HAPPY TU BI’SHEVAT Chanukah in Ottawa PLANT A TREE. BUY A TREE BANK. Photos from many of our city’s DEDICATE A PROJECT. IT’S 100% FOR ISRAEL. Chanukah celebrations [email protected] 613-798-2411 > pages 3, 16, 18 Ottawa Jewish Bulletin JANUARY 25, 2016 | 15 SHEVAT 5776 ESTABLISHED 1937 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM | $2 Ottawa teen to play baseball on Israel’s national team Fourteen-year-old Ben Dodek of Ottawa will be the only non-Israeli to play on the Israel National Baseball Team in the European Championships in Prague in April. Louise Rachlis reports. hile Ben Dodek has played sent videos of himself playing for the for the Ottawa West Twins Ottawa West Twins in an intermediate in a Canadian national tournament for the Canadian Wchampionship tournament, Championship in New Brunswick. it will be a whole other ball game when Ben’s childhood was spent in Toronto he competes in the “Cadet” category until his family moved to Ottawa in 2010. for ages 12 to 15 on behalf of the Israel He now attends Nepean High School. National Baseball Team in the European “If being a [professional] baseball player Championships this April in Prague. He’ll doesn’t work out for me,” he said, “I’d like be a unique member of the team as the to be a lawyer.” only player not from Israel. Should he become a lawyer, he’d be “I’ve played baseball most of my life, following in the footsteps of his father, from age six or seven,” said Ben, a left- University of Ottawa law professor Adam handed “southpaw” who plays fi rst base Dodek. and also pitches. Ben is looking forward to going to the “When I was younger, my father always tournament in Prague. Ottawa’s Ben Dodek, seen here pitching for the Ottawa West Twins, will play for Israel in the played catch with me at the park. I wasn’t “I’ve heard lots of great things about European baseball championships in Prague in April. that interested early on, but developed a Prague,” he said. “My grandparents have love for baseball and other sports,” he been there.” Goldstone, Ben’s mother, is helping raise afford the cost of Ben’s trip to the Prague, said. Ben’s father and grandfather will be money for scholarships to help players but many of the Israelis cannot afford the A family friend in Ottawa, Eitan Maoz going to the tournament with him. whose families cannot afford the cost of cost, which is left for each family to cover, (who was profi led in the September 21, Ben will head to Petah Tikva in central playing baseball in Israel. and so money to the fund will give other 2014 issue of the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin), Israel the week before the tournament to The fundraising effort supports the Israeli kids who are less fortunate, the played on the Israel’s senior national team practise with the team. With practices Howie Osterer Scholarship Fund estab- chance to participate,” said Goldstone. for age 21 and over and put Ben in touch scheduled for the evenings, he plans to lished by the Israel Association of Baseball “Howie got so many kids to play with the national director of the Israel spend his days travelling around Israel through the Jewish National Fund in baseball and worked so hard to make sure Association of Baseball. and visiting with friends. memory of Howie Osterer, formerly of that even those kids who could not afford When he lived in Israel for six months The costs associated with playing Ottawa, a baseball umpire, coach and the fees would be able to play,” she said. in 2014-2015, Ben played city baseball with baseball in Israel and travelling to tourna- self-proclaimed “king of baseball in Israel” Donations to the fund may be made the Jerusalem Lions. However, for the ments like the one in Prague are borne by who passed away suddenly in 2014. at http://site.jnf.ca/index.php/howie- Israel National Baseball Team tryout, he the players and their families, and Nicole “We are fortunate enough to be able to baseball/. OJCS announces Tamara Scarowsky Barbara Crook on inside: new tuition model > p. 2 on Mitzvah Day > p. 6 wave of terror in Israel > p. 23 The Perfect Mover Since 1947 Customized service to meet your specifi c needs Publication Mail Agreement No. 40018822 613.244.4444 • www.boydmoving.com 2 January 25, 2016 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM OJCS announces new tuition model to make Jewish education more affordable BY ELLEN O’CONNOR developed the new model over the past school was $11,460. Parents who fall Federation of Ottawa support and donor OTTAWA JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL several months and it came into effect in under this band will save nearly $4,000 campaigns,” said Greenberg.” To con- January in preparation for the 2016-2017 on their children’s tuition for next year. tinue towards full fi nancial