SEPTEMBER 2013 ROSH HASHANAH 5774...Formula 1 racing may seem like an odd combi-nation but the June event brought out an estimated 100,000 Jews and Arabs to watch the cars roar around

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2 The Jewish Standard, September 2013

MICHAEL HAYMANPUBLISHER AND

EDITOR

JULIUS HAYMANB.A., L.L.B.

EDITOR 1937-2000

The Jewish Standard is published monthly in Toronto and Montreal by Michael Hayman B.A., M.A. Editor and Publisher. 1912 A Avenue Road,, Toronto,Ontario M5M 4A1 (416) 537-2696; Printed and bound in Toronto, Canada by Regal Press Canada. Publication Mail Registration Number 40055943

The all too prevalent hostilitybetween Israel’s Jews and their fellow Arabcitizens offers little comfort to those whoseek to pacify and not provoke. AnOrthodox Jew is attacked near theDamascus Gate in a wanton act of vio-lence. The price tag vandals respond byspray painting the slogan “Kahane wasright” on vehicles and buildings in Araband mixed neigbourhoods. An Arab cabdriver is beaten by two knife wieldingJewish punks and an Arab woman ispunched while riding on the JerusalemLight Railway. Arab politicians talk of sep-aration, not integration. And Jewishracists threaten to torch the home of alandlord if she rents an apartment toIsraeli Arabs.

Yet while the purveyors of hateon both sides receive most of the publici-ty, there may, in fact, be room for cau-tious optimism. Sit in a restaurant in theMamilla Mall and observe Jewish andArab young women shopping, sometimestogether, in the same high end stores.Ride the Light Railway and, despite theoccasional incident, see Jews and Arabssharing seats without giving it a secondthought. Go to the Israel Tennis Centreand watch Jews and Arabs learning thesport together. Drop in to the Leir PeacePre-School at the Jerusalem YMCA andwatch as Jewish and Arab pre-schoolersplay with one another, and begin to learnabout one another, under the watchful

eye of Jewish and Arab teachers. Andthen take a bus or taxi to Neve Shalom -Wahat al-Salam and observe how a com-munity of Jews and Arabs, though smallin number, offers hope that peaceful co-existence between Jew and Arab may notbe a pipedream.

Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam isabout half way between Jerusalem and TelAviv. It was founded in the early 1970s andtoday has 60 families, split evenly betweenArab and Jew. The ultimate goal is 140 fam-ilies living in a community based on mutualrespect. The educational system, in additionto the primary and secondary schools, alsoincludes the School for Peace, established in1979. Some 60,000 Jews and Arabs fromacross the country have participated in theSFP programs. They do not, it must beacknowledged, all speak with one voice. Butby sharing the same classroom, they come tounderstand the importance of uniting againstthose who would poison the spirit of tolerance.

Some would argue that the expec-tations of the men and women of NeveShalom - Wahat al-Salam, notwithstandingtheir Nobel Peace Prize nominations, are farbeyond their reach. A day spent meetingthe community’s committed residentsjust might convince the observer thatthough the tread will surely be slow. Theymay be justified in not despairing of hope.It would surely be in Israel’s best interestsif this were a case in which the race wasnot to the swift or the battle to the strong.

Neve Shalom - Wahat al-SalamAn Oasis of Hope

ANITA SURMANEditor

General NewsSection

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NEVE SHALOM - WAHAT AL-Salam go to www.nswas.org. The 39 room hotel websiteis http://neveshalom-hotel.com/english/index.html To reach the community’s offices e-mail [email protected] [email protected]

Cover Photo

Jewish andArab children learntogether in the schoolsystem at NeveShalom - Wahat-al-Salam. The commu-nity founded the firstJewish-Arab bilin-gual educationalsystem in the coun-try. A binationalnursery, kinder-garten, primary andjunior high schoolare all part of thecurriculum. Many ofthe 200 children whoattend the schoolscome from surround-ing Arab and Jewishvillages. A visit tothe communityshould be a part ofevery visitor’s Israelitinerary. - TheEditor


WHAT THE BOYCOTT PROPONENTS FAILto mention is that boycotting such Israeli com-panies as SodaStream would cost thePalestinians dearly. Almost half of the 1300workers at the above plant at Mishor Adumimare Palestinians. They earn three times asmuch as Palestinians do working for Palestiniancompanies in the West Bank. “Productlabelling” which the EU and theAnglican/Lutheran hierarchy advocate will onlymean that relatively highly paid Palestinianworkers will lose their jobs. Pictured above ataxi drops off a Palestinian worker at theentrance to the SodaStream plant.

The Jewish Standard, September 2013 3

THE WORLD IN REVIEWNEWS OF THE RECENT PAST IS REVIEWED

By NOAH FREEDMAN

group’s website saysthata cult activist carryinga cart full of swastika signswas attacked on the beach,Israeli branch or not.

spelling out his name. Thebar mitzvah boy is clad allin white. He is surroundedby less than fully clotheddancers and his own dancemoves would be perfect fora Las Vegas show. Sofamous has Sam Horowitzbecome that he has evenappeared on Good Morning

bration “egregious, licen-tious and thoroughlyawful.” “To turn a ceremo-ny of spiritual maturation,”Wolpe wrote, “into a Vegasshowgirl parade teaches achild sexualization of spirit.Bar Mitzvah means some-thing and however beautifulhis religious ceremony mayhave been, and however sin-cere the Judaism of hisfamily, it is drowned out bythe cymbal crash of hipgrinding libertinism.”

