About Town: Week of May 23

Thursday, May 23

 

RABBI ZEITZ TRIBUTE

Congregation Beth Tikvah honours its founding spiritual leader, Rabbi Mordecai Zeitz, and his wife, Charlotte, with a tribute event and weekend, beginning with a 4 p.m. street parade and followed by a ceremony with special guests. Rabbi Zeitz served for 49 years and becomes rabbi emeritus on May 30, when former assistant Rabbi Mark Fishman will assume the pulpit. Call 514-683-5610.

 

OPEN GATE BRIDGE

Congregation Shaar Hashomayim stages its 22nd annual Open Gate Bridge/Mahjongg Gala starting with a 6 p.m. buffet dinner and then duplicate, rubber bridge and mahjongg. Contact Marlene for tickets, 514-731-0415.

 

Friday, May 24

 

FIDDLER…

The Cote St. Luc Dramatic Society starts a run of Fiddler on the Roof, 8-11 p.m. at the former Wagar High School, 5785 Parkhaven. www.csldramaticsociety.com.

 

Saturday, May 25

 

SOLOMON ANNIVERSARY

The public is invited to a special event marking the 23rd anniversary of Operation Solomon, when Israel airlifted 15,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel. The event, organized by Congregation Shomrim Laboker and the Ethiopian-Jewish community, begins with services, 9 a.m. followed by celebratory luncheon, including the “next generation” of children born and raised in Israel and Canada. Call 514-731-6831, or visit www.shomrimlaboker.org.

 

Sunday, May 26

 

MUSEUMS DAY

As part of the city’s annual Montreal Museums Day, admission is free, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Museum. Call 514-345-2605.

 

Monday, May 27

 

JEWISH LAW BEIT DIN

McGill University Law Faculty is the site for the Generation J Ruth and Alex Dworkin Moot Court of Jewish Law Beth Din, 5-8 p.m. Sponsored by the Bronfman Jewish Education Council, the program involves Secondary IV Jewish high schoolers writing a legal factum using only Judaic texts to understand and solve a modern-day legal case. 514-345-2645, ext. 3253.

 

BOOK REVIEW

Janie Respitz reviews Sarah Houghteling’s novel, Pictures at an Exhibition, 7:30 p.m., Shaare Zedek Congregation. Reserve, Lila, 514-489-2530, or Carole, 514-483-0669.

 

Tuesday, May 28

 

MASTERPIECES 4 MADA

The MADA Community Centre kosher soup kitchen and food bank  – one of Quebec’s largest – stages its fourth annual main fundraising event , the Masterpieces 4 MADA Gala and Art Auction (M4M), 7 p.m. at the Arena Montreal, the site of the old Montreal Forum, 2313 St. Catherine St. W. The event features an auction of custom art by artists and Jewish school students using the gala’s theme for this year, “Together we can end hunger.” The event also aims to raise at least $200,000 and expects to attract more than 500 people. The gala has raised more than $360,000 since its inception, and MADA director Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Cohen said MADA is trying to cope with a demand for food, clothing and furniture that has risen by nearly 70 per cent since 2008. Tickets, 514-342-4969, ext. 229, email [email protected], or visit www.m4mgala.com.

 

GAMES DAY

Beth Ora Seniors hold a Games Day, 1:30 p.m. at the synagogue. Call 514-342-1234, ext. 7318.

 

POWER JAZZ

Kellylee Evans performs 8 p.m. at Segal Centre as part of its Power Jazz series. Tickets, 514-739-7944.

 

Wednesday, May 29

 

SCOTCH TASTING

Beth Zion Congregation holds a scotch-tasting event, 7-10 p.m. Call 514-489-8411, ext. 31.

 

Thursday, May 30

 

WENER@SEGAL CENTRE

Canderel Inc. president and CEO Jonathan Wener, a philanthropist and major booster of the culture in Montreal, will be honoured at a major event culminating a unique $1-million fundraising campaign to provide sustainable support for the Segal Centre and other cultural institutions. Under the theme  “Building for the Future,” the funds are being used to create the Jonathan Wener Arts Education Fund and has involved the centre joining forces with at least 80 business leaders who are reflecting Wener’s vision to instil love of the arts in the city’s youth, make culture more accessible, develop educational and innovative programs, and encourage cultural participation of young Montrealers from all walks of life. The campaign also links the business, arts, and cultural sectors in common purpose. Contact Andrea Elalouf, 514-739-2301, ext. 8363.

 

…Et Cetera…

 

COMING EVENTS

Here are some events in the coming days worth noting :

• On May 31 at Jewish People’s and Peretz School, students will be “Jumping for Jayden” (Roll), a pre-K student diagnosed with the very rare MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome), which can develop into acute myelogenos leukemia (AML). Kids from all grades will take part in a fundraising “skip-a-thon” to raise funds and awareness about bone marrow donation and the importance of the marrow registry. The parents are conducting a bone marrow drive for their daughter (http://www.facebook.com/cureforjayden).

• On June 5, the Chabad of Westmount Irwin Beutel Lectures sponsors a Quebec Jewish Law Symposium (with six hours accredited by the Barreau), at the Centre Mont Royal, 2200 Mansfield St. The first session, 7:45-9 a.m., is on professional legal malpractice, and continues 9:15-10:45 a.m. in the second session, both led by Justice William Fraiberg and Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe of Harvard University. The third 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. session is on medical malpractice and led by Rabbi Yaffe, Justice Pepita Capriolo, and McGill University dean of medicine Dr. David Morris. 514-591-6744.

Grunia Kohn has just published her 10th book, The Twentieth Century, in three languages: Yiddish, English, and Russian. Email, [email protected], or call 514-731-5479 after 8 p.m…

Lisa and Robert Issenman of Montreal are receiving the Israel 65 Award at the Israel Bonds International Prime Minister’s Club Dinner in Boca Raton, Fla.