Fall 2024

Fall 2024 | Stav 5785 Yehei zichram baruch The Canadian Jewish News

SHANA TOVA

As we approach the High Holy days with hope for a sweet 5785, we cannot forget those still held in Gaza nearly one year after October 7. Our hearts grieve for the almost 1,200 lives ended by Hamas on that tragic day and ache for the pain suered by hundreds of families still recovering from their unimaginable loss. We pray for peace for the people of Israel, for the return of all the hostages, and for the safety and security of the Jewish people worldwide.

Happy New Year & Shana Tova from Jerusalem! שנה טובה

Wishing you and yours a sweet and healthy New Year full of hope for a better year ahead. The Jerusalem Foundation continues to build a future for the city of Jerusalem by supporting creative culture, communal strength and shared society and developing young leaders who will work together for a shared future. תשפ״ה

For more information about the Jerusalem Foundation: Nomi Yeshua, Executive Director: nomiy@jerusalemfoundation.ca Tania Haas, Donor Relations Coordinator: thaas@jerusalemfoundation.ca Tel: 416 922 0000 The Jerusalem Foundation of Canada: 130 Queens Quay East, Suite 1110 – West Tower, Toronto, ON M5A 0P6

www.jerusalemfoundation.org

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Azrieli Music Prizes: October 28 Gala Concert Offers World Premiere Works by 2024 AMP Laureates

T en years ago, soprano Dr. Sharon Azrieli set out to create something that didn’t yet exist in Canada – an international competition that celebrates contemporary composers, opening doors to their future success. Today, her brainchild, the biennial Azrieli Music Prizes (AMP), has become the largest competition of its kind in Canada and one of the most substantial in the world. On October 28, audiences will hear the results of the 2024 competition.

composer receives a recording of their prize-winning work released by Analekta, two additional international performances and possible future performances supported by AMP’s Performance Fund. Altogether, AMP has found these to be critical elements to a new work’s future success. AMP searches for excellent composers – the best in the world – and gives them the resources to imagine new works, elevating and advancing their careers in the process. rough these eorts, many more audiences have come to know, support and enjoy the music of these great living artists, and – through their shared experiences – have fostered greater intercultural understanding on an international scale For more information about the Azrieli Music Prizes, visit azrielifoundation.org/amp Azrieli Music Prizes Gala Concert October 28, 2024, 7:30PM Maison symphonique, Montréal Tickets from $30 to $85

percussion and piano, won the 2024 Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music. is award is given to a composer who has written the best undiscovered work of Jewish music. Each movement in Bardanashvili’s composition grows from one of the various states of belief – supplication, ecstasy, doubt, gratitude – as found in the Book of Psalms. e Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music is awarded to a Canadian composer to write a new work that engages with the complexities of creating concert music in Canada today. Jordan Nobles, the winner, composed each section of his Kanata for Large Choir in tribute to the Canadian landscape as he was traveling through the land on which it is based. is year also marks the launch of a new prize. e Azrieli Commission for International Music is oered to a composer who creatively engages with the world’s richly diverse cultural heritage. Simetrías Prehispánicas (“Pre-Hispanic Symmetries”), by composer Juan Trigos, honours the pre-Hispanic culture of his native Mexico, incorporating text by anonymous and major Aztec poets from the 15th century in their original Nahuatl and in Spanish translations. e music continues long after October’s applause dies down. In addition to the gala concert, each

CMY

Four AMP-winning works will be performed by the renowned

l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Chorus, conducted by Andrew Megill, at the AMP Gala Concert. On the program is music inspired by pre- Hispanic Mexican cultures, hymns from the Old Testament, Jewish philosophy from the Middle Ages and harmonies divined from the Canadian landscape. Two of the Azrieli Music Prizes are dedicated specically to Jewish music. Yair Klartag won the 2024 Azrieli Commission for Jewish Music for e Parable of the Palace , which draws from Maimonides’s 12th-century allegory about the limits of logic to explain reality. e commission is awarded to encourage composers to creatively and critically engage with the question, “What is Jewish music?” Josef Bardanashvili’s Light to My Path , a choral fantasy for choir, saxophone,

October 7 th Changed Everything We are the Israel Magen Fund of Canada (IMFoC.org), a unique charitable organization managed by an experienced Board of Directors. We are dedicated to supporting Zionist efforts that promote the well-being and prosperity of the State of Israel. Established after October 7th, our commitment to efficiency is not just a promise; it's a reality. Over 90% of funds raised are directed to vital projects in Israel.

The ZAKA Search & Rescue Vehicle Fundraising Drive ZAKA, Israel's top non-governmental rescue organization, is fundraising for 7 rescue vehicles, 17 ambulances, and 25 motorcycles. Partnering with the IMFoC, this aims to boost ZAKA's life-saving work. Your support is vital for ZAKA's continued effectiveness and expanded reach. Donate to help ZAKA save lives and honour souls.