Wolpe receivedenough negative feedback toretract “some” of his com-ments. He told readers hewrote the article in a fit of“White Heat” and he wassorry he had insulted “achild and those who lovehim”. He also acknowl-edged that it was somewhatincongruous for a rabbi todenounce excessive spend-ing on bar mitzvah partyingwhen a seat at the front ofthe sanctuary at TempleSinai runs about $4500.But he did not back downon his opposition to “priceyand lewd” bar and bat mitz-vah parties. “Something isbroken in our Jewish souls”said the rabbi.

Rabbi StevenPruzansky, an Orthodoxrabbi in Teaneck, N.J. hadanother take on Wolpe. Heaccused the Reform rabbi of“intolerance masqueradingas piety”, someone who doesnot believe that the BiblicalExodus occurred the way itis portrayed in the Torah”.Rabbi Pruzansky’s criticismno doubt stemmed from theReform rabbi’s support forsame sex marriage.

Wolpe confessed thathe does not ask his owncongregants about the barmitzvah party. “Perhaps Ishould”. he admitted.

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Rehabilitating theSwastika

We do not knowhow many readers haveever heard of the Raeliens.They were founded in 1974and claim to have 70,000members. They believethat a race of aliens calledthe Elohim created theearth and that journalistClaude Vorilhon was theprophet chosen to spreadtheir message. Their logois the swastika inside theStar of David. TheRaeliens claim that theswastika represents “infin-ity in time”, while the Starof David represents “infin-ity in space”. They pointto a branch in Israel asproof of their legitimacy.

The Raeliens areupset with the negativereputation of the swastika.The goal of this “UFO reli-gion” is to remove theident i f i cat ion o f theswastika with the ThirdReich. They maintain thatlong before Hitler chosethe swastika as the symbolof his regime, it appearedin China, Africa, andSouth Asia. “As long as weassociate the swastikawith Hitler and the horrorsof the Nazi regime,” theRaeliens maintain, “theyown it. We want it back”.

And so vacationerson the beach in Long Islandlooked up to see a light air-craft trailing a flag reading“proswastika.org”. ThomasKaenzig, head of the pro-swastika movement, toldjournalists that he was“offended” because “oursymbol” is associated withsomething negative.

Not everyone onLong Island was thrilledto see the airplane, The

Rabbi Condemns“Sam’s” Bar Mitzvah

Sam Horowitz’s barmitzvah in Dallas last yearwas quite the event. Therewas a dance number withscantily clad girls entertain-ing the crowd to the musicof Christina Aquilera’s“Show Me How YouBurlesque”. Sam himselfdescended to the stage infront of 15-foot high letters

America, where his danceskills were in high demand.

All the glitz was toomuch for Rabbi DavidWolpe of Temple Sinai inLos Angeles. In a article inthe Washington Post’s “onFaith” blog Wolpe called theHorowitz bar mitzvah cele-



��"��"��ARAB IDOL SUPERSTAR AND HIS RESIDENCY

By DIANA ATALLAH, MEDIA LINE

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approval for MohammedAssaf, winner of the Arabworld’s franchise of theinternational “Idol” televi-sion phenomenon, and hisfamily, to change their resi-dency from the Gaza Stripto the West Bank. Assaf, forwhom travel will now play alarge part in his life, will nolonger require thePalestinian CivilAdministration to ask forIsrael’s permission for thesinger to leave Gaza.

As a part of the con-tract he signed upon win-ning Idol, Assaf’s actual res-idence will be in Dubai. Butaccording to his aides inRamallah, he will alwayswant to come back to thePalestinian Territories.

“It's easier for him totravel within the West Bankhaving his residencychanged especially when heis invited to perform in sev-eral concerts in Ramallah,Bethlehem, Jericho, etc.”,they told The Media Line.Assaf can also return toGaza, but to do so he willneed to apply to Israel for apermit.

But many peoplehere believe that he willnever go back to the GazaStrip. “Why would he goback? There is nothing forhim to do there,” OmarAdel, a Ramallah-basedcomputer engineer told TheMedia Line.

With Israel still incontrol of movement there,Gazans cannot travel to theWest Bank unless they aregiven a permit by Israel.Those who wish to travelabroad can ask for a permit

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Celebrities aroundthe world frequently changetheir place of residence forreasons much less com-pelling than meeting theneeds of their career. Butwhen the celebrity in ques-tion is leaving the GazaStrip for the West Bank,

unimagined complicationsemerge, as the newestPalestinian superstar isfinding out.

Israel, which con-trols the movement ofPalestinians between Gazaand the West Bank, has justannounced that it has given

J E R U S A L E M A N D Formula 1 racing mayseem like an odd combi-nation but the Juneevent brought out anestimated 100,000 Jewsand Arabs to watch thecars roar aroundJerusalem streets.


In the afternoon ofAugust 8, CBC NewsAnchor Andrew Nicholsincorrectly stated the fol-lowing: “In other news, theU.S. State Departmentannounced this afternoonthat Israeli-Palestinianpeace talks will resume aweek from today. The nextmeeting will be inJerusalem on August 14.The main sticking pointcontinues to be the expan-sion of Jewish settlementsin the west bank.”

