of their new granddaughter by Edie Landau.

SALLY AND ELLIOTT LEVITAN ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Sally and Elliott Levitan.

JOSEPH AND EVELYN LIEFF ENDOWMENT FUND Mazal Tov to: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Simon on the marriage of Leah and Stephen by Elissa Lieff, David, Zac and Kayla Resnick.

Birthday wishes to: Pauline Toker by Elissa Lieff, David, Zac and Kayla Resnick.

In appreciation to: Evelyn Lieff by Marilyn and William Newman.

In memory of: Joseph Lieff by Mark and Cindy, Daniel and Hayley, Ben and Lauren Resnick; by Archie and Linda Cogan; and by Dundie and Lyon Sachs.

ARNOLD AND ROSE LITHWICK MEMORIAL FUND In observance of the Yahrzeit of: Arnold Lithwick, a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather by Yvonne and Harvey Lithwick, their children and grandchildren.

DAVID LOEB FAMILY FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by David and Adele Loeb.

SAMUEL AND LEEMA MAGIDSON ENDOWMENT FUND Birthday wishes to: Vera Klein by Arnie and Roslyn Kimmel.

CHUCK AND BONNIE MEROVITZ FAMILY FUND In memory of: Anita Dubinsky by Chuck and Bonnie Merovitz.

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JACK AND HONEY MONSON ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Jack Baylin by Gary and Jody Roodman.

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Anita Landis by Marilyn and William Newman.

Simmy Gardner by Marilyn and William Newman.

Debi and Neil Zaret and family by Marilyn and William Newman.

Rhoda Blevis by Marilyn and William Newman.

Linda and Kenneth Mirsky by Marilyn and William Newman.

Zelaine and Sol Shinder by Marilyn and William Newman.

Yanda and Mark Max by Marilyn and William Newman.

Jane and Bill James by Marilyn and William Newman.

Zelda Freedman by Marilyn and William Newman.

In memory of: Eileen Goldberg by Marilyn and William Newman.

Myrtle Borts by Marilyn and William Newman.

PREHOGAN FAMILY FUND IN MEMORY OF AARON HARRY COHEN In memory of: Irving Taylor by Ron and Avalee Prehogan.

FRANCES AND MORTON ROSS FAMLY FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Fran and Mort Ross and family.

Avrum (Avie) Rapoport by Fran and Mort Ross and family.

Continued on page 41

Celebrate Passover by sending your friends and loved ones a Tribute Card wishing them a Happy and Healthy Pesach Single cards are $18 or bulk cards of 18 or more are $15 per card Make your donation(s) online at www.OJCF.ca And receive an e-receipt and summary instantly to your email account or call Tribute Cards Co-ordinator at 613.798.4696 ext. 274

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April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 41

FOUNDATION DONATIONS RICHARD ROTH AND RIVA LEVITAN FAMILY FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Richard Roth and Riva Levitan.

SAMUEL AND RUTH ROTHMAN MEMORIAL FUND In memory of: Dorothy Ghetler by Sheldon and Corinne Taylor.

SHELLEY AND SID ROTHMAN FAMILY FUND Mazal Tov to: Susan and Stephen Rothman on the birth of their granddaughter Naia by Shelley Rothman and family.

LAYA AND SOL SHABINSKY ENDOWMENT FUND In appreciation to: Laya and Sol Shabinsky by Marilyn and William Newman.

FAY AND JOSEPH SHULMAN ENDOWMENT FUND Mazal Tov to: Susan and Stephen Rothman on the birth of their granddaughter by Nadine and Brian Mordfield.

LORNE AND LAURIE SHUSTERMAN FAMILY FUND Mazal Tov to: Arnie and Elizabeth Vered on their wedding anniversary by Lorne and Laurie Shusterman.

In memory of: Frank Chapman by Lorne, Laurie, Zak and Ben Shusterman.

