Bulletin – July / August 2014
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Tammuz / Av / Elul 5774 Vol. 24. No. 6 July / August 2014 Website: www.agudasisrael.org THE BULLETIN Congregation Agudas Israel 715 McKinnon Ave, Saskatoon S7H 2G2 (306) 343-7023 Fax: (306) 343-1244 Rabbi Claudio Jodorkovsky President: Marsha Scharfstein The 2014 Yom Hashoah Holocaust Memorial Program by Heather Fenyes This year’s Holocaust program was another remarkable example of the huge impact Con- gregation Agudas Israel affects well beyond our building to the general Saskatoon com- munity. This year’s guest speaker, Robbie Waisman is a former Saskatonian who has shared his story twice before. As one of the “boys of Buchenwald”, his message remains resonant. Robbie spoke to over two thousand high school students from Saskatoon and rural communities. Students lined up to hug and thank him for the impact of his message. An- other four hundred were moved and inspired at our Sunday Holocaust Memorial service. This year we were joined by Elias Luf, Director of Missions, Embassy of Israel. During these days of teaching, honouring L-R: Mayor Don Atchison, Elias Luf, Yuval and Danielle and remembering, we were invited to fly continued on page 8 CAI and B’nai Brith Joe Rosenberg Sponsor Theatre in the Memorial Golf Park 2014 Thanks to the continued support of Congre- gation Agudas Israel and B’nai Brith Lodge, Tournament and after a hugely successful first season, Sunday, August 24th Sum Theatre returns to public parks across Saskatoon this summer! Golf 1:30 Riverside Golf and Theatre in the Park 2014 will feature an original FREE family-friendly professional Country Club production of First tee time 1:30 pm The Pied Piper. Cocktails and Dinner: 6:30 pm You are invited to a special preview Adults - $40 performance in Children 13 and under $10 5 and under - free Rauol Wallenberg Park, RSVP Steven Goluboff rd at [email protected] Thursday July 3 at 7pm. Please see sumtheatre.com for the full public performance schedule. This page is sponsored by Gladys Rose of Toronto Deadline for the next Bulletin is August 10, 2014 Young Jewish Adults Group (YAD) by Willow Allen From June Shabbat services, it is our responsibility to be I hope this retreat is something we can 6-8th, 2014, mem- active in shaping the future of the community, continue to do in years to come. bers of the Young a fundamental part of which is spending time Jewish Adults together. Willow Allen and her family recently joined Group (YAD) On behalf of the group, I would like to Congregation Agudas Israel after relocat- and our children thank the Jewish community and the Ma’alot ing to Saskatoon from Vancouver one year were privileged to Grant Program for their support in making ago. She is a doctoral student and graduate spend an amaz- this weekend possible. I would also like researcher in anti-racism and anti-colonial ing weekend at the to sincerely thank the Shlichim, Yuval and pedagogies, and Aboriginal education. gorgeous Shekinah Daniella, and all those who assisted, for all Retreat Centre. their hard work organizing and actualizing The program for the retreat had a variety the programming. of activities, which included some bonding fun, the “Molecule game” and “Pitkeyot”, and plenty of active outdoor fun: hiking, zip lining, and soccer. Moreover, we enjoyed Shabbat morning services outside on the pristine Shekinah Retreat grounds, and heard a very informa- tive talk on “Kosher Sex” by Rabbi Claudio. “Unplugging” for the weekend in a natural environment was a wonderful opportunity for YAD members and their families to get to know one another better. This kind of un- disruptive time away from daily life can act to strengthen relationships, which in turn can ultimately help to create a stronger Jewish community. As Rabbi Claudio said during This page is sponsored by Dr. Syd z'l & Miriam z’l Gelmon of Vancouver 2 Editorial – Words From Israel by Steven Goluboff I am writing this sum- of landing Patsy took me to the Moadonit for the future. But mer editorial from the project in her small town, outside of Tel Aviv, as important as it home of my good friends Ness Tziona. As some of you may recall, is to work with Patty and Micha Puter- Saskatoon United Israel Appeal decided to the children, there man. Patty made Ali- provide some much focused support to this is an expectation yah almost 50 years ago project. Recognizing how there are challenges that the parents Lior and Steven and has made Israel her to ensuring that our donors find relevance are also involved home and has raised three children here. On and importance in our campaign, we felt it in the process allowing them to gain skills my arrival on June 19th, I was picked up at appropriate to place some of our dollars in a and mature in a challenging and demanding the airport by Patsy (Buckwold) Landa and so project we could become close to, particularly environment. As always, in Israel or in Canada began my first visit to Israel since 2008 