JANUARY 19, 2014 The Ottawa Jewish Bulletin online – 1st OPTIONS REALTY LTD. – TU Bi’SHEVAT telethon Visit www.ottawajewishbulletin.com for bonus articles Brokerage, Independently Owned & Operated Penny Torontow SUPPORT ISRAEL not in the print edition, breaking news, the full contents Broker of Record TREES $18 | TREE BANK $150 FOR 10 TREES 613-321-3600 • [email protected] [email protected] 613-798-2411 of this issue, back issues and much more. The Three Musketeers > p. 12 www.4ottawahomes.com Ottawa Jewish Bulletin DECEMBER 9, 2013 | 6 TEVET 5774 ESTABLISHED 1937 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM | $2 Rabbi Bulka to become rabbi emeritus after almost half a century in the pulpit Machzikei Hadas hopes to install new spiritual leader by Rosh Hashanah 2015 BY MICHAEL REGENSTREIF rabbi for a transitional year before being Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka, spiritual leader of installed as pulpit rabbi by the following Congregation Machzikei Hadas since Rosh Hashanah. 1967, will retire as the synagogue’s pulpit However, Rabinovitch noted, “if the rabbi, probably before Rosh Hashanah in right candidate does not come along, 2015. Rabbi Bulka will remain as rabbi until we In a November 18 letter to congregants, have the appropriate candidate in place.” Rabbi Bulka explained he will “graduate” When a brief article appeared in the to become rabbi emeritus of the modern October 3, 1967 edition of the Ottawa Orthodox congregation, “a new role … Jewish Bulletin announcing that Rabbi which will keep me connected to the shul Reuven P. Bulka of New York had been and to you.” appointed as the new spiritual leader of Jonah Rabinovitch, president of Congregation Machzikei Hadas, few could Machzikei Hadas, has announced a have imagined it would be the beginning succession plan in which a search will be of one of the longest and most remark- undertaken immediately. If all goes able rabbinic tenures in Jewish Canadian according to the plan, the search commit- history. tee will identify three or four top candi- In 1967, when Rabbi Bulka arrived in PHOTO: ASHLEY FRASER dates who will visit the congregation over Ottawa at age 23, Machzikei Hadas was a Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka expects to become rabbi emeritus of Congregation Machzikei Hadas by the next few months. Members will then Lowertown congregation of less than 100 Rosh Hashanah in 2015. By then, he will have been spiritual leader of the modern Orthodox vote on their choice. families. Founded in 1907 and located at congregation for 48 years. Machzikei Hadas’ rabbinical search the corner of Murray Street and King committee, co-chaired by David Appotive Edward Avenue since 1923, it was strug- eventually grew to encompass more than PhD and to write or edit more than 30 and Bram Bregman, includes Bonnie gling because much of Ottawa’s Jewish 500 families. books and countless newspaper, maga- Fainer, Adele Sidney, Charlie Wiseman, community had already moved away Over the years, Rabbi Bulka has zine and journal articles, he has been a Lawrence Weinstein, Cybele Hamburg, from the neighbourhoods it had been become legendary for the scope of his tireless leader in many organizations Tamara Fathi, Sari Zelenietz and centred in since early in the 20th century. many activities as both a clergyman and a – including the Canadian Jewish Rabinovitch. The congregation, though, was revital- leader in the Jewish community and in Congress, where he served as co-presi- It is hoped the new rabbi will be settled ized by the charismatic young rabbi the broader civic community at the local, dent from 2007 to 2009 – and a crusader in Ottawa by next Rosh Hashanah and and, by 1973, had built a new synagogue provincial, national and international for many worthy causes. will work with Rabbi Bulka as associate on Virginia Drive in Alta Vista that levels. Somehow fi nding time to earn his See Rabbi Bulka on page 5 Joshua Finn on performing Joyce Schacter refl ects on Mira Sucharov on Punk Jews: ‘A inside: tikkun olam in Thailand > p. 3 Jewish Buddhist retreat > p. 17 piece of the Jewish mosaic’ > p. 19 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 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40018822 since 1947! www.boydgroup.on.ca 2 December 9, 2013 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM New look celebrated and new website revealed at Ottawa Jewish Bulletin launch event BY MONIQUE ELLIOT favourite outlets in which I write because I The November 25 print issue of the Ottawa know I’m writing for my community and Jewish Bulletin was the fi rst to arrive in that there may be letters to the editor,” subscribers’ mailboxes with the 76-year- said Values, Ethics, Community columnist old community newspaper’s new design. Mira Sucharov, who reached a personal The launch of new design was cele- milestone of 100 columns for the Bulletin brated, and the Bulletin’s new online this year. edition at www.ottawajewishbulletin.com My Israel columnist Barbara Crook was “revealed” at the Jewish Federation of emphasized the need for a more open and Ottawa’s members