Shopify’s Harley Finkelstein is ready to revamp Ottawa’s Chabad centre to better meet student needs
Four years ago, Shopify COO Harley Finkelstein orchestrated the opening of a new Jewish community centre in downtown Ottawa. Today, after taking some time to observe the way people used the centre and what it most lacked, he is leading a large project to expand and renovate the space. The building, which is called the […]
The problem with antisemitism in education isn’t that no one is speaking up, it’s that schools aren’t listening, says Ottawa student Talia Freedhoff
During the four years that I’ve been a student in a public high school in Ottawa, the thing that has alarmed me the most is the school system’s apathy toward Jewish students. The sad truth is that antisemitism is not a priority for school boards. I’ve learned almost nothing about anything related to Jews in […]
Swastikas and other symbols of hate displayed at Ottawa protest aren’t just offensive—they’re dangerous, says Andrea Freedman, CEO of Ottawa’s Jewish Federation
On Thursday Jan. 27, I was honoured to participate in a commemoration event at the National Holocaust Monument that was live streamed on Facebook to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. That night in my remarks I said, “this week, sobering statistics were released on the state of Holocaust knowledge. Approximately one-third of students surveyed were […]
Ottawa’s civil servants unite to fight antisemitism on the job with a new network of their own
After years of enduring antisemitic jokes and thoughtlessness, a new network of federal bureaucrats wants to tackle the problem head-on. The Jewish Public Servants’ Network includes about 250 members in the Ottawa area. It has taken on the challenge of changing a culture of antisemitism throughout the public service. It was formed last year in […]
Obituary: Brenna Rivier, an Ottawa community activist and musician whose life was defined by tikkun olam
Brenna Rivier, an Ottawa musician, activist and dedicated community volunteer died Dec. 15, after a battle with cancer. She was 58. Rivier grew up in Britannia, a neighbourhood far from the hub of Ottawa’s Jewish community, but she and her siblings credited their mother, Jean (née Berezofsky), with instilling the Jewish ideals of community service, […]
Ottawa volunteer Suzi Shore Sauvé helps refugees furnish their first homes in Canada
“Two dining room tables, a sofa, 22 chairs, a bed, a desk, oh, and another bed…” Suzi Shore Sauvé is taking an informal inventory, not of a furniture store, but of her own garage. An active volunteer in the Jewish community, she initiated a grassroots project to provide refugees newly settled in Ottawa with basic […]
Ronen Hoffman, the new ambassador of Israel, was welcomed to Canada alongside new U.S. ambassador David Cohen
Ronen Hoffman was one of four new heads of mission who presented their credentials to Governor General Mary Simon at Rideau Hall on Dec. 7. Although he was appointed in July, ambassadors are unable to carry out any duties as state representatives until the presentation ceremony has occurred. The Governor General’s full statement can be […]
This graffiti was found outside the Elgin Street courthouse in Ottawa
Ottawa’s Jewish community was shocked to wake up and learn that homophobic and antisemitic graffiti had been spray painted at the courthouse on Elgin Street on Nov. 15. A swastika was painted on the sign outside the courthouse. Homophobic graffiti was also painted on the side of the building. Ottawa Police Service said they were […]
Ottawa police probe antisemitic posters on the city’s west side
Ottawa Police Service’s hate and bias crime unit is investigating a series of antisemitic posters that appeared in the city. The incident occurred Nov. 7 in the Centrepointe Drive area, when posters with antisemitic and hateful content were discovered near a skate park, a police media statement says. Police are investigating eight similar incidents throughout […]
It’s all in the telling: Saul Rubinek to open Ottawa Holocaust Education Month
Canadian actor, filmmaker, producer and writer Saul Rubinek will open Holocaust Education Month in Ottawa on Nov. 9 by performing excerpts from his new play, All in the Telling. There is much to tell and much to weigh about the telling—and the hearing. “It’s a meaningful title to me because it tells you that it’s […]
