Vancouver Talmud Torah

A friendly, fun contest

Dr. Neil Pollock hands out some of the awards, as Larry Barzelai and student participants look on. (photo by Cynthia Ramsay)

Based on the numbers alone, the 27th Annual Public Speaking Contest on March 19 at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver was a success. Participants: 120. Prizes: 30. Volunteer judges and moderators: 30.

Founded by Larry Barzelai in memory of his father, the event was co-sponsored by Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and State of Israel Bonds, with additional support from the J and the Isaac Waldman Jewish Public Library. As one of the volunteer judges, I witnessed a well-organized event that thrived on controlled chaos – almost all of those 120 student participants were accompanied by family and/or friends, and in the crowd were potential future speakers and their parents sussing out what participating next year might be like.

“My father, Morris Black, alav ha’shalom, would be very pleased to see the legacy he created,” Barzelai told the Independent.

Indeed, he would. Speakers were from grades 4 through 7, and they had their choice of topic from a list of 10, one of which was to choose their own. The most popular choices in the Grade 4 class I co-judged were to create a day to mark an event from Jewish history that is not currently being celebrated or commemorated; to describe an app that would enhance Jewish studies at your school; to explain why recycling is a Jewish concept; and to explain what you think is/are the best innovation(s) to have come out of Israel in recent years.

The enthusiasm of the competitions taking place in rooms around the J was corralled in the Wosk Auditorium afterward, and Alex Konvyes entertained the excited students and their guests while the results were being tallied. As each winner was announced, huge cheers went up. As some winners read their speeches, the auditorium came to a hush.

“Several parents in attendance this year had previously been public speaking contestants in their youth, so the legacy continues,” Barzelai noted.

While pleased that “the contest continues to be healthy” and that it is strongly supported by the principals and teachers of the three day schools – Vancouver Talmud Torah, Vancouver Hebrew Academy and Richmond Jewish Day School – Barzelai expressed concern about “the inability to attract students from Jewish supplementary schools and students that are not affiliated with Jewish schools. In former years, the contest had a wider cross section of students,” he said.

Barzelai credited Lissa Weinberger, JFGV manager of Jewish education and identity initiatives, for doing “all the work, with only occasional input from me. Her organizational skills are great. A few prospective judges dropped out close to the event, and she was able to recruit new ones at Shabbat services. Beware, synagogue attendees!”

2015 winners

In order of first, second and third, this year’s Public Speaking Contest winners in each contest were:

Hebrew: Omer Murad (Grade 4, VTT), Ofek Avitan (Grade 5, VHA), Yael David (Grade 4, VTT).

Grade 4: Rachel Marliss (RJDS), Mendel Bitton (VHA), Jesse Millman (VTT).

Grade 4: Zac Peter (VTT), Ellis Jackson (RJDS), Chase Dodek (VTT).

Grade 4: Aaron Guralnick (VTT), Cassie Porte (VTT), Devorah Leah Yeshayahu (VHA).

Grade 5: Ava Abramowich (VTT), Benjamin Gutman (VTT), Elana Robibo (VTT).

Grade 5: Sarale Bitton (VHA), Adin Tischler (VTT), Rubi Katz (VTT).

Grade 5: Alex Ritch (VTT), Shoshana Pollock (VTT), Tristan Georges (VTT).

Grade 6: Menachem Yeshayahu (VHA), Riva Berger (VHA), Mordechai Wolfson (VHA).

Grade 7: Eva Dobrovolska (VTT), Neev Mizrachi (VHA), Teah Bakonyi (VTT).

Grade 7: Avrel Festinger (VTT), Romy Ashkenazy (VHA), Elliot Pollock (VTT).

United in community

Purim Project co-chairs Rachael Lewinski and Rivka Moreno with premier sponsor, Remo Mastropieri of Real Canadian Superstore. (photo from Vancouver Hebrew Academy)

What do you get when you put 90 people in an auditorium filled with delicious snacks, drinks, piles of boxes and mounds of packing materials? The Greater Vancouver Jewish Day School Purim Project Packathon, of course! GVJDSPPP, for short. 😉

photo - Some 90 volunteers put together 1,300 mishloach manot packages — Some 90 volunteers put together 1,300 mishloach manot packages. *(photo from Vancouver Hebrew Academy)*

Each year, Vancouver Hebrew Academy, in partnership with King David High School, Pacific Torah Institute, Richmond Jewish Day School, Shalhevet Girls High School and Vancouver Talmud Torah, join together to promote community and raise funds for Jewish education.

