Left to right, back row: Mark Suzuki, Ai Nakano, Marie Doduck, Eppy Rappaport, Ruth Erlichman, Elena Steele and a representative from the Nepalese community. Front row: Casey Suzuki, Dickson Tsang and Andy Sui. (photo by Belinda Co)
On the evening of May 14, members of the Jewish community joined with members of the Japanese, Russian and Chinese communities to raise funds for earthquake relief efforts in Nepal. Held at Omnitsky Kosher Delicatessen, the restaurant’s proprietor, Eppy Rappaport, donated a percentage of profits of that evening’s sales, and attendees made individual contributions throughout the evening.
The evening was organized by Ruth Erlichman and Dickson Tsang, two longtime Vancouver realtors who have know each other for more than 15 years. The two have “done quite a few deals together,” Erlichman said, “during which time Dickson got to know a little bit more about Jews, kosher food, keeping Shabbos, etc. He has been involved in many fundraisers in the past and wanted to do one together … bridging the two cultures and adding our Japanese and Russian friends to the pot.”
The theme of the evening was giving and practising compassion, as “stated in the Torah in parashat Shemini,” Erlichman added. “Making sure we have emunah [faith] that Hashem will help when we personally, G-d forbid, encounter hardship. When it comes to other people’s hardship, we take out our chequebook – we don’t tell them to have emunah; that comes later.”
Ruth Erlichman, left, with Ai Nakano, make origami cranes to be sold at another fundraiser. (photo by Belinda Co)
About 30 people attended, including a representative from the Nepalese community who updated the group on the situation on the ground in Nepal. A strong aftershock had occurred just two days prior and the Canadian government had pledged to match dollar for dollar the money raised until May 25. The funds raised at Omnitsky are being donated through the Red Cross.
“Our Japanese friends showed us how to make paper origami cranes,” Erlichman shared. These were sold at a much larger fundraiser held at the River Rock Casino soon after the Omnitsky gathering.
Born and raised in Kobe, Japan, Erlichman said she is “very familiar with earthquakes. Many of us from the Jewish community here held a fundraiser for the Jan. 17, 1995, Kobe earthquake, at the Tama Sushi Lounge on West Broadway, co-owned by the late Mr. Leon Kahn. Funds were sent through the Joint [Distribution Committee] to the Ohel Shlomo Synagogue in Kobe, which incurred exterior damage.”
Growing up going to Hebrew school at a Conservative synagogue in Vancouver’s North Shore was a good start for Leo Robinovitch.
While Congregation Har El initiated his exploration into his Jewish identity and connection to Israel, it was a year after Robinovitch’s bar mitzvah that he really delved deeply into Judaism.
“It was then that I started attending Camp Miriam, a progressive, labor-Zionist summer camp affiliated with the youth movement Habonim Dror,” said Robinovitch, who will be returning to Israel this summer.
Leo Robinovitch will be joining Birthright Excel this summer. (photo from Leo Robinovitch)
“Habonim Dror machanot (summer camps) provide children ages 8-17 with a unique camping experience,” the movement’s description reads on its website. “Based on the model of a kibbutz, each machaneh (camp) creates a close-knit community based on Jewish ideals of collective responsibility, respect, equality and friendship…. Campers grow physically, emotionally and intellectually in a creative, open and caring environment. Habonim Dror has been providing a machaneh experience since 1932.”
In the summer of 2009, Robinovitch spent five weeks with Habonim Dror in Israel and later participated in Habonim Dror’s gap year program (from 2011 through to 2012), living in the north of Israel and teaching English in largely Arab cities in the region.
Camp Miriam and Habonim Dror personalized and solidified Robinovitch’s “connection to the Jewish people and our shared fate surrounding Israel, as well as prioritized the formation of a just, equitable, and democratic Israel over all else.”
Robinovitch has always been a technology and engineering enthusiast, an apple that definitely did not fall far from the tree with his father working as a biomedical engineering professor at the University of British Columbia.
“My sixth birthday party was engineering themed,” recalled Robinovitch. “My dad helped me set up a pulley and created a bunch of ping pong ball catapults, much to my own and my tiny friends’ delight.
“I’ve known that I would complete a degree in engineering from a very early age. And, now that I’m more than halfway through my mechanical engineering degree at UBC, I remain passionate about the future of technology and its connection to society, politics and the economy.”
On his most recent trip to Israel this past December, Robinovitch heard about a Birthright Israel Excel program through a few folks he met on the trip. “They were Excel alumni from a couple years ago,” said Robinovitch. “They were all extremely bright, motivated people who I shared many passions with.”
The alumni encouraged Robinovitch to apply for the program, as it had helped focus their careers and exposed them to a world of intelligent, hard-working people.
After looking further into the program, Robinovitch found it to be the perfect way to combine his commitment to Israel with his passion for technology, as well as gain necessary entrepreneurial skills for technology-related business endeavors he envisioned for himself in the future.
For 10 weeks this summer, Robinovitch will be working at a high-profile company in Tel Aviv, living with around 40 peers from across North America interested in commerce, finance, technology, medicine and venture capital (VC).
“I’ve spoken with the Excel staff extensively about my interests, and I’ll be finding out my placement in the coming weeks,” said Robinovitch. Possible internships include R&D for Microsoft, market analysis for General Motors, high-profile VC firms (such as Innovation Endeavors) and cyber-security firms.
During his stay in Israel, Robinovitch will also be traveling through the country and speaking with a number of prominent Israeli leaders over the summer, interacting with a number of Israeli peers with similar interests, and broadly experiencing Tel Aviv life.
Robinovitch is looking forward to further experiencing Israel and contributing to its affairs. “It’s very important for me to connect my passions for technology and Israel, and I look forward to doing so for the first time this summer,” he said.