This statement wasfalse in a number of ways.For starters, while Jewish

settlements may constitutean issue that needs to beresolved in final statusnegotiations, they are notthe “main sticking point”.Palestinians in the pasthave claimed that they werea main sticking point, butthey have since droppedtheir precondition that set-tlement building cease priorto the resumption of peacetalks. Additionally, thereare a myriad of issues thathave plagued Mideastpeace, including but notlimited to discussions aboutthe 1967 lines, refugees,accepting Israel as a Jewishstate, security, water, etc.

The Israelis certainlydo not see the expansion ofJewish settlements in thewest bank as a “main stick-ing point.” This is or betteryet was the Palestinianposition. Either way, it iswrong and unfair for theCBC to parrot thePalestinian position andpresent it as fact to CBCviewers. Had the CBC refer-enced this statement inattribution that would havebeen fair, but the CBC didnot.

So HonestReportingCanada called on CBC totake corrective action to setthe record straight. Withinhours of receiving our com-plaint, Jack Nagler, theCBC’s Director ofJournalistic PublicAccountability andEnlightenment, acknowl-

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HONESTREPORTING CANADA KEEPS CBC ON ITS TOES

By MIKE FEGELMANThe author is Executive Director of Honest Reporting

Canada. The organization seeks to promote fairness andaccuracy in the Canadian media’s coverage of Israel. Formore information readers can visit www.honestreporting.ca- The Editor



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Suppose that IsraeliPresident Shimon Peres andthe late Palestinian leaderentered therapy together.

“What keeps you upat night?” the Americantherapist asks the 90-year-old Israeli President in asoothing voice.

“My prostate, heart-burn, and Iran – to bomb ornot to bomb?” Peres an-

swers in his characteristicPolish accent.

So he then turns toArafat. “You’re in a safeplace here,” she promises.

“He is trying to killme – to poison me!” Arafatyells about Peres. ManyPalestinians still believethat Israel poisoned Arafat,who died in 2004.

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A LARGE CONCRETE FENCE AND THE BARBEDwire structure seen above haven’t fully protectedthe 30 families who live on kibbutz KaremShalom on the Gaza border. In fact, just a fewmeters from where this photo was taken GiladSchalit was kidnapped. Hamas terrorists tun-nelled underneath the wall and fence. Butdespite the obvious danger, life goes on at thekibbutz. Indeed, for the first time in many years,the number of families moving to Karem Shalomis greater than those heading for safer ground.Meanwhile, the fence between Karem Shalomand Eilat covering the whole of the Sinai border,is nearing completion

COMIC SATIRIZES PEACE PROCESS

By LINDA GRADSTEIN, MEDIA LINE



T R AV E LT A L E S

HELPFUL HINTS FOR THE JEWISH TRAVELLER

By MIKE COHEN

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WHISTLER, BC: Myfamily and I recently madeour first visit to Whistler(www.tourismwhistler.com),less than a two hour drivefrom Vancouver and one ofthe host cities of the 2010Winter Olympics.

There are manythings to do in the Village,located at the base of thelifts. This makes access toWhistler and Blackcomb

Mountains convenient forskiing, snowboarding andsightseeing. The year-roundpopulation of WhistlerResort is almost 10,000 per-manent residents.

The ski season inWhistler typically beginsaround the third weekend inNovember, coinciding withthe American Thanksgiving.From that point on, both

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We Join in Extending Best Wishes to theJewish Communities of Hamilton and Burlington

On the Occasion ofROSH HASHANAH

May your year be blessed with peace and prosperity.



We Take Pleasure in Extending

New Year Greetings to Our Jewish Friends

May your year be a happy and healthy one.

AN Israeli civil rightsgroup has launched legalaction against Jake Lynch,the head of the University ofSydney's Centre for Peaceand Conflict Studies, in theHuman Rights Commission,alleging his support for theboycott, divestment andsanctions movement con-travenes the racial discrimi-nation act.

We Join in Extending Best Wishes to theJewish Communities of Hamilton and Burlington

On the Occasion ofROSH HASHANAH

May your year be blessed with peace and prosperity.

Associate ProfessorLynch last year refused toassist Dan Avnon, theauthor of the only jointcivics curriculum for Jewishand Arab school students,to undertake work at theuniversity as a representa-tive of an Israeli institution.

Shurat HaDin,which models itself on the

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PALESTINIANS WHO WORK FOR HILLELManne (center) at his Beit-El Winery earn some200 shekels a day far more than they would work-ing for a Palestinian company in the West Bank.And while they acknowledge that not all theirfriends in the refugee camp where they live arewilling to work for a Jewish settler, these twoPalestinians regard themselves as “peaceniks”.Hillel Manne’s boutique winery produces awardwinning merlot, cabernet sauvignon and caring-nan wines, For further information and to arrangea tour of Beit-El contact Hillel Manne [email protected] You’ll be able to standamid the vineyards on terraces from the days ofthe Second Temple and explore two ancient winepresses and an oil press in nearby caves. Beit-Elis just a short bus trip from Jerusalem.

TAKING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THOSE WHOSUPPORT BOYCOTTING ISRAELIS

Submitted by SHURAT HA-DIN, ISRAEL LAW CENTER



We Join in Wishing the Jewish Community ofHamilton and Area

A Happy and Healthy New Year for Family and Friends.

We Join in Wishing Our Jewish Friends and Customers throughout

Hamilton-Wentworth and Burlington

POLITICAL FOOTBALL� ��

to go to the West Bank, thencross into Jordan over theAllenby Bridge and fly fromAmman’s international air-port. Or, as most people do,they can register their namewith Gaza’s Hamas govern-ment and travel via Egyptafter entering through theEgyptian-controlled Rafahcrossing point.

