A Palestinian man who lives in Edmonton has beendenied refugee status and is appealing to remain in Canada.The 24 year old, openly gay man who is known here as JohnCalvin says he renounced his association to the terroristgroup Hamas 7 years ago and is a convert to Christianity.

The young man arrived in Canada in 2010 on a studentvisa, and requested refugee status in June 2011. But in July2012 his case was suspended by Canada Border ServicesAgency, when the Ministry of Public Safety found that hehad served as an active member of the militant group duringhis teenage years.

Calvin is now contesting the deportation order, with thehelp of friends who have launched a crowdfunding campaignfor him. He is certain that he will be killed if he is deportedback to the Palestinian territories.

“For me, deportation is the equivalent of a deathsentence,” Calvin told the Edmonton Journal in an interviewon January 4. “If I am not killed by the (Palestinian)government, I will be killed by Hamas because I shamedthem publicly, and if not them, then I will be killed by myfamily.”

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,residency can be denied to anyone found to be a member of aterrorist organization, a label that has been applied toHamas by Canada and other governments.

A December 19 ruling of the Immigration Appeal Divisionfound there was sufficient evidence that Calvin activelyparticipated in Hamas activities as a teenager, includingpassing through Israeli checkpoints to deliver codedmessages, and shooting at Israeli jeeps.

“In delivering these messages, I find the respondent madea significant, knowing and willing contribution to Hamas’sterrorist acts,” stated appealdivision member GeorgePemberton. “I find that hepossessed the requisiteknowledge and mentalcapacity to make his owninformed choices. He choseHamas.”

At his hearing in July,Calvin testified that he wasborn in 1990 in the WestBank of the Palestinian

territories, that he had family members who are seniormembers of Hamas and he had been indoctrinated intoHamas’s extremist world view from a young age.

According to the Edmonton Journal article Calvinrenounced Hamas at age 18 and his subsequent conversion

to Christianity enraged his father, who tried to stab himbefore he managed to escape to a local church.

From there, he eventually escaped into Jordan and thenmade his way to Toronto through a scholarship to a bible

January 2015

EDMONTON

Edmontonresident facesdeportation

Last month as a special event Menorah Academy was proud to present, "The Pretzel Lady: A ChanukahStory," a play that brought to life the sights and sounds of the early 1900's.The girls, grades 4-9, performedto a sold-out show and through song, drama and lifelike props, transported the audience to the pushcartsof Hester Street where Mrs. Weber sold her hot pretzels daily. From the opening set, everyone who attendedwas captivated and drawn into the play by the performances and obvious hard work involved by the castand crew. Kol HaKavod to all of the Menorah Academy students, staff and families.

Menorah Academy production delights audience

Volume 26, No. 1

Publication MailAgreement Number:40050628

Beth Shalom to honour Jeff Rubin: April 19Continued on page 6

Mark your calendars for a very specialevent! Beth Shalom will be hosting anevening gala on April 19 at theFantasyland Hotel to pay tribute toCongregation Past President Jeff Rubin.Jeff is a home grown community leader,born in Edmonton and schooled atTalmud Torah and Ross Sheppard HighSchool before graduating from Universityof Alberta, York University in Toronto andthen back to U of A.

Jeff's outstanding dedication toCongregation Beth Shalom is absolutelyworthy of a tribute, and his volunteer

efforts throughout the many facets of Edmonton Jewish life make him anexemplary recipient of community wide honours.

Jeff learned diplomacy, good humour and charm at an early age as theonly male child in a family with 4 sisters. These skills and the wonderfulexample set by his parents Abner and Hilda z"l laid the foundation for astrong commitment to family, friends, community and yiddishkeit.

Jeff was heavily involved with AZA as a youth, serving as president ofhis local chapter and secretary of the NW Canada region. His firstexperience with Israel was as part of an International BBYO tour fromStarlight Pennsylvania.

Jeff attended Camp BB (now known as Camp BB-Riback) as a youthand worked there as a counsellor for several years.

As an adult, he became involved with Beth Shalom initially as a boardmember and then on the executive as chair of the ritual committee beforebecoming president of the board in 2010. Currently serving as past

president, Jeff is still involved with the ritual committee as well as thefinance committee, building committee and bikkur cholim committee.Overall, he has served on the board of directors of Beth Shalom for 10years.

Jeff has also been a member of Chevra Kadisha for the past 10 yearsserving alongside his father Abner Rubin (who is without a doubt one ofthe most charming, kind hearted and dedicated members of ourcommunity).