Robinovitch anticipates that this Excel experience will help him decide which industry he wants to pursue, as well as build a diverse array of Israeli and North American partners with whom he will work well into the future.
While Robinovitch’s previous time in Israel was centred on social justice work and education, he is eager to play a larger role this time around in creating change.
“While this work [social justice and education] is still important to me – unquestionably some of the most important work to be done in Israel – I highly value this opportunity to experience Israel’s thriving tech and startup scene,” said Robinovitch. “It’s a side of Israel I’ve never been able to experience before and I believe that I will be able to tie in this summer’s experience with social justice projects in the future.”
As a student at UBC, Robinovitch has experienced some negative social justice campaigns aimed at Israel, like the recent BDS referendum (boycott, divest and sanction Israeli firms and products) and he is aware of how hot button an issue it has been this year at his university – in particular among the Jewish and Palestinian communities on campus.
“While I feel strongly that the Palestinian people deserve their own land in which to actualize themselves politically, culturally, religiously, etc., I cannot support the BDS movement because of its ultimate goal of the destruction of the Jewish state,” said Robinovitch. “Voting ‘no’ on the referendum, however, seems highly insubstantial compared to the work I will be doing this summer and in the future to contribute to a better Israel.”
Robinovitch encourages those invested in Israel at UBC and further afield “to take action beyond shooting down the BDS movement in order to strengthen Israel and create a more just reality for Palestinians.
“Additionally, I feel strongly that more Jewish youth should experience Israel and Judaism. I have been extremely lucky to be able to explore Jewish peoplehood through the opportunities that I’ve had the privilege of experiencing.”
For those in the community interested in discussing opportunities to experience Israel and Judaism through specialized programming, Robinovitch would be happy to help and can be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
The Loran Scholars Foundation has selected a new class of Loran Scholars. Each of the 30 scholars receives a Loran Award valued at up to $100,000 over four years, including mentorship and a summer program. Loran Scholars may attend one of 25 partner universities.
“I was ecstatic to discover I had been selected,” said Hannah Lank, a Grade 12 International Baccalaureate student at Kelvin High School in Winnipeg, of her Loran Scholarship win.
Hannah Lank has earned a $100,000 scholarship over four years. (photo from Hannah Lank)
Lank was selected from some 70 students across Canada, chosen to attend the final interviews in Toronto. “We had two days of interviews,” said Lank. “Everyone was so accomplished. It seemed impossible for the judges to choose.”
Loran Scholars are chosen for their character, commitment to service and outstanding overall leadership potential through a three-month selection process. This year, the Loran Scholars Foundation received 3,800 applications from schools across Canada. Approximately 400 semi-finalists were interviewed in 22 cities and 76 finalists advanced to national selections in Toronto.
Lank is known for her work with food-allergy awareness. Being allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, Lank sits on a youth advisory panel for Anaphylaxis Canada. She gives talks to Grade 9 classes at her school about food allergies and how to use Epipens, or auto-injectors. Before the year’s end, she will have educated more than 1,000 students on the topic.
Lank also created and regularly updates a teen blog about food allergies, teenwithfoodallergies.com. “I post tips about living with food allergies and I have held nut-free bake sales at school to raise money for Anaphylaxis Canada,” she said.
Lank fills the rest of her time with community service. She is president of the student council, editor-in-chief of the school newspaper for the last three years, part of the social justice committee, and is on the basketball and cross-country teams. Over and above this, Lank also finds time to serve as a peer tutor for physics, math and chemistry, and be an inner-city mentor at Machray School.
“I have been brought up in a Jewish family,” said Lank of her background. “My parents always emphasized to me the importance of education. I think that being raised as a Jew forces you in some ways to be more acutely aware of the world around you. As Jews, we are often asked to defend our beliefs about Israel, our community and our world and, therefore, we must be prepared to answer these questions responsibly and intelligently.
“My parents have always encouraged in me a love of learning, tolerance and understanding, and the power to stand up for your beliefs and believing in yourself. I don’t think these are Jewish qualities, per se, but I do believe that they were emphasized and perhaps enhanced by our faith.”
Lank has known about the Loran scholarship since entering high school, but became more acutely aware of it when a boy from her school won the scholarship last year.
Many consider the Loran to be Canada’s most prestigious scholarship. It is valued at up to $100,000, which pays for tuition, residence, allows for a living stipend, summer programs, a mentorship program and other opportunities.
In Manitoba, there were approximately 10 students sent to regional interviews, which consisted of a day at the University of Manitoba, where each candidate was interviewed by prominent members of the community. “We were told the very next day if we had been selected to proceed to nationals,” said Lank.
To prepare for the national interviews, Lank spoke to past scholars to learn more about the process, but the interviewers are different each year and the questions asked are based on individual applicants.
“If you’ve altered the truth (on the application) and are asked about it, you won’t look very good in front of the judges,” said Lank. “I practised answering questions based on my application with my history teacher but, other than that, I just read over my answers.
“I knew that whatever I was asked, I would respond honestly. Everything I listed on my application was something I had done. I just had to be me.”
Lank found out she had won the day after the interviews. “It was an unbelievable moment,” she said. “I am still shocked from the overwhelming nature of the weekend. I still don’t think the news has fully sunk in.”
The Loran foundation is highly involved in each scholar’s life for the four years of his/her undergraduate degree to ensure they have the needed support to achieve their full potential.
One of the requirements is that scholars study at a university outside of their home province. Lank is considering studying at the University of Toronto’s Trinity College (where she has been accepted) or at McMaster University’s arts and science program (acceptance still pending). Her parents fully support both options.
Lank said she encourages anyone interested in having their university experience enhanced and exploring their world in a new way to apply for a Loran scholarship. While many scholarships are based on financial aid, the Loran is based on merit and not necessarily on what you have done in the past, but on the potential the judges see in you for the future.
