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Calcutta: community, family, history

Calcutta: community, family, history

There are a few vestiges that remain of the Jewish community in Calcutta, including the Jewish Girls’ School and Nahoum’s. (photos by David Berson)

dec 12 travel.12.Calcutta IMG_4029It was family history, alongside a taste for discovery, that took local Jewish community member and Or Shalomnik David Berson to Calcutta recently. A major Indian metropolitan centre near Bangladesh, it used to be home to one of India’s largest Jewish communities.

Berson’s mother, Seemah, is originally from Calcutta. Born there in 1931, she has lived in Vancouver since 1954. However, her connections to the city remain vivid. This past summer, the Recalling Jewish Calcutta (jewishcalcutta.in) virtual museum was launched, and it includes several contributions from Seemah.

“The Baghdadi Jewish community came to Calcutta during the British Raj,” explains the site. “When India gained its independence, they were unsure of what their future would be in an Indian India.” Many community members emigrated to other Commonwealth countries through the 1940s and ’50s, leaving “few traces behind.”

Among those traces are three synagogues, two schools, a cemetery and several businesses. “Ezra Mansions and the Ezra Hospital, Nahoum’s Confectionary, and two buildings in the zoo that are owned and endowed by Jews still bear Jewish names. There is the Belilios Street, Ezra Street and Synagogue Street. There are many other mansions, residences and office buildings that still stand but they no longer bear their Jewish names and few know they were once Jewish owned.” The site notes that there are “barely 30 Jews left in the community, most very elderly.”

photo - Born in Calcutta, Vancouver Jewish community member Seemah Berson has contributed various items to the Recalling Jewish Calcutta virtual museum, including this photo of her with her father.
Born in Calcutta, Vancouver Jewish community member Seemah Berson has contributed various items to the Recalling Jewish Calcutta virtual museum, including this photo of her with her father.

While Calcutta attracted Berson with its density, architecture and wide Indian roads, the city’s Jewish jewel was the main draw. “It was very moving to see how deep the roots of the Jewish community were and how much of a role they played in Indian life, and I got a much better sense of the joy of life my mother experienced when growing up,” he said.

Nahoum’s bakery, a cultural phenomenon in its own right, combines Jewish and Indian cuisine. “It helped me make a connection with some of the community that lived there and are still in Calcutta,” explained Berson about visiting the bakery, where one can find cheese samosas and a unique type of boureka.

Berson said the food of the Jewish community in general is known for its creativity and its tastefulness. One of the many examples of an Indian dish that was popular in the Jewish community is aloo makala, a potato dish that is slowly cooked in oil. A connection of Berson’s mother, Flower Silliman, a native Calcutta resident, lived abroad for many years – including in Israel, where she established the first Indian restaurant in Jerusalem – before returning to Calcutta.

Central Calcutta and the Park Street-Esplanade region were the main areas where the Jewish community was centred. Built in the mid-19th century, the Great Eastern Hotel was recently renovated. It used to be a gathering spot for the Jewish community – including for Berson’s mother – to sip a beer. The New Market area was where the Judean Club used to meet. The Jewish Girls School today is secular and attended by all non-Jewish students, but one can still see where the mezuzah used to be fitted.

The splendor of the former community really came to life for Berson when he visited the city’s synagogues: Beth El, Magen David and Neveh Shalom, today culturally preserved by members of the city’s Muslim population. The back of Beth El included a mikvah and also a special oven to bake matzah, which had been in use until recently, supervised by the community’s few remaining Jews. Now, the buildings only see tourist groups, with the rare exception, such as last year, when the Israeli ambassador to India brought with him enough Jewish men to form a minyan for Simchat Torah celebrations at Magen David.

At the Jewish cemetery, grand in its magnitude, the high-water level makes traditional burial impossible. Bodies would first be wrapped in a shroud, then put in concrete slabs and entombed, giving the final burial an almost Egyptian feel, according to Berson.

While it would be ideal to visit the remaining Calcutta Jewish community in person, the Jewish Calcutta virtual museum – a project spearheaded by Silliman’s daughter, Jael – offers an important resource to anyone interested. There are several exhibits bringing the community back to life, including through a film gallery and sections on notable members of the community, women pioneers, Jewish businesses and more, at jewishcalcutta.in.

Gil Lavie is a freelance correspondent, with articles published in the Jerusalem Post, Shalom Toronto and Tazpit News Agency. He has a master’s of global affairs from the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

Format ImagePosted on December 12, 2014February 26, 2015Author Gil LavieCategories TravelTags Calcutta, David Berson, Seemah Berson
Jewish Cuba mission

Jewish Cuba mission

Michael and Phyllis Moscovich in Cuba. (photo from Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver)

When community lay leaders Michael and Phyllis Moscovich were planning their most recent mission trip, they never imagined discovering Jewish ties to former Cuban president Fidel Castro, and the vibrant community that exists on the island.

Michael, a committed volunteer with Jewish Federation and a board member for several years, is currently a member of Federation’s Israel and overseas affairs committee, as well as its Partnership2Gether committee. He and Phyllis also jointly chair the Ethiopian students internship program. The couple’s shared passion for travel and interest in Jewry across the Diaspora has motivated them to participate in nine previous Federation missions. Last October, they participated in their first American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) mission to Havana, with a group of like-minded community members from North Carolina.

“I wanted to see Cuba before the regime changed and am always interested in Jewish communities elsewhere,” explained Michael.

JDC missions provide participants with a highly personal perspective on daily life for Jews and others in more than 70 countries in which JDC operates.

