JEWISH NATIONAL FUND OF OTTAWA ottawa jewish ✡ Biking for Bubbies page 16 ottawajewishbulletin.com bulletinoctober 14, 2013 volume 78, no. 3 cheshvan 10, 5774 Ottawa Jewish Bulletin Publishing Co. Ltd. • 21 Nadolny Sachs Private, Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1R9 • Publisher: Andrea Freedman • Editor: Michael Regenstreif $2.00 Understanding the context of Kristallnacht Launch of Holocaust Education Month will also include a short documenta- Asked about parallels between ry about Kristallnacht and a reading the Nazi persecution of Jews in the to take place on 75th anniversary; by a Holocaust survivor. Admission years leading to the Holocaust and is free. modern day situations, Engel said expert to shed light on circumstances Kristallnacht, “the Night of Bro- one should always be wary of “rea- ken Glass,” was a series of co-ordi- soning from historical analogy [as] of the Night of Broken Glass nated attacks against Jews throughout no two situations are entirely iden- By Louise Rachlis Center at Tel Aviv University, a Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on tical. Similarities and differences “The division of the world member of the Academic Commit- November 9 and 10, 1938. need to be considered together.” into territorially contiguous na- tee of the United States Holocaust Engel said he has been exploring As an example, he pointed to tion-states whose internal affairs are Memorial Museum, and author how the international system of na- Syria, a state that has killed tens beyond the control of any overarch- of six books on the Holocaust and tion-states that crystallized gradual- of thousands of non-combatant cit- ing power and can thus act at will modern Jewish history, will be the ly between the 17th and 20th cen- izens and sent hundreds of thou- toward the people over whom they keynote speaker at the launch of turies “affected the ways in which sands more in search of refuge in rule,” contributed signifi cantly to Holocaust Education Month in Ot- Jews pursued their physical safety neighbouring countries. At the time making the Holocaust possible “and tawa on Sunday, November 10, 7 and material well-being, and their of Kristallnacht in 1938, “Germany has enabled other genocides and pm, at Agudath Israel Congrega- efforts’ relative success or failure, had not killed anywhere close to David Engel is the author of six state-directed mass killings,” said tion, 1400 Coldrey Avenue. in the various countries in which that number of Jews and, arguably, books on the Holocaust and they lived.” had not yet formulated any concrete historian David Engel. The 75th anniversary of Kristall- modern Jewish history. Engel, a professor of Holocaust nacht will be the theme for Holo- His work on the Holocaust, he plans for doing so – the mass kill- studies, Hebrew and Judaic studies, caust Education Month this year, said, has been “informed by a desire height of its development and the ing of Jews that characterizes the and history at New York Univer- and Engel will speak on “Context of to examine the political resources ways in which Jews deployed them Holocaust began in earnest only in sity, a senior fellow of the Gold- Kristallnacht: Poland, Polish Jewry, that the system [of nation-states] at a time of grave collective existen- the second half of 1941 and became stein-Goren Diaspora Research and the refugee crisis.” The event placed at the Jews’ disposal at the tial danger.” (Continued on page 2) “We prayed for you,” Harper tells Schalit By Lynda Taller-Wakter on his behalf. Jewish National Fund Speaking later to a small gath- When Prime Minister Ste- ering of JNF supporters at a Negev phen Harper expressed interest in Dinner kickoff event on Parliament meeting Gilad Schalit, he quickly Hill, Schalit further explained that, decided to add an Ottawa stop, while he knew Israel was negoti- September 18, to his cross-country ating for his release, he had no in- tour with JNF Canada. formation other countries and Jews “We all prayed for you,” Harper outside Israel were praying for him told Schalit, when they met on Par- or working for his release during liament Hill. the fi ve years he spent in captivity. Schalit told the prime minis- Schalit was serving in the Is- Accompanied by friends and JNF offi cials, Gilad Schalit meets with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on ter that, when he was being held rael Defense Forces when he was Parliament Hill, September 18. (From left) friends Ben Drori and Noam Rotem; Schalit; Harper; Josh prisoner in Gaza, he did not know kidnapped inside Israel by Hamas Cooper, CEO, JNF Canada; Lynda Taller-Wakter, executive director, JNF Ottawa and Atlantic Canada; Canada was helping to advocate (Continued on page 2) Alan Blostein, president, JNF Ottawa. (PMO photo: Deborah Ransom) 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 Publications Mail Registration No. 07519 since 1947! www.boydgroup.on.ca Page 2 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – October 14, 2013 Gilad Schalit joins the Sens Army during Otttawa visit (Continued from page 1) arevim zeh b’zeh – all of Israel is and taken to Gaza via underground responsible for one another – and tunnels on June 25, 2006. He was you demonstrated this. It is one of released – in exchange for more the highest values in Judaism, and I than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners – am inspired by your commitment,” on October 24, 2011. he told a gathering of 3,000 people Listening to the soft-spoken in Toronto on September 16. Schalit describe his time in cap- Now a sports reporter for the tivity, one hears echoes of Beck- Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronot, ett’s Waiting for Godot, only in his Schalit collected hockey jerseys case, he was waiting for freedom, during his Canadian tour, and JNF never knowing if it would come. Ottawa presented him with an Ot- Asked to describe how he was tawa Senators jersey and offi cially treated, Schalit said it depended made him a member of the Sens on who was watching him. But he Army. didn’t provide details. What does freedom mean for To pass his days, he said he Schalit? He has a girlfriend, is would take his socks and form looking forward to succeeding and them into a ball to have something plans to study economic sustain- to do. He watched television with ability. his captors, discovering among Inspired by Gilad Schalit and them a mutual interest in sports. others who have been held in cap- Schalit thanked people for their tivity, JNF Canada is establishing spiritual support, even though he the Wildfl ower Biking Trail in is not religious. Canada Ayalon Park in the name Gilad Schalit (left) receives an Ottawa Senators jersey from Lynda Taller-Wakter, executive director, “We all know that kal yisrael of all captured Israeli soldiers. JNF Ottawa and Atlantic Canada, and Alan Blostein, president, JNF Ottawa. (Photo: Marilyn Mikkelsen) Engel: 278,000 Jews fl ed Germany before Second World War (Continued from page 1) as now with regard to Syria, the in- from Austria following the German public services. states and the international commu- a matter of state policy only late in ternational community was unable annexation of the country in March “Those countries were, for the nity faced then in confronting this that year.” to restrain a government whose 1938 and 35,000 from the Czech most part, still mired in the Great situation were not all that different But, he pointed out, nearly deeds most of its leading members lands after Germany occupied them Depression, and both jobs and pub- from those faced by states trying to 170,000 German Jews – almost a found abhorrent,” he said. “But, un- a year later. lic resources were scarce. So they construct coherent policies on im- third of the country’s Jewish popu- like then, the international commu- In addition, he said, the govern- were naturally reluctant to open migration and refugees today.” lation in 1933 – became refugees be- nity is now more acutely aware of ments of Poland and Romania were their gates to a large refugee stream. As for the present day, “the tween the time of the Nazi accession the potential human consequences actively seeking ways to increase As sovereign states, they were enti- weaknesses of the international sys- to power and Kristallnacht as a re- of its inability and more concerned the emigration of Jews from their tled to close their borders to immi- tem are now more visible and more sult of government actions, with an- for them.” countries, meaning the countries of grants; there was no international widely acknowledged than they other 78,000 joining them between The more than a quarter of a mil- Western Europe, North and South mechanism that could compel them were in the 1930s and 1940s, and Kristallnacht and the outbreak of the lion German Jews fl eeing Nazi Ger- America might have potentially to work together to alleviate the ref- there is more of an active effort to Second World War a year later. many between 1933 and 1939 were been faced with several million peo- ugees’ situation,” Engel said. overcome them. But doing so is no “Then, with regard to Germany, joined by approximately 130,000 ple seeking entry, employment, and “The diffi culties that individual simple matter,” he said. If necessary, Israel will stop Iran on its own, Netanyahu warns New York (JTA) – Israel year’s opening of the Gener- to attack. in which the prime minister san Rouhani. is prepared to strike on its al Assembly in New York. “The Israeli prime min- sought assurances that the “When it comes to Iran’s own, if Iran is poised to ob- “If Israel is forced to stand ister had better not think United States would main- nuclear weapons program, tain a nuclear weapon, Israe- alone, Israel will stand alone, about attacking Iran, let alone tain a credible military threat here’s my advice: distrust, li Prime Minister Benjamin but, in standing alone, Israel planning it,” said the offi cial against Iran, even as it opens dismantle and verify,” Net- Netanyahu told the United will know we are defending speaking for Iran from its up diplomatic engagement anyahu said.