“If you are passionate about living life as a leader, committing yourself to service in the community and working hard but also enjoying life, you should apply,” said Lank. “You do not have to have exceptionally high marks to apply. If you are genuine in everything you do and truly want to make yourself and your community better, you are a worthy applicant.”
If you still have a few years to go before applying, Lank suggested pinpointing an interest you are passionate about and pursuing it. For Lank, that was food allergies, but she is also involved in a wide range of other activities.
“Try whatever you’re interested in,” said Lank. “Don’t be involved in something because you feel it will help you win a scholarship or look good on a resumé. There are lots of meaningful ways to become involved in your local/school community.
“Everyone has a passion. You just have to find it. It may take a few tries and a bit of work, but it’s a rewarding process. And, if you meet some people along the way and discover a few new interests, it’s a worthwhile experience, I think.”
Her final words of advice (for now)? “Don’t be afraid to try new experiences. Step outside your comfort zone and explore your world. You’re never too young to be a leader, an explorer or an innovator. That fearlessness combined with drive and hard work can get you anywhere you want to go. Never be disheartened by failure. If you believe in yourself, you’re destined for great things.”
A screenshot from Erin Goldberg’s winning entry to the NSERC competition.
The public has voted, the judges’ scores have been tallied and the results are in. The 15 winners of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Science, Action! video contest have been revealed. Jewish community member and University of Manitoba student Erin Goldberg joined McGill’s Ira Sutherland and University of Guelph’s Morgan Jackson in the top three.
Erin Goldberg (photo by Marc Goldberg)
Goldberg, a survivor of childhood cancer, is now 26. She has always gravitated to the sciences, she said. “I especially love biology and chemistry so, naturally, that was always a part of my education. I was able to take my first nutrition course at the U of W [University of Winnipeg], which solidified my interest in the subject. After switching to the U of M [because of their nutrition program], I fell in love with it.”
Goldberg is an animal lover who enjoys doing yoga in her spare time. She began taking university courses at the age of 15 at the U of W Collegiate, and graduated a year early by doing course work through the summers. She is currently preparing to defend her thesis at U of M.
Goldberg has always been a creative person and enjoys translating her research in a way that is understandable to laypeople, she said, so she was ready for the NSERC competition. She also had participated in the 2013 3MT (Three-Minute Thesis) competition at U of M, which involved explaining her research in basic terms in three minutes. Regardless, she said she was still apprehensive about the NSERC competition; it is open to any student in Canada holding an NSERC grant, which numbers in the thousands. “I didn’t know what to expect,” said Goldberg, who said she was ecstatic when she learned that her video was one of the 32 chosen to move to the second round.
On April 7, she received notification that she was a winner. The email read, “After careful consideration by our panel of judges, your video was selected as one of the top three entries (English submissions). They felt your video told a compelling story and exhibited an exceptional grasp of quality science communication.” Besides the recognition, Goldberg will receive a $3,000 prize.
Goldberg’s 60-second video explains her latest research project, which was funded through NSERC. It involved feeding hempseed and hempseed oil to hens to enrich their eggs with omega-3. “Ironically, humans are allowed to consume hemp, but we can’t feed it to livestock, due to concerns over THC accumulation [the psychoactive compound in marijuana],” said Goldberg about the hempseed feed. “There is actually a very miniscule trace of THC in most hemp products, so there is really little risk, but the Canadian Food Inspection Agency requires several research trials to prove this, which is what our lab group is doing.”
Goldberg’s research proved that these two ingredients are safe and effective, even at the highest possible dose, and that there is no risk in feeding hempseed to chickens. In subsequent research trials, Goldberg designed different vegetable oil blends to boost the levels of DHA in eggs. “We found that feeding a higher ratio of saturated fat, called linoleic acid (an omega-6) and oleic acid (on omega-9), can reduce the competition between omega-3 and -6, leading to greater deposition of these critical fatty acids.”
In her thesis, Goldberg examined the impact designer diets have on the fatty acids and sensory properties of the eggs of laying hens. She was able to create omega-3 eggs using novel ingredient blends (like hemp, canola and flax), and then test the egg yolk for fat profile, aroma and flavor. The egg white remains the same regardless of what you feed the bird, so the changes only occur in the yolk, she explained.
Goldberg’s interdisciplinary research was conducted at U of M’s Fort Garry campus, in the poultry barn in the animal science, food science and human ecology buildings. She completed some of her research at the Saint Boniface Research Centre, as well.
“I love that it is interdisciplinary research,” said Goldberg. “I combine my interest in sensory with analytical work. I’m fully involved from start to finish, and like that I can combine my love of animals (i.e. taking care of my birds) with my analytical work.”
Although the cancer that Goldberg had as a 6-year-old was spontaneous, she said she believes that diet plays a major role in the development of many diseases, including Type-2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers, such as colon and breast cancer. “I believe in disease prevention through maintaining a healthy lifestyle, (including a proper diet), which would also ease the burden on our medical system,” said Goldberg. “Because I love educating people, I also teach an undergraduate nutrition course at the U of M, called Food – Facts and Fallacies.”
Goldberg feels is it critical to focus on omega-3s. “Omega-3 fatty acids are essential in our diet,” she said. “We must consume them in our food. They are critical for normal growth and development, and have a large impact in reducing inflammation in the body, which can prevent the development and progression of numerous diseases.
“A lot of research has focused on the health benefits of the longer chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA in particular, which play a key role in brain and eye health, as omega-3s contribute to membrane fluidity. These fats are especially critical in a child’s proper development.”
The benefits spread across the lifespan, but in infant/child development, they are mainly related to cognitive/visual function and, in adults, the major benefits are mostly in the progression or prevention of Alzheimer’s, dementia, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Omega-3s can also lower triglycerides.
