About Town: Week of March 7

Thursday, March 7

 

WOMEN’S DAY

B’nai Brith, in partnership with the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal and Act! for Canada holds an International Women’s Day event at the Hellenic Community Centre, 5777 Wilderton Ave., 6-8 p.m. Chaired by Evelyn Schacter, the program focuses on the treatment of women around the world and in Montreal. Moderator is YM-YWHA executive director Marlene Jennings and speakers are Melpa Kamateros and Eleni Fakotakis Kolaitis. [email protected].

 

FRENCH THEATRE

The French-language play L’Augmentation by Georges Perec opens at the Segal Centre’s Studio and continues until March 23. Presented by Productions Pas de Panique and directed by Ariel Ifergan, this comedy mocks bureaucracy. Tickets, 514-739-7944.

 

Friday, March 8

 

TAX INFO

Chartered accountant Allan Chandler speaks on “Taxing Affairs: You Have Questions, We Have Answers,” at the Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors, 10 a.m. Joyce, 514-342-1234, ext. 7318.

 

Sunday, March 10

 

PASSOVER PREP

Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom presents “Matzah to Mitzvah”from 2-4:30 p.m. for all ages. Activities include a talk on Passover and Easter with Rabbi Lisa Grushcow  and Father John Walsh, a session with Reconstructionist Rabbi Ron Aigen on his Wellsprings of Freedom: The Renew Our Days Haggadah, workshops on Passover cooking and seder preparation, and children’s crafts. This will be followed by holiday music, refreshments and a charoset tasting contest. The gift shop and museum are open, unopened chametz and other non-perishable food can be dropped off and sandwiches for a local shelter will be made. Valerie Roseman, 514-937-3575, ext. 212.

 

Tuesday, March 12

 

MEMRI FOUNDER

Yigal Carmon, founder and director of the Washington-based MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute lectures at McGill University, Leacock Building, Room 738, at 5:30 p.m. as part of the program “Antisemitism in Comparative Perspective,” organized by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy. www.isgap.org.

 

PERCEPTION OF JEWS

Marie McAndrew, Canada Research Chair in Education and Ethnic Relations, lectures on “Perception de la communauté juive par la majorité francophone”at the Université de Montréal, Pavillon Marguerite-d’Youville, at 4 p.m. in French. She’ll also release results of a research project on rapprochement between Jews and other Quebecers.

 

Wednesday, March13

 

THE KINDERTRANSPORT

Jane Litwack talks about her experience as a Jewish child rescued by Britain’s Nicholas Winton just before World War II on the Kindertransport from Germany, at a luncheon of the FAB (Fifty and Beyond) Group of Act to End Violence Against Women at noon at Via Marcello Restaurant, 1790 Marcel Laurin Blvd., St. Laurent. Reservations, 514-487-2330.

 

24-HOUR SEDER

“The 24-Hour Passover Seder Project” takes place at the Segal Centre from 5 p.m. today until 5 p.m. tomorrow. This “interactive cultural experience” conceived by Alyssa Yufe. Among the participants, along with local performers,  are chemist Joe Schwarcz, who will speak on the science of the Ten Plagues and Rabbi Reuben Poupko, who will recall the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which occurred on Passover. Evening highlights include the building of a papier-maché pyramid and a horseradish-eating contest, which will both attempt to qualify for Guinness world records, and a community-wide flash mob to the song Dayeinu. [email protected].

 

ON THE MIDEAST

Retired professor Henry Habib speaks on “The Ongoing Crisis in the Middle East” at the Cummings Centre’s Westmount Mini-Centre at Temple Emanu-El Beth Sholom, 10 a.m. Tickets, Michelle Lander, 514-342-1234, ext. 7216.

 

Thursday, March14

 

ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT

Bar-Ilan University professor Jonathan Rynhold, currently at George Washington University, speaks on “Political Culture and the Trans-Atlantic Divide Over the Arab-Israeli Conflict,” Concordia University, Room H-1220, 1:30 p.m. Presented by the political science department and the Azrieli Institute of Israel Studies.

 

TAX CLINIC

The Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors holds an income tax clinic, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. This free service is open to members and clients with an annual income of under $20,000 for individuals or $26,000 for couples who need help preparing their income tax returns. Volunteers trained by Revenue Canada and Revenu Quebec will be on hand. Registration, Karen Gerstein, 514-342-1234, ext. 7242.

 

JEWISH CULTURE

The 10-volume Posen Library of Jewish Culture and Civilization is being launched with its executive editor Joyce Rappaport, at the Jewish Public Library, 4:30-6 p.m. This is an event of the Association of Jewish Libraries, Montreal chapter. Reservations, [email protected].

 

 

…Et Cetera…

 

JUNO NOMINATION

Singer/songwriter Jennifer Gasoi has has been nominated for a 2013 Juno Award for best children’s album for her Throw a Penny in the Wishing Well. Gasoi has been performing at the Jewish Public Library’s winter holiday family concerts for the past five years. “Jennifer’s talent and warmth radiate as she performs and we couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of this honour,” said head children’s librarian Penny Fransblow. Winners will be announced April 21.

 

CHABAD MOVING

After 13 years, Chabad of Westmount is moving from 4444 St. Catherine St. W. because its landlord, Dalfen’s, needs the space. The Chabad branch, led by Rabbi Yossi and Devorah Shanowitz, has also outgrown the premises. The rabbi and his wife are looking to buy a building of their own, and in the meantime, they are renting different locations.

 

FUN WITH PHYSICS

A five-member Hebrew Academy team and their coach, Laura Segall, are headed to Israel for the international finals of the 18th annual Shalheveth Freier Physics Tournament March 12-13 at Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science. The five boys beat teams from Bialik High School, St. George’s High School, The Study and their school’s girls team to win the eastern Canadian regional semi-finals of the contest to build an impenetrable safe using physics principles. The winning team’s safe had the  riddle “The Walking Dead.” The other Canadian team heading to Israel is from the Anne and Max Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto. The competition, judged by scientists, will be featured on a live webcast.