Jeff is also currently serving as a member of the board of directors forthe Beit Horim, Jewish National Fund and as a canvasser for UJA. Heis married to Gaylene Soifer, a Talmud Torah graduate and Talmud Torahteacher and he is actively involved with her entire family who have strongand extensive ties to the Jewish Community in general and particularlywith Beth Israel Synagogue. Together they have a wonderful blendedfamily that is infused with Jewish values and community service.

One of Jeff's goals when he took over the presidency of the BethShalom board was to further facilitate a warm and welcoming ambienceto the congregation to complement the inherent spirituality of theservices and programs. In addition to meeting a variety of otherimportant shul objectives, Jeff honed his skills with creativity, positivethinking, warmth, humour and inclusivity and successfully enhanced therelaxed and pleasant atmosphere at the shul.

The Beth Shalom will pay homage to Jeff's dedicated service as well ashis enthusiasm and whimsical sense of humour with what is sure to bean enjoyable evening event. There will be special guests in attendancewho will definitely delight all subgroups in our community. Mark April19th on your calendar and watch for more information as the date drawsnear. Don't miss this special event.

Jeff Rubin

Page 2 Edmonton Jewish News January 2015

by ben Sales, JTA

In the sun-parched fields near where the largest oil spillin Israeli history poured millions of liters of crude oil into thedesert on Dec. 4, an ambitious effort is underway to helpreduce global dependency on petroleum for energy.

Known as the Eilot Belt, the area is the site of Israel’slargest solar energy field. It's the locus of an effort to provideby next year the daytime energy needs for the area's 55,000residents and all their energy needs by 2020.

The area's eight commercial solar fields are part of awider initiative that aims to reduce the world's reliance onthe black liquid that befouled a 3.5-mile stretch of Israelidesert. The plan also includes a model village subsistingentirely on renewable energy sources and an incubator forclean energy high-tech start-ups.

“We have a lot of sunlight and a lot of open space, so thisis the most appropriate for us,” said Dorit Banet, CEO of theEilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Initiative, a local governmentbody that aims to transform the region into a global hub ofrenewable energy research and development. The spill,Banet said, “strengthens the fact that we don’t want to stopwith oil, that we want to do clean energy.”

Banet’s organization hopes to make renewable energy aneconomic growth engine for the Eilot Belt, a region aroundthe southern resort town of Eilat that has traditionallysupported itself with date and dairy farming. Along withfostering the growth of solar power plants, the RenewableEnergy Initiative designed an educational curriculumaround renewable energy for local schools, runsinternational renewable energy conferences and offers toursof the area’s clean energy attractions.

The initiative, which has brought 80 jobs to the area, also

hopes to export Israeliexpertise abroad.Entrepreneur YosefAbramowitz, whospearheaded theconstruction of the area’sfirst solar field in 2011, isnow marketing renewableenergy solutions in Africabased on his success inIsrael.

“We were supposed to usethe success of Eilat-Eilot as aregion to say to places inAfrica, this region is going 100 percent solar during the day,so can you,” said Abramowitz, the CEO of Energiya GlobalCapital, which recently built a solar field in Rwanda. “Theidea was to show the State of Israel that it's possible, andthen we wanted Israel to be able to demonstrate that for therest of the world.”

To help develop alternative energy solutions for thedeveloping world, the Renewable Energy Initiative has builta life-size model of an off-the-grid village, where they testnew technologies like biodiesel cooking or solar-poweredlights. The village doubles as a tourist attraction anddestination for school field trips, providing visitors anopportunity to experience alternative energy firsthand.

“We want to raise awareness about renewable energy, toshow the activity in the desert plains,” said Avital Nusinow,the initiative's training and education coordinator. “Fortourists, it’s interesting to see how that works. We’re the onlyplace with so many renewable energy facilities in one place.”

Clean energy entrepreneurship is nothing new for theregion. Lotan, a kibbutz founded by Reform Jewish

immigrants in 1983, hosts a village of geodesic domes madelargely of earth and straw bales.

The domes, which house 20 students, need no heating,and all other power needs come from solar panels on the topof the kibbutz recycling center. Lotan resident Alex Cicelsky,who designed the domes, said the goal is “a building thatuses very little energy and has a small carbon footprint.”

The initiative is also encouraging the spread of renewableenergy through its start-up incubator, which currentlyhouses six early-stage companies working on new energytechnologies. One is working to make solar panels moreefficient; another is integrating a solar panel with a windturbine.

The Renewable Energy Initiative hopes such technologiesspread across Israel and worldwide. But in the meantime,Nusinow said, solar power is something to get excited aboutin a previously struggling -- and now polluted -- region.

“This is the agriculture of the future for us,” she said.“We’re harvesting the sun.”