Cuban Jews have lived on the island for centuries, some tracing their ancestry as far back as the late 15th century to “anusim” who fled the Spanish Inquisition. In a February 2007 story, the New York Times estimated that there were about 1,500 identified Jews living in Cuba, most of them (about 1,100) living in Havana. The article added, “This small Jewish presence [in 2007] is in stark contrast to the bustling community that existed before Fidel Castro came to power in 1959. In those days, there were 15,000 Jews and five synagogues in Havana alone.”

JDC’s re-entry into Cuba in 1991 has sparked a Jewish resurgence on the island and a growing awareness of the community and its rich history. As it does elsewhere across the globe, JDC, in partnership with the local community, provides assistance to Cuba’s Jews, develops Jewish leaders and has prompted a revitalization of Jewish life. Working with JDC, the community has established a Jewish summer camp, adult education, an Israeli dance festival and communal holiday celebrations.

The mission visited all the operating synagogues in Havana, the Jewish cemetery and all the major tourist sites. “We met several times with members of the community, highlighted for us by a lunch with an unassuming fellow who spoke little English,” shared Michael. “By the end of lunch, we had determined he had been Fidel’s personal bodyguard for over a decade.”

One of the more surprising revelations of the trip for Michael and Phyllis is that there never seems to have been overt antisemitism in Cuba. “Fidel never even knew our guy was Jewish, until he attended a Chanukah celebration at one of the synagogues where one of the members mentioned that his bodyguard was a synagogue member,” Michael remarked. Also noteworthy is the fact that the young people are allowed to make aliyah, when almost no one else is allowed exit visas.

The opportunity to immerse themselves in the community was enlightening. “My expectations were all met. Seeing Havana, [getting a taste of] the regime, getting a sense of what 45 years of communism can do to an otherwise colorful and vibrant country,” said Michael. More remarkable from his perspective was “seeing the Jewish community and how it is sustaining itself.”

Michael and Phyllis took away with them enduring memories of the tenacity of the Jewish community and the vibrancy of the entire population, despite the hardships the regime has brought on its people. “It was great to travel with similarly committed Jews, to see the great work JDC has done, to meet our brethren, to see again what communism does and doesn’t do, to see it crumbling however slowly,” Michael explained. “The experience re-confirmed my personal commitment to the community, here and overseas.”

Federation invites you to participate in a mission trip to Vienna, Budapest and Israel, with mission chairs Anita and Arnold Silber, from Oct. 11-22, 2015. Visit the Israel and Overseas Experiences page on Federation’s website (jewishvancouver.com) for more information about opportunities to visit Israel and experience Jewish life in communities around the world. You can also donate to this year’s campaign via the website.

– This article was originally published in eYachad, and is reprinted with permission.

Format ImagePosted on November 7, 2014November 5, 2014Author Jewish Federation of Greater VancouverCategories TravelTags Cuba, JDC, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, Joint Distribution Committee, Michael Moscovich, Phyllis Moscovich
In search of perfect shofar

In search of perfect shofar

On the right track to finding a place to purchase shofarot. (photo from Steven Finkleman)

Heading down the B2 from Swakopmund to Windhoek, I could see by the road signage that this would be a prime location to search for the perfect shofar. As you can see from the signage, with each kudu, one would have two shofars to blow on Rosh Hashanah.

So, I went on the prowl for the perfect shofar in Namibia. When I was in Windhoek last spring and was at the airport awaiting my return flight to the big city of Johannesburg, I happened to notice a Chassidic man on my flight carrying several long, Yemenite-style shofarot. Although I didn’t speak to him at the time, it was clear that with an abundance of African antelope, Namibia could be a good source of shofarot for Jews all over the world.

Apparently, there are two types of shofarot that are kosher to use. The original was a ram’s horn, which is linked to the biblical account of the near sacrifice of Isaac. At the last moment, a ram tangled by its horns in the bush appeared to Isaac’s father, Abraham, and he sacrificed the animal instead of his son. The other style comes from Yemen, where there was an abundance of antelope, or more specifically kudu, from which the Jews in that country were able to make shofarot.

photo - A fantastic set of kudu horns
A fantastic set of kudu horns. (photo from Steven Finkleman)

Both styles are used today, and indeed in my own synagogue sanctuary is a painting by Gertrude Zack of a rabbi blowing a Yemenite-style shofar. Whether there are still kudu in Yemen is unclear to me. Perhaps, it is too dangerous for Jews to fly into Sanaa looking for kudu horns. Therefore, why not come to the safe locale of Namibia, known among tourists as “Africa lite” for a safe supply of kudu-horn shofars.

I was fortunate to have a work project this April in Windhoek and, clearly, one of my main goals, besides work, of course, was to track down that supply of kudu horns. It sounded like a great article: “In search of the perfect shofar, direct from its source.”

I made contact with Zvi Gorelick of the Windhoek Jewish community, and visited the synagogue, now about 80 years old, took some great pictures and attended the Friday night service. Theirs is a small community, very diverse and welcoming. Indeed, the second Shabbat, I had arranged to lead the service in my Reform style, with lots of traditional and vibrant Shabbat songs, probably quite distinct from the South African Orthodox service that the congregation was used to. Indeed, after services, I was fortunate to be invited to Barbara and Alexandra’s home for Shabbat dinner. All were welcome to join.

Once there, I was able to ask Zvi the all-important question in order for me to continue my quest for the perfect shofar. I was directed to the Nakara Tannery in the North Industrial area.

The two-dollar cab ride took me directly to the factory and the factory shop. Trying to keep things low-key and not to come across as a camera-happy tourist snapping four million pictures, I kept calm as I checked out the warehouse and then the factory store. The warehouse was filled with hides of all kinds, the most distinctive being the piles and piles of Zebra hides. Quite a sight. And, we think in Canada, it’s cool to have a bearskin on the wall!