Research has shown that the best source of available omega-3 comes from fatty fish, like wild salmon; farmed fish have significantly less. Omega-3-enriched eggs are an excellent source for those who cannot or do not consume fish, for example, if someone is allergic to fish or is vegetarian. They are a safe, economically viable alternative.
“You can also get omega-3s from plant foods, like hemp, flax, walnuts, canola oil and chia seed,” said Goldberg, of those who prefers to get their omegas through vegan sources. “But, your body must convert a proportion of ALA into the longer-chain EPA and DHA, and this is inefficient (and possibly insufficient) in most adults.
“In omega-3 eggs, if you choose eggs from hens fed both flax and fish oil, you’re getting a great source of both ALA and EPA/DHA. My dietary blends help to eliminate the need for fish oil in the hen diet (which is expensive), because the laying hen can convert more ALA to EPA/DHA than can humans.”
Goldberg feels it is critical to encourage women to enter the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – and to pursue advanced education. She believes the payoff is well worth the investment. “I’d also encourage people to think critically about the nutrition messages they hear in the media,” she said. “When in doubt, look to the research or consult a dietician for nutrition advice.
“I also recommend people use supplements with caution. Sometimes it’s necessary (like taking Vitamin D3 supplements, because we do not get enough sunshine) but, in general, I recommend people consume whole foods first and use supplements to supplement a healthy diet, not to replace it.
“Functional foods, like omega-3 eggs, are a great way to consume foods that are enhanced with certain nutrients to protect against diseases and maintain a healthy body.”
In the traditionally conservative Palestinian society of the densely populated Gaza Strip, women do not have many opportunities for entrepreneurship. Women usually marry young and raise large families. Yet, a small number of women in Gaza are opening their own businesses and serving as a model to young women throughout Gaza.
Maram Ganem began working at age 32 as an employee at a restaurant in Gaza. Five years later, she decided to start her own business. Today, she owns two restaurants in Gaza: a fast-food place and a fancy restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. She said that the first part of her dream came true when she rented a small space in a hotel in Gaza City in partnership with a local businessman. Shortly after that, she opened the first-ever fast-food restaurant in Gaza. The success of her projects led to the opening of the Roots restaurant, one of the most upscale restaurants in the city.
Ganem believes that determination and strong personality were the main reasons behind her success. She even represented Palestinians at economic conferences in Egypt. “If you have the will, you can do anything,” she told the Media Line. “I have met my goals despite the difficult political and economic conditions we face.”
She also credits her husband with contributing to her business success. “You need family support to survive in Gaza,” she said. “Men usually control most of the businesses here, and women are the workers or employees.”
Ganem was in Ramallah in recent weeks to attend the National Investment Conference, hosted by the Palestinian Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Tourism, which aims to increase international tourism to the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Representatives from more than 120 companies owned by Palestinians who live abroad came to the West Bank to discuss possible investment.
While unemployment in the West Bank has decreased slightly to just over 18%, in Gaza it is almost 40%. Unemployment is especially high among young Palestinians, including university graduates.
Jerusalem-based instructor Ayo Oppenheimer bases student Rabbi Rachel Kobrin in her first acro-yoga flight. (photo by Daniel Cuevas)
As I walk through Tel Aviv’s HaYarkon Park on a gorgeous day, I watch people enjoy nice, normal activities like soccer, running, rowing and yoga. But that’s not what I’m here for. No, I’m at the park to join a weekly meetup of people who balance, flip and manoeuvre each other in a series of gravity-defying poses called “acro-yoga.”
Even though I don’t know a soul, I instantly recognize the acro-yoga group. They are all partnered up, the “bases” lying on their backs with the “flyers” balancing on top of them.
Within minutes of joining them, I meet Yair Chuchem, a computer programmer who’s practised these strange yet fun-looking moves for more than three years. When I tell him that I’m writing an article about Israel’s growing acro-yoga craze and ask for an interview, he responds, “The best way to understand acro-yoga is to do it.”
Anything for my craft….
The next thing I know, I’m trusting Chuchem – a complete stranger – to balance me upside-down with my shoulders planted on the soles of his feet. Surprisingly, Chuchem doesn’t feel like a stranger for long. After all, we are literally in a position that requires us to communicate and cooperate clearly and patiently with each other.
“This is what acro-yoga is all about,” he said after carefully lowering me back on my feet. “It’s trust and teamwork, and it bonds people.”
Once the blood rushes out of my head, I realize he’s right. Chuchem already feels like a friend (although, had he dropped me, I might feel differently).
In terms of the physical dynamics, acro-yoga is a practice that combines acrobatics and yoga moves between the base and the flyer. But, as I learned from my first experience, it also involves cooperation and some fearlessness, which perhaps is why Israelis are going absolutely crazy for it.
“Acro-yoga is a really fun practice with lots of social components to it,” explained Ofir Gothilf, an established acro-yoga instructor based in Tel Aviv. “It’s a warm community that uses touch in a safe, secure way; and everyone is looking for that human experience – maybe Israelis more than others.”
While acro-yoga (or acro-balance) is an international practice – with the trademarked AcroYoga school founded by two Americans in 2003 – it has grown leaps and bounds in Israel, which is recognized as one of the strongest, if youngest, acro-yoga communities worldwide.
“[The community] started out as just 10 friends wanting to jam and get together in the park,” explained Eitan Padan, an Israeli acro-yoga instructor with six years of experience. “And now, in just two years, it’s grown to over 4,000 members.”
That figure is based on current members of Israel’s acro-yoga Facebook group called LaOof Nifgashim or Fly Together. Padan estimates that among the 4,500 members, several hundred of them actively practise. The interest is also evident by the sheer number of acro-yoga opportunities throughout the country. According to Fly Together, Israel boasts nearly 30 instructors, classes and self-organized meetups spanning from Eilat to Haifa.
