February 2008

HamiltonHamilton JewishJewish NewsNews SERVING HAMILTON WENTWORTH AND AREA FEBRUARY 2008 VOL 22:3/ ADAR 5768 Agreement #40007180 Hamilton participates in Coast to Coast projects in Israel Smaller Canadian cities pool resources to help revitalize Galilee communities JA Federation of Hamil- to Coast” leadership began ton has been extended to consider the possibility of an invitation to join having Hamilton join as a full U partner. Kathy Zilbert, President UIA’s “Coast to Coast” initiative. The invitation was extended “in of the Atlantic Jewish Council principal,” at the final session and current Chair of the Coast of the “Coast to Coast” consul- to Coast Consortium extended tations held at Kibbutz Kfar an invitation to Hamilton to join Giladi. the week-long consultation as For a number of years, six observers. of Canada’s smaller Jewish While in Israel, Fisher and communities have been pool- UJA Federation President Dr. ing a part of their overseas allo- David Somer fully participated cations to maximize their impact in the consultations, visiting in some of Israel’s most periph- and evaluating each of the eral communities. Known as currently funded programs as the “Coast to Coast” Consor- well as visiting a number of new tium, the Vancouver, Calgary, programs under consideration. PICTURED ABOVE: Dr. Ethan Vishniac (left), with his aunt, Mara Vishniac Kohn, her husband, Walter Kohn and event chair, Madeleine Levy at the UN International Day of Commemoration of victims of the Holocaust that was held at McMaster Edmonton, Winnipeg. Ottawa One of those was the Shecha- University on January 27. and Maritime communities have fim School for severely disabled devoted significant resources to children, a school with which a series of educational and social Hamilton now has a relation- U.N. Holocaust commemoration service programs, all located in ship because it received the bulk the Galilee Panhandle, Israel’s of Hamilton’s Israel Emergency activities on the increase most northern communities. Campaign allocation. GERALD FISHER Federation Executive Director According to Somer, this was Since the establishment of the years leading up to World War Professor of Theology, who Gerald Fisher, who participated a unique experience. “I have annual United Nations Day of II. recalled his childhood during Commemoration of Victims of Later that evening a remark- the war, when his family hid a From the moment we stepped off a bus, the Holocaust three years ago, able Holocaust Commemoration Jewish family in their home, at Canadians were warmly embraced by their Hamilton has become the center event took place at Brantford’s enormous risk to themselves. Israeli counterparts. None of it was ‘for show.’ of commemorative events in New Covenant Christian Fellow- The driving force behind People really knew each other, had visited Canada. This was made evident ship, sponsored by Christians much of this activity was Madel- by the three major events that for Israel, Canada, that drew an eine Levy of UJA Federation’s each other in both countries – outside of the took place in the Hamilton audience of close to 400 people. Holocaust Education Commit- work of the consortium – knew each other’s are Between January 27th and Rev. Dr. John Tweedie, Chair- tee. When asked about her children and were very genuinely connected. 29th. man of Christians for Israel, motivations for such activity, DAVID SOMER The focal point of the Holo- welcomed several guests from Madeleine replied “Remem- President, UJA Federation caust commemorative activ- the Hamilton Jewish commun- bering is a necessary rebuke to ity was the January 27th event ity and an even larger number of those who say the Holocaust at McMaster University, featur- Christians for Israel supporters never happened or has been in the consultation explained been on Israel missions before ing the premiere exhibition from as far away as London and exaggerated. Holocaust denial that “Hamilton was not invited and have a strong appreciation in Canada of Roman Vishniac Toronto. Special guest, Faye is the work of bigots. We must to join at the beginning of this for the work of UIA’s Israel office photographs from the collec- Lazebnik Schulman, survivor reject their false claims when- initiative because frankly, the as well as the Jewish Agency tion entitled “A Vanished and partisan, in a fitting tribute ever, wherever and by whom- perception was that we had not for Israel (JAFI ) which is UIA’s World.” An audience of over to family members and friends ever they are made.” consistently demonstrated the partner in program delivery. 