While the Internet is normally a fickle beast, it was almost predictable that many of the stories to go viral in 2015 were preceded by events that rocked the local or international community, including the tragedies that unfolded in Paris, the ongoing terror attacks against civilians in Israel, and the Canadian federal election.
CJN readers took to social media and the comment section of our recently relaunched website to debate important issues or to comment on stories we reported throughout the year.
The most meaningful and impactful articles published in 2015 are also some of The CJN’s most-read stories of the year. They are listed below, in no particular order.
Peterborough shul helps mosque
Barely 24 hours after the attacks in Paris that left at least 130 dead, arsonists targeted Peterborough’s only mosque, prompting the local Beth Israel synagogue to offer its support. The move was shared by thousands on social media, with many CJN readers commending the shul for “building bridges instead of walls.” Muslim worshippers were thankful to have been given a space to pray, and the two communities even held a dinner party together. “We may be different religions, but we’re all one people, and in times like this, we have to stick together,” Beth Israel president Larry Gilman told The CJN.
What can Jews expect from Trudeau?
Immediately following Justin Trudeau’s election win, The CJN spoke to a slew of local leaders, analyzing comments made during the campaign. Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) CEO Shimon Fogel said Trudeau has been clear that his government’s policies “will entirely reflect the positions staked out by the previous government.”
Shawarma war is no laffa-ing matter
Traditional Middle Eastern fare like falafel and shawarma has long been a staple in Jewish Toronto. Laffa, however, is a rather recent addition, thanks in part to Dr. Laffa, which introduced many of us to the thick flatbread that’s giving pita bread a run for its money. In July, patrons noticed that two doors down from Dr. Laffa’s Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue location stood a new laffa eatery, Famous Laffa. The CJN learned that the partners who owned the former, Yoram Gabay and Sa- son (Sasi) Haba, had actually split up over legal issues.
Stamp features rabbi, imam, bishop
In a year plagued with Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, stories that highlighted people working together to foster a united religious front were scarce, and CJN readers relished the opportunity to learn about a forthcoming new stamp in Belgium adorned with the faces of the country’s Chief Rabbi Albert Guigui, Imam Khalid Benhaddou and the Bishop of Antwerp Johan Bonny.
Since the recent wave of violence against Israeli civilians began more than three months ago, each assault has touched us all deeply, though none hit as close to home as the death of Rabbi Ya’acov Don, who spent four years in Toronto as a Jewish studies teacher. Rabbi Don, along with two others, was killed on Nov. 19, when a Palestinian opened fire on cars near the West Bank settlement of Alon Shvut. Torontonians mourned him through heartfelt tributes, including a former colleague who told The CJN that “his passion for Israel was contagious, and he had a real influence on students and staff.”
Disabled teen’s SickKids bar mitzvah
CJN readers were moved by the touching story of Jacob Trossman, the first-ever 13-year-old to celebrate his bar mitzvah at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Rabbi Baruch Frydman-Kohl, spiritual leader of Beth Tzedec Congregation, called Jacob’s simchah an example of the importance of promoting an inclusive Jewish community.
Canada votes against UN resolutions
For Canadian Jews, the election was undoubtedly the most widely discussed event of the year. Conservatives and Lib-erals came out with political guns blazing, with Conservatives claiming that Trudeau would not maintain Stephen Harper’s staunch support for the Jewish state. Since taking office, Trudeau has silenced his critics (for now), after his government voted against a raft of Arab-sponsored UN resolutions targeting the Jewish state. Canada voted against all of the six resolutions adopted.
Actress strikes it rich in Netflix series
Twenty-one-year-old Brooke Wexler is something of a local hero, after Netflix cast her to play a robot maid in a live-action TV adaptation of celebrated comic book character Richie Rich. The CJN spoke to Wexler about the series, which she described as fun for the whole family.
The 10 best Jewish Instagram accounts
With over 400 million active users, Instagram has proven the most popular social media platform after Facebook. Naturally, there is a wide array of Jewish-themed accounts focusing on anything from quirky Jewish memes to delectable kosher foods.
After scouring the depths of the photo-sharing app, The CJN found 10 Jewish accounts deserving of praise, most of which will likely inspire laughter or awaken your appetite for lox and cream cheese bagels.
When it comes to the niqab debate, where are the Jews?
The CJN published several articles on the niqab debate prominently included on the Canadian election trail, but none struck a chord with readers as much as Danielle Kubes’ piece likening Zunera Ishaq’s struggle to wear a niqab during her citizenship ceremony to a legislator who was kicked out of Parliament in 1808 after displaying his Jewish faith. “When we support Ishaq’s freedom, we support our own. And if we do not fight for Ishaq, who will be left to fight for us?” Kubes asked, a question that several CJN readers answered. “Speaking as a Jewish woman, I feel that we should stand up for our Muslim sisters,” one Facebook user wrote.