IRVING AND HARRIET SLONE ENDOWMENT FUND Birthday wishes to: Irving Slone by Eric and Donna Levin.

JACK AND LINDA SMITH ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Linda Smith and family.

THE TARANTOUR FAMILY FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Ann Lazear and family.

IRVING AND ETHEL TAYLOR ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Jack and Sarah Silverstein; by

Sarah and Marino Catana; by Edie Landau; by Sheila and Larry Hartman; by Ellen and Marty Kardash; by Arlene Greenberg and Janice Greenberg; by Michael Cohen and Minda Latowsky; by Mark, Bev, Lindsay and Jordan Steinberg; by Clair Krantzberg; by Sam and Sandra and Phillip and Caroline Zunder and families; by Sid and Cally Kardash; by Sheldon and Corinne Taylor and family; by Shelley Rothman and family; by Murray and Judy Lieff; by Steven Lieff; by Chuck and Bonnie Merovitz; by Horace Cohen and Patti Flesher; by the Staff of the Medical Imaging Department at the Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus; by The Arfi Family in France; by Steven, Audrey and Kyle Taylor; by Steven and Hildy Lesh; by William and Marilyn Newman; by Joan Rosenberg-Hartman and Mel Hartman; by Melissa and Ian Shabinsky; by Anita and Michael Roodman; by Bernie and Donna Dolansky; by Carol and Stuart Levine; by Barbara Taylor; by Harriet and Irving Slone; by Judith and David Kalin; by Shirley Strean-Hartman; by Freda and Manny Grill; by Andrew and Liz Taylor and family; by Adam and Sharin Froman and family;

by Joe and Ruth Viner; by Avi and Elissa Iny; by Phil and Norma Lazear; by Connie Kussner; by Gerald Asa; by Steve, Ellyn, Jaclyn and Dana Rosenbaum; by Pricilla Gladu; by Harold, Rosalie, Leah, Josh and Naomi Schwartz; by Abe and Beverly Feinstein; by The Sobeys Development Team; by Larry Krauss and the Terracap Management Inc.; by Morley Goldfield and Gary Goldfield and families; by Margot Greenberg; by Eric and Joy Weinstein; by Barry and Marcia Cantor; by Sam and Robert Goldmaker; by Mark and Ann Dover; by The Labovitch Family; by Rory and Leslie Gardiner; by Honey MonsonBaylin; by Stan and Libby Katz; by Hy and Joyce Goldfarb; by Martin Languedoc and Simluc Contractors Inc.; by Sandy and Rocky Vanier; by the Vered family; by John and Sunny Tavel;

by Sol and Laya Shabinsky; by Arnie and Roslyn Kimmel; by Metro Inc.; by Rhoda, Jeffrey, Howard and Sara Miller; by Diane Keeffe;

by Lorne Ursel; by Vicki Sterling and Allan Kaufman; by Devry, Smith, Frank LLP; by Laura and Joe Monteforte and family; by Daniel and Marilyn Kimmel; by Rony and Dekel Podolsky;

by Heidi and Mark Klar; by David and Carol Marx and family; Jules and Frances Cogan and family;

by Donna and Eric Levin; by Butch Zinman and Val Eisen; by Galela and Stan Borenstein;

by Mark and Shawna Sosnovich; by Sarah Trueman; and by Patti Flesher and Horace Cohen.

Speedy recovery to: Risa Taylor by Judith and David Kalin.

LISE AND MARK THAW FAMILY FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Lise and Mark Thaw and family.

STEPHEN AND GAIL VICTOR ENDOWMENT FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Stephen and Gail Victor.

MILDRED AND PERCY WEINSTEIN ENDOWMENT FUND In observance of the Yahrzeit of: Jacob and Bertha Bookman, beloved parents by Millie Weinstein.

Birthday wishes to: Sandra Granatstein by Millie Weinstein.

Barbara Cohen by Millie Weinstein.

In memory of: Irving Taylor by Millie Weinstein.