As I entered the factory store, I noticed some kudu horns on the ground, polished, and some of very gaudy colorations – blue, orange, red, etc. Obviously not suitable for a shofar.

photo - Testing a shofar out in advance of Rosh Hashanah
Testing a shofar out in advance of Rosh Hashanah. (photo from Steven Finkleman)

Trying to play it cool, I asked the sales lady at the desk, Marie-Louise, if they sell vuvuzelas made of kudu horns. Do you remember all those horns at the World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa a few years ago? She replied in the affirmative, and as I stammered away asking for a kudu-horn sort of trumpet, she responded in her Afrikaans accent, and asked if I was interested in buying a shofar for Rosh Hashanah! I knew immediately that I was at the correct spot. I coolly ordered four, but subsequently placed an order for another three. Darn good price … perhaps I ought to import them. I wonder who is making the 10 times mark-up in North America!

I then asked to see the factory where the shofarot are made. Starting with raw skulls, the horns are removed, soaked in water to remove the central core, then polished, and finally the tip is cut off in order to turn it into a shofar. I took my usual million pictures of the workshop and the production line, and, of course, tested a few shofarot out.

As I packed up my multiple shofarot, I began to wonder what sort of grief the customs officials might give me with my suitcase of kudu horns. After all, I would be crossing multiple borders, into Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the United States and, finally, home to Canada. I’d tell them the truth, of course, that these are religious article; I was unlikely to run into any trouble. Right?

Steven Finkleman, originally from Winnipeg, is a retired pediatrician living in Kelowna. He travels extensively and often researches and visits remote Diaspora communities on his adventures.

Format ImagePosted on September 19, 2014September 18, 2014Author Steven FinklemanCategories TravelTags kudu, Rosh Hashanah, shofar
A Curaçao adventure to start

A Curaçao adventure to start

Mikve Israel-Emanuel in Willemstad, Curaçao, is the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Americas. (photo from Masada Siegel)

The night was aglow with candles and the silky white sand found its way in between my toes. I grinned, as it only added to the spirituality of the experience. Then, the chanting began.

No, I was not at an ashram or a yoga retreat. I was experiencing Shabbat services in the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Americas, Mikve Israel-Emanuel in Willemstad, Curaçao.

Originally established in 1651 by settlers from Amsterdam, many in the community are of Spanish and Portuguese descent, as well. The settlers brought traditions from their ancestors, one of which was placing sand on the floor. During the Spanish Inquisition, secret Jews called conversos put sand on the floors of rooms in which they worshipped, which helped to muffle the sounds during services, and to avoid certain death if discovered. And so, today, sand is still placed on the floor of the synagogue to honor their ancestors and to remember the past.

My way of arrival to Curaçao was via a Holland America cruise, whose itineraries sometimes allow for late evening departures, allowing travelers to experience Shabbat services in a magnificent synagogue such as Mikve Israel-Emanuel.

Our ship, the Zuiderdam, was cozy and intimate, the food was plentiful and there was an explorer lounge filled with books, a coffee bar, fitness centre and the all-important spa. A cruise is one of the best ways to combine relaxation, excitement, scenic views and fabulous food. Kosher catering is also an option on this ship, we were told by the two Orthodox couples we befriended on deck. Holland America also offers shore excursions, as varied as city tours and swimming with dolphins.

photo - Panama Canal
The journey through the Panama Canal takes the cruise ship through the Gatun locks. (photo from Masada Siegel)

Our adventure would take us from the majestic Mikve Israel to the thatched-roof homes of the Emberá tribe who live in the Panamanian rainforest. Experiencing the magnificent Panama Canal transit through the Gatun locks, steering through one of the 20th century’s greatest engineering marvels, we saw some tight squeezes, massive lock gates, boat-tugging locomotives and ongoing canal expansion work.

Finally, we disembarked, journeying via bus and then on motorized canoes back in time on the Chagres River in Chagres National Park, where we met members of a tribe that maintains traditions and a lifestyle from before the Spanish colonized Panama, more than 600 years ago.

Singing children and ornately decorated ladies with flowers in their hair greeted us upon our arrival to the jungle. The women were topless but were mostly covered in intricate non-permanent drawings and markings. They wore brightly colored sarongs as skirts. The men wore loincloths.

I wandered from the crowd and found myself photographing a young lady, and we started to communicate via pencil and paper, mostly laughing. As the rain started to pelt down from the sky, she invited me to stand under her house, which was on stilts, and to meet her two dogs. She was celebrating her birthday the next day and was excited. She motioned for me to come with her to meet some of her friends.

photo - Members of the Emberá tribe present their wares for sale, including their brightly colored woven baskets
Members of the Emberá tribe present their wares for sale, including their brightly colored woven baskets. (photo from Masada Siegel)

Eventually, I found my way to the centre of the village, which had a covered area where families were selling their creations. Each family had a table with their wares for sale.

The woven baskets were exquisite and a few found their way home with me, not to mention some sculptures, a wooden slingshot and brightly colored necklaces carved out of wood. Truth be told, the works were so stunning, I spent every penny I had with me.

The women prepared food and used large leaves folded as plates for serving. After dinner, members of the community performed some traditional dances for the visitors. The whole experience was a window into a world of yesteryear.

The rain came cascading down as we found our visit over and made our way back to the river and canoes. I soon found myself in the Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica.

Sloths are extremely slow-moving mammals found in the rainforest canopies of Central and South America. There are two species of sloths: two-toed and three-toed. Most sloths are about the size of a small dog.

photo - A baby sloth at the family-run sanctuary in Costa Rica
A baby sloth at the family-run sanctuary in Costa Rica. (photo from Masada Siegel)

Alaskan Judy Avey-Arroyo and her Costa Rican husband, Luis Arroyo, started the Sloth Sanctuary after three young neighbor girls brought them an orphaned three-fingered baby sloth.