Arbel Institute Responding to Mental Trauma in Israel Israel faces a severe mental health crisis due to ongoing conflicts, with 30% of the population at risk of PTSD. Children are especially affected, showing symptoms like depression. The Arbel Institute, with the Israel Magen Fund of Canada, provides community support, emergency training, and school programs to aid over 500,000 traumatized children.

Ziv Medical Centre in Northern Israel

Ziv Medical Centre in Tsfat, a Level 1 Trauma Centre, is in urgent need of upgraded equipment for its new Neuro and Thoracic Surgery Departments. This is crucial to maintain care standards during crises. Treating 100's of soldiers and civilians, it's a key trauma center in northern Israel. Support in raising funds is crucial to ensure the hospital continues saving lives amid escalating conflicts.

Join Us in Making a World of Difference

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What’s inside

THE FRONT PAGES 16

Holiday traditions from Asia to Amsterdam 24 Q&A: A taste of Rosh Hashanah from chef Anthony Rose 28 Our year of being extremely online SARAH BARMAK

FEATURES 36 What do we mean by Zion? AVI FINEGOLD 48 60 Philosemitism gets a makeover PHOEBE MALTZ BOVY

Special section: The Year in Photos

THE BACK PAGES 70

John Lorinc explores his family’s roots in Hungary

“ I Was Banned from the Comic-Con!” MIRIAM LIBICKI

Jonah Strub is tripping on his pickled birthright

Contributors

Ezra Baderman (p.60) was born in Paris, raised in London, lived in Tel Aviv, and now resides with his family in Lisbon. His artwork ranges from collages and more traditional painting techniques to ultraviolet slime installations and paintings made from plasticine. Yogasaurus, his upcoming picture book, is designed to introduce children aged 3 to 8 to the concept of body postures. Sarah Barmak’s (p.28) writing about sexuality and social justice has appeared in The Walrus , The Cut , Maclean’s , The Globe and Mail , Chatelaine , The Toronto Star , and others. Her book Closer was published in 2016; she is now at work on a new book about sexual consent. She lives in Toronto with her partner and two children. Jan Feindt (cover and p.28) is a freelance illustrator living and working in Berlin. His work on a 2014 report about the neo-Nazi scene, The Weisse Wölfe , earned him a German Reporter Prize. Five years later, he illustrated the Washington Post ’s publication of the Meuller Report on Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.

THECJN.CA 11

Jewish Canadians need a voice now more than ever . In these dicult times, we need a voice like The Canadian Jewish News. A voice that unabashedly highlights the issues impacting us , and shines a light on rising antisemitism in our communities. A platform for Jews to speak, and be heard.

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A time for honest conversations

The Canadian Jewish News

J ournalism shapes our perceptions, influences public opinion, and drives societal change. It has a unique capacity to mould narratives, highlight issues, and amplify voices. I was reminded of this shortly after the atrocities of October 7, when many mainstream outlets pushed one-sided stories, offered personal opinion as fact, and published “news” that was unsupported by research or facts—much of which was

their news from credible journalistic outlets than ever before. Expanding our reach to these next generations will require support to ensure that we can continue to provide journalism across all our media channels free of charge. As a not-for-profit and registered journalism organization with the CRA, we provide charitable tax receipts for your contributions, which will help us continue

The Canadian Jewish News Magazine Editor in Chief Hamutal Dotan

Art Director Ronit Novak Contributing Editors Phoebe Maltz Bovy Avi Finegold Marc Weisblott Designer Etery Podolsky The CJN Chief Executive Officer

borderline prejudiced if not demonstrably antisemitic and inflammatory. Since joining The CJN, I have gotten to know a group of professionals who are passionate about the industry, about our community, and about bringing a diverse set of experiences and perspectives to you on a daily basis. Our team of journalists are ardent about delivering independent and in-depth reporting that connects Jewish Canadians across the country: generationally, politically, and religiously. As we continue to evolve, we will be doing even more to offer stories and opinions that capture the full diversity of Canadian Jewish experiences. You may not agree with some —or a great deal—of this work,

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and that’s okay: the heart of our mission is putting Canadian Jews in conversation with one another. We will be launching our new website soon. When we do, we will be turning to you to let us know what you think we’re doing right and wrong: we’ll read every email, opinion, and letter to the editor you send. If you have something to say about the news stories we’re covering (or other people’s opinions on that news) we’ll be providing more space to publish your input, too. A primary motivation for growing in this direction is reaching younger generations of Canadian Jews—who, like their non-Jewish friends and neighbours, are less likely to get

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Shana Tova!

MICHAEL WEISDORF, MBA Chief Executive Officer The Canadian Jewish News

THECJN.CA 13

SPONSORED CONTENT

Jerusalem Foundation President Shai Doron was a passionate advocate for the city and its diversity.