HALTON/WEISS FAMILY FUND In memory of: Steffi Halton by Archie and Linda Cogan.

Irving Taylor by Debbie Halton-Weiss and Ron Weiss.

IRVING AND DIANE WEXLER FAMILY FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Diane Wexler and family.

CAROLE AND NORMAN ZAGERMAN COMMUNITY ENDOWMENT FUND Speedy recovery to: Norman Zagerman by William and Marilyn Newman.

SAM AND HELENE ZARET MEMORIAL FUND In memory of: Irving Taylor by Debi and Neil Zaret.

ZIPES KARANOFSKY FAMILY ENDOWMENT FUND Mazal Tov to: Paul and Pat Sherratt on the birth of their granddaughter by Rick and Helen Zipes.

In memory of: Steve Kirman by Rick and Helen Zipes.

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WOMEN’S COLLECTIVE ENDOWMENT FUND Birthday wishes to: Mark Pearlman by Rhoda and Joe Levitan.

Mazal Tov to: Natalie Rozen on her granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah by Lynne Oreck-Wener and Bob Wener.

Speedy Recovery to: Anne Mozersky by Lynne Oreck-Wener and Bob Wener.

THE SAUL AND EDNA GOLDFARB B’NAI MITZVAH PROGRAM LIEFF FAMILY B’NAI MITZVAH FUND Mazal Tov to: Mina and Harry Cohn on the birth of their first grandchild Adella Elise by Francie and Norman Lieff.

In memory of: Irving Taylor by Francie and Norman Lieff.

DAHLIA AND ZACHARY SHABSOVE B’NAI MITZVAH FUND Condolences to: Zvi Gross on the loss of a dear mother by Chuck Shabsove, Todd Brown and Jonathan Kardash.

Claire Greenberg on the loss of a loved one by the Shabsove family.

In memory of: Avrum (Avie) Rapoport by the Shabsove family.

Irving Taylor by the Shabsove family.

Contributions may be made online at www.OJCF.ca or by contacting Jessica Borenstein at 613-798-4696 extension 274, Monday to Friday or by email at donation@ojcf.ca. Attractive cards are sent to convey the appropriate sentiments. All donations are acknowledged with a charitable receipt.

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Page 42 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

Ottawa celebrates Purim

JET:

(From left) Rabbi Zischa Shaps, Lauren Shaps, Rochel Goldbaum, Ilana Albert-Novick, Stacy Goldstein and Rabbi Michael Goldstein at JET’s first annual festive Purim meal held at the Albert at Bay Hotel. The event featured Moroccan food, a concert by Zacharia and lots of Purim spirit.

(More photos on pages 32 + 33)

Chabad of Centrepointe Chabad of Centrepointe held its Purim celebration, March 8, at the Fun Haven entertainment centre. Josh Brantz and daughter Sophie are seen here enjoying one of Fun Haven’s many attractions.

Canadian Federation of Chabad Lubavitch The Canadian Federation of Chabad Lubavitch hosted a Purim celebration, March 7, at the Booth Building. Pictured (front row, from left) Jack Silverstone, Liberal MP Joyce Murray, Interim NDP Leader Nycole Turmel, Bassy Mendelsohn, Rabbi Chaim Mendelsohn, David Cooper, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs) Diane Ablonczy, (back row) Conservative MP Mark Adler, Joseph Ben-Ami.

Ottawa Torah Centre The tiger was real at the Ottawa Torah Centre’s African Purim party, March 7, at the Cedarhill Golf and Country Club.

Packing Mishloach Manot: Some of the more than 70 volunteers who helped prepare 1,248 Mishloach Manot packages for JET, March 4 at Beit Tikvah. They were delivered Purim day by approximately 100 volunteers!