photo - Students Kyla Charach, Lola Belzberg and Juliette Sandler were among the many volunteers — Students Kyla Charach, Lola Belzberg and Juliette Sandler were among the many volunteers. *(photo from Vancouver Hebrew Academy)*

Assembling the more than 1,300 mishloach manot packages is a huge undertaking, requiring planning, strategy and oversight. Not to mention an army of volunteers! As in past years, the packathon took place in the KDHS auditorium, and this year’s volunteers included VHA’s Grade 6 and 7 students, VTT’s Grade 6 students and more than 15 community volunteers. The pre-packing and labeling were done by students from VHA and PTI the day prior.

Purim is a time to promote unity and togetherness, and the packathon is an amazing opportunity to do just that. When students help and give back to a community that supports and gives to their school, the good will created goes full circle. “What a great way to start off Simchah Week at VHA!” said one of the VHA teachers.

Collaborative kindness

In Elie Wiesel’s The Power of Forgiveness, the Nobel Prize winner describes the Jewish view of forgiveness. Specifically, that in order to be forgiven, one must first admit to wrongful action and apologize. With that teaching in mind, Grade 6 and 7 students from Vancouver Talmud Torah were asked the following question, “Does one wrong act of an individual reflect on an entire person or organization?” “No!” proclaimed the students. The question was posed in reference to the recent dousing in cold water of a homeless man outside a Tim Horton’s on Robson Street.

Non-judgment, compassion and good deeds are not just lessons to be learned, but a Jewish blueprint for a life to be lived. Over the past few months, VTT’s students have been working on a service learning project that includes providing food for the homeless. When the time came to seek sponsors for this initiative, students suggested approaching Tim Horton’s.

“The people at Tim Horton’s were so moved that they jumped at the opportunity without even considering what might be in it for them. They were intrigued by the fact that Jewish students were inviting Muslim and Catholic students to collaborate to help the needy – a value shared by all the three religions and complementary to the many good programs that Tim Horton’s already does in the community,” said Shoshana Burton, VTT’s director of Jewish life and programming.

With Tim Horton’s support, on March 11, VTT students, along with seventh grade students from the Shia Ismaili Muslim community and St. Augustine School, will be serving 2,000 people food donated by Tim Horton’s. They will also distribute 2,000 toques with the message: “I am here. See me. Believe in me,” donated by Tim Horton’s for those in need in the Downtown Eastside.

The students also will deliver gifts of hope and compassion. These are packages collaboratively created by all three communities that include necessities like toiletries and warm clothing, as well as a heartfelt note written by students and their families. “It’s the message that is accompanying the gifts of hope and compassion that we hope will inspire and lift individuals to see the greater good in humanity; a small message that will hopefully go a long way,” said Jessie Claudio, a VTT teacher involved in the project.

“It’s not enough to simply fill students’ brains with facts. A successful Jewish education demands that their character be developed as well,” added VTT head of school Cathy Lowenstein. “This hands-on chesed initiative is exactly the kind of learning our students will remember as they progress from elementary school to high school.

“It is hoped that by building bridges with other faith-based schools,” she continued, “VTT’s students will have the skills and experience to continue the work of cross-community dialogue and understanding as they become the next generation of Jewish leaders. By joining with others to address a very urgent need, our students and their teacher-mentors are fulfilling so many of the Jewish commandments to expand their universe of obligation. This is something we can all be proud of!”

VTT students build interfaith connections

VTT’s HannukkaMunity of LOVE. (photo from Vancouver Talmud Torah)

Vancouver Talmud Torah has two great Chanukah-related initiatives, one for the students to connect with students from other schools and one to bring parents and staff to work together and build the HannukkaMunity of LOVE. For the former, VTT students from grades K-7 have prepared Chanukah gift packages for Muslim, Catholic and First Nations children in British Columbia. Each package includes items related to the holiday with an explanation and a personalized greeting. Grade 7 students are making a video to include to help educate children from other faiths and cultures about Chanukah.

Shoshana Burton, VTT’s interim director of Jewish life and programming, said, “We want to emphasize the value of diversity and a building of a connection that is based on tolerance, curiosity and a pride of who we are by sharing the warmth of Chanukah with our peers. These gifts are just a start! They will be delivered on Dec. 12 to St. Augustine’s Catholic school, the Ismaili Muslim school and to First Nations Namgis T’sasala … on Vancouver Island.”

