Ottawa Jewish ✡

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND OF OTTAWA ottawa jewish ✡ Remembering Bea Hock page 14 ottawajewishbulletin.com bulletinapril 8, 2013 volume 77, no. 12 nissan 28, 5773 Ottawa Jewish Bulletin Publishing Co. Ltd. • 21 Nadolny Sachs Private, Ottawa, Ontario K2A 1R9 • Publisher: Andrea Freedman • Editor: Michael Regenstreif $2.00 Or Haneshamah hires its first permanent rabbi Will be first female rabbi to lead an Ottawa congregation By Michael Regenstreif gree in music and women’s studies In what is a confluence of sever- from Concordia University, she al ‘firsts,’ Or Haneshamah (OrH), trained in opera in Canada and Aus- Ottawa’s Reconstructionist congre- tria and embarked on a successful gation, has announced the hiring of career as a singer and singing Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton as its spiri- teacher in Montreal and then Toron- tual leader. Rabbi Bolton expects to to in the 1980s. be resident in Ottawa and serving Soon after her 1985 move to OrH by July. Toronto, she was hired as a High Rabbi Bolton will be the first Holy Days singer at Holy Blossom permanent rabbi in the 25-year his- Temple, Canada’s largest Reform tory of the congregation, which was congregation. She later served as known as the Ottawa Reconstruc- cantorial soloist at Toronto’s Tem- tionist Havurah until it took the ple Emanu-El and studied chazanut name Or Haneshamah in 2010. She with the renowned Cantor Louis is also the first female and first Danto. openly gay rabbi hired to be spiritu- While she considered becoming al leader of an Ottawa congrega- a cantor, she was drawn to the rab- tion. binate and to the Reconstructionist The rabbinate was a second ca- movement, and entered the Recon- reer for Rabbi Bolton, who was structionist Rabbinical College in born in Montreal, “where I had a Philadelphia. Following six years of wonderful, Jewish upbringing,” she study, Rabbi Bolton was ordained told the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin in a in 1996. Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton has been named Or Haneshamah’s first permanent rabbi. telephone interview from her home After more than two decades in working with the congregation, transsexual) initiatives and is look- Bolton noted she has served for the in Baltimore, Maryland, where she the United States, Rabbi Bolton, a with the broader Jewish communi- ing forward to continuing that work past 13 years in Baltimore, home to served as the first permanent spiri- single mother of two, said she is re- ty, and with the greater Ottawa here. a largely traditional Jewish commu- tual leader of Congregation Beit turning to Canada and moving to community. In Baltimore, she was Asked about her acceptance as a nity, where she was welcomed as a Tikvah from 1999 to 2012. Ottawa and the post at OrH “with involved in inter-faith dialogue and woman rabbi by peers from more colleague by Orthodox members of After attaining a bachelor’s de- glee” and is looking forward to GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, traditional denominations, Rabbi (Continued on page 2) OJCS parents step forward to support increased tuition fees By Alex Baker necessity. that. If I have to choose, paying more for a Despite this sense of resignation from Tuition fees at the Ottawa Jewish Com- “Most other private schools have a built- better, quality product is a non-issue.” some parents, the increase is still a lightning munity School (OJCS) are rising for the in five per cent increase in tuition,” said Ken Sokoloff, whose children are in rod of controversy. 2013-2014 school year as a component of Joanne Tannenbaum, a mother of three, in- Grades 8 and 10 and have been in the OJCS “A commitment is required from the par- the school’s five-year plan to achieve finan- cluding two now at OJCS and the youngest system since kindergarten, agrees. ents of the school to show they are willing cial sustainability. set to move from the Ganon Preschool to “My reaction to the tuition going up is to pay their fair share of the cost of educa- Despite the controversy caused by the OJCS kindergarten next year. “It’s a given the same as my reaction to property taxes tion,” said Nathan Smith, a former OJCS tuition increase, many within the OJCS par- that costs go up, salaries go up, cost of liv- going up, or gas prices going up – it’s a fact board member and father of two OJCS ents’ community regard the increase as a ing goes up, and we’re not exempt from of life,” he