RICHLER EXPLAINED
Norman Ravvin, head of Canadian Jewish studies at Concordia University, discusses “Mordecai Richler’s Guide for the Perplexed” at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom at 8:15 p.m. Ravvin looks at Richler the Montrealer, the man, the Jew. 937-3575.
CHINESE WISDOM
Geriatric clinician Caryn Nash talks about the traditional Chinese practice of qigong for mental and physical well-being, at the Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors, 10 a.m. Joyce, 342-1234, ext. 7318.
ABOUT THE MIKVAH
The House of Secrets: The Hidden World of the Mikvah is discussed by its author, Varda Polak-Sahm, on Jewish Digest, Radio Centre-Ville 102.3FM, 8:30 a.m.
ISRAELI AUTHOR
Israeli author Meir Shalev lectures on “The First Love: Did Adam Love Eve?” at McGill University, Leacock Building, room 232, 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Jewish studies department. 398-6543.
MOVIE MATINEE
The movie Mao’s Last Dancer will be shown at a Beth Ora Seniors meeting, 1:30 p.m. 342-1234, ext. 7318.
THE QUEBEC QUESTION
“La question nationale au Québec: Souveraineté ou fédéralisme? is Magali Marc’s topic at the next session (in French) of “Apprendre et comprendre le Québec” at Federation CJA at 7 p.m., organized by l’Institut québécois du judaïsme laïque. Reservations, [email protected].
FOR BOOK LOVERS
The drop-in Book Lovers’ Circle meets at the Jewish Public Library, 3 p.m. Librarian Karen Biskin leads a talk on participants’ book suggestions and thoughts on reading in general. 345-2627, ext. 3006.
RICHLER RICH
The current 29th edition of the Rendez-vous du Cinéma Québécois has a Mordecai Richler “double feature.” Barney’s Version will be shown with French subtitles at the Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. The French version of Francine Pelletier’s documentary Mordecai Richler: The Last of the Wild Jews had its premiere at the festival, which closes Feb. 27, and is in competition for the Prix du public Télé-Québec. Other films of Jewish interest at the festival are Le Coeur d’Auschwitz by Carl Leblanc, a documentary about heart-shaped birthday cards made secretly by young women in the death camp, and another documentary, Garry Beitel’s French-subtitled The ‘Socalled’ Movie, about hip-hop klezmer performer Josh Dolgin. Both are also in the running for the people’s choice award. Barney’s Version, incidentally, is nominated for a Prix Jutra – Quebec’s Oscar – for best screenplay. Winners will be announced March 13.
OTHER FILM NEWS
The movie Mabul (The Flood), an Israeli-Canadian co-production had its international premiere at the just-concluded Berlin Film Festival. Montrealer Ina Fichman of Intuitive Pictures is co-producer with Chilik Michaeli of Israel’s UCM. A hit at the Haifa Film Festival, Mabul is the story of a boy on the eve of his bar mitzvah whose life is changed by the return of his older autistic brother after years of institutionalization. “It was an extraordinary experience for my Canadian team, who had the pleasure of shooting this touching film in Israel,” said Fichman, “And having [director] Guy Nattiv with us in Montreal to finish the film showed the power of international collaboration.”
SCHWARTZ’S: THE MUSICAL
Supporters of the Canadian Associates of Ben-Gurion University will see a private preview performance of Schwartz’s: The Musical March 28 at the Centaur Theatre. The play, by and starring George Bowser and Rick Blue and based on Bill Brownstein’s history, makes its world premiere the next day. The evening includes a Schwartz’s smoked meat buffet before and a dessert reception after the show, with the cast on hand. Tickets, 937-8927. Proceeds go to ovarian cancer research at Ben-Gurion.
STERN EXHIBIT IN MIAMI
Auktion 392, an exhibition produced a few years ago by Concordia University about the Nazi confiscation of German-Jewish art dealer Max Stern’s holdings, is at the Jewish Museum of Florida in Miami Beach until April 25. Auktion 392 refers to the final forced sale of Stern’s remaining 200 or more paintings in 1937.
YIDDISH THEATRE FEST
The second Montreal International Yiddish Theatre Festival takes place June 13-22 at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts. Yiddish theatres and scholars from Israel, Romania, Australia, Austria, France, and North America will take part. More than 30 events are scheduled, including performances, concerts, films, a symposium and “klezkabarets.” The first gathering was held in June 2009.
WEEKLY MINYAN
A minyan is held every Tuesday, 8:30-10 a.m., at Concordia University’s Multifaith Chaplaincy, 2090 Mackay St., led by Daniel Dabora and Adam Lenetsky.
$1 MILLION FOR JRH
The Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital is getting more than $1 million from the Quebec government, its share of the $18 million announced Feb. 10 for the renovation of buildings and equipment in the Laval health and social services network.
Israeli Michal Mattus is a member of the international jury for the 14th edition of the Montreal International Children’s Film Festival Feb. 26-March 6. Mattus is director of Tel Aviv’s International Children’s Film Festival… Josh Pepin is the new executive director of Camp B’nai Brith, replacing Frank Weinstein who retired after more than 20 years. Pepin was director of the Bronfman Israel Experience Centre. Harrell Wittenstein, a U.S. expert on Jewish camping, has been hired to advise on the camp’s development… Violinist and composer Helmut Lipsky’s and his ensemble Melosphere’s CD Tempi con Variazioni (Chestnut Hall Music) won the Conseil Québécois de la Musique’s Prix Opus for Album of the Year in the World Music category. Most of the songs were written by Lipsky and span five centuries of musical styles. German-born and educated in Switzerland and New York, he’s lived in Montreal since 1980…
Concordia University professors and recent authors were feted by the department of religion. Among them were Ira Robinson who co-written with Pierre Anctil, Les communautés juives de Montréal: Histoire et enjeux contemporains; Michael Oppenheim for Encounters of Consequence: Jewish Philosophy in the Twentieth Century and Beyond, and Norman Ravvin for his illustrated novel The Joyful Child, the road journey of a divorced father and his young son… Charles Bronfman will be in town to take part in a conference on Canada-U.S. relations March 24-25, organized by McGill University’s Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC). He’ll introduce former U.S. president George H.W. Bush, who will take part by video. Bronfman is founding co-chair of the MISC…
McGill University professor Henry Mintzberg’s Managing was named by Britain’s Chartered Management Institute Management as book of the year. The awards ceremony took place at the British Library. Mintzberg’s book was selected from 145 entries, narrowed down to a short list of 15… Sigismund Mohr, a 19th-century German-Jewish immigrant, has been honoured by his adopted Quebec City. The engineer installed the first telephone system there in the 1870s and first electric street-lighting a decade later. The city has installed a plaque outside his former home at 1 Ste. Ursule St.