when when we have someone on the ground actively there are never enough financial or human I spent a wonderful mission with many of our participating such as Patsy who grew up in resources to do the work needed. Our small own congregants and other friends. Patsy and Saskatoon. I was able to witness the tangible campaign, in addition to funding the Shlichim her husband Benny have also been in Israel work that is done with about 100 disadvan- program is truly making a difference for 100 for decades and they also raised three children taged children each year, children who come children in Ness Tziona. here. Patsy and Benny have been involved in from single parent homes, poverty, and social On my second day, I had the pleasure of many philanthropic activities, one of which is chaos. This is an after school program where reuniting with Lior Bachar, who holds down especially dear to Patsy’s heart. Within hours the children are fed and our Tel Aviv desk in Israel. taught basic life skills. Ran, Rachelli, Shira Lior, like all of our Shli- and Tamar With some of the Watching them indulge chim have brought to us Moadonit children in their activities, be that in Saskatoon, a more ac- computer work, art or curate sense of what it is to singing, I could see the be an Israeli and live in an importance of providing extremely complicated part them with an opportu- of the world. Israeli society nity to increase their self- represents a myriad of Jew- esteem and give them a ish and political life, from glimmer of opportunity continued on page 15 FROM OUR CONGREGATIONAL FAMILY The Mission Statement of Congregation Agudas Israel Congregation Agudas Israel is a spiritual, religious, educational and social home committed to deepening the quality of Jewish life in Saskatoon and district. We are an evolving link in the historical traditions of the Jewish people. We are a progressive, democratic and sensitive congregation responding to the widest spectrum of Jewish thought and practice. Written at the 2002 Kallah by the members of Congregation Agudas Israel MAZEL TOV TO: partner Cormac McGettigan and son THANK YOU, SHALOM Noah Fenyes, son of Heather and Les Sean, who have recently moved back from AND YASHER KOACH to: Fenyes, upon being accepted into the Edmonton. Daniella and Yuval who are completing College of Law at Queen’s University. Lauren Scharfstein on being accepted into their year in Saskatoon and returning to Eli Fenyes, son of Heather and Les upon his U of S Law School. Israel graduation from Grade 12 and acceptance at Andrea Scharfstein who graduated from the University of Western Ontario U of S Education. Andrea has moved to GET WELL WISHES TO: Daniel Katzman, son of Susan and David Vancouver. David Kaplan, Elaine Sharfe Katzman upon his convocation from the Happy birthday to Grant Scharfstein who U of S with a BA in Business Economics will be 60 on July 21!! (with Distinction) and Computer Science. Dr. David Kaplan on the birth of a great Abby Holtslander, daughter of Franci granddaughter, Michal, a daughter of THE BULLETIN Editor-in-Chief ....................................Steven Goluboff and Gordon Holtslander for accepting the Jonathan and Yael Kaplan in Jerusalem. Youth Editor .................................... Abbey Holtslander George & Marsha Ivany-President’s First Happy 40th Birthday to Rabbi Claudio. Advertising Manager ....................................Ron Gitlin and Best Scholarship for the University of Circulation Manager ...............................Myla Deptuch Layout & Graphic Design .........................Janet Eklund Saskatchewan valued at $24,000, as well as CONDOLENCES TO: Proof Reading ...................................... Bruce Cameron earning a Guaranteed Entrance Scholarship. Errol Berenbaum and family on the Cost of this issue with mailing .............................$1200 Abby Holtslander and Evan Hardy’s death of his mother, Esther (Pickarsky) Advertisements .............................................. $30/issue Page Sponsorship ...................... $25/issue or $130/year Synchrotron Club for placing 2nd in the Berenbaum in Vancouver. Issues Published .......................................................144 National Science Poster Competition for the Shannon Waldman and family on the death Issues/Year ...................................................................6 of her brother Collin James Chamberlain If you are happy with the Bulletin and enjoy reading it, please Students on the Beamlines Program for the consider sponsoring a page ($25/issue or $130/year). Contact Canadian Light Source. who passed away on June 6, 2014. Steven Goluboff or Ron Gitlin. Jennifer Scharfstein on her engagement to The family of Grace Goluboff who passed E-Mail Address: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Sa’ar Glazer. They are living in Israel. away on June 22nd, 2014 at the age of 92. website: http://agudasisrael.org Welcome home to Becky Scharfstein, her Obituary will appear in the next Bulletin.