300 community leaders from lost during that darkest of nights, Federation President Dr. capacity to raise and allocate the However, this experience was across the city was captivated took audience members back in David Somer praised Levy for dollars required to fully partici- very different. It exposed me by the program, which included time to meet these important her extraordinary achievements. pate. That perspective began to to a whole new level of under- Judy Kopelow’s musical intro- people in her life. “Madeleine’s commitment to change over the past few years standing of the Israel-Diaspora duction as well as remarks from On January 29th, a third Holocaust education, her crea- as a result of a growing UJA partnership, working together the Honorable Jason Kenney, Holocaust Commemorative tivity in program development, campaign and especially as a on the ground to assist the very Mayor Fred Eisenberger and event took place at Redeemer her ability to forge new, mean- result of our community’s very vulnerable, to strengthen Israel’s MPP Ted McMeekin. University College in Ancas- ingful partnerships beyond the strong response to last year’s peripheral communities and to The highlight of the event ter before an audience of 300 Jewish community and her Israel Emergency Campaign.” build really meaningful rela- were remarks offered by Roman people – predominantly young unquenchable spirit combine In February 2007, Hamilton tionships between Israelis and Vishniac’s daughter, Mara Vish- and Christian, who sat in rapt to provide the Hamilton Jewish was invited to join with the Canadians.” niac Kohn, who travelled from attention as Auschwitz survivor community with a precious “Coast to Coast” Consortium Both Fisher and Somer California to participate, and Dr. Eva Olsson conveyed the and irreplaceable asset. As a for the purposes of distribut- expressed their positive impres- spoke tenderly of her father’s story of her family’s unsuccess- result Hamilton is now recog- ing Israel Emergency Campaign sions of the programs they love for the culture enshrined ful struggle to survive.Her story nized as the Canadian leader in dollars. It was as a result of that in the thousands of photos of was touchingly augmented by Holocaust and Human Rights Jewish life in Eastern Europe remarks from Dr. AL Wolters, education.” successful process that “Coast Please see COAST TO COAST on page 2 which he photographed in the Redeember University College Leave a Ora JCC Plan in Legacy Markstein final stages See page 4 Local sculptor’s work at AGH See page 6 See page 9 JEWISH NEWS • 2008 FEBRUARY HAMILTON 1 UJA Federation COAST TO COAST continued from page 1 Encountering Shechafim School for severely disabled children receives Canadian funds ne of the most important site visits during Othe “Coast to Coast” consultations was a special visit to Shechafim School, provided especially for the Hamilton representatives. The connection between Hamilton and Shechafim was initiated by the Coast to Coast Consortium in response to Hamilton’s strong result in last year’s Israel Emergency Campaign. Shechafim is the institution that received the bulk of Hamilton’s Israel Emer- gency Campaign resources. Shechafim is a school for severely disabled children, most with multiple disabilities. It is located in the small regional center of Mevo’ot Shechafim staff member introduces her student to David Somer while Carlos Ha’Hermon, a few kilometers looks on south of Kiryat Shmona in Shechafim. He told the HJN be an expression of generos- Carlos Goldberg, director of the educational system department of Mevo’ot the Galilee panhandle region. “for all the love, devotion ity from Hamilton that rivaled HaHermon Council, Ishai Adler, princial of Shechafim, David Somer, David Rose, This area, along the Lebanon and professionalism being what Jewish Maritimers could chair of the Friends of Shechafim Committee. border, suffered serious delivered to these children, spontaneously deliver. I am visited as well as the process what he witnessed. “From damage during the 2006 war. the fact is that the school – in happy to accept their achieve- that evaluates every program’s the moment we stepped off a The school serves a diverse its present condition – could ment as a standard for us to performance. Somer elaborated bus, Canadians were warmly population of Jewish Israelis, not meet Canadian licensing attain.” on the program content. embraced by their Israeli Arab Israelis and Druze from standards. The physical plant Somer told the HJN, “Over “Much of what we saw related counterparts. None of it was ‘for the nearby Golan heights. is old and outdated. The avail- the coming year, as we explore directly to programs designed show.’ People really knew each UJA Federation President able equipment was worn out the possibilities of becoming to assist vulnerable popula- other, had visited each other Dr. David Somer explained and in disrepair. The rooms permanent members of Coast tions; the disabled, the elderly, in both countries – outside of that ““We were happy to be were small, cold and poorly to Coast, we will continue youth at risk etc. Each program the work of the consortium asked to participate with the lit – just to keep the power bill to develop a relationship to was well conceived, deliv- – knew each other’s children Coast to Coast group during down.

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