FACTORY FIRE
The 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York, which killed 146 workers, most of them women, is commemorated at the Bagg Street Shul at 7 p.m. After a memorial service, a lecture is given on the tragedy, whose victims included many Jewish immigrants.
MAILLET CLASSIC AT SEGAL
This is an opening night at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts of La Sagouine, a one-woman play in English starring Viola Léger, based on Acadian writer Antonine Maillet’s classic tale of an old charwoman in her home village of Bouctouche, N.B. Léger, considered a grande dame of the Canadian stage, has played the role more than 1,400 times since its première 40 years ago, including at the Saidye Bronfman Centre more than 30 years ago. The monologue dramatizes four centuries of Acadian history. Directed by John Van Burek in association with Toronto’s Pleiades Theatre. Until April 10. Tickets, 739-7944.
SINGLES’ SPEED DATING
A series of four weekly speed dating evenings for singles begins at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue at 8 p.m. for four different age groups. Registration, www.spanishdating.weebly.com.
ANNE FRANK FILM
The 2008 Israeli film Les camarades de classe d’Anne Frank is screened with French subtitles by the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre at 6:30 p.m. at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts. It’s followed by a discussion led by Holocaust survivor Celine Polak and centre director Alice Herscovitch. This documentary is about the reunion of former classmates of Frank in Holland. Reservations, 739-7944.
JEWISH WOMEN’S HISTORY
A Jewish Women’s History Shabbaton begins with 8:15 p.m. services at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom on the theme “From Farm to Fork-Sharing: The Delights of the Table.” At a luncheon tomorrow, Karen Dubrofsky and Gigi Cohen are honoured for promoting healthy eating and Mazon Canada for combating hunger. A culinary demonstration is included. Reservations, [email protected].
AVANT-GARDE FILM
Avant-garde short films and videos by Governor General’s Award winners Barbara Sternberg and Bruce Elder, among other international filmmakers on the theme Keeping Trace: On Time and Film are presented at Segal Centre for Performing Arts’ CinemaSpace at 7:30 p.m.Tickets, 739-7944.
MOVIE NIGHT
The movie Validation, a short comedy, is shown at Beth Zion Congregation at 7:30 p.m., followed by a discussion with Rabbi Tuvia Hoffman. 489-8411.
ISRAEL’S DELEGITIMIZATION
Israeli academic Emmanuel Navon speaks on “Delegitimization and Lawfare: Israel’s Fourth Struggle” at Congregation Beth Israel Beth Aaron at 7:30 p.m. 487-1323.
BOOK DISCUSSION
Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen is the topic at a Mother-Daughter Book Discussion Group at the Jewish Public Library at 7 p.m., open to girls in grades 5 and up and their moms and led by librarian Penny Fransblow. Registration, 345-2627, ext. 3028.
SCHWARTZ’S PREMIÈRE
Schwartz’s: The Musical makes its world première at the Centaur Theatre, and continues until April 24. Written by the musical comedy duo Rick Blue and George Bowser, the multi-character play is inspired by Bill Brownstein’s light-hearted history of the iconic Jewish delicatessen on the Main. The colourful personalities who owned and patronized the smoked meat emporium over the years are dramatized. For tickets, call 514-288-3161. A revised and expanded edition of Brownstein’s Schwartz’s Hebrew Delicatessen: The Story has been published by Vehicle Press for the occasion.
COMPUTERS 101
The four-session courses Introduction to Computers and Beyond the Basics start at the Creative Social Centre at Congregation Chevra Kadisha at noon and 1:30 p.m., respectively. Classes continue April 5 and 12 and May 3. Registration, 488-0907.
HEBREW AT THE Y
Ten-session Hebrew classes for beginners in speaking and reading commence at the YM-YWHA. An intermediate course starts April. An English conversation circle also begins meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30-10 p.m. for those who want to practise the language. Registration, Elina, 737-6551, ext. 240.
Wednesday, March 30
EX-NFL PLAYER AT CHABAD
Former NFL player and Super Bowl champion Alan Veingrad, now an Orthodox Jew, is guest speaker at the annual gala cocktail party benefiting Chabad of Westmount at 5:30 p.m. Israeli Consul General Yoram Elron brings greetings.Reservations, 937-4772.
BEING HUMBLE
Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz lectures on “Humility and Leadership: Congruence or Contradictions” at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim at 7:30 p.m., followed by Marsha Bryan Edelman on “Kol Ishah: Women in Jewish Music.” Registration, 937-9471, ext. 139.
CULTURAL DEBATE
The annual The Walrus McGill Debate takes place at 6 p.m. the Segal Centre for Performing Arts, featuring Simon Brault, author of No Culture, No Future; University of Pennsylvania professor and Slate architecture critic Witold Rybczynski; and La Presse columnist Nathalie Petrowski discussing “If We Build it. Will They Come?” Tickets, 739-7944.
ON THE KIBBUTZ
Yuval Yasky, head of the architecture department at Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy, speaks on “Neither City, nor Village” at the Canadian Centre for Architecture at 7 p.m. He argues that the Israeli communal settlements are “a radical alternative” to both urban and rural living. 939-7000.
Roman Catholic Archbishop André Gaumond is an honorary chair of an intercultural Passover seder being held April 4 at the Université de Sherbrooke by Quebec Jewish Congress, with the Sherbrooke Agudath Achim Society and the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism…The work of local artist David Levy is on exhibit at the Côte St. Luc Public Library until April 17. City of Bleach features his unusual technique of using bleach, rather than paint, to depict such landmarks as the Brooklyn Bridge and historic San Francisco, as well as natural scenes…Wendy Helfenbaum, David Reich, Mark Shainblum, Bena Singer and Vivianne Silver participate in a local authors salon at the library March 24 at 7 p.m…The Israeli business magazine Globes reports that Montreal businessman Hershey Friedman has bought a controlling stake in the Israeli real estate company Azorim Investment, Development and Construction Ltd., for 300 million shekels ($83 million Cdn). Friedman bought Shaya Boymelgreen’s 63.8 per cent share in the public company. The deal is expected to be completed in a few months’ time. In 2009, Friedman bought the bankrupt kosher meat-packing plant Agriprocessors (now called Agri-Star) in Iowa.