From May 21 to 24, a few hundred Israeli acro-yoga enthusiasts of varying levels were in the Negev for the fifth Israeli Acrobatic Convention, featuring workshops led by world-class teachers hailing from cities including Berlin, Paris and Moscow.
Among the headlining instructors was Lux Sternstein, who, for his third year in a row, traveled all the way from Seattle to lead several advanced workshops throughout the convention’s four-day program. Upon each visit, Sternstein grows more impressed with the growth and diversity of Israel’s acro-yoga community.
“Most remarkable to me is the age range [in Israel],” Sternstein said. “It’s the model that I wish the entire world would practise – to have teenagers and senior citizens working together. We don’t have that in North America, where it’s typically people in their early 20s to mid-40s.”
While it might seem shocking to imagine senior citizens doing acro-yoga, it speaks to the inclusive, welcoming nature of the practice, said Padan, who is in his 50s.
“Everyone can come join,” he said. “No matter your sex, race, religion, size, age. There is no sense of competition in ‘acro’ like there is in other sports. It’s about working together.”
Beyond recreation and fitness, acro-yoga also has therapeutic applications, said Jerusalem-based instructor Ayo Oppenheimer, who taught in the United States before immigrating to Israel.
“Acro-yoga is a tool for happiness, self-awareness and empowerment,” she said. “In addition to teaching my regular practice, I’ve taught here [in Israel] at a women’s shelter for victims of domestic violence and at a hospital for teenage girls at risk. I don’t see myself as a fitness instructor. For me, I really believe that acro-yoga can improve people’s lives.”
Back at the HaYarkon acro meetup, I hear a similar sentiment. People aren’t here for exercise, per se, but for a challenge that thrives on personal connection.
“It’s nice that people are cooperating together for one goal,” said Shira Rosenzweig, who is one of the best flyers at the meetup.
Next comes a real visual treat: Rosenzweig and Chuchem pair up. From handstands to turns to straddles, Rosenzweig gracefully flows from pose to pose with Chuchem expertly guiding and supporting her. They look like an ice-dancing couple who has practised together for years. But, then I remind myself that this is acro-yoga. It’s quite possible that they only just met.
Israel21C is a nonprofit educational foundation with a mission to focus media and public attention on the 21st-century Israel that exists beyond the conflict. For more, or to donate, visit israel21c.org.
אפליקציה סלולרית ברכבים: חברת הביטוח דז’רדינס מציעה לעקוב אחרי הנהגים תמורת עשרים וחמישה אחוז הנחה בפוליסה
לקוחות של חברת הביטוח המקומית דז’רדינס שיסכימו לתת לה אור ירוק לעקוב אחר נהיגתם, יקבלו בתמורה הנחה משמעותית בפוליסת הביטוח, בשיעור של עד עשרים וחמישה אחוז. כך החליטה חברת הביטוח לאחרונה, במסגרת קמפיין חדש כדי לעודד נהגים לנהוג בזהירות, כך שהדבר יגרום להקטנה משמעותית של מספר התאונות והנזקים בנפש וברכוש.
ד’זרנדיס היא בעצם חברה הראשונה בקנדה שמציעה ללקוחותיה ממש בימים אלה להתקין אפליקציה במכשיר הסלולר שלהם, שתאפשר לה לעקוב מקרוב אחר התנהגותם בכביש, כאמור תמורת הנחה בביטוח. האפליקציה תספק לדז’רנדיס מספר נתונים משמעותיים. ובהם: מהירות הנהיגה של הרכב, מרחק השמירה מהרכב שנמצא מקדימה, כמה פעמים לחץ הנהג על דוושת המעצור, באיזה יום הוא נהג ובאיזה שעה הוא נמצא על הכביש. עם סיום הנהיגה האפליקציה מסכמת את הנתונים ומעניקה לנהג ניקוד על צורת התנהגותו והתנהלותו בכביש, שמועברים למאגרי המידע של חברת הביטוח.
אחת מעובדות של חברת דז’רדינס שמפעילה את האפליקציה במסגרת ניסוי שמתקיים מאז חודש ספטמבר, מציינת כי רק מעצם השימוש בה היא כבר הפכה לנהגת יותר זהירה ומבוקרת שמקפידה על חוקי התנועה.
אך יש גם לא מעט שמבקרים את הפרוייקט החדש וטוענים שהאפליקציה תאפשר בעצם לדז’רדינס להשיג מידע אישי על לקוחותיה, ומי יודע לאיזה ידים הוא אף יכול להתגלגל. בדז’דינס שוללים את הטענות האלה ואומרים בתגובה, כי הם יאספו רק מידע על התנהגות הנהגים בכביש, והוא לא יועבר לשום צד שלישי. אגב גורמי אכיפת החוק יוכלו לקבל את המידע מחברת הביטוח רק אם יציגו צו בפניה מבית המשפט.
אפליקציה סלולרית במסעדות: מסעדות מוכרות מראש כרטיסים לשולחנות למנוע הפסדים מהזמנות
כמה פעמים הגענו למסעדה ונאלצנו להמתין בכניסה בתור ארוך ובלתי נגמר עד שפקעה סבלנותנו. ומה שעוד יותר מרגיז שראינו לא מעט שולחנות שפשוט עומדים להם ריקים וגלמודים עם השלטים מאירי העיניים “שמור”, ואף אחד לא יושב סביבם.
מתברר שהשולחנות “השמורים” האלה מעצבנים לא פחות גם את בעלי המסעדות, שמפסידים כסף רב מהתופעה הנפוצה הזו. הרבה לקוחות שמזמינים שולחנות מראש מאחרים מאוד להגיע, וחלק מהם אף לא טורח בכלל לבוא ולהודיע על כך למסעדות.