Upon his celebratedvictory in the singing com-petition, Assaf was granteda diplomatic passport byPalestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas and aUnited Nations passportwhen the United NationsRelief and Works Agency(UNRWA) named the singera goodwill ambassador.However, the passports willnot ease his movement if hewants to leave Gaza whenthe border is closed: a fre-quent s i tuat ion due to

Egyptian security concernsthat affect even high-levelofficials.

Gazans are quick torealize that Assaf’s good for-tune actually began atRafah because had thecrossing point been closed,he would not have made itto the competition whichwas televised from Beirut.In fact, Assaf almost missedthe auditions In Egyptbecause he was stuck at

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the border for two days. Afan of the former weddingsinger gave him his turn toaudition, leading to the sto-rybook ending and stardom.

A few days after hisvictory, thousands went tothe border of the Gaza Stripto greet Assaf upon hisreturn. Sources told The

tion is Ramallah is quite theopposite. Assaf came to theWest Bank for the secondtime after his June victoryto inaugurate the SolomonPools music festival inBethlehem; and morerecently returned to theWest Bank to appear in thewelcoming celebration for

Media Line that the Hamasgovernment in Gaza toldAssaf that he will not beable to hold any concerts inhis hometown.

However, the situa-

the visiting Barcelona foot-ball team in Hebron.

In fact, residents ofthe West Bank have alreadyhad a number of opportu-��



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nities to see and hear Assaf.His first visit included wel-coming FIFA (soccer league)head Sepp Blatter; hostingfree concerts in Ramallah,Bethlehem and Jenin; andappearing in concert athotels for those who paidaround $125 per ticket tohear Assaf perform.

Meanwhile, fansback in Assaf’s native GazaStrip wish they had thesame opportunity to seehim. The problem there isnot just issues of free move-ment. It’s also the religiousfundamentalism of theHamas government.“Hamas prevents men andwomen from mingling, sowe weren’t expecting thatAssaf will have any partieshere, but we had a dreamthat he would,” RanaHamdan, a 27-year-oldNGO worker living in Gazatold The Media Line.

Hamdan says sheunderstands that Assaf wasnot going to stay in Gazaafter he became an Arabcelebrity, but many of herfriends felt some of theirnational pride was takenaway.

Others share theresentment. “The PalestinianAuthority and several busi-

nessmen are using Assaf,”Ahmed Mustafa, a 30-year-old government employeefrom Gaza told The MediaLine. “They are includinghim in every occasion. Idon’t know how he will singanything against thePalestinian Authority orsupportive of resistanceagainst Israel,” Mustafasaid.

Palestinian writerRamzi Sadeq Shahin pub-lished in article in the Gaza-based Donia Al Watanagency calling Assaf a “fakeambassador.” “Gaza sup-ported Assaf, but now heforgot about it. He hadalways said that he’s theson of Khan Younis refugeecamp in Gaza, but now heand his family moved toRamallah as if Gaza hasbecome a disgrace to him,”Shahin wrote in part.

Others have alsobeen disappointed by thedecision for more personalreasons. “I was frustratedwhen I heard thatPresident Mahmoud Abbasgave Assaf a diplomaticpassport and that Israelhas agreed to his residencychange,” Ruba Jahshan,25, and originally fromGaza told The Media Line.

We Join in Wishing the Jewish Community ofHAMILTON-WENTWORTHA happy and healthy New Year



We Join in Extending New YearGreetings to Our Jewish

Friends and Clientsthroughout

Hamilton and AreaMay the year ahead be happy,

healthy and prosperous.

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Hamilton-Wentworth and BurlingtonA Healthy and Happy New Year

We Join in Wishing the Jewish Communities of

HAMILTON AND BURLINGTONA Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year

NO AREA OF THE WEST BANK IS MORE CON-tentious than Hebron. One can almost feel thehostility towards Israel driving through thebustling city on a Saturday. Asking directions towhere one can view the Jewish area of Hebronoften results in a blank stare. Pictured above isthe synagogue in the Jewish section of Hebron asseen from the Palestinian side, along with themassive security surrounding the area.

Jahshan is unable to leavethe city of Bethlehem out offear that officials at theIsraeli checkpoints inbetween the West Bankcities will discover her situ-ation and deport her toGaza.

Jahshan posted aFacebook photo of her 1½-year old daughter, Tia, talk-ing to her grandmother andaunts on Skype. Jashan,who says she hasn’t seenher sisters and brother formore than 5 years, wrote toPresident Abbas on hisFacebook page saying, “Idon’t want to be a diplomat.But can’t you, Mr.President, use these pass-ports for people like us whocan’t visit their families?It’s more humanitarian.”Jahshan says she’s not surewhether the president hasheard her plea.

In 2007, Jasha cameto Bethlehem using a tem-porary permit with theintent to marry the personshe loved. “I didn’t know itwould be this complicated,”Jahshan explained to TheMedia Line. Because Israeldidn’t grant her a change ofresidency when the permitexpired, she has lived in theWest Bank illegally sincethen. Her parents are ableto visit her each year atEaster and at Christmaswhen Israel provides per-mits for Christians to spendthe holidays with their fam-ilies in the West Bank.