They called the San José Zoo and a rescue centre for help, but soon realized they were on their own if they wished to save the sloth. They named her Buttercup and, 21 years later, she greets visitors at a sanctuary that has saved hundreds of the cute creatures and releases as many as possible back into the wild.

The Sloth Sanctuary is a family-run operation where the love of the furry creatures is obvious. It led me to reflect on all aspects of my journey, from the dedication of the people who created the synagogue hundreds of years ago to the world of yesteryear in the Panamanian jungle.

Every place and space we visited revealed a love and respect for heritage, nature and working together to build a better world. Perhaps this is why some of us are compelled to travel, to see the beauty, the goodness from other worlds and to take a piece of it home, to make our own worlds brighter, happier and more meaningful.

Masada Siegel can be reached at fungirlcorrespondent@gmail.com.

Format ImagePosted on September 19, 2014February 8, 2015Author Masada SiegelCategories TravelTags Chagres National Park, Holland America, Judy Avey-Arroyo, kosher cruises, Luis Arroyo, Mikve Israel, Sloth Sanctuary
Idaho’s whitewater family adventure

Idaho’s whitewater family adventure

The magic on the journey down the Salmon River comes from exhilarating rapids safe for the whole family and from the experience of being disconnected from “real life” and the electronics that distract us from the here and now. (photo from Lauren Kramer)

There’s nothing quite as thrilling as a whitewater rafting adventure, especially when you can do it with your kids. For safety reasons, most rafting companies restrict the participation of kids 12 and under for anything other than a bland float downstream. With one exception, that is: ROW Adventures’ five-day Family Magic rafting excursion on the lower fork of Idaho’s Salmon River. Here, the rapids are safe enough for a 5-year-old and just sufficiently exciting to get parents’ adrenaline pumping, without ever feeling dangerous. Add a “River Jester” to the mix, a staff member whose job it is to keep kids busy, happy and engaged, and you have the recipe for a perfect family vacation.

 “Now try to imagine 10,500 turkeys moving with each passing second and you get a sense of the strength of the current.”

The city of Lewiston is the point of departure for the trip and a place where five families from Ohio, British Columbia, New York and California make cautious introductions, as their kids, who range in age from 5 through 15, nervously check each other out. We learn that we’ll be rafting up to 16 miles a day, that lifejackets are mandatory and that the river is flowing at 10,500 cubic feet per second. “One cubic foot is about the size of a turkey,” explains our head guide, Mark. “Now try to imagine 10,500 turkeys moving with each passing second and you get a sense of the strength of the current.”

Clambering aboard seven rafts, we let the river carry us through arid gulches and canyons to a beach with silver-streaked, powder-soft sand. By the time we arrive, guides have assembled our tents and appetizers are being prepared in the camp kitchen. Audrey, an undergraduate student spending her summer as the River Jester, quickly gathers the children for games in and around the shallow eddy of our beach, while the adults wade in the cool water and get to know each other over glasses of wine. We’re in a river valley where Idaho’s schist mountains soar to 2,200 feet around us and, but for the sounds of the river, there’s utter peace. Disconnected from our iPhones, iPads, emails and texts, a gradual relaxation begins, one enhanced by nightly campfires and meals that consistently defy our distance from civilization: huckleberry-flavored salmon, prime rib, casseroles and spectacular desserts baked in a Dutch oven. “We bloat ’em, and then we float ’em,” jokes our guide, Jake, a physics PhD student.

The days start early at camp, with breakfast served at 7:30 a.m., but we’re on river time, grateful to watch the sun rise and happy to be packed up and on our boats by 9 a.m. as the mercury hits 90 degrees Fahrenheit. By midday the Salmon River provides an easy respite from the 100-degree heat. In the calm stretches of river, we gladly hop overboard, drifting effortlessly downstream in our lifejackets and clambering back in the boats at the first sign of riffles on the water. My son rides the helm of one boat, his face locked into a smile as the waves lift the boat, tossing it like a leaf in the current. My husband and I take a two-person “ducky,” navigating the thrashing waves with pounding hearts and swimsuits drenched by spray.

The days are bisected by fabulous lunches at remote beaches and stopovers at places of historical interest. At one site, we gaze at pictographs inscribed on the rock walls thousands of years ago by ancestors of the Nez Perce tribe, who once claimed this land as their own. At another, we inspect the ruins of stone houses constructed by Chinese miners in the late 1800s and, at a third, we are awed by the columnar basalt rock formations lined up along the river banks with soldier-like precision. More than half of our guides are teachers and each offers a unique perspective on the environment. Distributing Oreo cookies to the kids, one guide, Matt Phillipy, uses the chocolate layers to explain the movement of tectonic plates, which created the landscape we observe. As he speaks, a hush descends over the children in our group. Utterly absorbed, they are learning, stimulated and engaged. It occurs to us they’ve not used the phrase “I’m bored” even once since entering the river.

With their kids amply entertained, parents form easy friendships over plates of crackers and goat cheese.

An antidote to the amusement park vacation, there’s certainly magic on the Family Magic rafting tour. Without links to the digital world, families can truly play together. Kids of all ages bond over games of soccer and volleyball. Fathers and sons compete for the longest vault into the water on a waterslide created by an upturned boat. With their kids amply entertained, parents form easy friendships over plates of crackers and goat cheese. They talk about their kids, their jobs and their challenges. They play long, contemplative games of Scrabble and cards, share stories and abandon their tents for the beauty of sleeping directly under the starry Idaho skies.

By 10 p.m., everyone at camp is fast asleep, exhausted by the excitement of white water rapids that have challenged our paddling skills, splashed and soaked us, and left us exhilarated and eager to head out the next day. Among us are grandparents in their 70s, kids in kindergarten and everyone in between, united by the serenity and thrill of the Salmon River and its rapids.