Near major oil spill, a solar fieldgrows in Israel

The Beth Tzedek Congregation held its annual Chanukah party this year on theevening of December 20th. As they have done in the past, they held an auctionof wrapped gifts brought for the occasion. This year the money raised wasdonated to Magen David Adom. “Although we are a small group, we werehappy to raise $200.00, and, of course, we had a great time doing it," notedBluma Goldberg, Vice President.

Next Deadline: February 6, 2015

Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050628Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Circulation Department:Suite A 10632 124 Street NW Edmonton AB T5N 1S3E-mail: ejnews@telus.netTel: (780) 421-7966 Fax: (780) 424-3951

Volume 25, Number 1, January 2015

EDITOR: Deborah ShatzADVERTISING: Daniel MoserFOuNDING PublIShER: Barry Slawsky

For change of address, please send both old and new addresses. We welcome your stories, pictures, artwork andopinions. Please send submissions to our office at the address above.

All rights reserved. No part ofthis newspaper may bereproduced without writtenpermission from thepublisher. The opinionsexpressed herein are notnecessarily those of theEditor. Edmonton JewishNews is published by320754 Alberta Ltd.

Beth Tzedek celebrates Chanukah

by Daniel Moser

A unique theatre in Edmonton’s Southside is featuring anumber of exciting films that will be of particular interest tothe Jewish Community. Leading up to AndreayZvyagintsev’s award-winning masterpiece Leviathan, MetroCinema will be exploring the rich history of Russianfilmmaking with a three-film introduction to EssentialRussian Cinema (for show times please see pg 8). All fourfilms will be presented in Russian, with English subtitles.

The mini festival kicks off with Eisenstein’s classic 1925film, Battleship Potemkin. One of the most significant worksof the Soviet cinema, the propagandistic film glorifies theexploits of sailors participating in a naval mutiny on theBlack Sea during the abortive 1905 revolution.

Next is Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 film Stalker looselybased on the novel Roadside Picnic. A science fiction film,Stalker is the story of three strangers’ quest into The Zone, amysterious place that may contain otherworldly forces, toreach The Room, an enigmatic enclave that allegedly grantsvisitors their deepest, darkest wish.

The festival continues with Aleksandr Sokurov’s 2002look at three centuries of Russian history in Russian Ark.The film is a true work of art as it consists of one unbrokenshot lasting the entire length of the film, as a camera glidesthough the Hermitage, the repository of Russian art andhistory in St. Petersburg.

The three Russian language films lead up to Metro’spresentation of Leviathan, Russia’s official entry for the 2015Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Leviathan is acompelling tragic drama of corruption and intimidation in

contemporary Russia. It revolves aroundKolia, a poor man who finds himself atthe centre of a perfect storm of poisoneddestiny.

Metro Cinema is a community-basednon-profit society devoted to theexhibition and promotion of Canadian,international and independent film andvideo in Edmonton. Operating out of thehistoric Garneau Theatre, Metro exhibitsan eclectic blend of film, video and mediaarts, that are not screened anywhere elsein the city. Metro’s focus is on presentinga broad selection of educational, cultural,and innovative works. Throughout theyear Metro is well known for hosting anumber of film festivals, events bringing in interesting andartistic guest speakers and presenters. The theatre has alsogarnered accolades for its showing of cult favorites andinternational beauties, unique to the community, and city.Their annual showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, isa remarkable sight to take in.

On January 31, Metro Cinema will be debuting anotherfilm of special interest to the Jewish community, the 2014French Canadian film Felix and Meira. Felix is an eccentricand penniless French Canadian whose wealthy father isdying. Meira is a Hasidic woman married with a child,searching for something new. They were not meant to meet,let alone fall in love. Felix and Meira tells the miraculouslove story between two separate beings from two distinctcommunities, who attempt to love each other despite what

separates them.Metro is currently in the middle of their run of 2014

Israeli comedy Zero Motivation from director Talya Lavie.The black comedy features two young women fulfilling theirmilitary service as office workers on a remote desert armybase. The film, which invokes feeling of The Office, featurescharacters Daffi and Zohar who feel alienated from thepatriotic careerism of their gung-ho sergeant and the chatty,coffee-klatch femininity of their co-workers. To make itthrough the day they cling to each other and alleviate theirmind numbing boredom. The film has received rave reviewsand won the Tribeca Narrative Competition. Zero Motivationwill be playing until January 14, and Metro hopes to bringmore Israeli cinema to the theatre in the near future.

For more information on the theatre visitwww.metrocinema.org.

Metro Cinema introduces Russianfilm series

January 2015 Edmonton Jewish News Page 3

On November 8, 2014, the opening night of the CalgaryJewish Film Festival featured the screening of the film"Above and Beyond," a new documentary by NancySpielberg. At the same time, the community took a momentto honour some local heroes, including long time Edmontonresident Stan Miller z"l. Stan's wife Esther Miller, hisdaughter Monica Miller and son-in-law Ken Regan werepleased to attend the event as honoured family members.

