In The Ottawa Community
* = New item this week
Community Events and Announcements
Mira Sucharov, Professor of Political Science at Carleton Univeristy, will “be in conversation” about her new memoir Borders and Belonging at two separate book events. The first takes place February 24 where she will be in conversation about her memoir with her father, Max Sucharov, who figures prominently in the book, and who is a clinical psychiatrist-psychotherapist. This event is hosted by the Vancouver Jewish Book Festival, is 4-5 pm EST. Registration is free but is required:
https://www.jccgv.com/jewish-book-festival/events/#1548276597271-83602d77-5c5a
The second event is the "Author Meets Readers" discussion hosted by Carleton University's Faculty of Public Affairs. This will take place February 25, 7-8:30 pm EST. Mira will be in conversation about her memoir with religious studies professor Laura Levitt (The Objects that Remain; American Jewish Loss After the Holocaust) and Emmy-award-winning film and TV editor, Brian Kates (The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel; Succession). Registration is free but required:
https://carleton.ca/fpa/cu-events/borders-and-belonging-a-memoir/
More information about the book at: https://www.palgrave.com/us/book/9783030537319
Honouring Black Jewish Experiences. We invite you to the premiere broadcast for I am Jewish: Honouring Black Jewish Experiences on Wednesday, February 24 at 8 pm. In honour of our Black Jewish community members, we want to celebrate Black History Month together. The program will feature experiences & performances from here in Canada, and in connection to Israel. Witness the experiences of June Girvan (Black History Ottawa), Tema Smith (18Doors), Nissim Black (international producer & rapper) & more. To view the full Speaker & Performer line-up & to register: click here.
Purim Torah. Purim Torah is a tradition of humorous and satirical comments disguised as Talmudic or halakhic discourse. Our community rabbis will perform topsy-turvy sermons for Purim. You won’t believe what you hear…you’re not supposed to! Visit https://www.jccottawa.com/purim-torah/ on Thursday, February 25 through Friday, February 26 to hear from: Rabbi Menachem Mendel Blum, OTC Chabad Congregation, Rabbi Liz Bolton, Or Haneshamah, Rabbi Eytan Kenter, Kehillat Beth Israel Congregation, Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg, Temple Israel and Rabbi Idan Scher, Congregation Machzikei Hadas. For information contact Maxine Miska at mmiska@jccottawa.com
A conversation with Art Spiegleman, March 7, 2021. You are invited to the Arnold and Esther Tuzman Memorial Holocaust Teach-In featuring Art Spiegelman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning artist, illustrator, and author of Maus. Mr. Spiegelman will discuss his art, comics as a medium, and Maus, the masterful Holocaust narrative that tells the story of his parents' survival and his experience as the child of survivors. The conversation will be facilitated by Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, Ph.D., Gratz College Board of Governors. The Teach-In also offers a workshop led by Gratz faculty on teaching Maus. Register Today at www.gratz.edu/teach-in: General admission is $18.00. Fee waivers for financial hardship are available by request to mcohen@gratz.edu.
Invitation from KBI to demonstrate on behalf of the Uyghurs. This year, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, members of Kehillat Beth Israel (KBI) demonstrated every weekday afternoon opposite the Chinese embassy on St. Patrick Street on behalf of the oppressed and
persecuted Uyghur population of China. At the conclusion of the week they decided to continue the demonstrations and protests on a weekly basis – they continue to meet and demonstrate one day a week, on Thursday afternoon. They have also reached out to other faith communities to join them in this stand and their numbers have grown over time.
The mistreatment of the Uyghurs, including forced labor and “re-education” camps, is reminiscent of the Jewish experience with concentration camps of the Second World War, in the opinion of campaign organizer Andre Brantz, which inspired him to start the protests in September. Since then, a committee of the Parliament of Canada has described the Uyghur persecution as a form of genocide.
This week, the Guardian newspaper published an article by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis: "As chief rabbi, I can no longer remain silent about the plight of the Uyhgurs." The subtitle is: "An unfathomable mass atrocity is being perpetrated in China. The responsibility for doing something lies with all of us."
(https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/15/chief-rabbi-silent-plight-uighurs-atrocity-china)
We invite all members of the Ottawa Jewish community to join us on Thursday afternoons at 3 PM opposite the Chinese Embassy on St. Patrick Street. It is our hope and our prayer that this action, taken in conjunction with other political and economic actions, will raise awareness and will lead to the end of these atrocities.