בעלי מסעדות בקנדה החליטו שהגיע הזמן לעשות מעשה ולשנות את רוע הגזרה, של מכת השולחנות הריקים. חלקם בחרו בפתרון קל ביותר והם ולא מקבלים עוד הזמנות מראש. התוצאות מורגשות היטב בשטח. אחוז תפוסת השולחנות גדל בשיעור משמעותי של למעלה מעשרים וחמישה אחוז, ובהתאם לכך ההכנסות הולכות וטופחות. ישנם בעלי מסעדות שמנסים אף “לחנך” את הלקוחות, וגובים פקדון מכובד עבור הזמנת שולחנות מראש, שלא יוחזר אם לא יופיעו.
ואילו ישנם בעלי מסעדות אחרים, בעיקר אלה שנמנים על הדור הצעיר יותר, שהחליטו לחפש פתרונות יצירתיים מבוססים על טכנולוגיה, כדי לאפשר ללקוחות להזמין מקומות מראש, אך במקביל גם לא להפסיד גם כסף. הם החלו לאחרונה להפעיל אפליקציה במכשיר הסלולר למכירת כרטיסים מראש עבור השולחנות, בדומה למה שקורה בענף האירועים. מחירי הכרטיסים משתנים בהתאם לרמת התפוסה המסעדה, מועד ההזמנה (למשל: באיזה שבוע מדובר, באיזה יום מדובר ואפילו באיזה שעה מדובר), מיקום השולחן וסוג התפריט. האפליקציה מדווחת גם בזמן אמת ללקוחות פוטנציאליים, מהו זמן ההמתנה לשולחנות באותו יום ואם יש בכלל שולחנות פנויים. כך שכולם יוצאים מורווחים מהאפלקציה הזו.
Canada is not a referee in the game of geopolitics, said John Baird, Canada’s former foreign minister, it’s a player.
John Baird (photo from Jewish National Fund)
Baird, who will be honored at the Jewish National Fund’s Negev Dinner in Vancouver on June 7, spoke of his admiration for Israel and Canada’s close connections with that country in an interview with the Independent Sunday.
Responding to criticism that Canada has lost its place as a middle power or neutral broker, Baird insisted that is not Canada’s role in the world.
“We are a player,” he said. “We are on the liberal democratic team. We make no apologies for that.”
He cited the Conservative government’s role opposing Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons and regional dominance. The impact this has had in the Arab world is misunderstood by many Canadians, he said.
“Our standing in the Arab world today is stronger than it has ever been,” said Baird, speaking from Ottawa. “When I was foreign minister, we built good relations with the new government of Egypt, with the government in Iraq, with the UAE, the Saudis, the Bahrainis. We are widely respected among the political leadership. Yes, we have an honest difference of opinion with respect to our position on Israel. But when it comes to the Muslim Brotherhood, when it comes to Hamas, when it comes to Hezbollah, when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s material support for terrorism, when it comes to the Iranian-backed advance in Yemen … Saudi Arabia, Israel, Canada: we all share the same view. That’s not understood very well in this country.”
Baird said Canada is a world leader on child and maternal health, opposing forced marriages of girls, and supporting the rights of sexual minorities. Opponents of the government may have difficulty squaring their ideas of how a Conservative administration should behave with the record of the current Canadian government on issues of gender and sexual equality, but Baird says, “Look at the facts.”
“Prime Minister [Stephen] Harper personally has championed child and maternal health,” he said. “We’ve seen record investments not just in Canada but around the world because of his leadership. If you look at the leadership that I undertook with respect to young girls being forced into marriage, we became a leader in that. Canada followed the United Kingdom’s lead on sexual violence in conflict, not just on policy but on programming. When you look at [United Nations’ projects supporting] women, peace and security, we’ve taken a big role in North Africa. So, if you look at the facts, it’s undeniable, particularly on the issue of women and girls. The Day of the Girl resolution was championed by Canada at the UN.”
Advancing the rights of women worldwide is both a human rights matter and a determinant of societal health, Baird said.
“It’s in our own interest to do so,” he said. “It’s not just about human rights. The stronger role that women can play in government, in parliament, in civil society, the more we can combat extremism and promote pluralism.”
Reminded of a comment he made several years ago that, were he to leave politics he would probably go work on a kibbutz in Israel, Baird explained his respect for the Jewish state.
“I just have a passion for Israel, for its people, its culture, its history,” Baird said. “For everything the Jewish people have accomplished in the last 67 years. It’s really remarkable.”
What the Jewish people have built from the ashes of the Holocaust, he said, is admirable.
“The strength and ingenuity of the Jewish people, what they’ve accomplished in science, technology, agriculture, the huge history, it’s a remarkable accomplishment. What they’ve accomplished politically – a liberal democratic state in a pretty dangerous part of the world. The values that underpin the state of Israel, it’s just a remarkable, remarkable achievement.”
While Canada’s foreign policy, particularly under Baird, has turned Canada into what is frequently called Israel’s best friend in the world, the global attitude toward Israel remains highly negative, Baird acknowledged.
“We see far too much moral relativism,” he said. “It has stunned me the amount of criticism that Israel gets in so many international arenas, whether it’s the UN in New York or in Geneva … the UN Human Rights Council … others. On occasion it can be disappointing. It can be difficult to stand up against the rest of the crowd but it’s important to do what’s right. Canadians can be very proud that their government’s taken the path less traveled. We’ve never been afraid to stand up and support our liberal democratic friends.”
The former minister, who left politics earlier this year, speculated on where the animosity toward Israel comes from.
“I don’t think everyone who is against Israel is an antisemite,” he said. “But all antisemites are against Israel. I have great concern that we’ve seen, instead of people targeting the individual Jew, they’re targeting the collective Jew, the Jewish state. These things cause us great concern.”