Shai Doron, President of the Jerusalem Foundation, passed away suddenly at age 63. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy of unwavering dedication to Jerusalem and its people. The Jerusalem Foundation of Canada community, including all members of the Board of Directors, mourn this devastating loss. Doron was a devoted Jerusalemite and a tireless advocate for diversity, shared society, and equal opportunity for all. His career of public service began in Neveh Yaakov where he led a community center. One of his key accomplishments was founding a unit of scouts, demonstrating his early commitment to youth engagement and community development. He then served as the head of Mayor Teddy Kollek’s office for five years where his commitment to the city of Jerusalem deepened. Under Kollek’s leadership, he gained invaluable experience and insight into governing the city. In a pivotal role, Doron spent 25 years as the director of the newly established Tisch Zoological Gardens. Under his leadership, it became one of Israel’s most beloved attractions. With a groundbreaking vision, he played a key role in establishing Israel’s first aquarium. His efforts in conservation were instrumental in protecting numerous species from extinction, such as his project to return the Persian fallow deer to Israeli vistas, to protect eagles, his otter initiative and more. This work further cemented his legacy as a true environmentalist. Doron’s career came full circle in 2018 when he was appointed President of the Jerusalem Foundation, an organization established by Kollek in 1966 to raise funds for the city.

As President, Doron was a driving force behind the Foundation’s initiatives, focusing on strengthening the social fabric of Jerusalem. He was deeply committed to nurturing young leaders and worked to unify the city’s diverse communities. His visionary “Jerusalem 2030” plan was a testament to his commitment to the city’s future. The plan emphasized educational, employment, and cultural programs, as well as other projects that aimed to benefit all residents. This strategic roadmap has been critical in shaping the city’s development and remains a cornerstone of the Foundation’s ongoing efforts. Under Doron’s leadership, the Jerusalem Foundation launched vital projects that have left a positive mark on the city and its residents with a focus on communal strength and creative culture. His efforts were widely recognized, with many viewing him as a shining star of the Foundation and the entire city. “Shai believed in leadership and building the next generation of young leaders. He led by example, always the first to carry the message of hope. We will continue Shai’s mission and work to advance civil society and provide equal opportunities for all,” says Joel Reitman, President of the Jerusalem Foundation of Canada. Doron saw Jerusalem as a beacon of light, and his vision of leadership and inclusivity will continue to inspire future generations. His legacy lives on through the countless lives he touched along with his wife, three children and granddaughter.

THECJN.CA 15

Etrogs grow all over Asia—here’s why most Asian Jews import them anyway

JORDYN HAIME/JTA

(fragrant citrus, or citron) in Chinese. While American Jews may spend anywhere be- tween $20 and $200 on a single etrog grown in the Mediterranean, etrogs grown in China, mostly in the southwestern Yunnan province, are available on Taobao for about $2 each. Taobao also sells a wide array of tradition- al products made from the etrog, including tea, perfume, preserves and candy. The fruit is well known in China as a medicine used to treat everything from stomach issues to se- vere cough. (The components of the lulav, the other major component of Sukkot rituals, are available, too, in potted form: palm, willow, and

myrtle plants go for around $7 altogether.) But even though etrogs are available local- ly, most Jewish communities throughout Asia opt to import them from countries such as Israel or Italy for Sukkot. That’s because rabbinic authorities on Jewish law have for decades debated whether etrogs grown in Asia meet the standards for ritual use. The etrog plays a central role on Suk- kot, when Jews are commanded to hold it as they shake the lulav and recite the holiday’s prayers. The fruit’s ritual sig- nificance has given rise to a competitive marketplace: some Jews pay hundreds of

R ebecca Kanthor, a member of a pro- gressive Jewish community in Shang- hai, knows that she can easily order lulavs and etrogs in a few clicks online. Kanthor, who belongs to Kehilat Shanghai, simply logs onto Taobao, China’s equivalent to Amazon. Etrogs, important components of the Sukkot holiday, are known as xiang yuan This story was published by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in anticipation of Sukkot last year; we think it’s still pretty neat.

The Buddha’s hand citrus fruit is used as an etrog in some communities.

which sprouts finger-like protrusions due to a genetic mutation. Rabbi Asher Oser of Hong Kong’s historic Ohel Leah synagogue has researched the subject heavily for classes he has taught. He found documents revealing debates among Baghdadi rabbis about the Bud- dha’s hand citron, which is often not con- sidered an etrog at all. (“All etrogim are cit- rons but not all citrons are etrogim,” Moster wrote.) Most important, the rabbis wrote, was continuing tradition. “In the city of Baghdad we don’t allow the Dibdib tree, which has all the signs of an etrog, except it is sour,” wrote Yosef Hayyim of Baghdad in 1909 in response to ques- tions about the Buddha’s hand. “If a person is in a strange place and they find a fruit completely similar to etrogs of the place

