Oiir 62iid Year
Since 1930 the only weekl/ publication serving Jewry of the Pacific Northwest
A n Independent JSewsjpapet
Publisher and EcJitor-inrChiet -rSAMUEL KAPLAN^
Advertising Manager ROftFREEDMAN
Assistant EdUdr ARIBLA FRIEDMANN
News Desk ETHAN WNOVITZ
Thursd^yV December 17/1992
Published 47 times per year by Anglo-Jeswish Publishers Ltd.;
3268 Heather St., Vancouver, Brftish Columbia V5Z 3K5 .Subscrlptlpn In Canada: $40.00 per year pjus $2.80 G.S.T.
Chanuka has come into its own in a highly visible way. Never before have so many Ghanukiyot (Ghanuka menorahs) been kindled in so m He venues in British Golunrib occur between
haydalah time on Satuixlay; Dec 19 when the holir day begins and Sunday, Dec. 27 when it ends.
There are prestigious Ghanukiyot. The giant Arthur Erickson menorah and the Jacob Agam menprah, the largest in Ganada, will be kindled by notables in public ceremonies.
There will also be numerous menorot lit at several Vancouver and Richmond sites as wellas in Surrey, Whistler and on Vancouver Island. We \yill see Ghanuka candlelighting ceremonies whether we're at Granville Island or Bridgepoint Public Markets, at the B.G. Legislature in Victoria or turning to Rogers Gable 4 on the television. (Details are furnished on pages 8 and 9 in this Ghanuka 2 edition.)
Jewish tradition requires us to celebrate the
The citizens of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario have much to be proud about these days. The twin cities, nestled in what demographers call the "golden triangle" of Gahada's most populous province, have been the subject recently of a lot of publicity and a little notoriety.
In November of this year Maclean's magazine rated the University of Waterloo first across Ganada as the most innovative institution of higher learning in this country. The University of Waterloo also earned first plae in Maclean's rating as the "best overall" university in the country and number one in "the leaders of tomorrow category."
This imniense morale boost for the Kitchener-Waterloo community was tempered somewhat in the same month when the twin cities became the centre of a storm of controversy over the visit of David Irving, the Holocaust denier. He had been invited to address a group of sympathizers by the owner of a music and sound equipment store located on the niain street in Kitchener. The store has regularly featured Holocaust denial posters and literature on its doors and display windows.
In a remarkable demonstration of solidarity with Kitchener-Waterloo's small Jewish community, however, a coalition of citizens representing a broad spectrum of the community organized regular picketing of the storr in question:
Even more important, alrtiost 80 ministers and priests representing a cross section of the many churches in the Kitchener-Waterloo region published a full page advertisement in the Kitchener' Waterloo Record repudiating the vile anti-Semitic lies which are the staple of the Holocaust-denying crowd. The advertisement in question affirmed the support of the churches for the Jewish community.
Nor were the church groups content with newspaper messages; they also organized rallies and sup-
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miracles of our faith. Pirsum HaNes (literally advertising the miracle) is an important w/7zvaf/? which is incumbent on us all.
Chanuka celebrates the miracles wrought for our forefathers and accomplished by pur legendary heroes at this season long ago.
But in fact, the plethora of public Ghanukiyot^ augmenting in number every year, can be viewed as something of a modern minor miracle of light from the perspective of five decades after the abysmal darkness of theShoah. There is no question but that the existence of Israel has given the Jewish people back their pride.
Perhaps never before have we Jews stood proudly in public venuesin such conspicuous numbers, performing the mttzvah of celebrating the light of our heritage and sharing the miracle with fellow Canadians.
Happy Chanuka!
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ports within the churches. One of the biggest in the area. Trinity United, featured a special service exposing the racism behind the Holocaust denial syndrome.
The 1990s are thus different from the 1930s, at least in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. There -.at least, there is no silence in the churches as Jews are subjected to the old calumnies.
MONTREAL — An announcement will be made soon of interest to Holocaust Survivors who were incarcerated in ghettos and concentratiori camps and are not receiving pensions from Germany, according to the United Restitution Organization.
They may be entitled to a
pension if they received only a one-time indemnification grant, said the URO, which is compiling a list of persons to whom the new regulation will apply.
For more information, contact the URO at # 121 -4600 Bathurst St., Willow-dale, Ont, M2R 3V2, or call (416)630-2920.