On day four, we have hair streaked and matted by sun, sand and water, skin plastered with umpteen layers of sunscreen and body odor; none of it bothers us in the least. Within 24 hours, we will disperse, each family traveling to their respective homes, plugged in, distracted and wired once again. But, in this moment, we’re suspended on a pristine, isolated beach amid Idaho’s majestic canyons, surrounded by rugged mountains that soar into a cloudless sky. Strangers have become friends, once-meek paddlers have surged with confidence and a sense of magic hangs quite tangibly in the air.

Lauren Kramer, an award-winning writer and editor, lives in Richmond, B.C. To read her work online, visit laurenkramer.net.

 

Format ImagePosted on September 19, 2014September 26, 2014Author Lauren KramerCategories TravelTags family travel, Idaho, Matt Phillipy, ROW Adventures, Salmon River
Florence: flower of Tuscany

Florence: flower of Tuscany

The Great Synagogue of Florence, one of the most beautiful in Europe, was built in 1882 in the Moorish style. (photo by Shoshana Reich)

We got to Florence, that inimitable Italian city of art and beauty, in a roundabout way. First, we spent some time in Tel Aviv, at the elegant new boutique hotel, Gilgal, just a few minutes’ walk from the long seaside promenade. With its beautiful rooms, superb roof-terrace outdoor restaurant, with its view of the blue Mediterranean, the Hotel Gilgal was a memorable place to stay.

We had a very early morning flight to Italy, but we were lucky to discover another amazing hotel, sure to delight passengers flying out of Ben-Gurion Airport. Hotel Sadot, in Be’er Yaakov, offers free transport almost around the clock to the airport, and it not only offers a munificent buffet breakfast, but – surprise! – if you arrive in the afternoon, you are invited to an elaborate buffet supper, included with the cost of your stay.

As our plane approached the Florence airport, we had a clear glimpse of the building that dominates the city’s skyline: the Great Synagogue of Florence. The anchor of Jewish life in Florence, the magnificent blue-green-domed grand synagogue on Via Farini is the largest and most impressive synagogue in Italy and one of the most stunning in all of Europe, with a seating capacity of 1,200.

Built in 1882, the synagogue is decorated in the Moorish style. Besides its vast central dome, it has two side towers with smaller domes and wooden furnishings, and boasts Venetian mosaics on the walls that flank the aron kodesh. The other walls of the sanctuary feature arabesques, highlighted with gold and geometric motifs.

In front of the synagogue is a large formal garden and in the synagogue’s courtyard stands a memorial plaque with names of Jewish soldiers who fell fighting for Italy in the First World War. Alongside this plaque stands two memorial tablets with the names of local Jews who during the Second World War were sent to concentration camps and those who were killed in Italy by the Nazis.

During Sabbath services, we witnessed a beautiful bat mitzvah. After the Torah reading, the 12-year-old girl was escorted up the long, carpeted aisle to the bimah by her father and uncle. There, she recited the Shema and gave a short commentary on the Torah portion – a ceremony in a traditional shul that would not likely happen in a North American Orthodox synagogue.

Later, an elaborate kiddush was offered in the garden outside the sanctuary, a delicious meal catered by Ruth’s, the only kosher restaurant in Florence, located next door to the synagogue entrance at Via Farini 2A. On a weekday, we had occasion to dine at Ruth’s, managed by the gregarious Simcha Jellinek. For its variety of tasty dairy dishes and moderate prices, this restaurant is a find in Florence.

Today, the community of 850 Florentine Jews is led by Rabbi Yosef Levi. Services are held every Friday night and Shabbat morning and also on Mondays and Thursdays. The community has a kindergarten, a Talmud Torah school with 45 students, ranging in age from 6-15, a youth organization, a centre for Jewish culture and an old age home.

The Jewish museum, which occupies two upper storeys in the synagogue, displays Jewish artifacts from the 16th-18th centuries and documents the story of Florentine Jews throughout several hundred years, through the Holocaust and the postwar period.

Jews began residing in Florence in the early 1400s. By 1570, they were confined to a ghetto, near today’s main street, Piazza della Repubblica. They were prohibited from joining the guilds and could only deal in textiles and second-hand goods. However, by the mid-18th century, their condition gradually began to improve until 1848, when the ghetto was opened up and Jews could live anywhere.

For our stay in Florence, we chose the elegant riverside Hotel Berchielli (info@berchielli.it), right near the historic centre of town. Its good-humored and helpful personnel, beautiful large rooms, and wide-ranging and delicious buffet breakfast made our visit memorable.

All the city’s famous sites, including the Duomo, the pedestrian streets with their nighttime street performers, the Ponte Vecchio, the high-end shopping area, the Uffizi Gallery and the synagogue, too, are all a short walk from the hotel. Hotel Berchielli is so conveniently located we did not have to take a taxi or any public transportation while in Florence.

Florence is also a good point for other excursions.

A 30-minute uphill bus ride from Florence is the beautiful suburb of Fiesole. Here, you are in a world apart, with grand views of Florence below at every turn. The pastoral Tuscan landscape is especially enjoyable at the welcoming Villa dei Bosconi (villadeibosconi.it), with its lovely lawns and refreshing swimming pool. We spent a relaxing three-day journey here, enjoying the walks to town, the countryside strolls and, of course, the marvelous buffet breakfast on the villa’s outdoor terrace.

Another superb side trip is to the Cinque Terre, a group of five villages, which cling to the craggy mountains that abut the Ligurian Sea. After a scenic two-hour train ride to La Spezia, we arrived at the imaginatively designed and welcoming Eco Albergo delle Spezie on Via Cavallotti. The next morning, after a wonderful breakfast, we walked to the quay and boarded a tour boat that stops at each of the five villages and gives you a glorious view from the sea of these picturesque places. For information, visit cinqueterre-travel.com.

