Kislev / Tevet / Shevat / Adar I 5778 Vol. 29, No. 2 Winter 2018 / 2019 THE BULLETIN Congregation Agudas Israel 715 McKinnon Ave, Saskatoon S7H 2G2 (306) 343-7023 Fax: (306) 343-1244 Rabbi Claudio Jodorkovsky Website: www.agudasisrael.org President: Harold Shiffman 29th Annual Silver Spoon Dinner You are invited to the talk: Monday, May 6th, 2019 Israel – Diaspora Tickets go on sale on-line at www.Eventbrite.ca starting at noon on Wednesday, January 9th. Relations th Ticket price: $225 Tuesday, December 18 7:00pm The Silver Spoon Dinner, famous for bringing celebrity speakers to Saskatoon, is thrilled to Congregation Agudas Israel announce the return, after 10 years, of our all-time most popular guest speaker: Canadian comedian, Presenters: television personality, political satirist & author…. Mijal Ben-Dori RICK MERCER Regional Director for the Sponsored by the World Zionist Organization Jewish Agency in Canada Amihai Bannet Educator from the Jewish Agency, in charge of the “School twinning” program between Israeli schools and Jewish schools around the world. Director of the World Bible Contest Itay Yekutial and Dekel Swissa Young Israeli Shlichim Refreshments to follow. (emissaries) doing voluntary educational work for the Atlanta Jewish communities Bio on page7 This page is sponsored by Gladys Rose of Toronto Deadline for the next Bulletin is February 15, 2019 Pittsburgh Solidarity Memorial Service Reverend Colin Clay. Rabbi Claudio lighting memorial candle. 450 friends at memorial service. Saskatoon clergy during final prayer at memorial service. Rose left at Synagogue. B’nai Brith 64h Faisal Khorshid of The Investor’s Group, the new Silver Plate Dinner sponsors of the We’re Tuesday, November 6th, 2018 Proud of You Award. Arnie Shaw - We’re Proud of You Magical Ticket Award recipient Manager Bruce Rempel. Scotch Bar Sponsors Grant Kook Wine Sponsor and past We’re Proud of You B’nai Brith’s Future Award recipient . Hilltop Coach Tom Sergeant introduces We’re Proud of You Award Winner, Mayor Charlie Clarke and Bruce Rempel. President and Dinner MC Joel Bernbaum and Chairman David Katzman. cameo guest appearances with Steven Goluboff Bruce Cameron Former We’re Proud of You and Jeff Rogstead. recipient Peter Zakreski. This page is sponsored by Alan, Linda and Sam Goluboff of Toronto 2 Solidarity Memorial Service for Victims of Shooting at Congregation Tree of Life – Or L’Simcha, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Michael Eden Gertler Eighty years ago, in a diverse gathering of over 400 community fered an interfaith prayer. The misheberach, November 1938, Jews members who came to mourn, bear witness, a prayer for healing, was recited by Simonne and Jewish institutions denounce anti-Semitism, and stand up for our Horwitz. Hannah Jodrey and Rabbi Claudio were targeted in the shared community. led the singing of Ose Shalom. More than a Kristallnacht pogrom. Rabbi Jodorkovsky introduced the program dozen clergy from Christian, Moslem, Bahá’í, Nazi troopers and German civilians destroyed, and led a moving Maariv Service. President Sikh, and Jewish congregations joined Rabbi damaged, or desecrated thousands of Jewish Shiffman provided a heartfelt welcome and led Claudio for a concluding invocation. homes, shops, synagogues, schools, hospitals, a moment of silence. David Katzman deliv- The shooting of Jewish women and men at nursing homes and orphanages. Ninety Jews ered a highly principled address (reproduced sabbath services—and of several of the police were killed outright. Police and other authori- in this Bulletin). Representing the Centre for officers who came to their aid—occurred ties mostly signalled disinterest (see: https:// Israel and Jewish Affairs as well as our con- against the backdrop of a U.S. President www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csy0yc) gregation, Heather Fenyes called for “words vilifying a caravan of poor people walking In Pittsburgh, however, the police re- and deeds” not just “hopes and prayers.” north to flee the inequities and traumas of sponded forcefully and the mayor responded Judge David Arnot, Chief Commissioner of even more violent societies in which police eloquently to the October 27, 2018 shooting the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commis- and governments were a source of danger. at the Tree of Life Synagogue. In Saskatoon, sion, argued for legislation addressing hate This same President preaches intolerance, Mayor Charlie Clark spoke at our October 30 speech on the Internet. He also cited the need military buildup, and the need for more guns solidarity memorial, and Chief Roy Cooper for citizenship education and acknowledged in the hands of citizens. He also freely defends attended along with several other members the leadership of Elaine and Sherwood Sharfe of the Saskatoon Police Service. They joined through