As she waits forIsraeli approval to changeher residency to the WestBank, Jahshan says shewill not encourage anyGazan to fall in love with aWest Banker. Meanwhile, ��




We Extend Rosh Hashanah Greetings to Our Jewish Friends in

HAMILTON-WENTWORTH AND BURLINGTON

May the coming year be a happy and healthy one for family and friends.

edged and agreed with ourconcerns. Writing on behalfof CBC News, he stated thefollowing:

“Your focus was ona brief story presented bythe CBC’s Andrew Nicholsin which he said, “In othernews, the U.S. StateDepartment announcedthis afternoon that Israeli-Palestinian peace talkswill resume a week fromtoday. The next meetingwill be in Jerusalem onAugust 14. The mainsticking point continues tobe the expansion ofJewish settlements in theWest Bank.”

“You asserted thatthere are many issues divid-ing the two sides beyondthose of Jewish settlements,and that we were wrong tosuggest settlements are “themain sticking point.

Our journalists real-ize that the issues up fornegotiation are complex,nuanced and multi-faceted.There was a particular pointbeing raised yesterdayabout settlements whichinspired the emphasis onthat issue in our story. Butin doing so, we used impre-cise language, and shouldhave either attributed the

statement — or called it “a”sticking point rather than“the” sticking point.

In response to yourconcern, we have remindedour team of the importanceto be absolutely right on thedetails when reporting onthis story as we do with allothers. You can also beassured that as we coverthe resumption of the talksnext week we will find theopportunity to remind ouraudience there are manyobstacles to the negotia-tions.”

As evinced by thisreply, CBC News acknowl-edged using “imprecise lan-guage” and that its stafffailed to attribute this state-ment. The CBC also tookadmirable and responsiblesteps to ensure that thiserror is not repeated againby sensitizing their journal-ists to this issue and forcommitting to report on theother obstacles in theMideast negotiatingprocess.

Hones tRepor t ingCanada commends CBCNews for taking these nec-essary steps and for swiftlyacting to address this mat-ter with professionalismand accountability.

We Take Pleasure in Wishing Our Jewish Friends and Patients

throughout HAMILTON

a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year

she is envious of Assaf’snewfound freedom of move-ment.

As a singer livingamid this seemingly endlessconflict, many ask Assaf torefrain from internecine pol-itics and to be closer to thepeople. Emad Drimly, ajournalist from the GazaStrip and a fan of Assaf, isone of them.

Drimly supports thesinger’s choice of residency,but thinks he should stay

clear of politics. “It’s a pro-fessional decision for Assafto move to the West Bank.I am not against the deci-sion as the situation inGaza prevents him fromadvancing his career.There is an attempt to cre-ate a division between thepeople of Gaza and thepeople of the West Bank,so I think Assaf shouldstay away from the politi-cal dispute,” Drimlyadded.

CBC ADMITS ERROR� ��



Although the timing wascoincidental, it added animmediacy to the perfor-mance.

Bracka clearly drewon his own experiences. Aspart of a project at the PeresCenter, Bracka interviewedIsraeli and Palestinianauthors, named in the showas Avi and Bassam.

Bassam is shown asbeing disillusioned withprojects dealing with Arab-Jewish coexistence.

“I’m over hugs andhummus,” he says, empha-sizing the “h” in both. “We’vehad a lot of process and nota lot of peace.”

Bassam also hints atPalestinian leaderMahmoud Abbas’s weak-ness saying “somebodyneeds to give him somestrong falafel balls.”

Bracka also takes ashot at the UN, known forbeing anti-Israel, describingit as “Eurovision on Steroids”

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THE COMIC AND PEACE� ��

“Israel is the start-up nation,” Peres responds.“We can be much more cre-ative than poison.”

During the hour-long show, Jeremy Brackaplays 20 different charac-ters including members ofhis own Australian Jewishfamily, Israeli diplomat UriSavir, and Morah Tzippi, theIsraeli teacher in his schoolin Melbourne who accusedhim of not really beingJewish because he couldn’tlearn to dance the hora, atraditional Israeli folkdance.

Bracka, who movedto Israel in 2007, is ahuman rights lawyer whodid a stint at the PeresCenter for Peace and atIsrael’s mission to theUnited Nations. The show inJerusalem was performedas Secretary of State JohnKerry was hosting Israeliand Palestinian negotiatorsin the first step towardresuming the peace process.

THE LEIR PEACE PRE-SCHOOL WAS FOUNDEDin 1981 and today, under the leadership ofAlexandra Klein-Franke, its staff of 25 trainedArab and Jewish teachers provide a home forsome 100 Jewish and Arab children. The Ernaand Henry Leir Peace Pre-school is located atthe Jerusalem International YMCA and is thefirst pre-school in Jerusalem to offer bi-lingual,multi-cultural education for young children of allfaiths.

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A Happy New Year Holiday.

May the coming year be a happy and healthy

one for family and friends.

after the popular song con-test.

He has a Polishmother and an Egyptianfather, both satirized duringthe show. His mother, hesays, taught him the ABC’sin a unique way.

“A is for Auschwitz,”she tells her son for his bed-time story. “B is forBuchenwald.”

Bracka himselfspeaks five languagesincluding Arabic anddescribes a stint studying inMorocco to the horror of hisprovincial Zionist family.

“I left the nest ofneuroses and set out forFez,” he says. “Arabic intim-idated me. Arabic is like afestival of phlegm – an orgyof coughing and garglingsounds.”