To get the most out of your rail journeys, be sure to buy a Eurail Pass, a money-saving convenience available only while you’re still in the United States or Canada. A pass lets you choose destinations at will or change your itinerary, omitting long waits in line for tickets. For information and special offers, visit raileurope.com or call 1-888-382-7245. For some high-speed trains in Italy, reservations are mandatory.

Curt Leviant’s most recent book is the comic Zix Zexy Ztories. Erika Pfeifer Leviant’s articles on travel and art appear in various publications. Shoshana Reich, photographer, is a student at the Parsons School for Design.

Format ImagePosted on September 19, 2014September 18, 2014Author Curt Leviant And Erika Pfeifer LeviantCategories TravelTags Cinque Terre, Florence, Florentine Jews, Simcha Jellinek, Yosef Levi

A Hebrew Birthright

The Israeli-American Council (IAC) has partnered with the Taglit Birthright Israel program to launch a special Hebrew track called IAC Shelanu. The new program offers a 10-day trip to Israel designed specifically for Israeli American young adults, ages 18-26. IAC Shelanu, in partnership with Taglit Birthright Israel and Israel Experience, will be conducted in Hebrew, aiming to engage this group of young leaders and create future Jewish-Israeli community influencers. Registration opens Sept. 9 for the December 2014 program.

According to a recent study commissioned by IAC and conducted by Israeli polling company Midgam, about 17 percent of second-generation Israeli Americans are married to non-Jews and Hebrew fluency drops from 53 percent to 19 percent for those living in the United States more than 10 years.

IAC Shelanu aims to provide an Israel experience that will help these young Israeli Americans and other Hebrew speakers connect on a deeper level with their Jewish-Israeli identity and expand their knowledge of and acquaintance with the state of Israel, its history and culture.

IAC Shelanu provides a unique experience for its participants, including a recruitment process by IAC that focuses on identifying, selecting and encouraging potential leaders. IAC Shelanu will then follow up with participants upon their return to ensure an enduring impact on their lives and further involvement in pro-Israel advocacy. Participants will be encouraged to participate in an IAC Shelanu alumni program, which will develop their connections to one another and to Israel while fortifying them with the network and skills needed to be ambassadors for Israel.

Based in Los Angeles with offices nationwide, IAC serves an estimated 750,000 Israelis in the United States today with a large variety of programs and events for all ages, and supports a wide range of other community nonprofit organizations. For more information about IAC, visit israeliamerican.org. For more information about IAC Shelanu, visit freejourneytoisrael.org/iacbirthrightisrael.

– Courtesy of Israeli-American Council

Posted on September 5, 2014September 3, 2014Author Israeli-American CouncilCategories TravelTags IAC Shelanu, Israel, Israeli-American Council, Taglit Birthright
Journey across water, time

Journey across water, time

Members of the Gitxaala Nation at the 2014 Qatuwas Festival. (photo by Kris Krug)

Vancouver, Erev Tisha b’Av (Aug. 4): As Jews across North America are preparing themselves for the sombre, mournful fast commemorating the destruction of the holy temples in Jerusalem, Jews in Israel and across much of the world have already begun fasting. We fast to mark the calamities that befell our people on the ninth of Av throughout history, and to acknowledge that we are still living in exile, awaiting the building of the third Beit Hamikdash.

For a moment, imagine that we are in Yerushalayim while the Temple stands and hearing news of a siege of the city. Food is growing scarce and we realize that the walls will soon be breached, and destruction leveled upon us and upon our holiest of places. Invasion, murder and desecration are almost certain. If we survive, we will almost certainly be forced into exile, and our city would be burned along with the centre of life for all Jews, the Holy Temple.

As I sit, I reflect upon our history, my history. I reflect upon 2,000 years of exile, upon the Holocaust, upon the war in Gaza. I wonder what may come tomorrow. Exactly three weeks earlier, I was away from the city, visiting my mother on Denny Island, B.C. I went there to spend time with her, to go fishing with my stepfather and to eat Mom’s cooking. I hadn’t planned on meeting people from other nations that have faced destruction, assimilation and exile also, or to learn from their resolve.

Waglisla, Heiltsuk territory, three weeks earlier (July 15): I stand in the grass under the blazing sun, straw hat on, squinting at the dancers. They wear traditional garb: robes, cedar hats, blankets and paint; they sing. Today is the 17th of Tammuz and I haven’t eaten since the night before. I am at the 2014 Qatuwas Festival, an annual gathering of the First Nations of North America’s West Coast – from Alaska to Oregon, where the nations have traveled by glwa (gil-wah, an ocean-going canoe), some for more than 30 days to reach their destination. Qatuwas, the Heiltsuk word for “people gathering together,” has its roots in 1985 in Waglisla (Bella Bella), when a group of local residents built a glwa to paddle 500 kilometres to Vancouver for Expo ’86. They now make a journey each year to a different nation to build connections, morale, identity and community. Nearly 30 years after Qatuwas began, there are hundreds gathered on the grass field in Heiltsuk territory.

My mother moved to Denny Island about two years ago and I’ve taken the 10-minute ferry to Bella Bella to see Qatuwas for myself. I sit in the shade with Jessica Brown, a beaming, bright young woman from Heiltsuk Nation, who is part of the host committee for Qatuwas. She smiles while she speaks about the festival:

“It’s pretty amazing. Last summer, we left Bella Bella and paddled for 32 days on the water, and stopped at every first nation – for a day in the life of each nation. You can be there for a funeral, or you can be there for a lahal tournament or a powwow. It’s a journey of healing, drug and alcohol free, and it’s supposed to be about resurgence, revitalization.

