blue - 300 c gree n - 362 c brown - 1535 c November 11 SOLD OUT! Call today to arrange or renew your JEWISH NATIONAL FUND Ottawa Jewish 2019 NEGEV DINNER -------- HONOURING -------- Bulletin Subscription SHARON & DAVID APPOTIVE Call 613-798-4696, Ext. 256 Ottawa Jewish Bulletin NOVEMBER 11, 2019 | CHESHVAN 13, 5779 ESTABLISHED 1937 OJBULLETIN.BLOGSPOT.COM | $2 ‘Thank you for all you’ve done’ The ceremony to rename Featherston Park in honour of Rabbi Reuven Bulka was attended by community members and by leaders from across the political and religious spectrum. Matthew Horwood reports. f I were to name all of Rabbi Bulka’s contributions, we would be here for a long time,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. ‘IWatson was speaking at the official dedication of Rabbi Bulka Kindness Park on October 27. While officials had hoped to hold the ceremony outside in the park, heavy rains that day pushed the ceremony indoors at Congregation Machzikei Hadas, which is adjacent to the park in the Alta Vista neighbour- Rabbi Idan Scher (left), spiritual leader of hood. Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka served as Congregation Machzikei Hadas, (From left) Ron Prehogan, co-chair of the Celebration of Rabbi Bulka’s 50 years of Leadership; spiritual leader of Machzikei Hadas from congratulates Rabbi Reuven Bulka, the City Councillor Jean Cloutier (Alta Vista); Mayor Jim Watson; Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka; and Bram 1967 until 2015 and is now the congrega- congregation’s rabbi emeritus, at the Bregman, co-chair of the Celebration of Rabbi Bulka’s 50 years of Leadership, at the ceremony tion’s rabbi emeritus. dedication of Rabbi Bulka Kindness Park. dedicating Rabbi Bulka Kindness Park, October 27, at Congregation Machzikei Hadas. The decision to rename Featherston Park on Virginia Drive as Rabbi Bulka Kindness Park was made by Ottawa City leadership roles supporting healthcare dented,” Watson said. “Thank you for the park for Rabbi Bulka. Council on September 11. through Ottawa’s Regional Cancer Foun- all you’ve done for the community. You “As councillor for Alta Vista, it has “The varied turnout you’ve had today, dation, the Children’s Hospital of East- continue to amaze all of us.” truly been my honour to have played a from people across the political and ern Ontario and the Trillium Gift of Life City Councillor Jean Cloutier of the modest role in this process, and it is my religious spectrum, and the community Network, and with many community Alta Vista Ward brought forward the privilege to acknowledge the wonderful itself, is a testimony to the high regard groups including United Way, the Cana- motion to rename the park in honour of man Rabbi Bulka is,” Cloutier said. all of us have for you,” Watson said to dian Christian-Jewish Consultation and Rabbi Bulka. Cloutier said it was “very Bram Bregman and Ron Prehogan, Rabbi Bulka during his remarks. Canadian Jewish Congress. He is cur- fitting” as the rabbi is “widely renowned co-chairs of the Machzikei Hadas Cen- Watson listed just a few of Rabbi rently co-chair of the Jewish Federation for his activism, charity work and his tennial and the Celebration of Rabbi Bulka’s many achievements, including of Ottawa Annual Campaign. deep commitment to humanitarian Bulka’s 50 years of Leadership, praised founding the Ottawa-based charity Kind Rabbi Bulka’s passion and concern causes.” the rabbi for his decades of service to Canada in 2008, donating blood with for humanity have led him to become During the park’s commemora- the community. Canadian Blood Services 369 times and “not just a leader for the Jewish commu- tive naming process, Cloutier said he Prehogan said while the phrase “ran- receiving the Key to the City of Ottawa nity, but a leader for all citizens in a way received numerous letters from commu- dom acts of kindness” is popular, in in 2010. Rabbi Bulka has also taken that is truly remarkable and unprece- nity members in support of renaming See Park on page 2 Story of survivors’ internment in Cyrus ‘Be bold,’ says Erica Ehm at The history of Ottawa’s distinguished inside: after the Holocaust to be told > p. 2 Sisters on Board > p. 3 Jewish lawyers > p. 4 November 11, 2019 2 ‘From Dachau to Cyprus’: Story of survivors’ internment in Cypress after the Holocaust to be told BY LOUISE RACHLIS According to Hadjisavvas, a number of young Amer- he topic of Jewish refugees held in camps in ican and Canadian Jewish men also played an active Cyprus between 1946 and 1949 is relevant to the role in the Cyprus story. refugee situation in the world today. “These machalniks (volunteers), many of whom had “The history of the Cyprus camps reminds fought for the Allies during the war, were dedicated to Tus that in the face of persecution and suffering, people helping Europe’s surviving Jews by assisting clandes- will endure huge sacrifices in search of safety,” said tine immigration passages to Palestine. Eliana Hadjisavvas, a historian of