In Morocco his port-ly teacher Abdul Hafiz tellshim that you never say “no”,only “insha’allah”, if Godwills it. That, he says, iswhat he tells his sister whoinvites him over for cous-cous every Sunday.

The show also has aserious moment when theauthor Bassam talks of hiseight-year old daughterZeitouna, who loved olivesso much “we were going touse her pee for olive oil.”Bassam tells of a shootingoutside Zeitouna’s school,which leaves her dead.

Towards the endShimon Peres tells the ther-apist that “Jews have beenpraying at the Western Wallfor peace for 65 years.”

“How’s it going?”asks the therapist.

“Like talking to awall.”

The audience ofabout 120 English-speakingJerusalemites loved theshow, laughing loudly andapplauding for several min-utes at the end.

“I laughed a lot ,”Yael Patir, the director of JStreet in Israel told TheMedia Line. “It touchesupon two things that I’m

really invested in – peaceand Israeli-Diaspora rela-tions. He really takes a lot ofinteresting things andtwists them in a funny kindof way.”

Patir used to work atthe Peres Center for Peaceand says his imitation ofPeres is spot-on. Others saythey believe Bracka broughthis characters to life.

“I think he portrayedboth sides of the picturehere,” Sally Klein-katz, whoteaches Jewish educationtold The Media Line. “It ispretty amazing that he wasable to portray so manycharacters.”

Bracka says theshow is autobiographicaland chronicles his ownjourney from Australia toIsrael. He says comedy canbreak down barriers.

“Both sides can bestuck and stalled by dehu-manizing the other,” he toldThe Media Line. “If anIsraeli audience leaves theshow feeling more sympa-thetic to a Palestinian per-spective and if a Palestinianleaves the show feelingmore sympathetic to anIsraeli perspective then I’vedone my job.”

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to Our Jewish Friends and Customers throughout

OTTAWA

May the coming year be blessed with health

and happiness for family and friends.

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TRAVEL TALES� ��

mountains are open dailyfor winter operations untillate April. BlackcombMountain stays open forspring skiing and snow-boarding until mid-May.Summer glacier skiing andriding on BlackcombMountain starts the thirdweek of June. In summerWhistler Mountain BikePark opens as a haven forriders of all levels and theVillage Gondola, Peak 2Peak Gondola and PeakChair are open for sightsee-ing.

WHERE TO STAY:The Fairmont ChateauWhistler Resort Hotel(www.fairmont.com/whistler),which does indeed definemountain luxury. An allseason resort destination.��



The Fairmont ChateauWhistler hotel offers aseamless blend of year-round adventure andunsurpassed guest servicefor business or pleasure.With mountainside ski outthe door convenience andan on-site Whistler golfcourse, the classic eleganceof this award-winning hoteloffers a modern alpine set-ting featuring exceptionaldining, full resort amenities,a Vida Spa and FairmontGold - Fairmont's exclusivelifestyle hotel experience.There are an incredible 550rooms here, an in-housereservation centre for allWhistler activities and arental station for bikes andski gear. A small and prettyshopping plaza is part of thefacility as well, featuring anart gallery and some bou-tiques. This hotel is a pop-ular locale for Jewish wed-dings and bar and bat mitz-vahs.

Not only is this hoteldelighted to host your entirefamily, four-legged friendsare welcome as well. Theirdog-friendly programincludes pet bed, bowls,special treats and menus.This also happens to be


Whistler’s largest confer-ence resort hotel, with32,000 square feet of con-ference space.

We just loved thetwo outdoor pools, one forlap swimming and the otherwhich connects to an indoorone. There are threewhirlpools, sauna andsteam rooms and two out-door plexipave surface ten-nis courts. As I looked outat the mountains from mylounge chair, I thought Iwas in paradise.

For dinner, theWildflower and the GrillRoom are particularly popu-lar. At the former, the culi-nary team invites diners toenjoy a tantalizing show-case of locally inspired dish-es and innovative classics ina warm and relaxed setting.Reservations are highly rec-ommended and can bemade online or by tele-phone. This is fine dining atits best, with deliciousappetizers, main courses,sides and desserts makingfor a thoroughly enjoyabledining experience.

For a lighter bite,check out the PortobelloMarket & Fresh Bakery.You can also take advan-

We Join in Wishing the Jewish Community ofOTTAWA

A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year forfamily and friends.

We Extend Best Wishes for

Rosh Hashanah

to Our Jewish Friends and Customers throughout

OTTAWA

We wish you health and happiness in the year ahead.

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A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New YearWe Join in Wishing the

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A Happy, Healthy andProsperous

New Year for familyand friends.

tage of poolside dining andorder a sandwich, burger,drinks and more right fromthe comforts of your chair.

DINING: We heardsome very good thingsabout the Jewish-ownedBrewhouse Restaurant(www.markjamesgroup.com/brewhouse.html) andour party of five was notdisappointed. This is one ofthe busiest spots in theWhistler Village all yearround. With a separaterestaurant, bar and mezza-nine, the WhistlerBrewhouse is capable ofaccommodating groupslarge and small. The pubhas a cozy two-sided fire-place and lots of TVs, mak-ing it the perfect place towatch the game whenyou're tired from playing allday. The restaurant iswarm and family friendlywith a great kids' menuand a huge patio forWhistler's long, hot sum-mers. The cuisine is aninspired and appetizingmix of barbeque and rotis-serie classics, with excep-tional pizza and pastaoptions. These flavours arecomplemented by theirrange of handcrafted alesand lagers, brewed onsite.