“Young people on the canoe say that the water is a healing process, from the effects of colonization, continuing and ongoing.”

As I contemplate my physical hunger, my fatigue, I feel connected to my spiritual hunger, our collective desire as Jews to return to the Holy Land, a holy time. At least some of my emotions are shared by the nations celebrating at the Qatuwas Festival. Like us, they have suffered innumerable losses. Spirit, though, as it is with knowledge, faith and hope, can never be taken away from one person by another. They can only be given up.

I leave Qatuwas in peace. The days are long here on the central coast in summer, but the sun is slowly burning towards the horizon. Spirits are high on the ferry back to Denny Island.

Vancouver, Erev Tisha b’Av (Aug. 4): The hour of the fast is nearly upon us. Soon I will get into my car and drive to shul to sit and pray on the floor like in a house of mourning, and mark the beginning of the fast of Tisha b’Av. I have a flash from three weeks prior, when I asked Jessica about the land we stood on at Qatuwas.

“We’re not treaty people,” she said, “and that means that we’ve never given up access to our land. We basically consider ourselves the Heiltsuk Nation, a sovereign nation.”

“Am I in Canada?” I asked with an intrigued grin.

“No, you’re in Heiltsuk territory.”

As Jews across Israel and the Diaspora prepare to mourn on Tisha b’Av, I’m inspired by the strength of our people and by that of the First Peoples of Canada.

Despite the destruction, chaos, hatred and exile, we still hope to be free peoples in our own land. For us, the land of Zion, Yerushalayim. Am Yisroel chai.

Benjamin Groberman is a born and raised Vancouverite. He is a freelance writer, and is pursuing a bachelor of education degree, with aspirations to teach in a Jewish high school. He is a resident of Vancouver’s Moishe House.

Format ImagePosted on August 29, 2014August 28, 2014Author Benjamin GrobermanCategories TravelTags Qatuwas Festival, Tisha b'Av
Travel B.C.: unique places, unique views

Travel B.C.: unique places, unique views

A ziplining selfie: Dangling over river gorges in Clayoquot Plateau Provincial Park. (photo by Baila Lazarus)

The mission: to explore British Columbia from as many geographical perspectives as possible. The means: a 10-day road trip on Vancouver Island. The locations: whatever would take us off the city or country roads. The result: eight ways to see the province like you’ve never seen it before.

From the air

1. Nothing says “new perspectives” like sleeping in a ball suspended from three trees about 15 feet in the air. Making Lonely Planet’s 2014 list of top 10 extraordinary places to stay, the Free Spirit Spheres near Horne Lake, about 45 minutes north of Nanaimo, are just that. Designer Tom Chudleigh has built three round wooden “rooms” about 10 feet in diameter, so guests can feel like they’re sleeping in a tree, but with all the amenities of a hotel room. A perfect “glamping” scenario, the rooms have electricity and are outfitted with dishes, a small fridge and a few appliances, and the site has showers, a full kitchen and even a sauna. Prices start at $155 per night. freespiritspheres.com.

photo - Having a ball: The Free Spirit Spheres near Qualicum Beach provide hotel room comfort 15 feet in the air
Having a ball: The Free Spirit Spheres near Qualicum Beach provide hotel room comfort 15 feet in the air (see below). (photo by Baila Lazarus)
photo - Having a ball: The Free Spirit Spheres near Qualicum Beach provide hotel room comfort 15 feet in the air
(photo by Baila Lazarus)

2. Search ziplines on Vancouver Island and you’re bound to come up with three: WildPlay, south of Nanaimo; Adrenaline, west of Victoria on the way to Sooke; and West Coast Wild, 45 minutes east of Ucluelet. We chose the latter due to its number of lines (six) and lack of suspension bridges (a request by my co-traveler). The $99 cost was a great deal for two hours of stunning scenery, a guided nature walk and exhilarating zipping. Even for non-risk-takers, this is a great adventure. Sit and hang on for a smooth ride or test your mettle by hanging upside down and striking a pose. wcwild.com.

3. One of the best values of the trip was a floatplane tour from Victoria Harbor with Harbour Air Seaplanes. The $100 30-minute tour takes off from in front of the Empress Hotel and flies over the Capital District, passing over the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Saanich, offering a glimpse of Butchart Gardens from the air. harbourair.com.

From the water

4. Tofino and Ucluelet – indeed, much of coastal British Columbia – are known for their whale-watching excursions. For an alternate option, try a bear-watching trip instead. These boats ply the inlets and shorelines, giving passengers a more varied view of the topography and making it easy to spot and follow wildlife. (Unlike trying to anticipate in which square metre of ocean a whale might breach.) On a tour with Jamie’s Whale Watching, we spotted a mother and two cubs and were able to watch them forage for food right by the water’s edge for about 45 minutes, giving everyone the opportunity to get a good look – and good shots. jamies.com.

photo - Bear essentials: A mother and her cub stake out the shoreline in Clayoquot Sound near Tofino
Bear essentials: A mother and her cub stake out the shoreline in Clayoquot Sound near Tofino. (photo by Baila Lazarus)

5. It’s not often you can get a view of the shoreline from a kilometre out without standing on a boat or floating platform of some kind, but at low tide near Tigh-Na-Mara in Parksville, it’s a mud-walker’s dream. Meander through ankle-deep puddles or stick to the muddy flats, examine tracks left by crabs or other marine life and lose yourself in the vastness. Turn around, and the buildings on the shoreline look like miniatures.

photo - Tigh Na Mara
The views at Tigh-Na-Mara are expansive and beautiful. (photo from Tigh-Na-Mara)

From underground

6. Don a helmet with headlamp, some sturdy shoes and gloves and you’re ready for caving in Horne Lake Provincial Park. About an hour from Nanaimo, these tours – offered through the park – give a glimpse into the world of beautiful crystal and rock formations, and geological history. Tours range from a Family Cavern 1.5-hour tour for $26 to a High Adventure four-hour tour for $125. Note this is not a walk in the park. There is very rough terrain and the caves are very cold. hornelake.com.