meeting, November 26, engaging dialogue between readers and at the Soloway Jewish Community Centre. the Bulletin. Andrea Freedman, Federation president “We need more voices,” she said. “We and CEO, said revamping the Bulletin has don’t need fewer voices.” been “a labour of love.” Dissenting views would not weaken “It has been a two-year process to get us community ties, she emphasized; rather, it where we are today,” she said, noting the is important to hear and consider opinions Federation Board acknowledged the need of community members in order to to change and put the process in motion. challenge one’s own ideas in order to grow The relaunch of the Bulletin means a and learn. major change in four key areas, Freedman Editor Michael Regenstreif emphasized PHOTO: ASHLEY FRASER Bulletin columnist Jason Moscovitz pointed out that many of the publications that inspired him said. Among the most noticeable changes that the changes to the paper are a natural to become a journalist, such as the Montreal Star, the Ottawa Journal and Life magazine, have is the layout with a “crisp, clean, newer, progression of its history. disappeared while the 76-year-old Ottawa Jewish Bulletin has continued to adapt and reinvent terrifi c” look, she said. “The Bulletin has gone through many itself for the changing times. The editorial direction for the Bulletin is changes over these past 76 years, always also going to be more about dialogue striving to keep up with technology, with to-voice options. “That’s a game-changer,” he said. within the community, Freedman said. society as a whole, and with the Jewish Berman said he is very excited about the “For some in our community, that’s the “It will really delve into the key issues community in particular,” he said. level of accessibility the Bulletin now offers whole game.” we deal with on a day-to-day basis,” she The launch of the new Bulletin website to Ottawa’s Jewish community. While newspapers generating content said, adding that articles and columns will is seen by many involved in the project to He said the online issues would make it for both print and online is nothing new, analyze more divisive issues in order to be the most signifi cant update to the easier for persons with disabilities to stay Berman said Ottawa Jewish community encourage the community to engage in its paper, which will make it fully accessible informed and involved in the community members continue to be pioneers in their own problem solving. to anyone on the Internet and on plat- while simultaneously reaching younger quest for improvement and innovation “The Bulletin has joined the conversa- forms ranging from smartphones and adults who prefer to get their news online. when it comes to engagement, and praised tion,” she said. tablets to computers. Berman said he hopes the revamp will their ability to keep a community institu- Jason Moscovitz agreed it was time David Berman, whose company, “create a culture that leaves no one tion afl oat, even during tough times. for the Bulletin to join the online news David Berman Communications, was behind,” emphasizing that the assistive “It’s absolutely been a privilege for me community. commissioned to redesign the 76-year-old technology implemented in the website and my team” to be involved in the “I think it’s a big change, I think it’s a newspaper, walked the crowd through will not alienate any particular demo- revamp, he said. very positive change, but being online many of the new online features, includ- graphic or discourage persons with Established in 1937 as “a force for now, we’re not reinventing the wheel, ing functional links to advertisers’ disabilities from staying informed. constructive communal consciousness,” we’re catching up with the rest of the websites, moderated comment boards, One of the features Berman demon- those involved in the project said they see world,” said the Ideas and Impressions the event calendar, archives of back strated is ZoomText, which allows the Bulletin changes as continuing a columnist. issues, and website accessibility functions a person to enlarge the text and clearly process of renewal, hope, and sharing “The Bulletin is really one of my such as language selection and text- read articles. within Ottawa’s Jewish community. PHOTO: ASHLEY FRASER The look of the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin has changed several times over the newspaper’s 76-year history. BULLETIN INDEX CANDLE LIGHTING BEFORE BULLETIN DEADLINES BOOK REVIEW 26 FITNESS 21 GUEST COLUMN 10 DEC 13 3:59 pm JAN 10 4:19 pm JANUARY 2 FOR JANUARY 20 CAMPUS LIFE 22 FOOD 20 MY ISRAEL 21 DEC 20 4:01 pm JAN 17 4:28 pm JANUARY 15 FOR FEBRUARY 3 COMMENTARIES 6 + 7 FOUNDATION 23-25 VALUES, ETHICS 19 DEC 27 4:06 pm JAN 24 4:38 pm JANUARY 29 FOR FEBRUARY 17 COMMUNITY MILESTONES 16 GENEALOGY 22 WHAT’S GOING ON 27 JAN 3 4:12 pm JAN 31 4:48 pm FEBRUARY 12 FOR MARCH 3 December 9, 2013 3 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM In this guest column, Joshua Finn talks about Tikkun olam: his inspiring trip to Thailand with a Jewish ‘We can all do a small part social justice group.