April 2, 2012 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – Page 43

Made with Love

Lusting for lemon Spring is so close I can almost taste it. What, exactly, does spring taste like you may be wondering? Truthfully, spring is not a season we actually get to experience in Ottawa. We go from freezing to sweltering almost overnight, it seems. But, indulge me for a minute, and allow me to romanticize about that mythical season spring.

Sunny cool mornings that warm up to afternoons where you would be comfortable in a long-sleeved cardigan or light jacket. A few days of rain, just to wash away all the ugly slush and give the trees some moisture so they can start budding and leafing. The air would smell fresh and clean, like lemons. And I mean real lemons, not Mr. Clean or Febreze’s fresh lemon scent. You know the smell you get when you zest lemons? That smell!

In anticipation of this imaginary season, I present to you the Ultimate Lemon Tart. I discovered this tart on Food52.com, a wonderful website founded by accomplished food writers and editors Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs. They had a mission: to discover and celebrate the best home cooks. Every week for a year, they ran recipe contests on Food52.com and the 140 winning recipes made up their first cookbook.

In addition to creating the cookbook, they also discovered the website was a way to give people from all over the world a way to exchange ideas and celebrate each others talents. They wanted to create a buzzing place for others who do what they do all day long: talk about food!

My favourite feature of the web site is the weekly Genius Recipe. Senior Editor Kristen Miglore believes “there are good recipes, and great ones – and then there are genius recipes. Genius recipes surprise us and make us re-

Paule Caillat’s Brown Butter Tart Crust Adapted from Parisian pastry expert Paule Caillat.

Makes 8 1/2” tart shell

think cooking tropes. They’re handed down by luminaries of the food world and become their legacy. They get us talking and change the way we cook. And, once we’ve folded them into our repertoires, they make us feel pretty genius too.”

The filling for this tart is a lemon cream, which differs from lemon curd. A typical lemon curd starts with lemon juice, eggs, sugar and butter, melted together and whisked over a double boiler until it thickens. It’s delicious.

But Elisabeth Prueitt, Tartine Bakery’s pastry chef and co-owner, holds off on adding the butter until the end, and, instead of whisking it in, transfers the thickened lemon juice, eggs and sugar to a blender and adds the butter to the blender. Kristen’s description of this is so poetic!

“You scrape the curd into the blender and let it rip, dropping in pats of butter one at a time. Each one is greeted with a satisfying ‘suck!’ and ‘gurgle!’ as the lemon curd drinks

Cindy Feingold up the butter and slowly swells.”

The chunks of chilled butter cool down the mixture and thicken it faster than the traditional all-stovetop method would, while the blades of the blender beat in extra air.

This lemon cream deserves a very special tart shell to properly showcase it. Genius recipe number two to the rescue! This tart shell is simple to prepare. No rolling pin required. You just press the dough into the tart shell. Instead of cutting in the cold butter, you melt and brown the butter, which gives this tart a sublime flavour.

Tartine Bakery’s Lemon Cream Adapted very slightly from Tartine by Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson (Chronicle, 2006) Makes about 2 1/2 cups 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons lemon juice (Meyer or regular) 3 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup unsalted butter Pour water to a depth of about 2 inches into a saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

Combine the lemon juice, whole eggs, yolk, sugar and salt in a stainless steel bowl that will rest securely in the rim of a saucepan over, not touching, the water. (Never let the egg yolks and sugar sit together for more than a moment without stirring; the sugar will cook the yolks and turn them granular.) Place the bowl over the saucepan and

continue to whisk until the mixture becomes very thick and registers 180 F on a thermometer. This will take 10 to 12 minutes. If you don’t have or trust your thermometer, don’t worry. It should thicken to the point that your whisk leaves a trail through the curd.

Remove the bowl from over the water and let cool to 140 F, stirring from time to time to release the heat.

Meanwhile, cut butter into 1 tablespoon (15-mL) pieces. When the cream is ready, leave it in the bowl if using an immersion blender, or pour it into a countertop blender. With the blender running, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition until incorporated before adding the next piece. The cream will be pale yellow and opaque and quite thick.