ter Pearl Harbor, when patriarch David Abra- ham was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp and the family’s property was seized by the Japanese, who had occupied parts of the city. With the Jewish community desperate for the ritual fruit at Sukkot, someone was sent to climb the walls around the family’s garden and pick etrogs to distribute. The Japanese army then cut down the tree in retaliation. With no other choice, the Jews were left to source local etrogs and were again faced with the Buddha’s hand variety. The community was conflicted. In today’s world, importing fresh fruit across borders is a complicated process that can require significant paperwork and sometimes diplomatic intervention. Chabad was reportedly only able to legally import etrogs into China beginning in 2017, af-

dollars for the perfect fruit and spend hun- dreds more on etrog boxes. Most important to observant Jews today are the rules proclaiming that an etrog must be clean and without blemishes; that it re- tains its pittam (a protrusion separate from the stem); and that the plant must not be grafted. “Etrog is a weak tree,” said Rabbi Shalom Chazan, an emissary for the Hasid- ic Chabad-Lubavitch movement stationed in Shenzhen, China. “Usually, farmers will make a graftage between an etrog and lem- on tree to make it stronger. That makes the etrog not kosher. We don’t know if the Chi- nese farmers do it or not, therefore we buy from Israel or Italy, and Morocco, to make sure it’s kosher.” Scientists have traced the fruit’s genetic origins to the triangle of southwest China, northern Myanmar and northeast India. Today the etrog still grows in abundance in that area. But it was after the fruit migrated that it caught on with ancient Jews. According to David Z. Moster, a Bible scholar and author of Etrog: How a Chi- nese Fruit Became a Jewish Symbol , the etrog was the first citrus fruit that trav- eled from East to West—likely because of its thick rind that hardens rather than rots over time, preserving the fruit and seeds inside. It arrived in Israel around the fourth to third centuries BCE, and while it is not clear when exactly the etrog became the “choice fruit of the tree,” it quickly rose as an important symbol to distinguish Jews from Christians and Samaritans while ful- filling rules laid out in the Torah. “Every Jewish community has, in the past, found what they wanted the most,” said Moster. “There’s the Yemenite etrog, which, if you get a really good one, you get the size of a football.… A lot of the European Jews are looking for [an etrog with] a gartel, a belt… Now, in the modern world, a person like me can go to Borough Park [a heavily Orthodox neighborhood in Brooklyn] and see 10,000 etrogim in one day.” In modern times, most Jews in the West used etrogs grown in what is now Israel, the Caribbean or North Africa, including Morocco. But in the East, where most Jew- ish communities formed in the 18th and 19th centuries, debates over the etrog continued, especially with the discovery of the Chinese “Buddha’s hand” citron,

Rebecca Kanthor, far left, celebrating Sukkot with members of Kehilat Shanghai.

where they are coming from, then they can be used. If they’re not completely similar … they should not be used.” According to researchers, etrogs from what is now Israel or Iraq have long been prefer- able in Asia. Jewish communities in Shang- hai and Kobe, Japan, for decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries received etrogs from the wealthy Abraham family, international traders who had brought a Baghdadi etrog plant with them to Shang- hai. It was planted outside the Abraham mansion and tended by Chinese gardeners, according to Yecheskel Leitner’s 1987 book Operation–Torah Rescue. Leitner wrote that this tradition ended af-

ter a Chinese professor of Jewish studies helped the communities provide adequate documentation. Before then, emissaries had to come up with “creative alternatives,” said Rabbi Shalom Greenberg of Shanghai. (Chabad emissaries did not elaborate when asked what those solutions were.) The etrog has long been hard to get, said Moster. “In many Jewish lands, if they wanted an etrog, they [would] have to send someone on a multi-thousand-mile trip and cross many nations, just to be able to pick this thing up and get it there in time,” he said. “So the idea of it being historically hard to get also added to its value.” n

THECJN.CA 17

Praying by candlelight in Amsterdam

A Yom Kippur tradition that dates back to the invention of electricity

CNAAN LIPHSHIZ/JTA

(like the one on Dohany Street in Buda- pest) the Amsterdam building remains a spectacular sight on any day of the year. Yet most of the synagogue’s visitors are not around on the day when its beauty shines brightest: Yom Kippur. On the holi- est day of the Jewish calendar, the hall is packed to capacity as worshippers pray by the warm light of hundreds of candles—a tradition that dates back to the invention of electricity—accompanied by unique cantor- ial melodies that resemble operas. “It’s one of European Jewry’s most pro-

ian Peninsula, the Portuguese Synagogue today sees many thousands of tourists an- nually. Inside its vast sanctuary, a massive Torah ark made of Brazilian Jacaranda wood towers over 17th-century furniture and a multitude of low-hanging golden chandeliers hang among 12 stone pillars. Its architect is said to have drawn in- spiration from Solomon’s Temple, and promised the synagogue would be Eur- ope’s largest and most ornate. While the Portuguese Synagogue was later eclipsed by even larger and more magnificent shuls

O ne of Europe’s oldest and most impres- sive Jewish buildings, this city’s Portu- guese Synagogue is known for its beauty. Built in 1675 for the descendants of Jews who fled religious persecution on the Iber- We are still moved by this story from the archives of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. We checked with the Portuguese Syna- gogue, which confirmed that this tradition continues.

