Israeli Embassies Closed Due to Terror Warnings

17.02.2011 • ‫ תשע״א‬, ‫ י"ג אדר א‬,‫ יום חמישי‬,342 ‫גיליון‬
Yemen Blues Debut
Toronto Concert
32
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY Issue 342 • Thursday, February 17, 2011 • www.shalomtoronto.ca
Israeli Embassies Closed
Due to Terror Warnings
Gavriel Queenann
Four Israeli embassies have been closed
temporarily, with other embassies being
put on alert, following intelligence reports
indicating potential attacks on Jewish and
Israeli sites around the world. The current
threat appears to stem from the desire to
avenge the death of terrorist leader Imad
Mughniyeh, who was assassinated in a
mysterious car bombing in Damascus,
Syria, in 2008. At the time, foreign officials blamed Israel for the assassination,
but Israel denied responsibility.
On Friday, Israel's Counter Terrorism
Bureau issued a travel warning for all Israelis - due to the approaching anniversary of Mughniyeh's assassination - against
traveling to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt,
Georgia, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Maurita-
nia, Turkey, and Venezuela. Foreign Ministry reports were intentionally vague to
protect sources and obscure Israeli security deployments. The additional precaution of closing the four embassies was
taken Monday evening.
Such decisions are typically based on
concete intelligence data.
Mughniyeh was born to a Shiite-Muslim
family in southern Lebanon in 1963. In
1979 he joined Fatah's Force 17, formed
for the purpose of assassinating Israeli
leaders following heavy losses by the
PLO leadership during Israel's Operation
Spring Youth in 1973. Ultimately, Force
17 served as bodyguards for Yassir Arafat, his top lieutenants, and PLO representatives abroad. Following Arafat's deportation from Lebanon in 1982, Mughniyeh
The Future is Here: Canadian
Youth Play in Israel’s Hockey Team
The story of three teens who are proud to
represent Israel as they play for its hockey team
Eitan Rachlis
Hockey is perhaps not a significant sport
in Israel, but in Canada, it is the most popular. Yet there are three teens who were
born in Israel and play for Canadian youth
teams, while also representing the State of
Israel with dignity, as they play for Israel's
youth team in ice hockey.
There is no way to describe the three
young boys and their contribution to Is-
rael, except as Israeli pride. Yanir Levy,
Dan Amar and Bar Zimmerman are three
boys who are doing everything to represent their country in the best way possible.
For the three of them, wearing Israel’s national uniform is not at all trivial.
“Wearing the uniform with the Star of
David on the ice is something which is
very exciting. My mother cried when she
Continued on page 29
left Fatah to act as the bodyguard for
Sheikh Muhammad Fadlallah, the Lebanese Shia community's spiritual leader,
who died last July.
Shortly after leaving Fatah Mughniyeh
became involved with the Hizbullah terrorist organization, becoming a celebrated
figure. He is known to have participated
in the bombing of US targets in Beirut in
1983. A car bomb at the US Embassy in
April that year killed 63 people, including 17 Americans, and a truck bomb at the
Marine compound in October killed 241
American soldiers. In 1985, Mughniyeh
was behind the hijacking of TWA 845,
during which US Navy sailor Robert Sethem was murdered.
Mughniyeh was also suspected of be-
Continued on page 30
Doris Strub Epstein
Frigid February is about to heat up. Yemen Blues, Israel’s newest and hottest
musical group, will make its debut North
American tour, starting February 26 at
the Mod Club on College St. It is an utterly original meeting of traditional Yemenite melodies, West African rhythms,
and American jazz, blues and funk.
The lead singer is the charismatic Ravid
Kahalani, former vocalist for the Idan
Raichel Project, who can soar from a
low-down bass to a clear falsetto and
sing in four octaves. Musical director
and seasoned jazz bassist Omer Avital,
together with an eclectic group of nine
virtuoso musicians from Israel, Uruguay
and New York, all combine to produce
music with a depth that Kahalani calls
“moment of soul.”
Yemen Blues sounds like a contradiction in terms. But it is a sound that once
heard, defies all labels. And don’t dare
call it world music, despite the stew of
ethnic elements. In a telephone interview from Finland, Ravid insisted, “It’s
a musical language all its own, no matter
where you come from. It was a spontaneous process that started three years ago
when I met Omer Avital at Debka Fantasia. We started to meet and jam and
something magical came about. It is my
origin and my influences all together, as
well as meeting with this group of amazing musicians.”