You can use the cream immediately, or pour it into a storage container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To use after refrigeration, if necessary, gently heat in a stainless steel bowl set over simmering water until it has softened, whisking constantly.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 5 ounces, all purpose flour (a slightly mounded cupful), more may be necessary 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 3 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon sugar Pinch of salt Heat the oven to 410 F. In a Pyrex type oven-safe bowl, combine the butter, oil, water, salt, and sugar.

Place in the hot oven for approximately 15 minutes, until the mixture is boiling and the butter starts browning.

Remove from oven; add flour quickly, until it forms a ball. Keep adding additional flour, one spoonful at the time, until it pulls off the sides of the bowl.

Once the dough is cool enough to touch, press it into the tart mold evenly with your fingertips.

Pierce the bottom with a fork, line the sides with the back of the fork to form ridges. Reserve a small knob of dough (see step below).

Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is light brown and shows fine cracks.

Remove carefully from oven. David Lebovitz recommends a brilliant patching technique for any cracks – just reserve a small knob of dough to spackle into any cracks after baking while it’s still warm. (No need to bake again.)

Let crust cool completely, and add lemon cream filling. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Readers and advertisers are advised the next edition of the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin will be published

on Monday, April 23, 2012.

The deadline date is: Wednesday, April 4, 2012.

Page 44 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 2, 2012

WHAT’S GOING ON April 2 to 22, 2012 WEEKLY EVENTS MONDAYS Motorin Munchkins for children 5 and under, sponsored by the Family Life Centre. Children must be accompanied by an adult, 9:00 am to noon. Info: 613798-9818, ext.294.

CANDLELIGHTING BEFORE FIRST SEDER Apr 6 ✡ 7:17 pm SECOND SEDER Apr 7 ✡ AFTER 8:20 pm EVE OF THE SEVENTH DAY OF PASSOVER Apr 12 ✡ 7:25 pm EVE OF EIGHTH DAY OF PASSOVER Apr 13 ✡ AFTER 8:26 pm Apr 20 ✡ 7:35 pm

TUESDAYS Mommy and Me Playgroup for babies and toddlers up to 3 years of age, Rambam Day School, 31 Nadolny Sachs Private, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. Info: 613-806-7700.

Israeli Folk Dancing, no partner necessary, Ottawa Jewish Community School, 31 Nadolny Sachs Private, 7:00 pm. Info: judy@ottawaisraelidance.ca.

WEDNESDAYS Playgroup for babies and toddlers, sponsored by the Family Life Centre. Children must be accompanied by an adult, 9:00 to 11:30 am. Info: 613-798-9818, ext 294.

FRIDAYS Shabbat Shalom for children 5 and under, sponsored by the Family Life Centre. Children must be accompanied by an adult, 9:30 to 11:00 am. Info: 613-798-9818, ext. 294. (No groups April 6 & 13)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4 Tea and Torah – Out of Egypt, with Rabbi Arnold Fine, sponsored by Jewish Family Services. Rideau Gardens, 240 Friel Street, 1:30 pm. Info: 613-7222225, ext. 411.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 Canadian Friends of Hebrew University Annual Passover Lunch, with keynote speaker Mike Fegelman, executive director of Honest Reporting Canada.

Agudath Israel Congregation, 1400 Coldrey Avenue, 12:00 pm.

Info: 613-829-3150.

MONDAY, APRIL 16 Monday Matinee – Jewish Film Club features “Funny Girl,” sponsored by Jewish Family Services. The Westwood, 2374 Carling Avenue, 2:00 pm. Info: 713722-2225, ext. 411.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18 Let’s Do Lunch features “Eye

For more community listings, visit jewishottawa.com Select “Click to see more months”

Care” with Dr. Harry Prizant, sponsored by Jewish Family Services and Agudath Israel Congregation. 1400 Coldrey Avenue, 12:00 pm. Info: 613-728-3501.

