Knowledgeable, Approachable ... it DOES make a difference! PLANT A TREE Special Passover section Jennifer Hartman Sales Representative FOR ALL OCCASIONS 613-882-7180 [email protected] TREES $18 | TREE BANK $150 FOR 10 TREES Features include recipes, kid lit, and artwork [email protected] by students at Ottawa’s Jewish schools. 613-798-2411 jenniferhartman.ca Ottawa Jewish Bulletin APRIL 7, 2014 | 7 NISSAN 5774 ESTABLISHED 1937 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM | $2 French Catholic priest to share his story of uncovering Jewish mass graves Father Patrick Desbois, Yom HaShoah keynote speaker, tells Louise Rachlis about his mission to fi nd the unknown victims of the Holocaust. e can’t build a democracy Not to locate the mass graves and on a mass grave,” said recognize the victims “undermines all Father Patrick Desbois, a our values,” said Father Desbois, 58, in an ‘WCatholic priest from interview from Paris with the Bulletin. France, who has received several honours Father Desbois will be the keynote for his efforts to identify the mass graves speaker at Ottawa’s Yom HaShoah com- of Jewish Holocaust victims, and for his memoration. He will also participate in a dedication to further understanding panel discussion about genocide. Father Patrick Desbois, head of Yahad-In Unum, has devoted his life to fighting anti-Semitism. He will be in Ottawa on April 27 for Yom HaShoah and on April 28 for a discussion on genocide. between Christians and Jews. See Father Desbois on page 4 It depends who you ask: The state of kashrut in Ottawa BY BENITA BAKER And, after four years of operation at the “Less people are keeping kosher,” he kosher section, it does carry several ecent announcements affecting SJCC, United Kosher Deli closed on March says. “I have not had a catering job since prepackaged kosher products, as well as the availability of kosher catering 27. last August and not enough people come kosher-for-Passover products, brought in for Passover and the restaurant at “Sales are down and costs are up,” says into the restaurant.” from Montreal. Rthe Soloway Jewish Community Creative Kosher Catering’s David Smith. Does this mean the availability of The Metro on Greenbank is trying very Centre (SJCC) are raising issues about the “The price of meat has increased. The kosher food in Ottawa is threatened? hard to support kosher Ottawa, but it has stability of Ottawa’s kosher food market. hourly rate of a mashgiach has increased. It depends on who you ask. Kosher not been entirely successful. While it For the fi rst time in 53 years, Creative Families are smaller and demand for products are available at a number of reliably carries a large selection of Passover Kosher Catering has decided not to kosher food is declining. The community stores in Ottawa, including the Walmart on products annually, and has a small prepare kosher-for-Passover food – a is not supporting us.” Baseline Road, which has a small kosher year-round kosher dry goods section, an decision that forced the cancellation of the Although he cites personal reasons for section, and the fresh-baked bagels at attempt to expand its kosher offerings by annual Passover luncheon presented by closing the restaurant, as well as his United Ottawa Bagelshop are certifi ed kosher by including frozen chicken and other Canadian Friends of the Hebrew Kosher Catering business, owner Yudi the Ottawa Vaad HaKashrut (OVH). While prepared foods failed. University of Jerusalem. Chein echoes Smith’s observations. the bagel store does not have a dedicated See Kahrut on page 2 World premiere of Eruv refl ects commitment Photos from Purim celebrations inside: Holocaust-themed play > p. 3 to tradition and inclusion > p. 15 in Ottawa > pp. 26 and 27 World Class Outsourcing ... and more! 613-744-6444 613-244-7225 Providing quality service 613-744-5767 613-244-4444 to the National Capital Region Publication Mail Agreement No. 40018822 since 1947! www.boydgroup.on.ca 2 April 7, 2014 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM Kashrut: Sales of kosher products steadily increasing at Loblaws Continued from page 1 more frequent. “It was discouraging,” says store “You see this more and more,” says manager Cathy Sine. “No one was buying Smith. “The rabbi is the only one eating a it and it was going in the garbage.” kosher meal.” Everything baked, prepared and sold at The kosher caterers are also looking to the Rideau Bakery is kosher, including at fi nd ways to adapt to current realities. For its Rideau Street coffee bar, which is Creative Kosher Catering, it means strictly dairy. But even this entrenched forgoing its long tradition of supplying Ottawa business is experiencing declining kosher-for-Passover food. sales, especially around holiday