VTT Grade 7 students will also be exchanging gifts with Grade 7 students in the Ismaili community. “I have met Ismaili leaders who are excited about reciprocating in kind,” said Burton. “It’s an opportunity to teach our students about the upcoming Ismaili holiday,” which marks the birthday of the Aga Khan.

This exchange is the beginning of a partnership that will continue in February and March. In February, VTT students will have a chance to meet their counterparts at the other schools and get to know each other. Also, during spring break, they will be serving food to some residents of the Downtown Eastside.

“We’ll end our collaboration with families from both schools going out into the community for Random Acts of Chesed. We are calling it RAC Race TWOgether!” said Burton.

Living in world with chesed

Vancouver Talmud Torah Grade 7 students and some of their family members participate in this year’s Random Acts of Chesed Race on Sept. 28. (photo from VTT RAC Race Facebook page)

“The world will be built with chesed.” – Psalms 89:3

In 2012, the Vancouver Foundation surveyed almost 4,000 people from across Metro Vancouver. The survey asked people what kinds of relationships they had, how deeply they engaged in community life, how committed they were to maintaining ties with the world around them. One out of every four respondents said they did not feel connected to others, nor to their community. In short, they felt lonely. When Vancouver Talmud Torah students heard about this, they decided to do something about it.

On Sept. 28 this year, as part of that continuing effort, VTT’s Grade 7 students took part in a RAC (Random Acts of Chesed) Race, designed to lift the spirits of people across the city. While Random Acts of Kindness is a worldwide organization, the chesed element began at King David High School here following the death of Gabrielle Isserow, a much-loved student who was known for her extraordinary kindness. It seemed only fitting that her passing be honored with a movement that inspires kindness to others.

At this year’s RAC event, 40 students were divided into 10 teams; more than 100 family members also took part. Their challenge: to help build a sense of community and connection by performing mitzvot, actions that could happen every day but, by and large, don’t. They included carrying someone’s groceries, cleaning up garbage off the street, giving a child a stuffed animal, giving up a seat on the bus to someone who looks tired; the offer of a hug, an invitation to dance; students freely offered friendly smiles, chocolates and compliments.

As VTT teacher and director of Jewish life Shoshana Burton explained, “In this RAC Race, we wanted to restore a sense of community, enhance a sense of connection to one another with humor and generosity.”

photo - Zevi Kline with a “You’ve been RAC’d!” balloon — Zevi Kline with a “You’ve been RAC’d!” balloon. *(photo from VTT RAC Race Facebook page)*

Each team was given specific directions about where to go and how to get there. The teams covered Richmond Centre, Yaletown, Kerrisdale and Mount Pleasant, among other areas. Backpacks were provided containing supplies for the day, including stuffed animals, Starbucks cards and cards that read, “You’ve been RAC’d!” Instructions were given about respecting others’ personal space and, from there, the students improvised with gusto. Challenged to drop their reserve, take initiative and show a little chutzpah, they rose to the occasion.

While some RAC recipients struggled with the notion that these acts of kindness were free, others danced, hugged, smiled and made bunny ears behind the kids’ heads in photographs.

“Take what you need” posters were also stuck on lampposts. Set up like a “for sale” notice, these posters had tabs for people to rip off but, instead of information about dog-walking, babysitting or items for sale, these slips offered passersby things like peace, freedom, encouragement, love and healing.

Parent Lisa Boroditsky was thrilled with the outcome. “It was so wonderful to see the kids connecting to strangers, interacting with community and spreading kindness. After all the laughs, hugs and smiles our group received, we feel like we made a few people happier today!”

Since the RAC Race, Burton said, the students just “keep coming.” Sometimes in groups as large as 20, they want to talk about our next project, she said, describing this student group as “unstoppable.”

When asked how the RAC program fits within the VTT curriculum, Burton explained, “Chesed is not a subject we study; it is the life we live.” Moreover, RAC is not bound to the classroom, she added. “RAC Race’s lessons were taught with real-world experiences. Students were encouraged to notice genuine needs that they might have not noticed before and to be compassionate in respectful ways.”

As an example, during the Sept. 28 event, student Joshua Switzer’s team came across a homeless man in Kerrisdale who looked “really depressed,” so they gave him a Starbucks gift card.

Said student Alisa Bressler, “When I’m walking around Kerrisdale, I am usually thinking just of myself. This time was different because we were there to help other people.”

An anonymous letter to Burton read, “You’ve opened a door in our hearts welcoming kindness. You make us eager to spread kindness, and also you teach us to be good people. How can we thank you more?”

