J U LY - A U G U S T

1929-2012 Eighty-Three Years of Service to Canadian Jewry

J U LY - A U G U S T 2 0 1 2

(Cover story on page 2)

2

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

MICHAEL HAYMAN PUBLISHER AND EDITOR JULIUS HAYMAN B.A., L.L.B. EDITOR 1937-2000

WHILE IT WOULD BE FOOLISH FOR CANADIAN JEWS TO slough off acts of anti-Semitism, there is no justification for worrying that “it could happen here”.

Anti-Semitism in Canada A Return to Reason

Cover Story Israeli Consul General Joel Lion gets into the spirit of the recent Yom Ha'atzmaut rally in downtown Montreal, where more than 12,000 Montrealers joined in the celebration. Photos Mike Cohen

ANITA SURMAN Editor General News Section

We applaud the work that the League for Human Rights of Bnai Brith Canada does in combatting antiSemitism. And the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center deserves enormous credit for bringing to light the anti-Semitic curriculum of the Toronto Muslim Madrassah. The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs did all Canadians a favour when it helped prevent Dieudonne M’Bala M’Bala from spewing his venom in Montreal and using his platform to promote his feature film L’Antisemite, which was produced in Iran Regrettably there remain those, even in this supposedly enlightened era, who see their life’s work as aiding in the extermination of the “treacherous Jews”. Only if we bring blatant acts of discrimination to the attention of authorities can we be confident that purveyors of hatred will be exposed and ultimately be brought to judgement. But we are concerned that Bnai Brith’s report, which concludes that antiSemitism in Canada remains at an “all time high”, gives the impression that Canada is infested with the poison of racism and that hatred lurks behind the walls of every nonJewish house. Our fear of anti-Semitism is understandable. The exaggeration of this fear, too, is easily explained. We are still not that far removed from the Hitler era and its savage consequences to react objectively even to amateurish hate-mongering. There are still too many Jews with the tell-tale marks on their arms. But it would be a double tragedy if we were to allow the incidents outlined in Bnai Brith’s report to destroy our faith in

Canadian pluralism. Canadian Jews would be doing themselves a great disservice if we irrationally looked at all our non-Jewish neighbours as the “enemy camp”. If we can’t lead rich, full and satisfying lives here, if social acceptability and economic security are beyond our grasp, then why build synagogues, schools and libraries? Apathy and smugness would be folly. Eternal vigilance is today, as it has always been, the price of liberty; and we Jews must exercise all the vigilance necessary to ensure that the hate mongers among us are prevented from achieving their aims. But we must be equally on guard against the development among us of a neurotic hysteria, created by the trauma of our tragic history of being the perennial scapegoat. Many of today’s anti-Semites are nothing more than crackpots and hoodlums. If this lunatic fringe of non-entities is going to cause Jews to worry that their foundation in Canada is a precarious one, that our fate is in their hands, then these crackpots will, surely, have accomplished more than they had hoped. And there’s one additional point that has to be made. Too often we hear Jews referring to Blacks as “shvartz.” All too frequently the words “shiksa” and “sheketz” are disparagingly thrown around the dinner table. Nor do we think it particularly appropriate when we refer, even amongst ourselves, to non-Jews by the obviously pejorative label “goy”. Those who are girding themselves for the fight against antiSemitism should perhaps pause to remind themselves that Jews owe non-Jews the same respect we seek for ourselves.

The Jewish Standard is published monthly in Toronto and Montreal by Michael Hayman, B.A., M.A., Editor and Publisher. 1912A Avenue Road, Suite E5, Toronto, Ontario M5M 4A1. (416) 537-2696 Printed and bound in Toronto, Canada by Regal Press Canada. Publication Mail Registration Number 40715545 Please send all address changes to: [email protected] We cannot guarantee that voice mail changes will be made.