From high above

7. If you’re interested in getting a bird’s-eye view, but still want to be standing on terra firma, two locations near Victoria offer outstanding vistas. Driving up the Island Highway about 30 minutes from Victoria, take the turnoff to Whittaker Road and keep right to go up Ebedora Lane. At the top – where the Aerie and Prancing Horse are located – you’ll have stunning views of Saanich Inlet.

8. Across the inlet, stand in the shadow of history as you make your way up Observatory Hill. Built in 1918, the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory was, for a short period, the largest functioning observatory in the world. The road winds up the hill, offering lookouts with views to most of Saanich.

Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, painter and photographer. Her work can be seen at orchiddesigns.net.

Format ImagePosted on July 25, 2014August 9, 2014Author Baila LazarusCategories TravelTags Free Spirit Spheres, Harbour Air Seaplanes, Horne Lake Provincial Park, Jamie’s Whale Watching, Tigh-Na-Mara, Tom Chudleigh, West Coast Wild
Family-run Domaine du Castel has achieved many firsts

Family-run Domaine du Castel has achieved many firsts

Eli Ben Zaken, centre, with sons Ariel, left, and Eytan. His daughter, Ilana, is also part of the business. (photo from castel.co.il)

The third in a series featuring nine Israeli wine producers features Eli Ben Zaken of Domaine du Castel, in the Judean Hills, 10 miles west of Jerusalem. The first two articles – on Barkan and Shiloh wineries – were published in the Jewish Independent on May 2.

Christopher Barnes: When did you found the estate?

Eli Ben Zaken: There was no official foundation because I never thought of really making a winery. I planted in ’88 a few vines in a small plot next to the house in the Judean Hills, in Moshav Ramat Raziel. We made wine in ’92, we bottled it in ’95, it was a great success. Not many bottles – just about 600.

CB: How fast did you grow?

EBZ: We grew 2,000, 3,000 a year, and then eight, and then 12, 15, 20. By the year 2000, we made 80,000 bottles. Then we stayed around 80,000.

CB: Tell us a little about the terroir, the soils and the climate in the area that you make your wine.

EBZ: It’s a very good wine country. In fact, the region was making wine for the Temple thousands of years ago. It’s very good, it’s clay and limestone, it’s stony, it’s well drained because it’s hilly. It has a good influence from the sea compared to other regions, which are also very good, but different, like Upper Galilee and Golan Heights. They don’t have an influence from the sea because they are more continental. The days would be much warmer, but the nights also much cooler. They will have maybe more color and more body, but certainly they will lack the elegance that we have because of the influence of the sea, which is always keeping us at a balanced level of temperature. Usually, the heat is not too hot, and the summers are less cool, it’s true. Today, we can know the difference.

When I was the first to plant vines, by mistake maybe, in the Judean Hills in [the] modern era, today we have in dunam – a dunam is a 10th of a hectare – we have about 300 dunams, and the region has nearly 3,000 dunams. That means all the industry has understood the importance of the hills around Jerusalem and have planted vines.

CB: How many different wines are you making right now?

EBZ: We were making, at the beginning, one wine. In ’98, we added a second red wine. Our wines are blended wines with Bordeaux grapes, like cabernet, merlot, petit verdot, cabernet franc, malbec, they are always blended. The white is a chardonnay, 100 percent, barrel-fermented, classical Burgundy wine method. We’ve made a rosé for the past four years, which is merlot, cabernet franc, malbec – early picking, pressed like a white wine, and really it is very fresh and light, a nice summer drink.

CB: Tell us a little bit about the influences in terms of your winemaking. You mentioned that you made Bordeaux blends. Was that something intentional that you decided on, or how did you come about that?

EBZ: I really started making the things I like to drink. I was not bored drinking wine and, actually, I didn’t like it [at first] because I was given low-quality wine to taste. When I got into wine I was already in my thirties, and got more and more into gastronomy and drinking wine. When I decided to make some wine at home, it was really as a hobby.

CB: How would you say your wines are unique versus the other types of wines that are made in Israel?

EBZ: I don’t think I like the word unique in the sense that everyone is unique, not mine as opposed to the mass of the others. They’re also unique. As I said, what is very, very interesting is the terroir of the Judean Hills, the elegance of the wines. Someone was pointing out in an article I read lately that all the wines from Israel got top marks from Parker – the really “top, top” were Judean Hills wines. Somehow, at the end of the day, this is what appeals most, but then, I’m biased.

CB: Of course, of course. Is it a family business now?

EBZ: It is, yes. I have three kids. They aren’t kids anymore, the youngest is 41! They’re running the winery. I am the winemaker, but I have to ask for permission to do things. My daughter and my sons are in the business. I have a daughter and two sons. I let them make their own decisions.

I can say, at my age now, I can look back. I was led in that path without [the] intention … of becoming a winemaker or making a business of wine. I was led through that path by God, destiny – it’s hard to tell, but certainly I did things which, by chance, were firsts: the revival of the Judean Hills as a wine region, I brought the petit verdot first in Israel, I made blended wines when blended wines were the cheaper wines in the wineries in Israel and top wines were single varieties. I was lucky in the way I went, doing firsts.

– This article is reprinted courtesy of the Grape Collective, an online publication for all things wine. For more information, visit grapecollective.com.

Format ImagePosted on July 11, 2014July 9, 2014Author Christopher BarnesCategories TravelTags Christopher Barnes, Domaine du Castel, Eli Ben Zaken, Judean Hills

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