The film documents the heroic efforts of a group of Machal- volunteers from abroad - who in 1948, heeded a nascentnation's call for help. Leaving everything behind, and atgreat personal risk, they volunteered to defend Israel in itsWar of Independence.

The ragtag band of brothers featured in the film not onlyturned the tide of the war, preventing the possibleannihilation of Israel at the very moment of its birth; theyalso laid the groundwork for the Israeli Air Force. "Aboveand Beyond" is their story. Produced by Nancy Spielberg,younger sister to Steven, and directed by Roberta Grossman(Hava Nagila, Blessed is the Match), this inspiring andexceptionally well-crafted film brings together freshinterviews with several of those charismatic Machalveterans, along with archival footage and stunninglyrecreated flight sequences, to present a stirring, adventure-packed and entertaining account of a decisive moment inIsrael's history and the singular individuals whose daringexploits were so critical for the country's survival.

Among the many volunteers from across the globe whorallied to the defense of the fledgling State of Israel duringits War of Independence, there were more than a dozen whohailed from Calgary, or would later reside there. Stan Millerz"l was one of these brave men.

Monica Miller explained, "In 1948, 13 men from Calgaryvolunteered to go to Israel to fight in the War of

Independence. Althoughmy father was not fromCalgary, he grew up in thesmall town of Alliance, ABand went to live with his

uncle in Calgary for a few years in order to attend Hebrewschool and be Bar Mitzvah’d. And so he was included in thisgroup when it was decided to honour them as part of thescreening of the documentary “Above and Beyond” at theCalgary Jewish Film Festival."

Calgary historian Joe Spier completed a short biographyon each of the thirteen men. He wrote, "Stan Miller, ofblessed memory, was one of the first Calgarians to volunteeras a Machalnik. Taking a boat from New York, he arrived inMarseilles in May 1948. Because the British Mandate hadnot ended and the British blockade was still in effect, Stanwould have to be smuggled into Israel. Together with agroup of Holocaust survivors, Stan was crammed into anAliyah Bet ship, if you could call it that. It was a tub, whichhardly stayed afloat. The ship successfully ran the Britishblockade and landed in Natanyah, where Stan and theothers were offloaded.

"On shore, the group would have been swarmed by amass of kibbutznicks, who changed the clothes of the newlyarrived and walked off with them. The British would havebeen unable to distinguish the illegally landed from thekibbutznicks.

"Stan joined the Israeli army and was assigned to the79th armoured battalion as an armoured car crewman.Armoured car was a bit of a joke, because initially Israel hadnone, only jeeps with steel panels welded to the sides. Lateron Israel obtained real armoured cars and also Shermantanks which Stan also crewed.

"Stan’s battalion participated in Operation Hiram,successfully destroying the enemy in the central Galilee,occupying the whole of the Galilee and establishing a defenseline on the border with Lebanon."

Following a Q&A with producer Nancy Spielberg, the

Calgary Jewish Community paid tribute to the followingmen who so bravely volunteered their services asMachalniks and their families with a special presentation ofindividual certificates: Jack Belkin, Dov Chetner z"l, AlGelman, Yale Joffe z"l, Frank Kettner, Arnold Kipnes z"l,Will Manolson z"l, Stan Miller z"l, Lionel Schneider z"l, SamShaw (Shnitka) z"l, David Sidorsky, Mel Silver z"l and BillWadman z"l.

By virtue of their selflessness, courage and sense of duty,these thirteen men would become a part of one of the mostdramatic moments in the history of our people – the rebirthof a sovereign Jewish nation in the ancient Land of Israel.And in so doing, these exceptional individuals have left alasting legacy of which they, their families, and theircommunity can all be proud.

Calgary Jewish Film Festivalhonours local heroes

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Immigration to Israel reached a10-year high in 2014.

Approximately 26,500 new immigrants arrived in Israellast year, according to figures released Dec. 31 by The JewishAgency for Israel and the Ministry of Aliyah and ImmigrantAbsorption. The number marked a 32 percent increase inworldwide aliyah over the previous year, which saw about20,000 new arrivals.

For the first time, according to the Jewish Agency, moreimmigrants came from France than from any other country.Nearly 7,000 French immigrants arrived in Israel in 2014,double the 3,400 who came in 2013.

Aliyah from Ukraine was up 190 percent over theprevious year, with 5,840 new immigrants, compared to2,020 in 2013. The increase is due primarily to ongoinginstability in the eastern part of the country, according to theJewish Agency.