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

3

THE WORLD IN REVIEW NEWS OF THE RECENT PAST IS REVIEWED By NOAH FREEDMAN Munich Forty Years Later Avraham Melamed is now 67. Forty years ago, the Israeli Olympic swimmer survived the Munich terrorist attack because he happened to be sleeping in Building 2, which due to the quick thinking of some of the captives was missed by the terrorists. Eleven of Melamed’s friends and teammates were not as fortunate. Almost immediately after the Munich games Melamed returned to the United States to finish college and resume his swimming career at West Liberty State College. He has remained in the United States ever since. Today, the olympian teaches swimming at a health club outside New York city. He tries to do so in anonymity, but the swimmers on the Premier Athletic Club team are now aware of his past. Erika Krumlauf says she had no idea who her coach was when she joined the team. But she googled the instructor and learned that he swam for Israel in both the 1964 and 1968 Olympics. Melamed was not named to the 1972 Israeli olympic team. Internal politics in Israeli swimming meant that he was overlooked. He was sent to Munich by an obscure Israeli newspaper but could not get media credentials once in Munich. However, he had begun serving as a coach for one of the Israeli swimmers and he was able to stay with the team’s delegation. But even if he hadn’t received permission he

knew that sneaking into the Munich Olympic Village would not be much of a challenge. “I didn’t even have a key to the apartment”, he recalls. The story of the Munich attack has been told and retold in film, books and documentaries. But a new documentary, The Eleventh Day-The Survivors of Munich 1972, will focus solely on the survivors. “It’s almost unbeliev-

says Emanuel able”, Rotstein, the director of production, that those men who survived such a terrible assault on their lives disappeared from the collective memory and didn’t play any role in the way the attacks were reported and even commemorated up to now”. The documentary will be released on July 7th, just ahead of the London Games. Meanwhile, Melamed,

who reluctantly went to Munich to be interviewed for the documentary, and who was reunited with fellow survivors for the first time, continues to reflect on the impact that fateful day in Munich had on his life. “It’s like people surviving a tornado,” he says. “You go on. It was a tornado in my life. It was disruptive, but it passed.” The computer science programmer and swimming coach adds: “My friends died...I’m not a victim. I’m a survivor”.

Mitt Romney’s Jewish Date

T H O U G H T H E T H R E A T O F N U C L E A R WA R with Iran may have abated only slightly, and inter nal divisions between haredi and secular Israelis seem at an all-time high, Israelis are still proud of what they have accomplished in 64 short years and remain confident in their country’s future.

Republican presidential candidate and presumptive nominee Mitt Romney had a Jewish girlfriend in high school, although the relationship was a fleeting one. Mary Fisher, the daughter of Max Fisher, the “dean of the Jewish Republicans”, caught the eye of Romney as he began his social life. Even as a relative youngster Romney was following the “money”. He was intrigued by the Fisher wealth and was amazed that a family could have a private movie theater in their home. Mary Fisher came to prominence in her own right when she brought her HIV+ status before the Republican Convention in 1992. “It does not care whether you are Democrat or Republican”, Mary Fisher told delegates. Today Mary Fisher is an artist and speaker. And for what it’s worth she remembers her high school (Please turn to page 12)

4

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

ISRAELI ARABS PREFER TO LIVE IN ISRAEL NEW SURVEY FINDS ISRAELI ARABS RECONCILED TO THE EXISTENCE OF JEWISH STATE By ARIEH O’SULLIVAN, MEDIA LINE The vast majority of Israeli Arabs are reconciled with the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and even exhibit a degree of patriotism, according to a recent poll . The survey by Haifa University found that nearly one in seven (68.3%) preferred to live in Israel than anywhere else, even a future Palestinian state. It found that 57.7% are reconciled with Israel as a Jewish democratic state whose day of rest is the Sabbath on Saturday and Hebrew is the main

language. “I wouldn’t say that the Arabs are Israeli patriots. What we found was that they said that Israel was a good place to live in. They have benefits in Israel. They have the rule of law. They have democracy. They have a modern way of life. And all this they appreciate and this is their pragmatism,” Sammy Smooha, the University of Haifa professor who conducted the survey, told The Media Line.” “When they say they reconcile them-

selves with the Jewish state this doesn’t mean that they prefer a Jewish state. They prefer to have a bi-national state. This also doesn’t mean they justify a Jewish state,” Smooha added. The poll of 715 Israeli Arabs found that 80% blame the Jews for the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” the “forced” expulsion of most (over 700,000) of the Palestinians from Israel during the 1948 war. It also found that 38% participate in events marking the Nakba.