modern Europe with “Tasked with manning the immigrant ships, those particular interests in migration and displacement, in captured by the British would disguise themselves an interview with the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin. amongst the refugees to avoid detection and were con- Hadjisavvas will be speaking at the Soloway Jewish sequently interned in Cyprus themselves.” Community Centre on Wednesday, November 27, 7 Hadjisavvas recently completed a PhD in history at pm, at “From Dachau to Cyprus: Jewish Refugees and the University of Birmingham. Her doctoral research the Cyprus Internment Camps 1946-1949,” a Holocaust examined the history of British-run internment camps Education Month event presented by the Shoah (Holo- for Jewish refugees in colonial Cyprus, significantly caust) Committee of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa reconfiguring historical understandings of this period, in partnership with the Cyprus Embassy. moving the Cyprus camps from the periphery to the cen- “Now, as then, state-imposed draconian immigra- tre of the question of post-war European migration and tion measures have done little to deter those who are British imperial politics through a transnational lens. desperate and displaced,” she said. “The detention of “The internment of Jewish refugees in Cyprus [following the Eliana’s postdoctoral project at the Institute of His- people risking their lives for a better future will do Holocaust] offers a historical lens from which we can analyze torical Research of the University of London, “Migrant little to prevent global population movements. The contemporary migration crises,” says historian Eliana Movements in the Mediterranean: Jewish Displace- internment of Jewish refugees in Cyprus offers a his- Hadjisavvas. ment in the British Empire, 1940-1950,” will centre on torical lens from which we can analyze contemporary interdisciplinary approaches to the study of migration. migration crises.” “The High Commissioner of the Cyprus Embassy Although the history of the camps has remained rela- As the camps had traditionally been considered a sent us a variety of photographs of the detainment tively unknown, their significance “must not be underes- mere “stopover” for refugees bound for Palestine, she camps, which Eliana will be using to create a pho- timated,” she said. “The Cyprus narrative broadens and said her audiences “are often surprised to learn how to-narrative exhibit,” said Anne Read of the Jewish enriches our understanding of both the Holocaust and extensive the Cyprus program was.” More than 53,000 Federation of Ottawa. “This is in addition to her talk, its aftermath, demonstrating the way Jewish life contin- Jewish refugees were interned in Cyprus between 1946 which will address her own research, as well as how ued following the horrors of the Second World War.” and 1949, and approximately 1,500 babies were born. her research has been received, on the same subject.” “Although I was born and raised in the U.K., I am Rose Lipszyc, a Holocaust survivor who was caught of Greek-Cypriot descent and so was intrigued by this by the British in 1947 in pre-state Israel and sent to an narrative,” said. “As I began to research the subject, it internment camp in Cyprus, will also speak about her CPA,Ira CAAbrams became clear that very little had been written about this experiences there. Ett Licensed Public topic, with the history of the camps often relegated to For more information, contact Anne Read at Plng Accountant footnotes in wider studies on the post-Holocaust period.” [email protected] or 613-798-4696, ext. 355. Incm 613-224-6808 Customer: T ABRAMS & Mxzr R rs COMPANY legacy Issue:Park: SEP 23/19 ‘A repository for kindness,’ Rabbi Bulka hopes Colour: process Size:Continued 3.3 X from2 page 1 [email protected] • www.abramsaccounting.ca ProofRabbi #: 1Bulka’s case there is “absolutely nothing random Rabbi Bulka said he hoped the park could be a about his kindness.” When Bregman asked by a show “repository for kindness” where everyone could of hands who had been helped by Rabbi Bulka, many get along and be included. He added a wish that all in attendance at the ceremony raised a hand. would be sure to “park a little bit of kindness” wher- Bregman and Prehogan announced that in cele- ever they went. Then the kindness park will be some- bration of Congregation Machzikei Hadas’ 100-year thing more than “just a piece of geography, it will be anniversary, they intend to work with Cloutier to build part of real life.” a structure at Rabbi Bulka Kindness Park that “all res- idents of Alta Vista can benefit from,” such as a com- munity garden, theatrical stage, walking path or park benches. Other speakers at the ceremony offering support THE TRADITION CONTINUES and congratulations included MP David McGuinty Rideau Bakery Bread is available at all (Ottawa South), MPP John Fraser (Ottawa South), and Rabbi Idan Scher, who succeeded Rabbi Bulka Farm Boy locations.