said. (Continued on page 2 ) 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 since 1947! www.boydgroup.on.ca Page 2 – Ottawa Jewish Bulletin – April 8, 2013 ‘I want to pay for the best’ when it comes to education (Continued from page 1) Tannenbaum. students. “The tuition plan is great – for “I wouldn’t do that in my day-to-day people at the low end of the scale, it’s an ar- life, and, when it comes to my kids’ educa- guably non-existent increase and, at the tion, I want to pay for the best, if that’s what high end, it’s closer to the true cost of edu- they’re offering.” cation. It’s high time that cost is better re- One thing parents agree on is the quality flected in the tuition.” of education. From the improvement of the Under the new sliding-scale model, the French program up to immersion standards, base tuition will rise from $10,520 this to the more accessible Hebrew and Torah school year to between $10,800 and education, to the greater emphasis on music $12,900, depending on family income. and physical activity, the OJCS is setting a There are also increasingly greater tuition new bar. discounts for second, third and fourth chil- “Nobody makes a commitment to go to dren from the same family. As well, there is OJCS because it’s cheap,” said Smith. “The a tuition assistance program for families – reality is that’s not why we send our kids at all income levels – in need of assistance there. The discussion has to be centred on or who could not otherwise afford to send why you send your kids for Jewish educa- their children to the OJCS. tion.” The increase will bring tuition fees clos- At the end of the day, going to a Jewish er to the true cost of educating a student at school with other Jews and learning about the OJCS, reported to be $14,500 this year. Jewish culture is paramount. Even parents amenable to the tuition fee “It can be difficult being Jewish in our increase admit the cost is high. Grade 4 students at the Ottawa Jewish Community School recently completed a pro- society – there are challenges,” said Ken “I can see where the cost could be a de- ject in which each interviewed a resident of Hillel Lodge twice to learn about his or Sokoloff. “Hopefully, OJCS can give my terrent for many people,” said Dina her life. On March 13, the students visited Hillel Lodge and held a ceremony to pre- children the tools to deal with it. There’s a Sokoloff, Ken’s wife. “I know many people sent their projects to the residents. lot of ignorance about Jews, and I don’t who would love to be able to send their kids Student Joshua Zeldin is pictured presenting his project to Lodge resident Harry think Jews should be ignorant about them- there, but just can’t afford it.” Cogan. selves.” However, Sabrina Bercovitch, a mother expressed resistance to the sliding scale for- able – with the cost of each student they’ve “It gives a confidence and self-aware- with two – soon to be three – children in the mula because it means divulging their in- laid out for us, it’s a great quality of educa- ness, so they know where they come from. OJCS system, believes there’s always a comes. tion for the money.” It’s just important in terms of the survival of way. “There is a sliding scale, but people are Indeed, with tuition fees reportedly ex- the Jewish people in general,” Dina “Even if we couldn’t afford it, we would hesitant to apply and disclose their income, ceeding $18,000 to $20,000 at such Ottawa- Sokoloff added. find a way,” she said. “Does that mean sac- to give their personal information – people area private schools as Turnbull Academy “That’s something you can’t get at other rificing holidays? Well, that’s exactly what don’t like that idea,” she said. or Ashbury College, OJCS may well be the private schools, even if the quality of edu- happened. So, maybe, we don’t get to take Others, though, note using the sliding best bang for parental buck in Ottawa’s pri- cation is as good. You’re not getting the pri- our kids to Disneyland this year. They’ll go scale will mean savings for their families. vate school landscape. orities and the common culture that is fos- next year. We’ve explained that to them, “I’m looking at three children being “In this world, if you want something tered at our school. You’re not going to and they’re OK with it. This is an invest- there next year and we’ll have the scaled tu- good, it doesn’t come for free. If you want have kids marrying other Jewish kids, if ment in their future.” ition.

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