Smooha, who has been monitoring attitudes among Israeli Arabs for more than 30 years, told The Media line that there has been a steady erosion of faith in Israel’s democracy over the years. Still, it found that the Israeli Arab public-atlarge was less extremist than its leadership, he said. “Their leaders reject Israel as a Jewish democratic state, whereas our studies over the years have found that the Arab public say that while they (Please turn to page 8)

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

5

EYE ON MONTREAL NAMES IN THE NEWS IN OUR CITY By MIKE COHEN BUSY BUILDER GEWURZ: SAMUEL Prominent Hampstead resident Samuel Gewurz is indeed one of the city’s most prominent real estate development executives. He established Proment Corporation in 1965 and was initially involved in the recycling of older industrial and commercial buildings to other uses. In 1980 the company entered into the field of residential development and for the past three decades Proment has distinguished itself by being a trend-setter in high-rise luxury condominium communities and in the development of high-end residential neighbourhoods on Nuns’ Island. Les Verrières sur le fleuve, Val de l’Anse, Club Marin, Domaine de la Forêt, Sommets sur le fleuve, and Le Vistal are some of the projects created by the Proment team. Through its developments, Proment has established

Nuns’ Island as one of Montreal’s most high-end communities. When I spoke to Sam recently, he was particularly proud of the latest project: Pointe Nord (www.pointenord.com). This is being described as a bold new residential project on Nuns' Island, combining the warmth of a friendly neighbourhood, the excitement of contemporary architecture and the rejuvenating presence of nature. “Life on the island reinvented“ is the theme of this 25 acre site bordering the St. Lawrence River adjacent to the Bell campus on the northern tip of Nuns’ Island. The development will consist of 1,800 residential units of highrise, mid-rise and townhouses around a small village square with shops, hotel and recreational facilities. The architectural designs on the website show a walkable community

SAMUEL GEWURZ IS A SUCCESSFUL MONTREAL real state developer who has another exciting project for Nun's Island. See Eye on Montreal

where parks and recreation, boutique shops and waterfront paths are seamlessly combined, all at the resident’s doorstep. This will be a true “green” community. Sustainability, quality of life and environmental protection have been considered in every aspect of planning, design and construction. The goal is to create a neighbourhood designed for smart living - pedestrian friendly, energy efficient, superior air quality, less dependent on potable water and one in which public infrastructure is more sus-

tainable. Different phases will be rolled out over the next several years. “We are trying to create a place that is very exciting for someone to live,” Sam told me. Working with Sam is his wife Brenda, who is the company’s vice-president of marketing and sales. You can check it all out at www.proment.com. NEW CONSTRUCTION AT JEWISH DAY SCHOOL: Hebrew Academy announced recently that it is starting construction of its new state-of-the-art out(Please turn to page 9)

We Extend Best Wishes to the STATE OF ISRAEL On the Occasion of its 64th Anniversary May the year ahead bring peace and security to all in the Middle East

6

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

ISRAEL AT 64 CHUTZPAH IS THE KEY TO STATE’S SUCCESS By MICHAEL STEINHARDT Michael Steinhardt is the Founder of Birthright Israel and a member of the advisory Board of As Israel prepares to JerusalemOnlineU.com. He is featured alongside other leadbegin its 65th year of modern-day independence, ing Jewish and Israeli personalities in the film “Israel To find out about viewings, visit there can be no disputing Inside” http://www.israelinsidethemovie.com. The Editor that this nation remains tempts to pin down the eluconfronted with a myriad of Israel’s daily reality is one sive key characteristics that challenges and threats to its of hope and promise for a make modern Israel a very existence. But despite brighter future – a reality in nation unlike all other the perceived pall of fear which most Israelis live. nations. and tension which seem to Recently, I appeared I’ll name a few: hang eternally over Israel, I in a new film which will Chutzpah, Transforming can confidently say, as soon be showing across the Adversity to Advantage and someone who has been world: "Israel Inside: How a Powerful Family Links. blessed to contribute to its Small Nation Makes a Big While many explanations modern renaissance, that Dif ference." The film athave been offered as to why our nation has accomWe Extend Best Wishes to the Jewish plished so much in such a Community and to the short amount of time and in a challenging and hostile STATE OF ISRAEL environment, I believe that On the Occasion of its 64th Anniversary. the issue of national characMay the coming year bring peace and ter and personal determination shouldn’t be oversecurity to all in the Middle East looked. Undoubtedly, there is an underlying Israeli (or many would say Jewish) characteristic that can only be defined as chutzpah. To the uninitiated, this term is often mistranslated as brashness or even rudeness. Yet, those who truly appreciate what motivates