Letters represent writers' opinions, not The Bulletin. Right of reply rectifies Iftaccuracles. Letters must be signed, with day phone contact, and typed or printed, up to 250 words. VIEWPOINT exists for longer pieces, up to 750 Words. ^
Proyldmg M^^H^ the
' Dear Mr: Kaplan:
Recently 1 moved and Td like to take this opportunity to thank you for the complimentary subscription you have given me. : '■■['■'■■
lam one of those peopleon the margins of Jewish society for whom The Bulletin is their only link with Jewish news. Your paper has been a great joy to me, keeping me up-to-date on what's happening around the world, as wellas local news and holiday inserts.
I wish I had the money to spare to pay for a subscription, but I am finding fulirtime work is a rare commodity these days. Tm also carrying a large student loan and finding it difficult to keep up my repayment schedule. (This is what
Dear Mr. Kaplan:
I was one of the many participants in a recent intermarriage seminar held at the Jewish Community Centre.
it has been my^experience that most of us are quite quick to criticize. Often, however, we tend to neglect welWeserved praise. I am writing to offer my strong cbngratuiations to Jewish Family Service Agency and its staff for anextremely worthwhile event.
On a personal level, I found Esther Perel's observations and the discussions that surrounded thern to be stimulating and very useful. The who day, in fact, helped me formulatei my own feelings afidreactions mt>re clearly.
Frorn the very fact that JFSA attracted a "capacity crowd," I think one can assume that the event touched a nerve in the community — frankly, I believe it touched several. In my experience, I suspect rather sadly that it is not common within a Jewish community to organize a seminar on a subject as laden with controversy as intermarriage.
Even less common is a sincere, organized public attempt todeal with the complex issue of "interfaith couples" from a "non-judgemental" perspective.
JFS A has managed, I contend, to successfully carry off a significant "sociological coup" so to speak and carry it off with flair. The society has, I believe, done a worthwhile service for the community and I commend them for it.
A DAVID INGRE
Elder abus^^^^^^
happens when you graduate in the middle of a recession).
I was very interested in the article you published this summer about the study done in a U.S. city concerning the "high cost" of being a Jew. It is comforting that there is some recognition of those of us who are part of the working poor, who make less than $20,000 a year, and yet, still try to follow religious practices.
I feel embarrassed at a synagogue when there is a discussion of memberships because I haven't got the money. I try to keepkosher butlcan't afford to buymea,t. And there isno way I can afford to attend any programs at the JCC, let alonebuy a membership. Ym sure this will not always be the case, but right now rent is my major priority.
1 do worry, at times, about what would happen if 1 died sincel have no family here in Vancouver. Would I be buried in a Jewish cemetery? -
Hbwever, thanks to your newspaper, I feel I d6 have a link with my people and when mylife gets better, economically, I do know the services and organizations I can join.
Keep up the good work.
Name Withheld by Request
Editor's Note — The letter writer's compHmentary subscription has, of course, been extended. While we hasten to wish the writer long years, to 120 in good health, we also wish to emphasize that in keeping with the mitzvah of Chesed Shel Ernes, the Schara Tzedeck Cemetery Board ensures that when a needy Jew dies/he or she receives an egalitarian funeral. Exactly the same dignified burial according to Jewish law is provided equally for leVery Jew, whether they are the wealthiest person in the community or are destitute and without family.
TORONTO — By the year 2020, most families will have ceased to care for their elderly, who will end up as Wards of the government, predicts University of Toronto social work professor
Benjamin Schlesinger.
The professor remairked that as seniors live longer and their pensions become an increasing "burden" on the taxpayer, abuse of the elderly will likely increase.
Diear Mr; Kaplan: ■
i was completely shocked to see ihe-pry Bonescartoon on the editorial page of the Pecr3 edition which compared the atrocities occurring in Sarajevo to what is happening in the West Bank.- .;'V-'-
Itis absolutely absurd to compare the horrible destructioii of lives taking place in Europe to the plight of settlers in the West Bank who are facing resistance by the Palestinians already living there.
In comparing these two issues, the cartoonist displays a lack of sensitivity and immense ethnocentricity.
As the only Jewish newspaper in the community, you have to represent the Jewish community to the community at large. It is quite embarrassing to think that a non-Jew might see this cartoon arid think that the Jewish community has no sensitivity to the suffering of others, and is only concerned with Israel. v;;':;;y
I hope that in the future if the Dry Bones csLvtoon is in such poor taste that you choose not to publish it.
JAREDMATAS