Although he is moving into the private sector – he is working as a member of Barrick Gold’s advisory board and last week was elected to the board of Canadian Pacific – Baird promises to continue to be an outspoken supporter of Israel and a critic of Iran’s nuclear program and its support for terrorism.
Asked if he might return to public life as a candidate for the Conservative leadership when Harper retires, Baird deflected the idea with a flat “no” and refused, with a laugh, to elaborate.
Ilan Pilo, shaliach and executive director of Jewish National Fund, Pacific region, called Baird “a man of integrity and a true friend to Israel.”
“JNF is grateful to honor him for his leadership on the world stage, for years of devoted service to the citizens of Canada, his dedication to the Jews of Canada and to the state of Israel,” said Pilo. “Thanks to Baird’s outstanding leadership, Canada has become Israel’s most unwavering ally.”
Baird returned the compliment.
“Canadian supporters of JNF can be very proud of the work they’ve done over the years,” said Baird.
This year’s Negev Dinner, which takes place at the Four Seasons Hotel, supports a project in the city of Sderot, adjacent the Gaza Strip. The city has been under bombardment by Hamas missiles for the last several years. The park and fitness facility will enhance life for the citizens and provide a “green lung” for the city.
This photo is among the images in The Face of the Ghetto: Pictures Taken by Jewish Photographers in the Litzmannstadt Ghetto, 1940-1944, produced by the Topography of Terror Foundation, Berlin. The bride on the right is Bronia Sonnenschein; beside her is her groom Erich Strauss. The second bride is Mary Schifflinger with husband Ignatz Yelin. Blessing the couples is Chaim Rumkowski, head of Lodz Ghetto’s Jewish council. Only Sonnenschein survived the Holocaust. She passed away in Vancouver in 2011. (photo from Yad Vashem Photo Archive)
The Face of the Ghetto: Pictures Taken by Jewish Photographers in the Litzmannstadt Ghetto, 1940-1944, opened last week at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. Produced by the Topography of Terror Foundation in Berlin, among the traveling exhibit’s photographs was a surprise – a photo with a local connection.
“Unidentified in the photo caption but recognized by our education director [Adara Goldberg] during her research about this exhibit, Bronia Sonnenschein is depicted in the photo to my left,” said VHEC executive director Nina Krieger in her remarks at the opening on May 14, directing attendees’ attention to an image “showing a double wedding ceremony presided over by Chaim Rumkowski, the head of the Council of Elders in the Lodz Ghetto. Bronia was the sole survivor of those shown in this photograph. A multilingual secretary in Rumkowski’s office and a survivor of Auschwitz, Bronia passed away in 2011 but is fondly remembered by so many of us.
“Bronia, who stood maybe ‘this’ tall,” continued Krieger, indicating a measure of about shoulder height, “was a giant in terms of her dignity, her resilience, and her dedication to sharing her eyewitness testimony with tens of thousands students as a VHEC outreach speaker.”
About the Topography of Terror Foundation, Krieger explained that it “is mandated to transmit the history of National Socialism and its crimes, and to encourage people to actively confront this history and its aftermath. A distinctive indoor and outdoor museum, the Topography of Terror is located on the very grounds previously occupied by the primary institutions of Nazi persecution and terror: the SS, the Gestapo secret police and the Reich Main Security Office ran their central operations from the site.”
Krieger provided context for the exhibit. “Following the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the Nazis imposed a ghetto in the city of Lodz, which they renamed Litzmannstadt. From 1940 to 1944, more than 180,000 Jews and 5,000 Roma and Sinti lived in the ghetto’s cramped quarters, with many working in factories that supported the war effort.
“Ghetto residents were not allowed to own cameras, yet Lodz is the most documented of all the ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe. Some of these images were taken by perpetrators, often trivializing the terrible conditions in the ghetto and attempting to justify the exploitation of Jewish forced laborers. Others – and the focus of this exhibit – were taken by a handful of Jewish photographers, commissioned by the local Jewish council. While instructed to document the productivity of the war industry for the Nazis, the photographers also captured – at great personal risk – intimate moments of family, childhood and community.”
The Face of the Ghetto exhibit is here as a result of VHEC’s partnership with the German Consulate General in Vancouver and the sponsorship of the German government. Consul General Herman Sitz was at the opening and said a few words, as did Sonnenschein’s son, Dan. Drawn from a collection of 12,000 images held by the Lodz State Archives, one of the intimate moments captured is the one in which his mother appears.
“Last Friday was the historic 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day,” said Sonnenschein, addressing those assembled. “May 8th was personally very meaningful for my mother, as it was the date in 1945 on which she was liberated from the Nazi horror. For her, the bitterly harsh years had begun on March 13, 1938, when Germany annexed a largely welcoming Austria, immediately setting off intense persecution of the Jewish population.
“My mother, with her sister and parents, were among the longest-held prisoners in the Lodz Ghetto, from its formation in spring 1940 until its so-called liquidation in August 1944. Unlike many deported there from other places, they had fled Vienna after the notorious Kristallnacht, and were living under great stress in Lodz when the family was forced from their new home into the ghetto. They were later joined by a beloved aunt of my mother who was deported from Vienna. Her cherished elderly grandmother was deported elsewhere and murdered soon after.
“My mother, with her German-language and office skills, worked as a secretary in the ghetto’s Jewish administration,” he explained. “The photo in this exhibit shows her being married to Erich Strauss, who had been deported from Prague with his mother. The other bride in this double ceremony was Mary Schifflinger, my mother’s fellow office worker and good friend, whose groom’s name was Ignatz Yelin. Shown in the photo blessing the couples is Chaim Rumkowski, appointed head of the Jewish council by the ghetto’s masters in the German administration.
