“A Lifetim e of Learning” - Partnership for Excellence in Jewish ...

Eighty families now belong to the OTC shulat 3023 Cedarview Rd. Adults enjoy theuser-friendly Shabbat services conducted inHebrew and English and sprinkled with insightsinto the prayers and contemporarymessages. The children have their ownmeaningful and fun program in a separateroom. The weekly Alef-Bet Discovery programfor children that provides an appreciationfor Judaic traditions with an emphasison Hebrew reading and writing, demonstratesOTC’s efforts to provide the entirefamily with an enjoyable, educational, andmeaningful experience.Rabbi Menachem BlumSHOAH (HOLOCAUST) COMMITTEEOF OTTAWABefore and After the Holocaust: Coming toTerms with the Past and Facing the Future,was the theme of the 2006 HolocaustEducation Week. It began with a pressconference announcing the Federation’s$12,000 donation to the Ottawa PublicLibrary to enhance its Holocaust collection.The Shoah Committee continues to coordinatesending Holocaust survivors and otherspeakers to schools and assisting educatorsand students as needed. Special filmscreenings, book discussions, and theannual Kristallnacht commemoration havebeen an integral part of the program.The Shoah Committee has also been involvedin a number of collaborative projectsthis year; one with the Dora WassermanYiddish Theatre of Montreal, and the otherwith Yad Vashem, Toronto. The YiddishTheatre came to the Museum of Civilizationon March 29 and 30 to perform No MoreRaisins, No More Almonds – a play withYiddish songs and English and French supertitles.Forty Montreal youth performedin this production which teaches aboutthe Holocaust and combating racism,antisemitism, and genocide. On April 15the Jewish Federation of Ottawa and YadVashem held a two-part Canadian communityHolocaust Commemoration that beganon Parliament Hill and moved to theCongress Centre. Dignitaries, communityleaders, and rabbis participated in thecommemoration.Brian D. FreundOutreach AssociateJewish Federation of OttawaSOLOWAY JEWISH COMMUNITYCENTREThe Soloway Jewish Community Centreserves everyone, “from babies to bubbies,”with a full range of programs.We welcome new parents to the communityin the new program Shalom Baby. We encouragethem to enroll their children in theGanon Preschool or the Early BeginningsMulticultural Child Development Centre.We offer a summer day camp and sportscamp for Jewish children in preschool andelementary school. For teenagers we hostthe B’nai Brith Youth Organization, whichprovides both Jewish continuity and leadershiptraining.We are launching Geshercity for youngadults - a web-based meeting place,community calendar and bulletin board tolink young adults by interest and activity.We also offer many opportunities for adulteducation at the Soloway JCC. The GreenbergFamilies Library provides a broadrange of Jewish books, periodicals, andDVDs as well as a Jewish Film Series anda Book Discussion Club.The Vered Israel Cultural and EducationalProgram presents lectures andconcerts concerning Israel and the MiddleEast. The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School is a two-year pluralistic, text-basedapproach to Jewish literacy designed by theHebrew University of Jerusalem. We alsohave courses in Modern Hebrew and Yiddishand lectures on Jewish history andmusic.In partnership with AJA 50+ we provide aunique day-long recreational program forisolated seniors called Creative Connections,which includes exercise, concerts,and lectures. Please come join us on yourJewish Journey.Maxine Miska, Program DirectorTHE STAR OF DAVID HEBREWSCHOOLThe Star of David Hebrew School offers atraditional curriculum leading to Hebrewliteracy and knowledge of Jewish customsand ritual. Our ultimate goal is to ensurethat our children understand and treasurethe uniqueness of their Jewish identity andthat they acquire the background andknowledge that will enable them to live andbe comfortable as practicing Jews in theiradult years.The curriculum emphasizes oral andwritten Hebrew from kindergarten up.Familiarity with the daily prayers andservices is achieved through the constantuse of the Siddur.For the past thirty years, The Star of DavidHebrew School has taken pride in its concernfor each child. Teachers use individualizedprograms tailored to the needs ofeach student, providing a solid foundationof Hebrew education.Hennie Honigman, PrincipalP A G E 44 • C O N T I N U I T Y M A G A Z I N E