chutzpah know that this is a character trait driven by an unwavering determination to get things done – and ensuring that “no” can not be the answer. Chutzpah can also be used positively to challenge the status quo and look for new ways to do things better and reject the skepticism of the naysayers. This is a big part of what makes Israel so successful and unique. I can certainly relate to this character trait - it’s what made me push ahead when I founded Birthright Israel and since then, it’s a vision that I have been blessed to share with hundreds of thousands of young people since the program’s launch. In the spirit of this film, Israel’s 64th anniversary should be used to dis(Please turn to page 10) Nous rendons hommage à la communauté juive et aux constructeurs, promoteurs, arhitectes et ingénieurs juife qui ont contribué à la croissance de la région de Montréal. Nous sommes toujours heureux de vous servir.

The Jewish Standard July-August 2012

7

T R AV E L T A L E S HELPFUL HINTS FOR THE JEWISH TRAVELLER By MIKE COHEN TORONTO BOOMING: You need not wonder why the City of Toronto’s tourism (http://www.seetorontonow.com) continues to boom. Between Broadway musical productions, exciting attractions, wonderful dining options and a well earned title as Canada’s financial capital, our neighbour down Highway 401 is humming. WHERE TO STAY: I have always wanted to stay at the Delta Chelsea (www.deltachelsea.com). This is Canada’s largest hotel and it offers a variety of options in guestrooms and meeting space. Located in the heart of downtown Toronto at 33 Gerrard Street West, it is within walking distance of the College sub-

way station, the city’s central business district, government offices and the hospital community. For tourists, you also happen to be only minutes from the city’s best shopping districts, notably the Toronto Eaton Centre, Yonge-Dundas Square, fantastic live theatre, vibrant nightlife and exciting attractions The hotel recently completed a $6 million renovation, including all hotel corridors, 270 guestrooms and the Market Garden There are an incredible 1,590 rooms in all at this facility, making it the largest hotel in the Canadian Commonwealth. It is easy to maintain your fitness routine while stay-

ing at the Delta Chelsea. Their health club gives you unlimited access to cardio and weight training equipment while enjoying a panoramic view of downtown Toronto. There are two pools here: one, like the heath club, for adults-only (with a whirlpool as well) and their big draw, a second floor Family Fun Zone featuring a family pool with a 130 foot indoor “Corkscrew” waterslide, Club 33 teen lounge and Kid Centre. They even have a Camp Chelsea, an all day camp for children aged five to 12. We had a lovely deluxe room, approximately 315 square feet in size and equipped with either one

king bed or two doubles. It featured modern and stylish residential furnishings, designer fabrics and black and white artwork. All rooms feature the Delta “Sanctuary Bed” with luxurious pillow top mattress, white striped bedding, plush duvet, designer cummerbund and accent pillow. There is a work desk, complimentary high-speed internet, an iron and ironing board, coffee/tea maker, bathrobe and hairdryer. The hotel has many Jewish guests and arrangements can be made for kosher meals. These are pre-ordered via an outside kosher caterer. For more (Please turn to page 11)

Proment Corporation congratulates the State of Israel on its 64th anniversary

THE CANADIAN ZIONIST FEDERATION REGION recently awarded the Jerusalem Prize to Professor Harold M. Walle for his dedication, devotion and outstanding service to the State of Israel and the Jewish Community. Pictured above, from left to right, are Joel Lion, Consul General of Israel; Professor.Waller and Arlazar Eliashi, president of the CZF.