The Portuguese Synagogue uses candlelight in its sanctuary on Yom Kippur, when dignitaries visit the historic site, and during the occasional concert.

ancient Hebrews crossed on their way to Canaan. (In truth, sand was a common 17th-century means of cleaning and main- taining wooden floors.) The Yom Kippur service features prayers by Santo Servicio, the synagogue’s resident choir, which curates the special tunes that have evolved here over the centuries. Sung in Hebrew in the Portuguese inflection, the tunes are melodic because they were com- posed in the 16th and 17th centuries to please the ear and compete with Christian choirs, Wallet says—part of a broader effort by community leaders to rehabilitate and preserve in Amsterdam what the Inquisition destroyed in Iberia. That effort is also evidenced in the thou- sands of manuscripts of the Ets Haim Jewish library, the oldest institution of its kind still in operation, which is part of the Portuguese Synagogue compound. “You can see in the books their enthusiasm about being able to reconnect with their Jewish traditions openly and resume the study of it,” says Ruth Pe- eters, a senior cataloger at the library. The library’s central role in the daily life of synagogue-goers is evident in the name that locals use for this house of worship: Es- noga—a mashup of the Portuguese words for school ( escola ) and synagogue ( sinagoga ). At times, enthusiasm led worshippers and even the community leaders astray. Around the time the synagogue was built, the community was split between followers and opponents of Shabbetai Zevi, the Tur- key-born Jewish eccentric who divided the Jewish world with his claim that he was the Messiah. (He would go on to Islam, under duress, in 1666.) Even this community’s founding father and rabbi for 40 years, Isaac Aboab da Fonseca, was for a time a follower. Wallet said the debate on the issue was “a crisis for the community,” and largely purged from its official records. The community’s ultimate test came in 1940, when Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands, initiating racist policies that ended with the murder of 75 per cent of the Netherlands’ Jewish population of 140,000. The Portuguese Synagogue was sealed, its library and treasures looted. But while Amsterdam’s Ashkenazi syna- gogue was gutted, the Portuguese Syna- gogue remained essentially unharmed. “I think they didn’t quite know what to do with it,” Wallet sys. “Ultimately even they didn’t dare destroy it.” n

Some Jews, including Lipika Pelham, a London-based author and journalist with Indian roots, travel with their families espe- cially to attend the Yom Kippur service here. Tickets cost just $22 but need to be ordered well in advance. On Yom Kippur, the service is essentially conducted by the community’s men, who are seated around the bimah, or pulpit, in the central section of the main hall. Male guests sit in pews surrounding the central section. Women sit upstairs, in the women’s section, “where we struggle to follow the reading of the text below, which is not easy because of the acoustics,” Voet says. Still, while it may be less than ideal for reading prayers, the acoustics at the Portu- guese Synagogue work beautifully for musi- cians and singers—something that was key to the synagogue board’s decision 10 years ago to host occasional concerts here. Dur- ing those events, non-Jewish audiences can get a taste of the Yom Kippur atmosphere because all the candles are lit. The candles are also lit when important dignitaries visit, including Dutch royals and world leaders such as the late President of Israel Shimon Peres. On Yom Kippur, the men of the commun- ity put on the traditional Portuguese Jewish top hats, worn by Jews who immigrated here from Portugal, Spain, and their colonies when they adopted the church’s anti-Jewish Inquisition as policy. The wood used for the Torah ark was brought from Recife by Jews who fled the Brazilian city for Amsterdam. Flanking the ark are two 16th-century sofas from the Middle East. “The interior makes for a very cosmopol- itan mix,” Wallet says. “You have artifacts from many corners of the world.” Nowhere else in 17th-century Europe were Jews allowed to build a synagogue quite as large and impressive as the Portuguese Synagogue, Wallet explains, which makes the building a testament also to the relative tol- erance that Jews enjoyed in the Netherlands for centuries, before the Nazis and local col- laborators nearly wiped out the community. With so much history in view, folklore inevitably grew around almost every as- pect of the synagogue—even the fine sand that is strewn on its floor, which some be- lieve is a reference to the desert that the

found and beautiful sights,” says Esther Voet, a regular visitor to the synagogue and the managing editor of the Dutch-Jewish Nieuw Israelietisch Weekblad (New Israel- ite Weekly). On Yom Kippur, entering the candlelit synagogue “has a cleansing ef- fect—which is what Yom Kippur is all about.” It’s like “stepping into a time machine,” she adds. “You feel that you are a link in a very long chain of Jewish tradition.” Few congregants experience this inter- generational dimension more than Ronit Palache, whose ancestors were among the early leaders of the synagogue. “Coming there means being a part of history, and it’s my history,” says Palache, whose great- great-grandfather was a chief rabbi of the Portuguese Jewish community. But you don’t need a personal connection to appreciate the historical dimensions of Yom Kippur services at the synagogue, ac- cording to Bart Wallet, a University of Am- sterdam historian and author of the book History of Jews in the Netherlands . “There is growing interest in attending on Yom Kippur and, in response, the commun- ity only a few years ago started assigning pre-ordered tickets,” he said.