Aliyah from Western Europe as a whole rose 88 percent to8,640 new immigrants in 2014. In addition to the significantrise in arrivals from France, 620 immigrants came from theUnited Kingdom, 100 more than the previous year, and 340came from Italty, roughly double the previous year's figure.

Some 11,430 immigrants arrived from the former SovietUnion, an increase of 50 percent over last year, with mostcoming from Ukraine. Some 4,830 immigrants came fromRussia, Belarus and the Baltic states.

Aliyah from Latin America remained stable, with the

arrival of some 1,070immigrants, similar to theprevious year. The number

of arrivals from Eastern Europe dropped from 270 last yearto 232, and 190 came from South Africa, the same as lastyear. Some 200 immigrants came from Australia and NewZealand, compared to some 260 in 2013..

Immigration to Israel from North America rose 7 percentin 2014 over the previous year to 3,762 olim from the UnitedStates and Canada, according to Nefesh B'Nefesh.

The immigrants came on 17 flights from North Americaarranged by Nefesh B'Nefesh in partnership with Israel'sMinistry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption, the JewishAgency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and JNF-USA.

The flights included 296 families with 813 children underthe age of 18 and 1,703 singles. The immigrants came mostlyfrom the New York metropolitan area, Florida, California,Illinois, Maryland and Pennsylvania in the United States,and from Quebec and Ontario in Canada.

Tel Aviv received the highest number of new immigrants,followed by Haifa and Jerusalem.

In 2014, the number of lone soldiers, young people whomake aliyah without their immediate family, rose by 10percent to 350. Some 3,000 lone soldiers are now serving inthe Israel Defense Forces.

Erez Halfon, vice chairman of Nefesh B’Nefesh, noted ina statement that olim continued to come during the summer,the peak time for aliyah, despite Israel's 50-day operation inGaza operation and the hundreds of rockets that raineddown on southern and central Israel.

“These olim, including hundreds of soldiers, left behindcareers, families, and communities, and their sacrifice andcourage was widely acknowledged by the Israeli public,"Halfon said.

Israel's population on the eve of 2015 stands at 8.3million. Some 6.2 million of that population are Jewish and1.7 million are Arabs as 2014 comes to a close.

The population's percentage breakdown is 74.9 percentJewish, 20.7 percent Arab and 4.3 percent others, includingChristians and people who do not identify with any religionor nationality.

Israel's population grew by 2 percent in 2014, according tothe Central Bureau of Statistics. Some 176,600 babies wereborn during the year and some 23,000 new immigrantsarrived.

At the end of December 2013, Israel's population wasestimated at some 8,132,000.

2014: Aliyah reached 10-year high

Esther Miller and Monica Miller received a specialcertificate at the Calgary Jewish Film Festival intribute to Stan Miller z'l for his service to Israelduring the War of Independence.

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The beautiful Tel Aviv beachline

Page 4 Edmonton Jewish News January 2015

(Left) Last month in celebration of Chanukah, Menorah Academy students, from Toddlers through Grade 1, performed classical Chanukah songs and lit up the stagewith their energy and talents. (Right) Modge Podge, construction paper, paint, and glitter pens helped the Grade One students decorate beautiful personal Chanukahplates and Chanukah brachos prayer plaques.

During the month of Kislev (December), Kindergarten students were busylearning how to read Hebrew and learning the story of Chanukah. Theexcitement began when the Kindergarten students had a word oil jug hunt inthe hallways. In the craft center, the students made pastel and oil paintings ofwhimsical dancing dreidels as well as a colour block Menorah created not onlyaccording to halacha but also meeting the FDA mandated fire safety standards.

The Pre-K students had a musical lesson learning their aleph beis. Each chairhad a letter, and the object of the game was to find the letter Mrs. Weinrachcalled out before the music stopped. What fun!

Recent Activities at Menorah Academy

January 2015 Edmonton Jewish News Page 5

Sufganiyot are always a tasty (and messy) Chanukah treat and Talmud Torah students certainly enjoyed them as part of their holiday celebrations.

This month's update for Talmud Torah School

On December 16, Talmud Torah hosted the 3rd annual Come Spin with Us Babies and Tots Chanukah Party. The event was a great success with hundreds of Babies,Tots, Moms, Dads, Bubbies and Zadies enjoying music, activities, latkes and sufganiyot. For information about this and other activities at Talmud Torah School call780-481-3377.

Could you use a friendly helping hand?

(780) 432-1676www.thecompassionnetwork.ca

Home CareHome Support

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college. He attended the Prairie Bible Institute in ThreeHills Alberta and then moved to Edmonton in 2012, wherehe has been surviving with odd jobs and help from friends.

Calvin said any “minor” transgressions as a youngteenager should not be held against him now. When it cameto passing messages, he said he didn’t know the contents ofthe notes and didn’t comprehend at the time that they mightbe used for terrorist activities. He said he believed he wasdoing errands to help his family, rather than helpingHamas.