This location ispart of the Mark James�� #�"��"��&��"��(%� �*�&��

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1914 Merivale RoadOttawa, Ontario

226-2424

DOHERTY & ASSOCIATES

INVESTMENT COUNSELDISCRETIONARY PORTFOLIO

MANAGEMENT

56 Sparks St., Suite 700Tel 613 238-6727 Fax: 613 238-3957

email: [email protected]

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We Extend Best Wishes to Our Jewish

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for a Happy and Healthy New Year

for family and friends.

We Wish Our Jewish

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New Year.

P.O. Box 194Embrun, ON K0A 1W0Tel/Fax: (613) 443-5233www.embrunconcrete.ca

Quality & Service, on time, on budget

Group Brewery Restaurant,with others in Vancouver(Yaletown), Richmond(Flying Beaver) and Surrey(Big Ridge). James is amember of the Jewish com-munity and has been sup-portive of a number of char-itable events. This includesthe annual Sports CelebrityDinner. It is no surprisethen that one of his mainappetizers is a gigantic bowlof matzah ball soup. Thisnot only contains a large


matzah ball, but plenty ofpieces of chicken and veg-etables.

Mike Cohen’s emailaddress is [email protected]. Follow his travels atwww.sandboxworld.com/travel and on Twitter @mike-cohencsl.

•TARGETING THE BDS

� ��Alabama-based SouthernPoverty Law Centre that hassuccessfully used US courtsto target the Ku Klux Klan,alleges the BDS movementis racially discriminatoryand undermines humanrights.

Shurat HaDin direc-tor Nitsana Darshan-Leitnersaid: "Lynch and his ilkseek to boycott Israeli andJewish national products,whether it's goods, services,performers or professors.By singling out Israel andno other country, the BDS...exposes the anti-Semitism that motivatesthem.

"We are hopeful thatthis historic proceedingagainst the BDS movementwill serve as a model for bat-tling it in other jurisdictionsworldwide."

The Shurat HaDinlawyer who has lodged theclaim, Sydney-born AndrewHamilton, said the BDScampaign sought to "dis-criminate and imposeadverse preference based onIsraeli national origin andJewish racial and ethnic ori-gin of people and organiza-tions".

"It does nothing tohelp Palestinians andindeed harms them," MrHamilton said.

He said similar legalactions had succeeded insilencing European BDS



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proponents."It's about time

someone exposed the racistfalse narrative that is at theheart of the BDS movementin a legal forum," MrHamilton said. "Boycottingbusinesses and people justbecause they have a partic-ular national, racial or eth-nic origin is racism...It is nomore legitimate politicalprotest than boycotting thelocal corner store to protestagainst Kevin Rudd's poli-cies."

The SydneyUniversity student unionhas backed BDS, despitefierce opposition from somequarters. The BDS move-ment compares Israel withapartheid-era South Africa,causing it to be condemnedby bodies such as theSimon Wiesenthal Centre asanti-Semitic.

The Shurat HaDincomplaint is based onSection 9 of the 1975 RaceDiscrimination Act. It reads:"It is unlawful for a personto do any act involving adistinction, exclusion,restriction or preference

BOTH THE NIZZANAborder crossingbetween Israel andEgypt and the Rafiahborder crossingbetween Egypt andGaza have beenclosed during therecent turmoil inEgypt over securityconcerns. Hamas haspleaded with the mili-tary government to re-open the Rafiah cross-ing but its requestshave been ignored.

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was unavaiable for com-ment. Sydney Universityvice-chancellor MichaelSpence previously has con-demned academic boycottsof Israel, but said the centreand its staff were free to settheir own policies.

A spokesperson forthe university said: “The

university has not yetreceived a complaint fromthe Human RightsCommission. It would beinappropriate to speculateabout hypotheticalactions which might betaken in response to sucha hypothetical investiga-tion."

based on race, colour,descent or national or eth-nic origin which has thepurpose or effect of nullify-ing or impairing the recog-nition, enjoyment or exer-cise, on an equal footing, ofany human right or funda-mental freedom in the polit-ical, economic, social, cul-tural or any other field ofpublic life."

Mr Hamiltondescribed the BDS move-ment as "anti-Semitic at itscore". "When BDS protestsfeature both Islamist terror-ist groups like Hezbollahand neo-Nazi groups, it isclear something is wrong,"he said.

Associate ProfessorLynch is on study leave and



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OTTAWAMay the coming year be blessed with healthand happiness for family and friends.

Ultra OrthodoxSlam New Jersey Law

The State of NewJersey has joined Californiaas the only two states nowbarring gay reparative ther-apy for minors. The harediOrthodox Agudath Israel ofAmerica has slammed thenew legislation as aninfringement on religiousfreedom.

“The new law”, thegroup said in a statement,“tramples on the rights ofmental health therapists toengage freely in their profes-sion, and it unfairly deniesteenagers seeking therapyfor issues that are troublingthem the ability to obtainprofessional help”.

New Jersey GovernorChris Christie signed thebill into law although he didindicate his reluctance tointerfere with the rights ofparents to determine whatis the best treatment fortheir children. “However”,Christie stated, “I alsobelieve that on issues ofmedical treatment for chil-dren, we must look toexperts in the field to deter-mine the relative risks andrewards...The AmericanPsychological Associationhas found that efforts to

WORLD IN REVIEW� ��

change sexual orientationcan pose critical healthrisks including, but not lim-ited to, depression, sub-stance abuse, social with-drawal, decreased self-esteem and suicidalthoughts”.