THECJN.CA 19

Happy New Year שנה טובה ומתוקה

From Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario & the Ontario PC Caucus

Laura Smith MPP/Députée – Thornhill

Michael Kerzner MPP/Député – York Centre

Robin Martin MPP/Députée – Eglinton–Lawrence

Stan Cho MPP/Député – Willowdale

Stephen Lecce MPP/Député – King–Vaughan

Michael Parsa MPP/Député – Aurora– Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill

Daisy Wai MPP/Députée – Richmond Hill

Andrea Khanjin

Logan Kanapathi MPP/Député – Markham–Thornhill

THECJN.CA 21

Shana Tova! Wishing you a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year.

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Happy Rosh Hashanah Wishing you a year filled with love and meaning.

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May 5785 be a year of peace and hope, unity and strength. Shana Tova U’Metuka Am Yisrael Chai elal.com

But have you tried the herring? Chef and restaurateur Anthony Rose talks with Avi Finegold about tradition, family, and what’s on the menu for Rosh Hashanah

PHOTOGRAPH BY NAOMI HARRIS FOR THE CJN

I want to start with this cocktail I’m hav- ing, because it would not exist without the Manischewitz vermouth [from your Last Schmaltz Cookbook ]. You were the first one that was like, “When life gives you Manischewitz, do something fun with it,” so I have to thank you because it’s be- come the backbone of so many cocktails. You know, it’s funny with the Manischewitz vermouth: we’ve used it, then we haven’t used it. I actually think it’s one of the more cool recipes in the book. Just recently, I started to dive back into the vermouth-mak- ing at Fat Pasha [Rose’s restaurant in mid- town Toronto]. We have it on the menu and in the big barrel on the bar. Now we sneak some other things into there, like a little bit of whiskey here and there. It’s amazing that you can just tweak it. Yes! If I’m running out of brandy, I’ll throw in some rum. I’ll throw in some bourbon instead. I’ll put in extra peppercorns if I want, depending on what I’m thinking about doing with it. Recipes are suppos- ed to be like that, easy and breezy, you know?

mom’s brisket, but we also made our own bacon and had pork fried rice, which is rem- iniscent of my Jewish upbringing. I think that the reviewer kind of questioned it. And in my very young, stupid mind, I said that I felt like kosher laws were antiquated. I’m just doing what feels right to me. I shouldn’t have said the first part, [that] they’re meant to be antiquated. They’re not laws that move with time—they’re laws that just stayed in time, which is kind of beautiful as well. But my dad called me and he was really disappointed in me for what I said. It didn’t change how I cooked, but it certainly changed how I talked about it. From what I’ve seen from your presence online and the cookbook, and from what people tell me, of all the nouveau Jewish or nouveau Israeli chefs you feel like the most Jewish to me: there’s this sense that the food is definitely Jewish, that a Shabbat meal can break out at any time, because what you care about is bringing people together and celebrations. We have a line at the restaurant where we don’t take ourselves very seriously, but we take what we do very seriously. I will walk around the restaurant on any given day and wish everyone a Good Shabbos . I will stand at Schmaltz all day long; even though one out of 50 people order herring, I’m just giv- ing it out and telling people, “You got to try it. You’re probably not going to like it, but your grandparents did.”

things totally skipped a generation. I think that Fat Pasha is just trying to be as cheeky as possible with these ingredients and Ju- daism in general, right? And just having fun with it, not being serious. So, two questions then based on that. First, and with no judgement on my part: What’s your personal relationship with the idea of kosher? Was there a point in your life when you were kosher-ish as a family, or was it always like this thing and then you had to make this break and de- cide, I’m doing this? It wasn’t necessarily a break. Growing up, I think our kosher was the same as a lot of people that I knew, which was Chinese food equals kosher. At home, we wouldn’t have cheeseburgers. We wouldn’t have milk and meat. We didn’t have two dishwashers or anything. But even though we were Conserv- ative, from a young age, I wasn’t [kosher]. I do remember the first time I had bacon, the first time I had a ham and cheese sand- wich—they were all very family-related. It was certainly taboo, but it wasn’t taboo enough. Then when I moved to New York from San Francisco I—literally, for whatever reason— just went whole hog, just dove into it. The most interesting kosher story—and I actually feel really badly about this one— but when I first got reviewed with [the now closed restaurant] Rose and Sons, the menu was really weird to many, because I could have matzah ball soup on the menu and my

Exactly, yeah!