Samuel Gewurz President

8

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

ARABS PREFER ISRAEL (Continued from page 5) prefer a bi-national lar view in 2003. Fiftystate,they are reconciled seven percent of Israeli with reality and say they Arabs said that they have to deal with it,” would support a referenSmooha explained. dum that defined Israel as Extremism was not a "Jewish, democratic absent from the survey. state that promised full Nineteen percent of Israeli civil rights to Arabs," Arabs denied Israel's right compared to the 70.9% to exist, as opposed to who said they would sup11% who expressed a simport such a referendum in

We Extend Best Wishes to the STATE OF ISRAEL On the Occasion of its 64th Anniversary May the year ahead bring peace and security to all in the Middle East

LALLEMAND INC. FRESH • DRY • INSTANT BEER AND WINE YEAST QUALITY BAKERY INGREDIENTS 1620 Préfontaine, Montreal TEL: 514-522-2131 FAX: 514-522-2884

2006. “This poll confir ms the continued trend of the hardening of Arab attitudes and the worsening of Arab Jewish relations, but also shows that there is a lot of pragmatism among the Arabs and the framework for ArabJewish relations is still in existence and still solid,” Smooha said. He defined the framework as the acceptance of the state of Israel and the Palestinian state alongside. Ali Haider, codirector of Sikkuy, an organization pushing for civic equality in Israel, was more skeptical. He said it was important to have surveys to examine trends, but he disliked terms like “co-existence,” “pragmatism” and “alienation.” “We talk about equality and shared public space and respect of identities,” Haider told The Media Line. “The Palestinian minority in Israel from 2000 until now feels some kind of frustration from the government and Jewish society, especially after the last election,” which highlighted a right-wing agenda. “Israeli Arabs feel that the government in Israel is working against them. Current trends reflect to the Arabs that they are not welcomed and their citizenship is threatened,” Haider said. He was referring to the so-called “Nakba Law” which imposes financial damages on any statefunded institution sponsoring a Nakba-related event; imposed civil service; incitement against Arab leadership; and increasing racism by right-wing Israeli leaders. “I don’t know to which national group we are patriotic, but we want

to be citizens of Israel; but on the other hand, we want to keep our Palestinian identity and feel part of the Palestinian people and also citizens of Israel,” Haider said. “This combination is very complicated. I think that identity is not something static. This is dynamic and people can have at the same time more than one identity and this is the issue We Join in Extending Best Wishes to the Jewish Community of Montreal and to the STATE OF ISRAEL On its 64th Anniversary We congratulate you on your many achievements

We Extend Best Wishes to the STATE OF ISRAEL On the Occasion of its 64th Anniversary May the year ahead bring peace to all in the Middle East

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

EYE ON MONTREAL (Continued from page 4) door playground. The ground breaking coincided with the launch of its supporting fundraising initiaCampaign for tive, Excellence. This new playground will include a soccer field, basketball court, playground, preschool climbing wall, and common area providing a fun and safe environment for its students. The Academy is striving to have construction of the new facilities completed in time for students to enjoy upon return to school at the end of August. Close to half the money necessary for the project has already been raised. HECHT PROGRAM: Three teachers and one spiritual guidance and community involvement animator from the latter, have formally been presented with

scholarships for a three week experience as part of Yad Vashem the International Seminar for Educators. Julie Etheridge, Mary Rutherford, Steve Santella and Carin Schwartz will be in Israel from July 1 to 19. They are the 2012 recipients of the Riva and Thomas O. Hecht Scholarship, Teaching of the Holocaust for Educators Program. The teachers will take part in a professional development program under the direction of the Faculty of the Yad Vashem Seminars for Educators from Abroad, International School for Holocaust Studies. The goal of the program is to provide professional development activities to teachers for teaching about the Holocaust and antiSemitism to students in the

MARC GARNEAU, FORMER ASTRONAUT AND current MP for Westmount-Ville Marie recently gave an informative address to Cummings Centre Volunteers about his experiences in the space program. Garneau elaborated on the transitions he made through his varied career choices, which ultimately led to politics. Among the participants in attendance were (left to right) Cummings Centre Volunteer Enrichment Committee Member Stephen Wohl, Cummings Centre Vice President Maxine Bloom, Marc Garneau, Volunteer Enrichment Committee Chair Barbara Mintzberg and Committee Members Bram Besner and Dora Parsons Photo by Rina Friedman

9 youth Sector. Each recipient will be asked to create at least one teaching unit or module developed within the context learned. This is the seventh year for the program, with 21 teachers

having gone through it with full scholarships. Etheridge is the head of the Visual Arts Department at the EMSB’s Vincent Massey Collegiate (Please turn to following page)

We Extend Best Wishes to Montreal’s Jewish Builders, Developers, Architects and Engineers. We congratulate you on your many fine achievements. We are always pleased to serve you.