Continued on page 28
Candle-lighting Toronto
Shabbat Start: 5:33pm
Shabbat Ends: 6:35pm
Ki Tisa
to
31
Issue 342, Thursday, 13 Adar 1, 5771 • 17.02.2011
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17.02.2011 • ‫ תשע״א‬, ‫ י"ג אדר א‬,‫ יום חמישי‬,342 ‫גיליון‬
Helping Holocaust Survivors Live with Dignity
Aviv LeNitzolei HaShoah (Spring for Holocaust Survivors), an Israeli
organization helping Holocaust survivors, comes to Canada
Elad Benari
For the past several years the organization Aviv LeNitzolei HaShoah (Spring
for Holocaust Survivors), established by
lawyer Aviva Silverman, has been helping
Holocaust survivors in Israel find and take
advantage of all the compensation plans
that are available to them.
There are many programs, both in Israel
and outside of it, which provide permanent
as well as one-time benefits to Holocaust
survivors. To date the organization has
been able to help about 30,000 out of the
230,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel.
The organization’s activity is extremely
important, especially in light of recently
published data which shows that in the
last five years there has been an increase
of 160 percent in the number of survivors
who require assistance from the Fund for
the Welfare of Holocaust survivors.
According to data published, in 2005
the number of Israeli survivors who were
helped by the fund was 23,000, but today
it stands at about 60,000. However, despite
an increase in its budget, the fund has admitted that it is unable to meet the needs of
all applicants.
Aviv LeNitzolei HaShoah is now coming
to Canada. The organization's representative in Canada, Asaf Segev, is hoping to
take the success of the organization in
Israel and emulate it in Canada, with the
ultimate goal being an expansion to other
countries as well. Speaking to Shalom Toronto, Segev explained how the organization operates order to reach as large a number of survivors as possible.
“The way we work in Israel is using a resource centre,” said Segev. “This centre is
made up of lawyers and other experts who
know all the programs that exist and what
requirements a person needs to meet so that
he could qualify and receive the appropriate compensation. We also have hundreds
of volunteers who are each assigned a certain number of Holocaust survivors and
give them personal attention.”
Segev explained that every volunteer
contacts the Holocaust survivor and asks
to meet with him or her. This meeting
is usually also attended by a third party,
usually a son or grandson of the survivor.
“During these meetings the survivors tell
their life story, which is also a very nice
thing, that these survivors can talk and that
someone listens to them and gives them a
good feeling about it,” said Segev. “Based
on the story, the volunteer consults with
the resource centre to find all the appropriate programs. After he finds them, he
helps the survivor fill the forms and sends
them in the survivor’s name.”
Holocaust survivors in Israel turn to Aviv
LeNitzolei HaShoah mainly through a special e-mail address, but also through information sessions that the organization holds
in community centres or nursing homes.
As survivors make inquiries during these
sessions, a volunteer can be immediately
attached to them.
Segev explained that Aviv LeNitzolei
HaShoah chose Canada as the country in
which to start its international activities
because of the unique Jewish community
that exists here.
“The Jewish community here is very
strong and very united,” said Segev. “It is
very open to such social issues. Initially
we will work by e-mail. Local Holocaust
survivors can contact Israel and receive
via e-mail any information and help that is
possible for us to provide remotely.”
Segev noted that he is looking not only
for survivors who can make use of the services of the organization, but also for volunteers to take on the mission of helping
survivors.
“In the near future we are going to start
recruiting volunteers. The organization
has promised to send the best instructors
here to teach the local volunteers. Then
we can also pair up local Holocaust survivors with volunteers in order to ensure the
process is done properly, to give a sympathetic ear to the survivor, and all the other
things we do.
“We want to work closely with the survivors,” he added. “We want to ensure that
everyone receives all the compensation
plans they deserve if not more. To do this
we need volunteers.”
Segev also stressed that potential volunteers do not have to know Hebrew and
that volunteers will be accepted from all
over Canada and not necessarily just from
Toronto. The hope is that the organization
will conduct training sessions anywhere in
Canada where there is a large number of
volunteers, or alternatively bring in volunteers from outside Toronto for a training session. Also, there is a wide range of
activities, beyond filling out forms, which
volunteers can do. “There are volunteers
who meet with the survivors once a week
just to listen to them,” said Segev. “The
more volunteers we have, the more we can
help survivors beyond taking advantage of
the compensation plans.”