However, Pemberton said that his earlier testimonyindicates that Calvin continued to deliver messages forHamas until at least age 16 and that he had sufficientunderstanding of what he was doing.

“He was not going to the corner store to buy bread; hewas sneaking through what can best be considered ‘enemylines,’ ” Pemberton wrote. “Having been indoctrinated byfamily does not excuse membership in a terroristorganization.”

He said Calvin’s activities for Hamas slowed down afterage 16 only because he spent long periods in jail and becauseFatah took over the West Bank in 2007.

Calvin said his statements from 2011 are not accuratebecause he did not speak English well at the time, andmisunderstood the questions. However, Pemberton rejectedthat explanation, finding instead that Calvin had “tailored”his story over time to minimize his role in Hamas and shifthis activities to a younger age than he originally claimed.

Calvin said he plans to appeal the deportation order to theFederal Court of Canada, a move that must be made byJanuary 19.

“I don’t think I should be held accountable for decisions Imade or did not make when I was 14. The punishment … ispretty harsh. I am not my family and I have done everythingin my power since I was 14 to distance myself from them.”

NEW YORK, NY – Elderly Jewish Holocaust victims inCanada, the last of their generation to have endured thehorrors of the Nazi genocide, will receive significantly moreaid in 2015, announced Julius Berman, President of theConference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany(Claims Conference).

In 2015, total Claims Conference allocations to 11 socialservice agencies in Canada will be USD $18.6 million, nearlytriple the USD $6.4 million allocated for 2014, with most ofthe increase earmarked for homecare, a top social welfarepriority for these survivors. A first-time direct allocation ofUSD $1.1 million will be made to Jewish Family Services inEdmonton.

The Claims Conference is the only organization assistingHolocaust survivors worldwide by supporting homecare andother vital services specifically for Jewish Nazi victims.

“All Shoah victims should be able to receive the help andsupport that they need to live the rest of their lives in dignity,after having endured indescribable suffering in their youth,”said Claims Conference President Julius Berman. “Thistremendous increase in funding will directly help manysurvivors, including those who need more help at home thanthey currently receive as well as those needing care for thefirst time. Abandoned by the world in their youth, Holocaustvictims deserve all the aid and comfort that it is possible togive them in the twilight of their lives.”

The increase stems from Claims Conference negotiationswith Germany, where support for homecare has been anurgent priority for more than a decade. With this substantialincrease in allocations, the Claims Conference will be able toprovide more help for the essential and special needs ofHolocaust victims, which continue to increase as they age.

The Canadian organizations that provide aid with ClaimsConference allocations are: Circle of Care, Toronto; BaycrestCenter for Geriatric Care, Toronto; Bikur Cholim JewishVolunteer Services of Toronto; Jewish Family & ChildService, Toronto; B'nai B’rith Canada, Toronto; JewishFamily Services of Edmonton; Jewish Family ServiceAgency, Vancouver; Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre,Vancouver; and Jewish Family Services of Ottawa.

Cummings Centre, Montreal, in addition to servingHolocaust victims in the Montreal area also administersfunds for the following organizations: Atlantic JewishCouncil, Halifax; Jewish Child and Family Service,Winnipeg; Jewish Family Service Calgary; Windsor JewishFederation; Jewish Social Services of Hamilton; and JewishFamily Services Vancouver Island, Victoria.

In 2015, total Claims Conference allocations to socialservice organizations around the world will total USD $365million, a 21 percent increase over the 2014 amount, and willaid Holocaust victims in 47 countries. The allocations derive

from German governmentfunding, proceeds fromrecovering Jewishproperties in the formerEast Germany, the Harryand Jeanette WeinbergFoundation, the Austriangovernment and the SwissBanks Settlement. With thissubstantial increase inallocations, the ClaimsConference will be able toprovide more help for theurgent, essential and specialneeds of Holocaust victims.

These allocations areentirely separate from theindividual compensationpayments also distributedby the Claims Conference toHolocaust victims.

It is important tounderstand that while thenumber of Jewish victims ofNazism dwindles everyyear, the day-to-day needs ofthe aging and ever frailervictims continue to increase.In 2013, the ClaimsConference brought thismessage to its annualnegotiations with theGerman government. Theresulting agreement yieldeda landmark USD $1 billion sum to be allocated by the ClaimsConference through 2017.

“This agreement was finalized in 2013, a time of budgetausterity in Germany, making it all the more significant,”said Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, Claims ConferenceSpecial Negotiator. “We thank Germany for recognizing andcontinuing to address its historic obligation to Holocaustvictims.”