DESJARDINS ENR Sales-Service-Installation all brands Notifier authorized dealer FREE ESTIMATES 2170 Leger, LaSalle 514 768-6315 We Extend Best Wishes to Montreal’s Jewish Builders, Developers, Architects and Engineers. We congratulate you on your many fine achievements. We are always pleased to serve you.

10

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

EYE ON MONTREAL (Continued from page 5) in Rosemount, where she has taught since 2001. Rutherford, Santella and Schwartz are with the Lester B. Pearson School Board. Notes Riva Hecht: “Our scholarship program is an essential educational component for teaching about the history of the Jewish people. We are pri-

vileged to be able to provide this professional development opportunity to Quebec teachers.” Mike Cohen’s email info address is @mikechen.ca. Readers can log on to http:/www.mikecohen.ca and follow him on Twitter @mikecohencsl.

Nous rendons hommage à la communauté juive et aux constructeurs, promoteurs, arhitectes et ingénieurs juife qui ont contribué à la croissance de la région de Montréal. Nous sommes toujours heureux de vous servir.

We Extend Best Wishes to Montreal’s Jewish Builders, Developers, Architects and Engineers. We congratulate you on your contribution to the growth and development of our city and province. We are always pleased to serve you.

PLUMBING • HEATING • NATURAL GAS NEW & USED STEAM BOILERS MOBILE BOILER UNITS AVAILABLE SALES • RENTALS • REPAIRS 24 HOUR SERVICE 12020 ALBERT-HUDON MONTREAL-NORD (QUEBEC) H1G 3K7

TEL: (514) 353-6732 FAX: (514) 353-9598

ISRAEL AT 64 (Continued from page 6) miss the notion of a modern Israel solely defined by the conflict that surrounds it. In little more than half a century, a country has been created that is a burgeoning haven of scientific innovation, a marketplace of ideas that attracts the world’s leading minds and a center of some of the world’s most contributive medical discoveries. An arid land of desert and harsh climate has literally been transformed into a leading international exporter of thousands of products to the majority of ports around the globe. Despite the global economic downturn, the Israeli export industry continues to grow and in 2011 recorded $89 billion in sales, a 4.5 percent increase over the previous year. As clichéd as many might think it to be, the truth is that all of Israel is one big family – in times both good and bad. The concept of a national collective that motivated the establishment of the state demonstrates itself today in the ethos of a national responsibility for fellow citizens and has penetrated into all aspects of Israeli society. I chided the Jewish establishment when I founded Birthright. My theory was that Jewish identity among American secular Jews would surge if that group felt connected to Israel. And I was right. Here, I will chide again: Israel’s identity at 64 must be linked to our collective pride in Israel’s accomplishments, and the confidence that we have only revealed a portion of the country’s full national potential. It is for this reason that I threw my lot in with the makers of Israel Inside Jerusalem OnlineU.com, a group

of innovative American Israelis dedicated to upping the connection of unaffiliated American Jews through paradigm-shifting film education. Israel gives us many Nous rendons hommage à la communauté juive et aux constructeurs, promoteurs, arhitectes et ingénieurs juife qui ont contribué à la croissance de la région de Montréal. Nous sommes toujours heureux de vous servir.

We Extend Best Wishes to Montreal’s Jewish Builders, Developers, Architects and Engineers. We congratulate you on your many fine achievements. We are always pleased to serve you.

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012 reasons to look forward to another year of our beloved nation’s independence. But most of all we need to remember that now is the time to embrace a new out-

look on the Jewish State and ensure that we begin to view her for what she truly is – a nation of remarkable progress and the very best of downright chutzpah.