“These five people were all transported, in the usual dreadful way, to Auschwitz, where Rumkowski was killed. Soon after, the others were sent to a less well known but no less brutal concentration camp called Stutthof. There, Mary and her husband were killed, Erich Strauss and his mother were killed, my mother’s father and aunt were killed. As my mother once said, it was a killing field.
“Other photos of my mother in the ghetto may be seen on the internet, along with such photos of my Aunt Paula, who also married in the ghetto, to Stan Lenga,” continued Sonnenschein. “Unlike my mother’s first husband, my Uncle Stan survived and the couple was reunited after the war, being a part of my close family in Vancouver along with my maternal grandmother, Emily Schwebel. The local Jewish Family Service Agency gives an annual Paula Lenga Award in my aunt’s memory for exemplary volunteer service.
“My mother was also an exemplary volunteer, in her case, in Holocaust education. She began this late-life career, first under the auspices of the Canadian Jewish Congress and then with this centre, for over two decades compellingly conveying the suffering imposed on her and so many others for, as she put it, the crime of being Jewish. She often quoted Elie Wiesel’s saying: ‘Not every German was a Nazi but every Jew was a victim.’
“Although we no longer can experience her vibrant presence,” concluded Sonnenschein, “we are fortunate to have many recordings of my mother, as well as a book, to help her testimony live on.” Included in those recordings, he said, is one of her talking about the photo in The Face of the Ghetto exhibit, and related matters. The photos he mentioned of his mother and aunt can be found at google.com/culturalinstitute, searching for “Bronia Sonnenschein” and “Paula Lenga.”
In conjunction with the exhibit, the VHEC has developed a school program and teaching resource to engage students. “Visiting school groups will explore topics such as resistance to dehumanization; the unique experiences of children; and the complex role of Jewish leadership under Nazi occupation,” said Krieger, noting that several of the volunteer docents were at the opening. “Volunteers are central to our work,” she said, “and it’s my honor to acknowledge and to thank our docents for everything that they do.”
Krieger also thanked the VHEC staff – present were Goldberg, designer Illene Yu, archivist Elizabeth Shaffer, collections assistant Katie Powell and administrator Lauren Vukobrat – and the installation crew, Wayne Gilmartin and Adam Stenhouse, as well as the consul general.
The Face of the Ghetto is on display at the VHEC until Oct. 16.
– With thanks to Nina Krieger and Dan Sonnenschein for providing electronic copies of their remarks.
Marat Dreyshner in action. (photos from Ella Dreyshner)
I can tell it’s going to be delicious even before I’ve taken a bite. I’m sitting in the Richmond home of Marat and Ella Dreyshner, owners of iKosherbake. I’m holding a slice of their chocolate chip banana bread. This golden cake is dense and moist; the semi-sweet chocolate is the perfect complement to the fruity sweetness of the bananas.
It all started with bagels. “We love bread in this house,” said Ella. It’s hard to find a good, kosher bagel, but iKosherbake has crafted its own variety. “It all comes down to time,” said Marat. “How long you boil the dough…. It’s a science!”
Over the last year, iKosherbake has gone from making bagels to cakes, to granola and catering birthday parties and personalized cakes.
Ella Dreyshner
It’s not always easy for a husband and wife to share a kitchen, but the Dreyshners have found their groove. Marat’s specialty is their line of savory products, while Ella leads with desserts. While Marat has trained professionally, Ella’s talents have flourished at home.
Marat explained, “She’s gotten to a level that would make a professional chef happy to work with her.”
It’s hard to find a kosher fondant, so Ella makes her own – “I like to paint on the actual fondant.” She has even molded a unicorn by hand. Her other specialties include kosher ice cream sandwiches: chocolate chip cookies filled with pineapple ice cream.
Their granola tells a story of its own. While working with students at Vancouver Talmud Torah, they were challenged to create a dish that included the seven flavors of Israel. The result was a granola bar containing ingredients like honey, olive oil, pomegranate juice and raisins. It was such a hit that they took the recipe home and developed a bagged granola.
The Dreyshners describe the flavor as “the perfect ratio of sweet and salty,” which is borne out when I opened the package at home. Slightly tangy, with a smoky hint of cocoa, the texture is a satisfying blend of chewy fruit and crunchy seeds. And that salty tang really does make the taste buds tingle!
Now that their product line is growing, the Dreyshners are serving the North Shore market, as well. Queensdale Market and City Market on Lonsdale have both snapped up bagels from iKosherbake.
Organic markets are a good fit. iKosherbake uses no additives or preservatives in their cooking and, whenever possible, they purchase ingredients from local, organic growers.
For the Dreyshners, kosher cooking isn’t just about finding ingredients with the right labels. The process of making food is a spiritual experience.
A unicorn custom cake. iKosherbake also makes varieties of bagels, now carried at Queensdale Market and City Market on the North Shore.
“Cooking is an art form that wakens your soul. It’s more than just filling your stomach – it’s digested on a spiritual level, as well,” Marat suggested. He added, “There’s a pleasure in the Torah aspect of the food, but also in the traditional aspect, as well – when you have the opportunity and the good luck to share with friends, family and community, the food becomes something real.”
Ella agreed. For her, kosher baking “symbolizes peace and unity,” by following a strict, methodical process with every recipe. Separating eggs, checking flour, keeping the wet and dry ingredients apart until the right moment: “These steps create a sense of calm and unity, when you finally combine all of these things together.”
For a sneak peek into the Dreyshners’ kitchen, you can watch Marat at work on YouTube with Rabbi Yisrael Shurack in their series of witty videos. In The Rabbi and the Chef, Marat talks about how the food is made, and the rabbi picks up on the symbolic, spiritual significance of dishes. These are lessons in Judaism served at high speed with delicious menus and a side dish of kooky humor.
Shula Klingeris an author, illustrator and journalist living in North Vancouver.