Homecare funded by Claims Conference allocationsencompasses a wide variety of services, intrinsic to enablingsurvivors to remain living in their own homes, in familiarsurroundings, affording them a sense of safety, security,comfort and community. Some survivors need assistancesuch as light housekeeping and cooking, while others whoare more infirm require help with the basic activities of dailyliving, such as dressing and hygiene. The additional fundingfor 2015 will be used for all of these purposes.

This remarkable increase in funding will enable Jewish

social service agencies to continue to support those survivorsalready receiving homecare assistance, as well as survivorswho find themselves in need, for the first time, of homecarehelp. Funding for 2015, to social service organizationsworking with survivors, is based on the projected unmetneeds that such organizations have reported to the ClaimsConference.

About the Claims ConferenceThe Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against

Germany (Claims Conference) represents world Jewry innegotiating for compensation and restitution for Jewishvictims of Nazi persecution and their heirs. The ClaimsConference administers compensation funds, recoversunclaimed Jewish property, and allocates funds toinstitutions that provide social welfare services to Holocaustvictims and preserve the memory and lessons of theHolocaust. For more information: www.claimscon.org.

Page 6 Edmonton Jewish News January 2015

Edmonton JFS to recieve aid forHolocaust victims in 2015

On December 21, Edmonton celebrated Chanukah with the Chabad GiantMenorah Lighting event at the Alberta Legislature Grounds. The Talmud Torahchoir performed as well as pianist Paul Plushin and Cantors Glatt and Malo.Mike Sobel emceed the event and dignitaries included those pictured above:MP Laurie Hawn, Former Mayor Stephen Mandel and Chabad Rabbi Ari Drelich.

Chanukah at the Legislature

Deportation Cont. from page 1

JTA -- Janna Gur’s “The Book of New Israeli Food” has saton Shannon Sama's kitchen counter with her other favoritecookbooks for years, and she frequently pulls it out forfriends and family who are unfamiliar with Israeli cuisine,saying, “This is the book you need to buy to understand foodin Israel.”

Gur’s newly published sequel, “Jewish Soul Food: FromMinsk to Marrakesh” (Random House), is even morebeautiful than its predecessor and more accessible to anAmerican audience.

While in New York on a book tour, Gur took time out tochat with Shannon Sama who writes The Nosher Blog on"MyJewishLearning." The following is an excerpt of theirconversation.

What inspired you to write “Jewish Soul Food”?I came to the realization that there is a whole world of

Jewish dishes that are on the verge of extinction, and theonly place they all still exist is in Israel.

If you are Italian and want to connect with your culinaryroots, it is easy: You hop on a plane and go to northern Italyor southern Italy and eat. If you are an Iraqi Jew and wantto connect with your culinary roots, there is nowhere to go.At least not back to Iraq.

I wanted to preserve these recipes, and the only way is tocook them and make people want to eat them. So I wantedthis collection of recipes to be dishes that are worthpreserving and delicious. And not overly complicated.

What do you hope North Americans will take away fromthe way Israelis eat?

I want Americans to learn from the way Israelis treatvegetables. We know how to make vegetable sexy. For us,vegetables are not a punishment, they are somethingexciting.

The following recipes are reprinted from "Jewish SoulFood" by Janna Gur. Copyright © 2014 by Janna Gur.Excerpted by permission of Schocken Books, a division ofRandom House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of thisexcerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permissionin writing from the publisher.

IJEH B’LAHMEHHerb and Meat Latkes (Syrian)

Makes 15 to 20 pancakesIngredients:For the pancakes:4 eggs 1 large onion, roughly choppedAbout 2 tablespoons matzah meal or bread crumbs1 bunch fresh parsley1 bunch fresh cilantro1/2 bunch fresh mint 3 to 4 scallions (white and green

parts)10 ounces (300 g) ground beef, or a lamb and beef mixture

Salt and freshly ground black pepper2 to 3 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)Vegetable oil for fryingTo serve (optional):Pita, bread rolls, or ciabattaOlive oilSlices of red onionChopped fresh herbs, such as parsley or cilantroTomato slicesTahini spreadPreparation:1. Prepare the pancakes: Put the eggs, onion, matzah

meal or bread crumbs, parsley, cilantro, mint and scallions ina food processor. Pulse until the herbs are chopped. Transferto a bowl.

2. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper and pine nuts (ifusing) and mix thoroughly.

3. Heat a little bit of vegetable oil in a large nonstickfrying pan. With a large spoon, ladle in pancakes 3 incheswide and fry over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on eachside, until deep golden. Be careful not to crowd the pan (workin batches). Remove to paper towels to drain.