• TRAVEL TALES (Continued from page 7) information call 1-888-890- 18-to-20 ounce prime rib cut served with baked pota3222. BARDI’S FOR DIN- to, french fries or rice. I NER: The closest kosher chose the latter and it was restaurant in downtown spectacular. When I asked Toronto is the Oasis Café at our waiter Chris, also the 100 King Street West. They manager on duty, for some close at 4 p.m. but offer steak sauce he recommendkosher food on the go so you ed I taste it first, “You won’t might want to consider an need it,” he warned. Well he early dinner if you decide to was absolutely correct. A eat there. We were in the juicier steak I have not tastmood for steak and chose ed in a long time. The filet well in Bardi’s Steak House mignon got rave reviews as (www.bardis.com), located well at our table. The actuat 56 York Street near Front. al menu includes a detailed This fine dining establish- explanation of each steak ment began operating in cut and a steak chart, 1966 and has been the describing the exact cookrecipient of the Wine ing process. Besides the Spectator Magazine Award selection of salads soups , of Excellence since 1994. It appetizers (try the “wolfis opened Monday to Friday head” cold smoked Atlantic from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 salmon) and accompanip.m.; from 5 p.m. to 10:30 ments, you can each kosher p.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. style and and enjoy dover sole and fresh Atlantic to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Serving only certified salmon The restaurant Angus beef, steak cuts and seats 75 at the main level sizes range from the classic and 50 on the eloquent filet mignon to the substan- looking second floor, which tially sized Bardi special, an (Please turn to following page)

Nous rendons hommage à la communauté juive et aux constructeurs, promoteurs, arhitectes et ingénieurs juife qui ont contribué à la croissance de la région de Montréal. Nous sommes toujours heureux de vous servir.

11

NOW YOU CAN READ ALL PAST ISSUES OF THE JEWISH STANDARD AT www.thejewishstandardmag.com We Extend Best Wishes to Montreal’s Jewish Builders, Developers, Architects and Engineers. We acknowledge your contribution to the growth of our city. We are always pleased to serve you.

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

12

TRAVEL TALES (Continued from preceding page) has an eye catching wine cellar. JEWISH CONNECTION: The Greater Toronto Area has a vibrant, growing Jewish community of over 180,000. At last count,

there were some 118 synagogues. In the downtown area you will find the First Narayever Congregation (www.narayever.com) at 187 Brunswick Ave, just a few steps north of Harbord

Street. This is a warm and welcoming traditional-egalitarian synagogue. Mike Cohen’s email address is :[email protected] Follow his travels athttp://www.sandboxworld.com/travel and on Twitter @mikecohen.ca •

We Extend Best Wishes to Montreal’s Jewish Builders, Developers, Architects and Engineers. We acknowledge your contribution to the growth of our city. We are always pleased to serve you.

We Extend Best Wishes to Montreal’s Jewish Builders, Developers, Architects and Engineers. We acknowledge your contribution to the growth of our city. We are always pleased to serve you.

WORLD IN REVIEW (Continued from page 3) friend “as being really nice”, a real gentleman.

Ballpark Packed But Not For Baseball There were 40,000 people in the stands at New York’s Citi Field on May 20th. The Jumbo Tron displayed shots of cute kids in the stands. Airlines from LaGuardia drowned out the noise from the stands. But there was something different about this crowd. For one, the crowd consisted of all men in black hats. For another, there was no sign of any baseball players. The Mets were in Pittsburgh. And two billboards advertising Cholula Hot Sauce were covered in plastic to hide the scantily clad women pictured on the bottles. So who were these 40,000 men? They were ultra-Orthodox Jews attending a rally to protest the dangers of the Internet. Rabbis told the crowd that the Internet was a threat to their children and to ultraOrthodoxy in general. The Internet, said Rabbi Ephfraim Wachsman, is “changing who we are...You can see it in the ebbing eyes of the younger generation. in the jittery inattentiveness of our children, in the flippant and callous language and attitude, the cynism...the unbelievable breeches of modesty”. Added Rabbi Yechiel Meir Katz, the Dziboi rebbe, “There is not sufficient integrity among the generation today for people

to be able to sit in front of a screen with the Internet, and to be able to decide what is acceptable and what is not. The event was organized by Ichud Hakehillos LeTohar HaMachane, or the

We Extend Best Wishes to Montreal’s Jewish Builders, Developers, Architects and Engineers. We acknowledge your contribution to the growth of our city. We are always pleased to serve you.