The organization also requires financial
funding, Segev noted.
“Fundraising is nothing to be ashamed
of,” he said. “The organization, to date,
has helped 230,000 out of 30,000 survivors in Israel. It's a huge number but is still
small compared to how much more we can
do, and one of our biggest limitations is
money. So of course I'm looking for sponsors and partnerships.”
Canadian Holocaust survivors who want
to contact Aviv LeNitzolei HaShoah’s information centre in Israel can email: [email protected]
Each message must specify the following:
Phone Number
E-mail address
Terror Warnings
non in 2000, Mughniyeh became heavily
involved in Hizbullah's anti-Israel operations in southern Lebanon, and during the
Second Lebanon War in 2006 reportedly
personally fired Katyusha rockets into Israel. Such rocket attacks targeted Israeli
civilian population centers, causing many
to flee their homes. It is claimed Israel's
alleged decision to target Mughniyeh for
assassination was taken as early as 2000,
but did not become urgent until the ceasefire following the second Lebanon war in
2006.
Publisher
Shalom Toronto Inc.
President & Founder
Yossi Arbel
Vice President & Editor-in-chief
Liat Arbel
Assistant Editor
Eli Zaitsev
Graphic Design
Sigalit Bener
[email protected]
Marketing & Advertising
Gershon Goldenberg
Lana Brainin
[email protected]
Staff Reporters
Orit Alon
Doris Epstein, Dan Verbin,
Bev Spritzer, Galia Sarner
Reporter & Translator
Elad Benari
[email protected]
Photos
Vidal Keslasy
Continued from front page
ing behind the torture-murder of William
Buckley, the CIA station chief in Beirut in
1984; the kidnapping-murder of Lieutenant
Colonel William Richard Higgins of the
US Marine Corps, who was on peacekeeping duty in Lebanon in 1988; and through
the Islamic Jihad terror group, the seizing
of western hostages in Beirut during the
1980s. Of the aforementioned TWA 845
hijacking, then US President Ronald Reagan said “We will not rest until justice is
done.”
Following Israel's withdrawal from Leba-
Place and year of birth
Camps or ghettos in which the survivor
served
Whether the survivor is currently receiving a regular pension or if they have previously received a one-time payment
It is important to note that there is a
German law that provides Social Security under certain conditions to Holocaust
survivors who worked in ghettos for food
stamps, clothing and so on. The conditions
of this law change from time to time and
they may also apply to survivors currently
living in Canada.
Volunteers, sponsors, and partnerships
(large donations) can contact Asaf Segev
directly at: [email protected]
Small, tax deductible donations can be
made at: http://www.israelgives.org/amuta/580481638
Mughniyeh's demise came while he was
walking to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, where he planned to attend the 29th anniversary celebrations of Iran's Islamic revolution. Eyewitnesses said the street shook
when he passed a rented car that exploded,
obliterating his body. Pieces of Mughniyeh
were later found across the street. Following the assassination, Hizbullah stated it
would avenge the 'martyr' Mughniyeh at a
time and place of its own choosing.
(IsraelNationalNews.com)
361 Connie Crescent,
Concord, Ontario, L4K 5R2
T: (905)760-1888, F: (905)760-0466
www.shalomtoronto.ca
Comments/Articles/Events/Suggestions:
[email protected]
Shalom Toronto is not responsible for
the contents of the ads that appear in the
newspaper and the articles express the
opinions of their respective authors only
30
29
Issue 342, Thursday, 13 Adar 1, 5771 • 17.02.2011
This Week In News
Jordanian Soldier Who Killed Israeli Girls in 1997 to
Be Released. Israel is “shocked and revolted” by the
calls by Jordanian Justice Minister Hussein Mjali to release
Cpl. Ahmed Daqamesh, a Jordanian soldier who killed seven
Israeli schoolgirls in 1997.“The declarations of the Justice
Minister...are all the more pronounced when coming from the
minister in charge of law and justice,” the Foreign Ministry
explained. Jordan’s ambassador to Israel was summoned by
the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday to let him know how they
felt. The Jerusalem Post reported that Yaacov Hadas, Deputy
Director-General for the Middle East and the Peace Process,
met with the Jordanian envoy, stating that “Israel views this
statement with the utmost severity, and expects the Jordanian
government to immediately and unequivocally denounce the
minister's statement.” Hadas also insisted that the Jordanian
government “express its outright rejection of all calls for the
release of the heinous murderer, and that he will continue to
bear the punishment imposed on him.”