time. “We will always be in the kosher food “Ottawa Jews are losing tradition,” says business,” says Smith. “People will always fourth generation general manager Louis want and need kosher food, but we have Kardash. “We have not made special to go with the times. And, right now, the round Purim challahs for the last few times do not justify us making Passover.” years, and no one even asked why.” For Chein, closing up shop does not However, there are more kosher mean he is walking away. Rather, he is in products than ever on the shelves at discussions with a potential buyer for his Loblaws in College Square and sales have catering business and plans to stay on as been steadily increasing, according to Jen an employee with the new owner. Robillard, who has been managing the Rabbi Levy Teitlebaum, director of the Ottawa Vaad HaKashrut, talks about kosher food with an The local grocery stores are enthusiastic kosher department for fi ve years. She says NCSY group of Jewish teenagers in the kosher section of the Loblaws at College Square, and extremely supportive of kosher kosher sales represent 30 per cent of the November 27, 2012. Ottawa. The Metro on Greenbank is store’s weekly income. As the largest committed to enlarging its kosher purveyor of kosher foods and the only supply of kosher food at risk? Do we have kitchen under the supervision of a clientele. This year, it has allotted more kosher butcher in Ottawa, the store’s an obligation as a community to support mashgiach. space and is offering more Passover chronic problem has been unreliable our local kosher retailers and caterers? “This is kosher for a changing genera- products and would like to do this year suppliers. It harms the community when local tion,” says Rabbi Teitlebaum. “A meaning- round. “We are at the mercy of our suppliers,” businesses do not receive the support ful memory is created when the family “People need to talk to us to tell us says Manny Smiley, Loblaws’ store they need to stay viable, says Rabbi Levy prepares their own food for a bar mitzvah what they want in the store,” says store manager. “The number of suppliers is Teitlebaum, director of the OVH. boy’s simcha.” manager Sine. “Otherwise, how can we limited, especially at Passover time, and “It is important to support our local The rabbi also stresses that a kosher know?” there is not much we can do. I have been establishments,” he says, adding that event does not necessarily have to be at a While Loblaws in College Square is hearing that the Montreal and Toronto “just being seen buying kosher is to set an kosher venue. “I’ve never had a request unlikely to expand the fl oor space allotted markets get the most and we get what example.” that I had to turn down – even in the to the kosher department, it is looking is left.” The trend toward smaller families middle of a fi eld,” he says. “We will fi nd a into the viability of creating a kosher café A regular complaint about Loblaws is means there are fewer simchas and, with way to make it work.” where customers can sit and chat while that its prices, especially for meat and fewer families keeping kosher, there are The caterers suggest that synagogues doing their food shopping. poultry, are too high. So some Ottawans even fewer kosher simchas, according to and the OVH may have to re-evaluate “It’s a great idea,” says Loblaws man- regularly make the two-hour drive to Creative Kosher Catering’s Smith, who their policies to determine if their fees are ager Smiley. “We just need to fi gure out Montreal to buy kosher food or have food does not have a single kosher wedding in the best interests of the kosher the logistics.” delivered. booked for 2014. community. Ottawa’s kosher food providers do need Loblaws kosher manager Robillard With fewer Jews keeping kosher, and “Don’t blame the caterers for high to keep their businesses viable, but this is disputes the allegations of high prices. with costs rising, how does a smaller prices,” says Chein. “Synagogues are a small community and they can only be “I have regular customers who come Jewish community move forward and charging too much for room rentals and as accommodating as supply and demand here from Montreal because our prices are maintain kashrut as an intrinsic Jewish also charging breakage fees. Before taking allows. Rabbi Teitlebaum believes the better,” she says. “Our London broil roast value? into consideration the basic food costs, slowing down of the kosher economy is a is half the price of Montreal’s and some- “We need to be creative as a community there are OVH licence fees and mashgiach part of the business cycle, and not times our kosher chicken is cheaper than so that we can maintain our community hourly rates.” indicative of a permanent trend.