We Extend Best Wishes to the STATE OF ISRAEL On the Occasion of its 64th Anniversary. We wish you continued success in the decades ahead. May the year ahead bring peace to the Middle East

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

We Extend Best Wishes to the STATE OF ISRAEL On its 64th Anniversary. May the year ahead bring peace to all in the Middle East.

Unification of the Communities for the Purification of the Camp. Both Hasidic and non-Hasidic ultra-Orthodox were in attendance. As for women, live feeds were broadcast to women only venues in some Orthodox neighbourhoods.

Not the Biggest Tipper

We Extend Our Congratulations to the STATE OF ISRAEL On the Occasion of the Occasion of its 64th Anniversary May the year ahead bring peace to the Middle East

STEPHANIE & DAVID J. AZRIELI C.M., M. Arch., MRAIC, Assoc

1010, rue Ste Catherine ouest Suite 1200 Montréal, Québec H3B 3S3

Tel: (514) 282-1155 Fax: (514) 2821794 email:[email protected]

It has not been the best of times for Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg. While he is still worth billions, the value of his portfolio has clearly diminished over the past few weeks. So it seems that while on his recent honeymoon, Zuckerberg realized that he would have to scrimp just a bit. The newly-wed couple spent their honeymoon in Rome. While there he and Priscilla lunched at the kosher restaurant Nonna Betta in the city’s Jewish Ghetto area. The bill came to $40. In Europe, of course, the gratuity is included in the total amount of the check. But waiters, aware of his reputation for being a generous tipper, were expecting the Zuckerbergs to leave a little something extra. But the staff was out of luck. The couple walked out the door without leaving a cent more than the $40. And one more thing. Wine was apparently beyond the couple’s budget. They limited their drinks to water and tea.

Second Most Wanted Dies Natural Death Klaas Carel Faber, the number 2 target of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, died recently at 90 in Berlin. Klaus was first sentenced to death in 1947 for killing at least 11 (Please turn to following page)

13

14

The Jewish Standard, July-August 2012

We Extend Best Wishes to the STATE OF ISRAEL On its 64th Anniversary. We congratulate you on your success and hope that the years ahead bring peace to the Middle East.

BONBON RIO CANDY INC. Manufacturers of Ice Cream Cones Taffy & Soft Sugar Cones

12451 Blvd. Industriel (PAT) Montreal,Quebec H1B 5M7 Tel: (514) 645-7788 Fax: (514) 645-8966 email: [email protected]

WORLD IN REVIEW (Continued from preceding page) people at a staging post for Dutch Jews. His sentence was commuted to life in 1952 but he escaped the Dutch prison and fled to Germany. He became a citizen and lived as a fugitive for 60 years, resisting attempts by the Netherlands to have him extradited.

Guidelines for Conservative Rabbis Gerald Skolnik is the president of a group of 1600 Conservative rabbis. When he was asked to officiate at a gay wedding he was totally lost. Should it look like a heterosexual wedding, he wondered. Or should the ceremony be completely different. Conservative leaders first sanctioned same sex marriages in 2006. But it is only now that the assembly’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has approved templates. These guidelines will help

BITAYAVON GOURMET Kosher Cooking Magazine has been named one of 2011's Hottest Magazine Launches by the Magazine Innovation Center. Founded in 2011 Bitayavon is now available worldwide, including Canada.

Conservative rabbis explore and improvise this still evolving area of Conservative halacha.

We Extend Best Wishes to the STATE OF ISRAEL On its 64th Anniversary. We congratulate you on your success and hope that the years ahead bring peace to the Middle East.

We Extend Best Wishes to the STATE OF ISRAEL On its 64th Anniversary. May the year ahead bring peace and security to all in the Middle East.

WE JOIN IN EXTENDING BEST WISHES TO THE STATE OF ISRAEL ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 64th ANNIVERSARY