None of this satisfiedAgudath Israel of America.They continue to insist thatthe new law is an “infringe-ment on personal libertyand a trampling of personalrights, including religiousand free speech rights.”

NBA Star SeeksIsraeli Citizenship

Amar’e Stoudemire,star basketball player forthe New York Knicks,proudly maintains that hehas Hebrew roots. At hiswedding last yearStoudemire wore ayarmulke and a prayershawl for the what he tellspeople was an “Hebraic”ceremony. He has regulartalks with New York rabbis,studies the Torah and willbe observing the HighHolidays. “I’m not a reli-gious person”, saysStoudemire. “I’m more of aspiritual person, so I followthe rules of the Bible thatc o o r d i n a t e w i t h a n d



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plication process beganwhile Stoudemire wasIsrael.

Atheists OpposeJewish Firefighter

Roy James is thedeputy fire chief inPrinceton, New Jersey. TheJewish firefighter wants todisplay a beam from theWorld Trade Center with aChristian cross cut from it.No way, says the AmericanAtheists organization whichhas threatened to suePrinceton if the beam is puton display. Its president,David Silverman, told FoxNews that the beam is a“religious icon” and placingit on public land is a “clearviolation” of the separationof church and state.

But James remainsadamant. “I’m a Jew”, hetold the same news outlet.

THE HIGH PROFILEowner of the DallasMavericks was born inPittsburgh and grew upin Mt. Lebanon the sonof middle class Jewishparents. His grandpar-ents emigrated fromRussia and camethrough Ellis Island.They changed theirname from Chabeniskywhen they settled in theUnited States. Cuban’snet worth is estimatedat $2.3 billion.

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connect with the Hebrewculture.”

The basketball starwent to Israel for theMaccabiah Games as anassistant coach of theCanadian team. In July heannounced that he hadbecome part owner of theIsraeli basketball clubHapoel Jerusalem.

And now he is seek-ing Israeli citizenship. Hehas already been invited byPresident Shimon Peres toplay for Israel’s nationalbasketball team. The ap-

“Ironically I’m fighting tohave this cross therebecause I believe that some-one’s story is behind that.The story needs to be told. Ithas nothing to do with re-ligious faith. It has some-thing to do with telling his-tory.”

In the days following9/11 symbols includingcrosses and Stars of Davidwere cut into some of thebeams from the fallen tow-ers. Princeton just happento have received a beamwith a cross cut in it.��



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LONDON AND AREAA Happy, Healthy and Prosperous

ROSH HASHANAH

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Township of Southamptonand the SouthamptonZoning Board of Appeals.The zoning board recentlydenied the construction ofan eruv. It ruled that thePVC poles on 15 ofSouthampton Township’stelephone polls would “alterthe essential character of theneighbourhood.”. The boardalso maintained that theconcept of the eruv itself wasnothing but a “loopholemotivated by personaldesire...to be freed from theproscriptions of Jewish life.”.

The complaint filedin court says that withoutthe eruv it is impossible forobservant Jewish residentsto function on the Sabbath.It accuses the board ofbeing “motivated by dis-criminatory intentions andanimus towards observantJews.” The lawsuit asks thecourt to find the zoningboard ruling “arbitrary andcapricious”. They wantmoney for the cost of theinstallation and “furtherrelief as the Court deemsappropriate.”

Meanwhile in PaloAlto a decade old controver-sy has surfaced once again.In 1999 Rabbi Yitzchok

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Eruvs CreatingControversy

Two communities inthe United States areembroiled in controversy over

proposed eruvs - theHamptons in New York andPalo Alto in California.

In the Hamptons theEast End Eruv Associationfiled a suit in BrooklynDistrict Court against the

Feldman of CongregationEmek Beracha approachedthe City about creating aneruv. City officials seemedwilling to accept the ideabut a community outcryabout the separation ofchurch and state forced thecity to reject the idea. Theissue has been on a back

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burner ever since. Until now.In July city officials,

quietly gave the go ahead toan eruv. Eruv opponents,who believed that they had“killed it eight years agonow believe city officialsacted without consultationin order to avoid public dis-plays of hostility. They aremincing no words. JoeWebb, who lives in the afflu-ent neighbourhood ofWoodside says that “we livein a modern secular, demo-cratic world, and thesewackos are trying to cata-pult us back into a 2,000-years-ago kind of deal.”It is, he concluded, “thesneaky way these folks dothings...If people want toallow Jews to run all overthem, that’s their peroga-tive.”

Meanwhile RabbiFeldman and his followersare remaining relativelysilent on the issue. “We didlots of talking to the presslast time,” he said, “it didn’tget anybody anywhere”. Hesays he has no idea whethera contractor has begunstringing the barely visiblefishing line that will bridgegaps between the eruv’sexisting natural boundaries.and claims to have no idea ofwhen the task will be com-pleted. Nor is it clear thatthe eruv will satisfy thehalachic requirement of“Rental of Domain”.

We Wish All Our Jewish Friends throughoutSouthwestern Ontario a Happy, Healthy

and Prosperous Rosh Hashanah


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Documents

SEPTEMBER 2013 ROSH HASHANAH 5774...Formula 1 racing may seem like an odd combi-nation but the June event brought out an estimated 100,000 Jews and Arabs to watch the cars roar around