The next one I’m working on is a Slivovitz. I think the important part is that there’s so many of these kinds of Jewish old school types of things that are decidedly just not cool at all, right? Whether it’s the Manis- chewitz or Slivovitz or herring, a lot of these

Chef Anthony Rose shares a bissel of herring with our photographer at Schmaltz Appetizing in Toronto, August 2024.

THECJN.CA 25

Top: Shabbat dinner at Fat Pasha with Rose and his mother Linda in 2019; Bottom: Rose and his Zaidy Simon catch a smallmouth bass at the cottage, 1979.

I think people see it like a comfort, to know that it’s there and it’s available, even if they’re not going to get it them- selves. That’s part of the holiday meals that people want the comfort for, too. They don’t make it on an average Friday night in November, but they want to know that it’s available to them somewhere. It’s like Israel, right? You don’t have to make aliyah to know that it’s there in case you have to make aliyah . Right. The chopped liver is definitely one of those dishes. Gefilte fish, no one really gives a shit about one way or the other. It can be there. We’re not going to sell very much of it. I do think gefilte fish is one of the best things to put in between a toasted buttered bagel. I love the High Holidays for that. There are definitely some of those dishes that you’re right about, that you just want to know that it’s there. As somebody who grew up kosher, who eats kosher regularly, who had this food all my life growing up, I love this food and I love being able to go back for it. But I don’t always want it. And so when it comes to the High Holidays and I’m mak- ing a big meal with a lot of guests, I don’t want to go to the classics, but people ex- pect the classics, and I don’t know how to balance those two. You’re coming to my house for Rosh Hashanah, you may not be getting matzo ball soup, or a bris- ket. I don’t know how to play with that for the people that want that and those that are done with traditional food. Tradition- al food doesn’t feel ambitious, and I feel stuck sometimes. I totally agree. I’m divorced, so when it comes to the High Holidays I’m stuck— sorry Mom!—eating the exact same meal two days in a row. What we’ve started to do—and I started to do it at the restau- rants as well—is that one night will be very much Ashkenazi, and then the other night will be much more Sephardic. It could be rice and lentils and chickpeas. I crave that and want that. n

I’ve always said that the original slow food movement is Shabbat dinner, be- cause it takes hours to prepare and you get to enjoy it free of any screens and dis- tractions. Each dish begets another dish, right? Even when it came to brisket or tzimmes or what- ever, you started the night before the Sab- bath and just forget about it in in the oven. Even the schmaltz: every single part of that chicken is used up. How much chicken fat can you eat? Let’s throw it in this bread over here and put it in the kishke casing. Nothing was wasted. Rosh Hashanah feels like prime time for Anthony Rose. Do you get questions from home cooks, or people coming up to you and saying, “I want to make this meal at home?” I used to get a lot of those questions. “How can I cook this? Can you send me the recipe for that?” I do find after COVID, more and more people are really just going back to the basics—they want the gefilte fish and they want the chopped liver. Liver is a funny one because every time we put it on the menu, people say it’s awesome. I want everyone to eat this, but when we put it on the menu, the same five people come in every three months to order it. Then we take it off the menu and you get that one guy every week who comes in and says “What the fuck? What happened to the liver?” I’m like: “Well, you say you want it, but you don’t come and get it.”

You’re like Chabad, but for herring.

You know, Fat Pasha was never supposed to be truly Middle Eastern. When we opened it, Ottolenghi had just come out with Jerusalem , so I was thinking, “This is what we should do.” But as we [kept] getting closer to opening the restaurant, I’m like, wait a second. That’s not the Jewish I grew up with at all. So that’s where we threw the latkes at it and the bris- ket and the hot dogs and the salami—that’s what I understood as Jewish. Eating is all my family does, right? It’s not only the Sabbath dinners, but every day of the week. We’re al- ways together, we’re always having fun. And I very much like to make fun of myself and my Jewishness for that matter as well.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Being extremely online is pushing us to extremes

BY SARAH BARMAK ILLUSTRATION BY JAN FEINDT FOR THE CJN D uring a deadly, divisive war, every- thing is political. Especially a war that is livecast 24/7 around the world, on every screen and device.

showing our unconditional support; at the very same time, we have faced mounting calls to disavow its actions, and even the idea of Israel itself. There are extreme examples. A single Jewish mother I know who sympathiz- es with Palestinians has family who de- manded she post her support of Israel on social media, threatening to distance themselves and cut off much-needed fi- nancial aid if she did not. Not posting at all about the issue was unacceptable. Her silence, to them, meant a betrayal of family and turning away from a homeland that was under terrorist attack. Their pressure, to her, meant she feels she has lost both her family and her ability to speak. Anti-war Jews have had to defend their sentiments to other Jews, expected to fur- nish statistics and arguments on demand, both online and off. They have been asked for detailed answers to, “Well, what should Israel do? Let Hamas go?” Jews who back the current war have found themselves in precisely the same situation. Just about all of us could expect to be approached anytime, anywhere with huge questions. “Can you two tell me what the f--- is go- ing on?” one pal asked me and a Chris- tian-Lebanese friend at a party in Novem- ber. It wasn’t the last time we were asked for answers that night. I didn’t know WTF was going on myself. Silence online risked signalling other things. There lurked an uncomfortable awareness that not talking or posting about the conflict might speak volumes in ways that non-Jews’ silence did not. To Zionist family members, it could mean betrayal. To friends or colleagues outraged by the mass killings of Palestinian children, it could mean implicit support of Israel’s bombs. And to them, conversely, any opposition to Israel