4. To serve: If desired, brush the pita with olive oil andtoast in a hot pan or oven. Arrange the pancakes on thebread (it will absorb the flavorful juices) and top with redonion, herbs, tomato and tahini spread. If not serving atonce, store the pancakes in the refrigerator -- they aredelicious cold or at room temperature in a sandwich or as alight snack.

Variation for a vegetarian version:Skip the meat. Increase the amount of matzah meal or

bread crumbs to 5 tablespoons. You might also want to add 1to 2 chopped and slowly sauteed onions for extra flavor.

Recipe for Vera's Apple Cake:VERA’S APFEL KUCHENApple CakeMakes one 17-by-12-inch

cakeIngredients:For the dough:2 1/4 teaspoons instant

yeast2 teaspoons sugar3/4 cup lukewarm milk2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, meltedFor the apple filling:5 pounds tart baking apples, such as Granny Smith,

peeled and cored1 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1 egg white (optional)For the glaze:1 egg yolkPreparation:1. Prepare the dough: Mix the yeast, sugar and milk in a

bowl; let stand for a few minutes until the mixture starts tobubble.

2. Place the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted withthe dough hook, add the melted butter and yeast mixture,and knead for 5 to 6 minutes to a soft, shiny dough. Coverwith plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and kneadbriefly by hand. If it feels sticky, add a little bit of flour.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 17-by-12-inch baking sheet.

5. Punch down the dough and knead briefly on a well-floured work surface. Divide the dough in half and roll onepiece to a rectangle the size of the baking sheet. Line the panwith it.

6. Prepare the apple filling: Grate the apples on a coarsegrater and squeeze out the juice. Add the sugar, cinnamonand lemon juice. Taste the apples and adjust thesweetness/acidity by adding sugar and/or lemon juice. Tomake the filling a little more stable, stir in the egg white (ifusing).

7. Evenly spread the filling on the dough.8. Roll out the remaining dough to a rectangle the size of

the baking sheet and place it on top of the filling.9. Prepare the glaze: Dilute the yolk with a little bit of

water and brush the surface of the dough. Using a fork,make a crisscross pattern on the glaze.

10. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cake is goldenbrown. Cool and cut into squares. The cake will keep up tofour days in a tightly covered container at room temperature.

January 2015 Edmonton Jewish News Page 7

Talmud Torah School is fortunate to have its very ownliteracy specialist on staff. Last year, Ms. Gaylene Soifermoved from being the resident Grade 1 teacher parexcellence to her new role as the Leveled LiteracyIntervention (LLI) and English as a Second Language (ESL)Resource teacher. Along with her years of classroomexpertise, Ms. Soifer has a wealth of training and experiencein literacy, special needs and targeted interventionstrategies. She introduced the practice of Guided Reading toTalmud Torah as a Grade 1 and Grade 2 teacher and hastrained the other teachers so that Guided Reading ishappening in all English Language Arts classes Grades 1-9.She and Hazeldean teacher Michelle Huberman also taughtTalmud Torah teachers how to “level” books so that studentsare reading texts that are at the appropriate level ofchallenge for them - not too easy that students would bebored and not too hard that they would experiencefrustration. Ms. Soifer also created the leveled book roomwhere teachers have access to leveled sets of books andfollow-up activities for guided reading. She is alwayssearching for new resources to help teachers support theirstudents.

In her new role, Ms. Soifer works with small groups of

students who need extrasupport in literacy. Whetherit is Grade 2 students whoneed to acquire decodingand comprehension skills toget up to grade level inreading or EnglishLanguage Learners inGrades 3-9 who are justlearning to speak and writein English, Ms. Soifer usestexts, strategies andactivities to help thosestudents improve theirliteracy skills. Herprincipal, Judith Boyle,said, “We are so blessed tohave Gaylene Soifer to do this important work at TalmudTorah. Her experience and expertise allow her to target theexact skills and strategies that each student needs and shechooses the perfect activities and texts to help each studentexperience continuous growth in her or his literacy skillsand, thus, close the gap in learning.”

Ms. Soifer also works closely with Edmonton PublicSchool’s ESL Consultant, the Middle Years LiteracyConsultant and members of the Inclusive Learning Team toensure that Talmud Torah students have the right resourcesfor their needs. She is an invaluable source of knowledge andinformation to her colleagues and an important support toTalmud Torah’s most vulnerable learners.

Literacy is leading the way forstudents at Talmud Torah

Author Janna Gurwants to makevegetables 'sexy'

Recipes

On Jan. 4, Edmonton's Aviva Chapter of Na'amat had an "après-Channukah"party at the residence of Bev Sonmor. It was a bitterly cold day, around minus35 degrees which precluded several members being able to attend, and missingare also the lucky snowbirds.

Celebrating Apres-Chanukah

Page 8 Edmonton Jewish News January 2015