Shalom magazine - The Atlantic Jewish Council

arouNd our regioN:
continued from page 41
informative and entertaining, and we
hope that he will visit us again. The first
night of Shavuot also marked the Yahrzeit
of our former president, Sid Epstein, and
we were pleased to welcome his family
who joined us for the service and a special
Kiddush in his memory.
On July 16th, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
(yes, that Rabbi Boteach), his wife, Debbie,
and several of his delightful children
spent Shabbat with us. He gave a talk
which included much praise for our
“heroic efforts” in keeping Judaism and
the synagogue alive here in this province
during an Oneg which was organized by
Dr. Michael Paul. The following Monday
evening we observed the eve of Tisha
Be’Av with the traditional reading of the
Kinot.
The following weekend, we welcome
still more guests, including Dr. Barry
and Lynn Cutler, parents of Rabbi Adam
Cutler, assistant rabbi of Beth Tzedek
in Toronto (and former Ramahnik), the
Onrots from Florida and the Hefners from
Calgary. The Hefners knew our former
teacher, Yossi Suissa, and other friends
of Beth El, including Milton Bogoch. We
are constantly reminded of how well
connected is the Jewish world. Our guests
helped us with the Minyan, as Ernie and
Randy Mauskopf said Kaddish for the late
Ida. We were also entertained by Randy’s
bright and energetic four-year-old, Iain.
On Shabbat morning we welcomed our
former members, Eugene and Dianne
Grumer, who now reside in Florida after
spending several years in Clarenville.
This past Sunday we attended the annual
“Why would a Jew want to visit
Germany”, asked Mrs. Betty Barban
skeptically, who at 97 years is
the oldest member of the Jewish
community in Newfoundland and
Labrador. She had a point, as she and
her family and the parents of her late
Shul picnic held by Dr. David and June
Mercer. The day was perfect and the
Mercer’s cod au gratin was excellent as
always. It was great to see Dr. David and
Christine Wright again, who recently
returned from Florida. We were also glad
to include Daniel Salama, who is home
for the summer from McGill where he
is studying law. He has begun articling
here this summer, and is leaving to
study at the University of Groningen in
Northern Holland for the fall term. We
are particularly excited, as my mother’s
family lived in that area for hundreds
of years, and he plans to visit the towns
where his ancestors made their living as
merchants.
Last, but certainly not least, we have to
mention the great achievements of two of
our former members. Dr. Robin McGrath,
who drops in when she is visiting from
Labrador, is the winner of the Helen
and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book
Award this year for her fictional account
of a Jewish merchant in 19th century
Newfoundland. It is loosely based on
her extensive research of the history of
the Jews in this province. To learn more
about her novel, please read the laudatory
article published in the Canadian Jewish
News at the following www.cjnews.com/
index.php?option=com_content&task=vi
ew&id=19165&Itemid=86
We also thank Robin for her generous
donations to the Synagogue and look
forward to her next visit.
Yet another high achiever who will be
visiting in August is Dr. Douglas Wilansky.
Douglas, who was a founder and the head
of the Nuclear Medicine department at
Occasional Wanderings:
Germany, June 2010
by Michael Paul
husband, Andreas, had to flee Nazi
oppression in Vienna following the
Anschluss, literally on the last boat
from Genoa to China in April 1939. In
fact they were in the Suez Canal close
to the Red Sea on Pesach each eating
a small piece of Matzo, as they sailed
Page 2 Tishre 5771 - Vol 35 No. 2
Picnic at the Mercers - July 2010
Etobicoke General Hospital, was honoured
in June by a Recognition dinner and
lecture. In addition, the Nuclear Medicine
department has been named in his
honour. We wish to you and your wife,
Ruth, a huge “Yasher Koach” and many
more years of good health.
Douglas and Ruth will be visiting
with Judy Wilansky, another former
member who now lives in Toronto. We
congratulate her and all the Wilanskys on
the birth of Zelig’s son in Vancouver.
As we enjoy the summer and start
planning for the High Holy Days, we wish
all Shalom readers, especially those in the
small communities, the best. Remember,
when you travel, it is worthwhile
visiting synagogues in other parts of the
world, and particularly in other small
communities. It is important that we
realize that we are not alone and that
there are quite a number of us working
towards the same goals.
to Shanghai where they spent the next
eight years.
I
answered her that I was fortunate
to be able to attend a medical
meeting in my area of expertise
in Munich, and would also take the
opportunity to learn more about