Concentus. Reverend Colin Clay of- continued on page 16 Congregation Agudas Israel – Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 by David Katzman, President, B’nai Brith 739 Sticks and stones and almost universally adopted because of “The same fight is going on inside you – may break my bones, the worldwide disgust and revulsion to the and inside every other person too.” but words will never Holocaust. Its main message was simple; we The grandson thought about this for a hurt me. What non- are one human family, and all human beings minute and then asked his grandfather, sense. What danger- are born free and equal in dignity and rights. “Which wolf will win? ous nonsense. In 2013, Sadly, politicians have always found the the Canadian Supreme easiest way to whip a mob into a frenzy is to The old man replied, “The one you feed.” Court provided a rare unanimous decision, tell them what they want to hear; that another We are not intrinsically evil. Sadly, a toxic concluding that hate speech, “lays the ground- group is the source of their problems, and diet of intolerance and vile disrespect is being work for later, broad attacks on vulnerable that by decisive, forceful behaviour, that the advanced, all over the world. The evil wolf groups.” Eleven beautiful lives were lost in problem group can be disempowered or even is being well fed. Minorities are blamed for the most recent attack. Words matter. eliminated. Why do people keep falling for every problem, and we know that the constant The ability to forget and ignore tragedy is this manipulation? Is it because we are intrin- call for action drives hate crimes. Less than a gift. Can you imagine the daily pain each sically evil; selfish and greedy? two years ago, six Muslims were murdered as As an elementary school teacher, I fre- one of us would live in if we were constantly they preyed in Quebec City, and the lives of quently told the following story that is remembering both our personal tragedies and so many others were irreparably maimed. The normally attributed to indigenous sources: the countless, larger tragedies of humanity? murderer was motivated by the unintelligible Residential Schools, the Holodomor, Rwanda, An old man is teaching his grandson belief that refugees were a threat to his family. the Armenian Genocide, Cambodia, the Holo- about life. In Pittsburgh, the murderer believed Jews caust and on and on and on. Truly, in constant “A fight is going on inside me,” he said were responsible for supporting the thousands remembrance lies madness. to the boy. “It is a terrible fight between of refugees who are currently walking through However, the ability to forget and ignore two wolves. Mexico, and he considered refugees a threat to is also a monumental curse on humanity. his nation. Publicly, and repeatedly, and from One is evil – he is anger, envy, greed, The same catastrophic errors are repeated the highest offices, these refugee men, women arrogance, dishonesty, superiority and precisely because we do not remember or and children have been described as significant violence we choose to ignore the lessons. Humanity threat to the United States, the most powerful tried to move forward and really did move “The other wolf is good – he is joy, military force the world has ever known. forward following World War II. The Univer- peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, And so it falls to each of us to feed the good sal Declaration of Human Rights was created generosity, truth, and compassion, continued on page 17 This page is sponsored by Dr. Edward Kaplan of New Haven , Conneticut 3 Editorial FROM OUR CONGREGATIONAL FAMILY by Steven Goluboff 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 As we approach the the Jewish people. We are a progressive, democratic and sensitive congregation responding to the widest At the Kotel end of the calendar year spectrum of Jewish thought and practice. and prepare yet again Written at the 2002 Kallah by the members of Congregation Agudas Israel to make New Year’s resolutions and reflect MAZEL TOV AND CONGRATULATIONS TO: on the past year, several issues arise in my Janet Erickson on the birth of a granddaughter, Alicia Saya to parents Riena and mind, many of which we all have probably Benjamin Ross, a sister for four year old Joshua, and a granddaughter to Alan Ross of faced in the last few months. These include Regina and to Shinko and Shigeru Higashimura of Kyoto, Japan. the obvious rise in anti-Semitism around the Dr. Steven Goluboff who was granted Life Membership in the world, the even greater threat of assimilation College of Family Physicians of Canada. in the Jewish diaspora, the role of Israel in MAZEL TOV AND YASHER KOACH TO: our lives as Jews living thousands of miles Jordana Jacobson who will be dancing on Swinging with the Stars on January from the Jewish homeland and more locally, 26th, 2019.