JNF OTTAWA NEGEV DINNER OCT. 15 Israeli hockey player Ken GUEST SPEAKER DENNIS PRAGER SCHACHNOW SUPPORTING AUTISM RESEARCH IN ISRAEL Sales Representative Noy Rosenberg spends summer DIRECT: 613.292.2200 POLAND-ISRAEL MISSION OCT. 18-NOV. 3 OFFICE: 613.829.1818 BIKE ADVENTURE MISSION OCT. 25-NOV. 3 at Ottawa Senators Summer Hockey EMAIL: [email protected] KELLERWILLIAMS VIP REALTY www.kenschachnow.com [email protected] 613-798-2411 Camp and Camp B’nai Brith > p. 3 Brokerage, Independently Owned And Operated Ottawa Jewish Bulletin AUGUST 17, 2015 | 2 ELUL 5775 ESTABLISHED 1937 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM | $2 Meet the city’s new spiritual leaders Rabbi Rob Morais Rabbi Idan Scher is excited to be says he’s felt a in Ottawa and says warm welcome, Temple Israel has both from members enormous potential of Congregation to develop new Machzikei Hadas and exciting Jewish and from the wider programing. Jewish community. BY HANNAH BERDOWSKI BY HANNAH BERDOWSKI abbi Rob Morais has only been in abbi Idan Scher will be formally Ottawa for a few weeks, but he’s Rabbi Rob Morais says he plans to embrace installed, September 1, as spiritual After serving the congregation for one year as the openness and creativity of Temple Israel jumped right into his role at leader of Congregation Machzikei associate rabbi, Rabbi Idan Scher looks “and to advance that.” Temple Israel of Ottawa as the Hadas. He will succeed Rabbi forward to his installation as spiritual leader of R R Congregation Machzikei Hadas, September 1. Reform congregation’s new spiritual Reuven P. Bulka, who has led the modern leader. the fi rst in Temple Israel’s history. Orthodox congregation since 1967, and will A Toronto native, Rabbi Morais has Rabbi Morais said Rabbi Garten will become the congregation’s rabbi emeritus Although Rabbi Scher was born and returned to Canada from Michigan where maintain an active role in congregational (see From the Pulpit, page 6). raised in Chicago, he has a number of he served as spiritual leader of Temple Beth life, continuing to teach and being a great Rabbi Scher arrived in Ottawa from relatives in Ottawa – both his parents and Israel in Jackson and as director of the source of information. Rabbi Morais said Baltimore last summer, with his wife grandparents were married at Machzikei Jewish children’s museum in Detroit. the two have been working closely together Shifra and their son Shlomo, and has spent Hadas – and he visited Ottawa often over “This is the kind of city I want to live in. and revealed their relationship began the past year working with Rabbi Bulka as the years. He said the warm welcome he This city has lots of potential; the syna- many years ago. associate rabbi while getting to know the has received from the congregation makes gogue is in a good healthy place,” Rabbi As a young boy, Rabbi Morais was a congregation and Ottawa’s Jewish him feel “like I have a huge extended Morais said during an interview with the student at Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto community. family.” Ottawa Jewish Bulletin. where Rabbi Garten was the director. After In Baltimore, Rabbi Scher served as Asked about the transitional period at “It’s a huge transition for the congrega- earning his rabbinic ordination at Hebrew campus rabbi at the University of Machzikei Hadas over the past year, Rabbi tion. Number one, we have a transition of Union College – Jewish Institute of Maryland and was a rabbinic intern at an Scher said he’s been lucky to have been rabbis after 20 years.” Religion, Rabbi Morais worked with Rabbi Orthodox synagogue. mentored by Rabbi Bulka. Rabbi Morais succeeds Rabbi Norman Garten through Camp George, the Reform After growing up in Chicago and “Many people thought [the transition] Klein, who served as interim rabbi for one movement camp in Ontario. working in Baltimore, large American wouldn’t be the easiest for me … but it’s year following the June 2014 retirement of “This has been a very carefully planned cities with large Jewish communities, been beyond my expectations. Rabbi Rabbi Steven Garten, who served as transition. There have been many, many, Rabbi Scher said he’s been enjoying living Bulka has been so supportive throughout spiritual leader of Temple Israel since 1995. wonderful and dedicated people who and working in Ottawa over the past year. this past year … people take direction Rabbi Garten continues to be involved worked on the transition,” said Rabbi “I love it. I love the people, the way they from him, and the confi dence he has had with the congregation as rabbi emeritus, See Rabbi Morais on page 2 live their lives,” he said. See Rabbi Scher on page 2 Ambassador Rafael Barak ‘I’m not saying goodbye,’ 1931 murder case shocked inside: on the Iran nuclear deal > p. 4 says Rabbi Reuven Bulka > p. 6 Ottawa’s Jewish community > p. 34 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 August 17, 2015 OTTAWAJEWISHBULLETIN.COM Rabbi Morais: Synagogue embraces openness and creativity Continued from page 1 enhancement to our education program,” forever, but we haven’t talked much about Morais. He was particularly appreciative of said Rabbi Morais. what we do,” said Rabbi Morais, whose goal the work done over the past year by Rabbi “I think that there’s enormous potential is to get the word out about “the warmth Klein. to develop Jewish programing and Jewish and the excitement that is Temple Israel. “The role of the interim is to bridge activities and Jewish experiences for “Nothing radical is going to change between old and new, and to be able to people across the age spectrum. I think tomorrow, but we’ll make sure that the navigate for the congregation. [Rabbi there is an amazing dedication to Jewish changes we do make are done in a thought- Klein’s] job was preparing them for a new life, that I’ve seen here, that doesn’t exist in fully planned way.” leader, and that was done exceptionally other places.” His strategy, he said, is to re-evaluate and well. They’re poised, they’re ready, they’re Rabbi Morais spoke excitedly about his refl ect on all areas of the synagogue by hungry. I’m hungry, and so we’re going to new congregation and the values Temple asking, ‘Is this our best, and what the get started.” Israel instils. synagogue needs?’ A second transition is taking place at the “[They are] poised to understand that we “The plans are to embrace the openness Temple Israel Religious School where Sue need to do it differently than we’ve done it and creativity that the synagogue has Potechin, a former teacher and youth in the past,” said Rabbi Morais, who spoke always shown and to advance that. … I adviser for the congregation, has been about learning to embrace people with think the synagogue sees itself as an hired as the new director of Education. different ideas, and families of different extended family and [I hope] to embrace “I come with a lot of programmatic and backgrounds, including those centred on and nurture that and be the one to help education experience. So, together, we will same sex couples. guide the vision … we create together,” Rabbi Steven Garten became rabbi emeritus of Temple Israel in June 2014. be providing a signifi cant change and “This synagogue has been doing [that] said Rabbi Morais. Rabbi Scher: ‘Judaism is constantly evolving’ Continued from page 1 “I had no idea what I got myself into,” in me made it easier for them to accept me. recalled Rabbi Scher as he described his Rabbi Bulka has done a lot of the diffi cult nervousness about speaking on the work on my behalf.” second day of Rosh Hashanah to such a Rabbi Scher said what made his fi rst large congregation. “I put thought into it year in Ottawa so special was that it wasn’t and I think I said it pretty well. Afterward, only the Machzikei Hadas community that Rabbi Bulka was very kind, saying, ‘Now was so welcoming; it was the entire Ottawa you all got to see why Rabbi Scher has my Jewish community. vote, and I’m sure he has all your votes as “It shows how passionately the entire well.’” community cares for the vibrancy and Rabbi Scher noted that congregations continuity of Jewish life,” he said. “[It] today must continue to change to meet makes me wake up knowing I love what the needs of its congregants and the I’m doing and gives me the confi dence to community. do what I envision for Ottawa.” “Judaism is constantly evolving,” he The specifi c moment that made him said. “What spoke to people 10 years ago certain his move to Ottawa was the best does not speak to them today, and what decision he’s ever made took place last speaks to people today will not speak to September during his fi rst Rosh Hashanah them in 10 years.” here. The installation of Rabbi Scher, and the appointment of Rabbi Bulka as rabbi CORRECTION emeritus, is on Tuesday, September 1, at Congregation Machzikei Hadas. The In an interview for the Bulletin article, evening begins with a reception at 6:30 “Inspiring ‘Fed Talks’ and humour to be pm to be followed by the ceremony at 7:30. featured at Annual Campaign Kickoff (June 27),” Allison Josephs incorrectly Rabbi Scher said he plans to use the identifi ed the topic of the talk she will opportunity – in addition to expressing his give at the Jewish Federation of Ottawa gratitude – as a platform to give a “state of Annual Campaign Kickoff, September 9, union address” and share his vision and at Centrepointe Theatre.