2012 Yom HaShoah Commemoration: A community program sponsored by the Shoah Committee of Ottawa. Leslie Meisels, a Hungarian-born Jew who along with his family survived the camps, will speak on his harrowing tale of survival, 7:00 pm.

Info: 613-798-4696, ext. 253.

SUNDAY, APRIL 22 PJ Library Yom Ha’Atzmaut “Pajama Party,” co-sponsored

by Congregation Beth Shalom and PJ Library. All families with young children (6 and under) are invited. Bring your children in their pajamas! 151 Chapel Street, 10:00-11:30 am. Info: 613-7984644.

Writers’ Festival with Sayed Kashua, a highly acclaimed social and cultural commentator in

Israel, whose novels depict the problems faced by Arab Israelis today. He is the creator of a successful Israeli TV series, Arab Labour, which will be screened at 3:00 pm, followed by a lecture at

4:00 pm. Co-sponsored by the Vered Cultural and Educational Program and the Embassy of Israel. Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank Street. Info: 613-798-9818, ext.

243.

COMING SOON MONDAY, APRIL 23 National Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony, presented by the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, 3:30 pm. Info: 416-785-1333.

Bus transportation available from the SJCC at 2:15 pm.

To reserve a spot, call 613-798-4696, ext. 253.

TUESDAY, APRIL 24 Yom Hazikaron ceremony to honour Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. The evening will include a screening of “A Hero in Heaven,” depicting the story of Philadelphia-born Michael Levin who moved to Israel, joined the army and was killed in 2006. 7:00 pm.

Info: 613-798-9818, ext. 243.

THURSDAY, APRIL 26 Yom Ha’Atzmaut, celebrating Israel’s 64th Independence Day. View the première of “Israel Inside: How a small nation makes a big difference.” Entertainment for all ages, and food.

CE Centre, Hall 1, 4899 Uplands Drive, 5:00 pm.

Info: 613-798-9818, ext. 243.

Unless otherwise noted, activities take place at The Joseph and Rose Ages Family Building, 21 Nadolny Sachs Private.

This information is taken from the community calendar maintained by the Jewish Ottawa InfoCentre. Organizations which would like their events to be listed, no matter where they are to be held, should send the information to InfoCentre coordinator Benita Siemiatycki via e-mail at bsiemiatycki@jewishottawa.com or fax at 613-798-4695. She can also be reached by telephone at 613-798-4644. Accurate details must be provided and all events must be open to the Jewish public.

Condolences Condolences are extended to the families of: Vivian Anne Caplan (née Edelson) Minnie B. Milson (née Bennett) Maurice A. Ryant Michael Sherman Sylvia (Sue) Slack

May their memory be a blessing always.

The CONDOLENCE COLUMN is offered as a public service to the community.

There is no charge.

For a listing in this column, please call 613-798-4696, ext. 274.

Voice mail is available.

BULLETIN DEADLINES APRIL 4 FOR APRIL 23 APRIL 18 FOR MAY 7 MAY 2 FOR MAY 21

JEWISH MEMORIAL GARDENS Your one-stop resource centre for funeral planning 613-688-3530

For our investors, it’s a happy Passover As we celebrate our freedom from slavery in Egypt, some of us ask: why is the Romspen Fund different from all other investments? For one thing, Romspen investors have always received their monthly distribution no matter how good or bad the economic climate.

To the many Jewish investors who depend on The Romspen Mortgage Investment Fund, we are thankful for your steadfast support and confidence. From Arthur, Mark, Wes, Blake, Shelly and our entire staff, we wish you continued good health and prosperity. Happy Pesach.

Commercial First Mortgages • Monthly Income Distribution • R RSP and R R I F Eligible

416.966.1100 1.800.494.0389 www.romspen.com 162 Cumberland Street, Suite 300 Toronto, Ontario M5R 3N5