Thursday, August 13,1992 — THE BULLETIN — 7
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J^Fe Staff
Lest it be thought that iBritish Columbia is a footr note in Canadian Jewish history, Richard Menkis ensures that the country*s westernmost province is staying front and centre,
Fresh from a pair of hisr torical conferences in Toronto, the UBC religious studies professor is using his southeast Vancouver home to edit the inaugural issue of Canadian Jewish Studies, an all-inclusive journal.
"There used to be a Canadian Jewish Historical Society Journal^ Menkis explained in a Bulletin interview, "but the last issue appeared in October 1988. The feeling is that, for a journal on Canadian Jewry
MENKIS
to be effective, it has to take into account a lot of disciplines."
Menkis was in Toronto in late May for the Canadian Jewish Historical Sociiety's annual conference, held at Holy Blossom Temple. There, he told colleagues that the Social Sciences and H umanities Research Coun-: cil had come through with a thi-ee-year grant for the new publication.
The UBC professor expects Canadian Jewish Studies to debut in September or October, providing a focus for research about Canadian Jews. "Whether it be history, sbciplogyv economics, arts or architecture, I want people to write articles that are substantiated and jargon-free."
Menkis believes that widening the journal's focus will increase submission of articles for publication. Though details are still being finalized , the journai will prob-ably be semi-annual.
Menkis also attended the Canadian Jewish Congress' biennial plenary assembly and joined in "Canadian Jewry in the 21 st Century: Setting the Research Agenda,'- a parallel conference at York University. _
Participantsdiscussed the numerical decline of Mont-rears Jewish, community' and the rise of the Je\yish population in Metro Toronto which, according to Menkis, could soon encompass half of the . Jewish community in Canada. "I t used to be that national issues [amounted to] what was happening in Montreal. Now, the national issue seems to be that the
Montreal community is losing membership to Toronto!"
Although born in Toronto, the UBC professor said he reminded colleagues that notall Jews live there or in Montreal. Viancpuver has supplanted Winnipeg as Canada's third-largest Jewish community, with residents of other established communities heading west for economic reaisons.
On the other hand, he remarked, Vancouver's community has the highest rate of assimilation in Canada, as measured by two standards: intermarriage rate and percentage of children not receiving Jewish education.
Vancouver Jews, said Menl^is, will soon have to decide whether they will make newconiers resemble long-term residents, of >yhether they \yill enlist the new Vancouverites to help transform the Jewish community.
"A major side issue was, 'What is the exact relationship between the academic conimunity and the Jewish community?'" Menkis related. .■■
There's no question that there is a split between the two corhmunities, he said. But according to the professor, mutual understanding can break doNvn this separation.
"The community has to know what the activities of the academic are. One should be able to draw on the resources of the other, and that requires mutual respect.''
At the CjHS conference, he also took part at a forum on "Jewish-Christian Relations in Canada." One ses-^ sion focused on the inter-faith endeavor of Harry Joshua Stern, a Reform rabbi in late-1930s Montreal, where anti-Semitism had intensified.
Only once in his four year as Jewish National Fund emissary to British Columbia did Kalman "Kami" Robinson want to return to Israel.
At the outbreak of the Persian Gulf War, the colonel in the Israel Defence Force felt he was needed back home. But headquarters ordered him to stay.
"It was more important that We be here, being the direct line between Jerusalem and B.C,," Robinson told The Bulletin days , before he finished his four-year stint as shaliach last nidnth.
Robinson has returned to Israel with his family, and has been succeeded by G id eon Shavit, formerly with the Prime Minister's Office.
JNF emissaries usually serve for two years. But two years ago, the Jewish National fund asked Robinson to stay, and he found that the Jewish cornniunity still needed hini. So, he decided to continue promoting the growth of the land of Israel.
"When you're an eniis-sary, you represent Israel," he told JWB. "We don't have a consul here to issue passports. But when people ask questions about what to do in Israel, or invite you to give lectures, you're an official Israeli figure!"
Upon arriving in Vancouver, Robinson set three goals: to strengthen links between Israel and Vancouver, promote and raise funds for JNF, and provide educational programming. He feels all three were successful. [..:.•:■■.
"The highlight of my connection to B.C., I think, was to work with Victoria — a small community — and hold a Negev dinner there, attracting 150 people." -
Robinson also noted with satisfaction that British Columbia raises more money per capita than any other region for the JNF.
INSIGHT
From Page 5.
of Kuwait was "condemn."
— U,S. spokespersons strongly condemned Israel after leaks that Jerusalem sent Patriot missile parts to China. When the leaks proved to be malicious falsehoods, and the Saudis found to be the culprits, Washington was mum.
— Throughout Pat Buchanan's run for the Republican presidential nomination, Bush failed to disavow Buchanan's racism, ahti-Semitism and anti-Israelism.
— After Baker's reported obscenity about the Jews, the president failed to launch a thorough investigation.
Rabbi AvI Weiss is spiritual leader of the Hebrew Institute of River-dale, and president of Amcha/Coalition for Jewish Concerhs.
The Administiration expressed support for UN Resolu-
tion 194, which declares that all Arab refugees, who number in the millions^ have a right to return to Israel. That's tantamount to calling for Israel's extinction, as the Jewish population in Israel would then be outnumbered. After a barrage of criticism, the Administration^backed off, but the damage
was done. r'^
And there are storm clouds on the horizon. The differences between Rabin and Bush are far greater than those between Rabin and his predecssor; Yitzhak Shamir.
Rabin distinguishes between security and political settlements, and Jerusalem is sacrosanct. For BuSh, there is no such distinction, and Jerusalem is occupied.
The Republican spin doctors seek to prescribe the pill of forgetfulrtess to Jewish Americans. But the Jewish community — in the unique position of having a large say in deciding the presidency — will not forget. Memory has always been the cornerstone of Jewish survival.
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ROBINSON
Morepver, he pointed out, the province has spearheaded such major projects as Russian immigrant housing in Eilat (built in the name of Jack Diamond) and the British Columbia Forest.
Bringing together Jews and non-Jews to plant trees in Israel might seem a daunting task, but not for Robinson. "One of my niiain goals was to promote a good relationship between Jews and non-Jews," Robinson recalled. "What better way than with trees?"
He explained: "With
Naomi Frankenburg's help, we went to [House Speaker] John Fraser and asked him to be the honorary patron of the B.C. Forest."
In March, Fraser (Vancouver S outh) ded icated the project in the western Galilee during, the JNF's 90th anniversary tour tP Israel. Other prominent non-Jews joined well-known Jewish community leaders on the B.C. Forest board.
Nor did Robinson neglect the next generation of JNF supporters. "\ye tried to give our blue boxes — the push-
kas — to everybody in the Jewish schools. It's not tzedaka, but partnership — a link between Israel and the people of the Diaspora"
To boost Israel's image, the JNF emissary has shown slides and given lectures to Jewish and Christian audiences alike. "I find there's a lot of misinformation about Israel. This has been pur job: to close the gap between what people see in the media and what it's really like." y
Robinson described how he has laid the groundwork for academic ex changes between foresters in B.C. and Israel. "We'll see how far it will go. We don't have any exchanges yet, but I hope that we will have them in time."
He attributes much of his success to his wife Vardina and children Ido and Noa, who also bepame highly visible in the Jewish community during his term in B.C. ROBINSON - Page 12
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