Alongside the overwhelming nature of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent onslaught in Gaza, the always-online era has pushed almost all of us into a politicized realm with a newfound intensity. Amid the flood of traumatic im- ages and news spurring anger and grief, the performative nature of online culture has demanded we each know who is right, and that we always post the right take. This has always been true on the internet. But in the past year, it’s been all-encompassing. This shift has taken on a heightened mean- ing for diaspora Jews. We have all been drawn into the obsessive political realm in ways I’ve never seen. Friends, old university colleagues and family who rarely so much as mentioned Israel before have spent the past year religiously watching, posting, weep- ing, and arguing almost daily. The diaspora may or may not be directly involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict, but we have been implicated by Israel’s designation of itself as the homeland for all Jewish people. With Jewish communities torn across ideological lines—Zionist and anti-Zionist, anti-cease- fire and pro-ceasefire—we have burned with grief, fear, passion, anger, and hatred. Some of us have drifted in the middle, conflicted or confused about what to believe. But we have posted anyway. It felt strange not to. Feeling compelled to engage has been both organic—it feels wrong to be neutral in a situation of injustice—and amplified by multiple social pressures. Nearly all of us in the Canadian Jewish community have, or have family or friends with, deep emotional ties to the State of Israel. Many of us have felt coerced, implicitly or explicitly, into

from Jewish sources carried more weight. Of course, online speech about Israel has always been incredibly fraught, but this has boiled over in new ways. Over the past year, far too many people—particularly people of colour, and particularly anyone who is Mid- dle Eastern—have lost their jobs or been labelled antisemitic for criticizing Israel in any way. Zionist Jews (and sometimes those presumed to be Zionist because Jews) have also lost work, had public appearances can- celled, and been unceremoniously removed from theatre and gallery schedules. That many of us have been forced to reck- on with a disastrous 75-year-long conflict is not a bad thing. Social media has been rightfully lauded for giving a voice to those who wouldn’t normally have an outlet. And some of us in the diaspora have had the lux- ury of being apolitical for too long. Much of this new engagement has been an awakening. It has been remarkable to see

What was troubling this past year were not these good faith, if often fraught, efforts. It was the way online culture—which is an awful lot of our culture these days—demanded our politics be instantly clear, instantly share- able, and consumable in tweets and Tik- Toks. It was the lack of space for learning, for basic facts free of opinions, for uncer- tainty. Online seemed a place where only fully formed conclusions were welcome. This pressure risks producing a huge swath of content about the conflict that is either half- baked or regurgitated—tweets and posts whose tone and content are largely copied from others, so that we have something to say when we’re not sure what to say. Without enough spaces for expressing still-inchoate thoughts, for seeking com- plex analysis (and cited sources), for showing the embarrassing gaps in your knowledge without being shamed for them, awakening into politics can never

involve the deep education and mature reckoning that it should. I have become a different person, online and off. In person, I have conversations with people whose views are far different than mine and have felt open to hearing them. Online, those same views have filled me with disgust. The uncompromising all-caps opin- ions of social media have admittedly be- come comfort food in a nonsensical world. I feel my tangled, contradictory thoughts smooth out against the solid online edifice of declarations, callouts, and rage. These days, I try to stay aware of my reactions—the way I seek out the self-righteousness of so- cial media most when I’ve been torn apart by a new image of the warzone, when I feel the most helpless. I try to notice when I’m scrolling to make myself feel better, not to learn or discover anything new. And I remind myself that, in those moments, I don’t need to add my voice to the din. n

the diaspora in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toron- to, Montreal, and other communities engage in political action this past year, some people for the first time. We have marched in pro- tests, joined massive organizing chats, called our politicians, moved money to escaping Gazan families, and even flown to Israel and Palestine to provide medical assistance, help kibbutzim bring in their harvests, or just show up : a mass activation of people with many sympathies for different sides. Much of it has inspired me: the current conflict shook me awake from a long, inattentive hibernation. I have tried to update my ignorance by read- ing and learning. I have engaged in various ways, though nothing I did ever felt remotely enough. I have offended my dad, who vol- unteered in the Six-Day War, and even more thoroughly offended a distant relative who lives in an Israeli settlement. I have found community online with other anti-war Jews who live as far away as Texas.

THECJN.CA 29

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