About Town: December 2

Thursday, Dec. 2


RECYCLED ART

Recycled materials and found objects make up the materials used by artists such as Carol Rabinovitch and Myrna Brook Bercovitch at a group exhibit though Dec. 5 at the Mile-End Gallery, 5345 Park Ave. Call 514-271-3383.

Friday, Dec. 3


SHABBAT AT THE Y

The Ben Weider YM-YWHA Ben Weider JCC hosts a short, mixed-seating service followed by Shabbat dinner and oneg Shabbat for young adults in their 20s and 30s, 7 p.m., Grover Auditorium. Reserve with Sid Milech at 514-737-6551, ext. 267.

Saturday, Dec. 4


COMMUNITY CHANUKAH

A community Chanukah celebration for all, with games, prizes, live music and dancing, takes place 6-8 p.m. at Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation, co-organized with Adath Israel, Beth Zion, and Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem synagogues, as well as NCSY and Kollel Torah Mitzion. Reserve at 514-487-1323, ext. 102.

CHANUKAH FIRE ON ICE
Congregation Chevra Kadisha B’nai Jacob hits the ice, 7-9 p.m. at the Samuel Moskovitch Arena, for a Fire on Ice event with crafts, music, prizes and latkes. Call 514-482-3366.

POTLUCK CHANUKAH
The Jewish Community Centre of the Eastern Townships stages an environmentally friendly and interfaith-welcome  Chanukah Party-Potluck Supper with Rabbi Sherril Gilbert, 4 p.m. at 380 Dufferin St. in Sherbrooke. Call 819-562-6236.

Sunday, Dec. 5


CHANUKAH BREAKFAST

Veteran troubadour Yaacov Sassi entertains, 9:30 a.m., at the Shaare Zedek Men’s Club Chanukah Bash breakfast. Call 514-484-1122.

TEMPLE E CHANUKAH
A Kids First Chanukah Party for families with kids under six runs 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom. Bring your own chanukiyot. Call Anita at 514-037-3575, ext. 212.

CHABAD CHANUKAH
Chabad of Westmount, at 4444 St. Catherine St. W., holds a Creative Arts Chanukah for kids three to seven, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. RSVP at 514-963-6744.

DDO CHANUKAH
Dollard des Ormeaux councillors Herbert Brownstein and Mickey Guttman light the menorah at a 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free Hebrew for Juniors Children’s Chanukah Extravaganza at DDO’s Civic Centre. Contact Sima Paris, 514-909-1777.

FAMILY TREES & BRANCHES
The Jewish Genealogical Society Family Tree Workshop is 10 a.m.-noon at the Jewish Public Library. Call 514-484-0969.

LEVINAS DAY
Jewish Philosopher Emmanuel Levinas will be discussed by Shmuel Wygoda of Israel, McGill University’s James Archibald, and Dr. Alain Wolf, as part of Sonia Sarah Lipsic’s Aleph Centre Journée thématique, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at 5151 Cote Ste. Catherine Rd. Later, 7-9 p.m. at the Maison de la Culture Séfarade at 5900A Decarie Blvd., the centre celebrates its first anniversary. Call 514-733-4998, ext. 3159.

Monday, Dec. 6


JTEENS CHANUKAH

A JTeens Chanukah Bash starts at 6 p.m. at Chabad of Westmount, for teens 13 to 17, 4444 St. Catherine St. W. Call 514-963-6744.

Tuesday, Dec. 7


EIGHTH BAND BATTLE!

For the first time, a rock legend – the Guess Who’s and Bachman Turner Overdrive’s Randy Bachman – will perform at the eighth annual Battle of the Bands benefiting Maimonides Geriatric Centre Foundation. The event, chaired by Jeff Solomon and hosted by Andy Nulman, takes place over two nights, Dec. 7-8, at the Metropolis, 59 Ste. Catherine St. E., featuring high-quality baby boomer bands. For tickets, call Leslie Blumer at 514-483-2121, ext. 2287.

BETH ORA CHANUKAH
Beth Ora Seniors celebrate Chanukah at 12:30 p.m. with the Cummings Centre Choir. Call 514-342-1234, ext. 7318.

BRAIN FUEL
Joe Schwarcz speaks on “brain fuel,” at Chabad of Westmount, 7 p.m. at 4444 Ste. Catherine St. W. RSVP at 514-963-6744.

Wednesday, Dec. 8


MTC CHANUKAH

Musician Adam Stotland gives a special presentation at the Montreal Torah Centre’s Chanukah concert for the whole family, featuring a chassidic rock band and final candle-lighting, 7 p.m., 28 Cleve Rd. Call 514-739-0770.

TEVET ROSH CHODESH
Women and children are welcome at the 8:30 a.m. Women’s Rosh Chodesh prayer service for Tevet at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim. Call Judy at 514-484-7862.

HEBREW CRASH COURSE
Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman gives a free crash course in Hebrew reading, Level I, 8 p.m. at Beth Zion Congregation. Reserve at 514-489-8411.

AWARD OF MERIT
Canadian Olympic Committee president Marcel Aubut is the honoree at B’nai Brith Canada’s Award of Merit Gala, 6 p.m., the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Theme for the evening,  whose co-chair is retiring Montreal Alouettes CEO Larry Smith, is Olympics and sports. Call 514-733-5377, ext. 26.

Thursday, Dec. 9


JGH AUXILIARY SHOPPING

The Jewish General Hospital Auxiliary holds its Boutique Shopping Day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Pavilion A Auditorium, featuring multiple vendor booths with fabulous gifts. Inquire at 514-340-8216.

…Et Cetera…


MADA APPEAL

The MADA Community Centre has launched an urgent appeal over the holiday season for financial assistance to cover rapidly mounting costs. MADA reports that social aid organizations are referring more and more people to MADA, which provides hot meals, food, clothing, furniture and counselling. Call 514-342-4969, or visit www.madacenter.com.

ASTRAL HONOREE
Astral Media president and CEO Ian Greenberg received a lifetime achievement award at the Jewish Chamber of Commerce’s Nov. 17 ProMontreal Entrepreneurs soirée at the Le Windsor ballroom. Greenberg was feted with the most prestigious “Promie” award for spearheading Astral’s growth as Canada’s largest media operator of specialty and pay television and radio. The chamber is an initiative of ProMontreal, a division of Federation CJA.

JGH DOCTORS’ GALA
Congregation Shaar Hashomayim was the site for the second annual Jewish General Hospital Doctor’s Gala on Nov. 18. The evening, co-chaired by Sarah and Allen Rubin and Heather and Joseph Paperman, was attended by 500 guests and paid tribute to the JGH’s department of medicine in all its divisions, from allergists to rheumatologists, with proceeds earmarked for the department.

DAAVEN DOES GREAT
So You Think You Can Daaven, a fundraising musical put on by Shaare Zion Synagogue for its 85th birthday, was so successful that three more performances may be staged this spring. The first three earlier this fall sold out. Wendy Rapps and dad Eddie Davis wrote the show, directed by Judi Peters-Levine.

MOVEMENT DISORDER HELP
Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors has multi-faceted programs for people with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, as well as day services groups for seniors with mild/moderate memory loss. Call 514-342-1234.