Friday, Aug. 24
BERGMAN AT CUMMINGS
D’Arcy McGee MNA Lawrence Bergman speaks on “The Quebec of Tomorrow,” 10 a.m. at the Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors. Joyce, 342-1234, ext. 7318.
Monday, Aug. 27
MAKEUP TIPS
The Sisterhood of The Chevra synagogue holds an evening with makeup expert Steven Reti and the Shmink Cosmetics team from 6:45-10 p.m. at Salon Evita, 7655 Décarie Blvd. The fun-filled evening includes advice and demonstrations, plus refreshments. Reservations, Halina Halpern, 747-2949.
Wednesday, Aug.29
FITNESS FOR SENIORS
The Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors offers a workshop in “Drum and Dance,”which combines aerobic dance movement and rhythmic drumming on a stability ball, 9-9:45 a.m., and “On the Ball” for training the core and balance, from 10 to10:45 a.m. On Aug. 30 morning, there’s “Balance Training” and more “Drum and Dance.” Reservations, 342-1234, ext. 7305.
Thursday, Aug. 30
GEFILTE FROSH
The Ghetto Shul, an “inclusive” downtown student-led Jewish community, kicks off the academic year with “Gefilte Frosh,” from Aug. 30 until Sept. 2 at McGill University. This orientation program for new Jewish students includes a city-wide scavenger hunt, water sports, concerts, “soulful” Shabbat services and home-cooked Shabbat meals. Details at mcgilluniversity.wix.com/gefilte. The Ghetto Shul, which closed its centre on Parc Avenue this spring, is carrying on in a new format.
SHARING SHABBAT
The MADA Community Centre holds a “Shabbat to Share Family Dinner” at the Gelber Conference Centre at 5 p.m. Volunteers will lead an evening of food, entertainment and gifts for about 365 needy and isolated people. The evening is being initiated and sponsored by a volunteer who wants to bring together – as equals – the volunteers and recipients of the Shabbat food boxes delivered weekly to their homes. Miriam Sebbag, 342-4969, ext. 227.
…Et Cetera…
CIRQUE IN ISRAEL
The Cirque du Soleil’s first appearance in its 28-year history in Israel has been a hit. The Jerusalem Post reported that the audience at Tel Aviv’s Nokia Arena for the Aug. 8 opening of Alegria was enthusiastic, despite the heat and inadequate air conditioning. Among the spectators were Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman. The show continues until Aug. 25.
JEWISH INTERNEES
The story of the German Jewish refugees who were interned in Quebec during World War II as “enemy aliens” is the subject of an exhibition at Fort Lennox on Ile aux Noix, a small island in the Richelieu River about 100 kilometres southeast of Montreal. The 19th-century fort was one of three internment camps where hundreds of German and Austrian civilians, some of them Jews, where deported from Britain in 1940, along with some prisoners of war. Fort Lennox held 273 detainees, most for no more than a year, when their identities were confirmed and they had found sponsors here, although the camp didn’t close until late in 1943. Ile aux Noix, now a national historic site, is showing an exhibition on this period until Sept. 3. Parks Canada has collected videotaped testimonies from six former refugees that are part of the interactive display.
SLO PITCH REUNION
Former players and others associated with the Côte St. Luc Slo Pitch Association, which was active for more than 40 years from the 1950s, holds a reunion Sept. 5 at the city’s Aquatic and Community Centre at 5:30 p.m. Co-chairs are Mish Granik and Roy Salomon, who were among the early players. Both were contending athletes: Granik, a leftie with a 400-plus batting average, became an all-Canadian and was on the team that went to Toledo, Ohio, to represent Côte St. Luc at the world championship tournament, while Brooklyn-born Salomon was an outstanding basketball player for Duke University in North Carolina, as well as a star centrefielder known for his speed. Today, the two workout daily at the Snowdon YM-YWHA. Among the other former notables in the association are Rabbi Sidney Shoham (the first games were played in the park opposite Beth Zion Congregation before moving to Wentworth Park, now Kirwan), Sam Eltes, and Amos Sochaczevski. To register, contact Lionel Segal at [email protected].
ROSH HASHANAH GIFTS
Canadian Hadassah-WIZO Montreal is selling one-kilogram tins of chocolates as holiday gifts. Orders must be placed by Sept. 4. The wrapped tins will be delivered at no extra charge starting Sept. 9. 933-8461.
SEGAL BENEFITS
The Segal Centre for Performing Arts is among the beneficiaries of the $12.8 million in cultural funding announced by the federal government recently. The Segal is in line for $1.4 million for which it must find corresponding funds from the private sector under the government’s Endowment Incentives program. Ottawa matches every dollar from the private sector at the rate of 81 cents.
A joint birthday party was held last week for 12 residents of the Jewish Eldercare Centre who have a total of 1,219 years of experience. Three celebrated their 100th birthday, four their 101st, two their 102nd, one their 103rd and two have reached 104. The centre is home to 320 residents…
Congregation Beth Tikvah Ahavat Shalom Nusach Hoari announced that Rabbi Mordecai Zeitz will become rabbi emeritus next July after leading the Dollard des Ormeaux synagogue since its founding five decades ago. Rabbi Mark Fishman, who has been assistant for three years, will become senior rabbi.