sustainability, he Ottawa Jewish Community school year. The cost of tuition for those who fall we have created the “Governor’s Club” School (OJCS) Board has “We’ve substantially reduced the fi rst under the second band is $10,697 for the tuition band, which represents the true approved a new tuition model in and second band tuition prices and we’ve fi rst child, compared to $11,885 in the cost of tuition.” Tan effort to make private Jewish also created deeper discounts for mul- current school year, with the cost The Governor’s Club tuition band is an education more accessible and affordable tiple children,” said Jared Greenberg, decreasing for the second, third and optional band for families who wish to for middle-income families. chair of the fi nance committee. fourth child. pay the full unsubsidized amount and is “The new model was crafted in such a Families that fall under the fi rst band Those who fall under the upper bands fi xed at $17,144 per child. way as to provide maximum value to (under $100,000 in gross family income) – or who make $150,000 or above in gross The implementation of the new OJCS families with various income levels and and second band ($100,000 to $125,000 family income – will see an increase of up tuition model comes at a time when numbers of children,” said OJCS fi nance in gross family income) will see the most to four per cent in the tuition cost for many Jewish families are struggling with committee member Yaron Spanglet. “The substantial price reductions. their fi rst child. However, the increase is the full cost of living a Jewish life, which ultimate goal is to ensure the long term The cost of tuition for those who fall capped at four per cent and is offset by includes sending their children to Jewish fi nancial sustainability of OJCS and to under the fi rst band is fi xed at $7,495 greater discounted rates for siblings. day schools. incentivize a healthy growth in enrol- across the board for each child. “The current unassessed tuition rate “After purchasing kosher food, paying ment year over year.” Comparatively, the cost of tuition for a still remains partially subsidized through for Jewish school, Jewish day camp, The eight-member fi nance committee fi rst child under band one in the current various fundraising initiatives, Jewish synagogue membership and giving tzedakah to many worthy causes, much of a Jewish family’s disposable income is accounted for,” said Aaron Smith, Mystery boy identified president of the OJCS Board of Directors and member of the fi nance committee. “We needed to fi nd a way to make the biggest ticket item – Jewish day school – more affordable for middle-income families.” Smith added that, ultimately, the goal of the new model is to increase the number of children enrolled in the school, which will have a further impact of decreasing the cost per child to deliver education at OJCS. “After two years of enrolment growth and retention rates of 95 per cent for existing families, we are hoping to continue to build on this positive momentum,” he said. Along with receiving discounted tuition rates, the second, third and fourth child in a family are eligible to apply for the Principal’s Scholarship worth $1,000. The Hebrew Free Loan and Tuition Assistance programs are also available to help provide further subsidies to anyone who requires it. Applications for these fi nancial assistance programs are handled in strict confi dence, and further inquiries can be directed to Marlene The front page of the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin Chanukah edition, published December 7, featured a photo from the Ottawa Jewish Archives Wolinsky, head of school. of an unidentified young boy lighting Chanukah candles. Thanks to all the Bulletin readers who identified the boy as Joe Levitan. Special “Private Jewish education should be thanks to Joe’s wife, Rhoda Levitan, who told us the photo was taken at Hillel Academy/Beth Shalom on Chapel Street in 1961 or ’62 when accessible to all and we see this new Joe was nine or 10. A copy of the photo hangs in the Levitan home. Rhoda supplied this photo of Joe lighting the candles this Chanukah. model as a major accomplishment towards that goal,” said Greenberg. See page 31 555 Legget Drive for Publication Suite 1030 Kanata, ON and Deadline K2K 2X3 Les Kom, BA, MA, FMA, CIM® dates Portfolio Manager 613 783-7808 Commercial Sales & Leasing ❋ Consulting ❋ Site Selection/Relocations ❋ Tenant Representation ❋ Feasibility Studies Investment Advisor [email protected] Investment/User Properties ❋ Strategic Growth Planning ❋ Land Assemblies/Development Sites and www.LesKomWealthAdvisor.com BRENT TAYLOR BROKER of RECORD, PRESIDENT Candlelighting CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc., a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of times.