“Kids continuously seek meaning and connections,” said Burton. “When they are provided with the opportunity to search for and recognize meaningful connections, they are empowered. They ask for more. They never cease to surprise me and always exceed my expectations.”

Concluded Burton, “I love how our school is tuned into the needs of the community now. Because of technology, schools’ roles are changing. It’s not only where we go for knowledge – it’s also a place to make connections and start building a caring community outside the walls of the school. These children will go out into the world with this in mind.”

Shula Klinger is a freelance writer living in North Vancouver.

Local classrooms get technologically smart with help from ORT

A smart classroom in Israel that uses technology and expertise provided by ORT. (photo from ORT Vancouver)

ORT is an organization that doesn’t seem to register a great deal of recognition in Vancouver. It is, however, one of the largest and perhaps the oldest international Jewish nongovernmental organizations. Established more than 130 years ago in Russia (ORT is an acronym for the Russian words that translate as the Society for Trades and Agricultural Labor), ORT sought to train Jews in modern trades and agricultural practices. It established schools for technical training all over the world and currently provides technology-focused training in 100 countries. But who knew?

Vancouver ORT would like to everyone to know. In order to raise awareness of the work ORT does around the world and in Israel, Vancouver is hosting a pilot project new not only to Canada, but a first internationally. “ORT Canada has always sent support to Israel. Now ORT Israel is supporting ORT Vancouver,” said Naomi Pulvers, one of Vancouver’s longest- serving ORT volunteers.

photo - ORT Israel has developed a successful program in schools around Israel’s physical and socio-economic periphery, bringing cutting-edge educational technology into the classroom — ORT Israel has developed a successful program in schools around Israel’s physical and socio-economic periphery, bringing cutting-edge educational technology into the classroom. *(photo from ORT Vancouver)*

With its emphasis on technological education, Pulvers explained, ORT Israel has developed a successful program in schools around Israel’s physical and socio-economic periphery, bringing cutting-edge educational technology into the classroom. Started in 2010 in the Galilee, the program expanded to the Negev when Israel’s Ministry of Education recognized the benefits of this interactive way of teaching. Currently, 420 classrooms around Israel are using ORT’s program.

This technology will soon be implemented in three local Jewish schools.

“We have chosen King David High School, Richmond Jewish Day School and Vancouver Talmud Torah as the recipients of a ‘smart classroom,’” Pulvers noted. “We will have to raise $25,000-$35,000 locally for each classroom.” Equipment provided includes projectors, Smart Boards, remote software, laptops, handheld slates, wireless routers and speakers. In addition, some classrooms may need to be hardwired for the technology to run. Eventually, students will benefit by having the opportunity to interact with learning in ways they not have been able to before.

The equipment provided is just one part of the program, however. The crucial element to implementing any system effectively is in understanding how to use it properly. Instruction and technical support are the other ingredients ORT provides to make this program effective.

“For the third week of May,” Pulvers explained, “two specialists from Israel, named Nechama Kenig and Udi Gibory, are coming with over 1,000 hours of experience with these smart classrooms. They will assemble what is already in the schools here and survey what is still needed. They will also give teachers more instruction, as well as the IT people from the schools.”

While here, Kenig and Gibory will also help ORT publicize its program by presenting two educational evenings intended to raise investments from local donors for what ORT sees as the future of education. These meetings, on May 20 and 21, will mark a new era in engagement and fundraising in Vancouver, targeting local Jewish education with an eye to the future.

Pulvers explained that ORT has always focused on the end goal of employment. “What kinds of jobs will be available in the future? We need technology to keep things going. In medicine, industry … they all need technology, and this is what ORT does. We help kids branch out into all aspects of technology,” through the use of smart classrooms. Evidence from the use of these technologies in Israel suggests that they boost the confidence and morale of students who have been reluctant learners or participants. Students are able to collaborate in the lesson, and with each other and the teacher, in new ways.

There is one more long-term goal, according to Pulvers. ORT has a respected international reputation and seeks to build bridges with local, non-Jewish organizations, as well. Pulvers explained, “We’ll start with Jewish schools and hopefully become a focal point of education. Eventually, looking down the road, we’d like to collaborate with the Vancouver School Board and meet with the minister of education.”

For more information or to attend the May 20-21 meetings, contact the director of ORT Vancouver, Mary Tobin, at 604-276-9282 or [email protected].

Michelle Dodek is a writer, mother and community volunteer who has been involved with many Jewish organizations in Vancouver.