Friday, Aug. 20
BOOK REVIEW
Monique Polak reviews Deepak Chopra’s book, The Shadow Effect, at the Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors, 10 a.m. Joyce, 342-1234, ext. 7318.
DETROIT JEWRY
Barry Stiefel talks about his book The Jewish Community of Metro Detroit on Jewish Digest, Radio Centre-Ville, 102.3FM, 8:30 a.m.
ALL ABOUT AGING
Social worker and community activist Sheila Goldbloom speaks on “Aging: Myths and Reality,” at a Leisure Institute luncheon, Congregation Shaar Hashomayim at noon. Reservations, 937-9471.
LIFE’S LIKE BASEBALL
Rabbi Yisroel Roll, a Baltimore psychotherapist, gives a talk titled “Step Up to the Plate: Baseball, Judaism and How to Win the Game of Life,” Young Israel of Chomedey Synagogue, 7:30 p.m.
BEATING THE BLUES
Dr. Henry Olders talks about “Beating the Blues: Depression and its Treatment,” at a Beth Ora Seniors meeting, 1:30 p.m. 342-1234, ext. 7348.
SHAARE ZEDEK SISTERHOOD
Shaare Zedek Sisterhood holds its season-opening event at 7 p.m. with “One-Stop Shopping for Yom Tov.” Wine, honey, chocolate, toys, and jewelry are on sale, and plants and flowers can be ordered. Entertainment by Phil Goldig and refreshments. Registration, 484-1122, ext. 101.
CJCS COURSES
Registration starts at the Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors for fall courses and programs, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Selection ranges from bridge and art to global affairs and computers. Courses are also being offered in Chomedey, Westmount, the West Island and St. Laurent. 342-1234, ext. 7209.
ROSH HASHANAH BASKETS
B’nai Brith is looking for volunteers to pack and deliver Rosh Hashanah food baskets to needy community members. Packing begins Aug. 19 and continues Aug. 22-26 and Aug. 29 -Sept. 1 at 4901 Jean Talon St. W. Deliveries and pick-ups start Aug. 22. Visit www.bnaibrithfoodbaskets.com. Last year, more than 4,000 baskets were given out in the Montreal and Quebec City areas. Donations are also gratefully accepted.
CHIEF RABBI WRITES
British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks has expressed his delight at Shaare Zedek Congregation’s adoption of the new, Jerusalem-published Koren Sacks Siddur, so named because it includes his commentary. “A siddur is the libretto of the song the Jewish people has sung to God through the centuries… It is the collective expression of the Jewish people as it has journeyed through the wilderness of time under the shade and shelter of the Divine presence, and it is magnificent in its poetry and depth,” he wrote to the congregation.
ISRAELI FILM
The short Israeli film Lavan, by Guilhad Emilio Schenker, will be shown during the Montreal World Film Festival, which starts Aug. 26. The 28-minute movie is about a female prison guard who falls in love with one of her wards. Lavan is also being screened at this month’s Jerusalem Film Festival.
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Little Congregation Ahavat Yisroel, which lost its synagogue at the Griffith-McConnell Residence in Côte St. Luc in June after some 15 years there, has a new home, at least for the holidays. Its founder, Rabbi Mordechai Glick, will lead Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services at Bialik High School, with the assistance of Monty Mazer. Reservations, Allan Friedman, 369-9442.
HAPPY HEALTH WORKERS
Staff at the Jewish General Hospital have created a three-minute music video singing the praises of their workplace. The lighthearted bilingual clip, complete with an original score, can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/NaNaMusical. The performers express their pride in working for the hospital and their care for patients, regardless of their language or ethnicity.
CELEBRITY NEWS
Academy Award-winning actress and activist Marlee Matlin will be keynote speaker at Choices, the flagship Women’s Philanthropy event during the Combined Jewish Appeal campaign. It will be held Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Montreal Airport Hotel… Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo will perform at the ORT Montreal gala Nov. 30 at Place des Arts. Proceeds this year will be shared with Montreal Jewish day schools… Marcel Aubut, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee and a partner at the law firm Heenan Blaikie, will receive B’nai Brith Canada’s Award of Merit at a gala fundraiser Dec. 8 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
The second Echenberg Family Conference on Human Rights will be hosted by the McGill University Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, Oct. 7-9, bringing to Montreal legislators, scholars, diplomats and others active in the field of international human rights and social diversity. The conference was established by a generous gift to McGill by alumnus Gordon Echenberg and his wife, Penny, and was launched in 2007 when the topic was genocide prevention. Among the confirmed speakers is Mount Royal MP Irwin Cotler. The former justice minister will also take part in an international conference on anti-Semitism at Yale University, Aug. 23-25, on the theme of “Global Anti-Semitism: A Crisis of Modernity.” The conference will publicly launch the International Association for the Study of Anti-Semitism, comprising scholars and intellectuals in diverse fields. The conference is being convened by the Yale Initiative for the Interdisciplinary Study of Anti-Semitism, whose director is former Montrealer Charles Small…
Briah Cahana, who graduated from Marianopolis College this past spring, will spend the next year as a participant in Kivunim: New Directions, a prestigious program for socially conscious Jewish college students from all over the world. From their base in Jerusalem, those selected do volunteer work in Israel study the Middle East’s complexities and travel throughout Europe, as well as Morocco, Turkey and India, learning first hand about Jewish communities and other cultures there. Cahana said she is especially looking forward to visiting her grandmother’s native Hungary. Alice Lok Cahana, who lives in Houston, is a renowned artist who draws on her experience of the Holocaust. Briah spent the summer in Israel after graduating from Hebrew Academy as one of 26 Bronfman Youth Fellows. At Marianopolis, she was active in an interfaith group… Robert Paris signs his new book The Misfortune 500: Pundamania at Chapters downtown, Aug. 21, 2-6 p.m., and Aug. 28 at the Pointe Claire store, 3-6 p.m. Paris uses puns and word play to skewer the entertainment industry, government and business. “I have always loved telling stories through word play,” said the first-time author. “I enjoy using puns, twisting words or even playing on a person’s name or occupation to make my point. It just comes naturally to me and I have been doing it since I was able to talk.” You can get the idea at his website, www.themisfortune500.biz. He hopes to launch a new craze for punning through its blog…
Another Montrealer who wants to be famous is Rachelle Segal, who is vying to host her own show on Oprah Winfrey’s network, OWN-TV. Segal, who currently hosts the Jewish Comedy Fest and other live entertainment events in North America, is hoping that her video on Oprah’s website will get her the public support she needs. Her proposed show would inspire people to fulfil their dreams.