The “Egypt effect” spread this week to other countries
in the Middle East. The Palestinian Cabinet headed by
prime minister Salam Fayyad submitted its resignation to
chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, and Fayyad was immediately re-appointed to head the new government. Abbas,
whose Fatah organization runs the parts of the Palestinian
Authority in the West Bank, has called for new elections "by
September at the latest". In Jordan, though no acute danger
faces King Abdullah's regime, he is experiencing popular
protests, and his wife, Queen Rania, has been accused of corruption. A letter signed by 36 leading Bedouin representatives
says that Rania must return land and farms expropriated by
her family. Meanwhile in Yemen, Tuesday marked the fourth
straight day of clashes between pro- and anti-government
protesters in the capital, Sanaa. At least three people were
injured on Tuesday as 3,000 activists attempted to march on
the presidential palace. They are demanding the resignation
of President Ali Abdullah Saleh who has been in power for 32
years. Protests have become increasingly violent.
Toronto Destroys Eggs over Health Concerns. According to CBC reports, public health officials in the Toronto
area have destroyed thousands of eggs on sale at retailers
in the region after the eggs were determined to be “unfit for
public consumption.” The public health departments in Toronto and York region, acting on a Feb. 4 tip from Ontario's
Ministry of Natural Resources, inspected 20 grocery stores
across the GTA. Charges are now pending against six Toronto retailers and two in York Region. According to public
health agencies, ungraded eggs can put consumers at risk of
food poisoning from salmonella. Jim Chan, a manager with
Toronto's public health department, couldn't disclose where
or how the sellers obtained the ungraded eggs, though he advises consumers to do their own egg inspection before buying. "Take a good look, make sure the eggs are clean, not
cracked or not damaged," he said. He also said consumers
must always make sure eggs are refrigerated after purchasing
them. Eggs are graded according to federal standards. Only
those graded as "Canada A" eggs should be consumed. During the grading process, eggs are closely examined under a
bright light which draws attention to potential cracks or other
internal defects, such as blood spots, meat spots, or irregular
yolks. The CBC reported that those found guilty of selling
ungraded eggs could face fines of up to $25,000.
$1 Million of Pot Detained at Toronto Pizzeria. A pizzeria located in Toronto’s downtown core, typically
frequented by university and high school students, has
been shut down after police found $1 million of marijuana
on the premises. According to police, a 57-year-old man sold
marijuana at Pizza Gigi, located at Harbord and Bathurst near
Central Technical School and the University of Toronto campus. A raid of the eatery on early Monday turned up marijuana, Oxycontin, Oxycocet, ecstasy, some crack cocaine and
$8,000 in cash, police said in a release. The man faces one
marijuana trafficking charge and 14 other drug possession
charges. The Toronto Star reported he is the owner of Pizza
Gigi. He was scheduled to appear in court Monday morning.
The Future is Here
Continued from front page
saw me with the uniform for first
time,” said 15-year-old Dan Amar.
Bar, the youngest of the bunch (14),
is also excited and said that “For
years I waited for the moment when
I would wear the uniform of the
Israeli team. When you put on the
shirt with the Star of David you feel
powerful, you feel your full commitment to the team.”
Yanir, the oldest of the bunch (16)
and the player with the highest quality rating (AAA) of the three, said
that “the experience of playing for
the team is fun. I invested my whole
self for the symbol of the State.
Every time I got on the ice I did everything in my power to bring some
change to the game.” All three agree
that the atmosphere of togetherness
is one thing which unites the Israeli
team and gives it the power to make
further progress.
Bar, Yanir and Dan were born in
warm Israel but each of them was
sucked into the game of hockey, and
enjoy every minute on the ice. Bar,
who has been playing for about a
year for Israel's youth team and has
a quality rating of AA, was born
in Ramat Gan and began to play at
a very young age. He plays centre
and is considered a very big talent
among his peers. Already by the age
of 12, Bar was invited by the Israeli
team so that they could check his
level of playing, and when they were
impressed by him, he was asked to
keep in touch (as he was too young
to play at that time). At the age of
14, he began to represent the State
of Israel on its national team. “Ziv
Zuckerman, my coach and a past
player for the Israeli team, was the
one who suggested me for the team,”
said Bar, who added, “I trained with
the team in Metula but because of
my young age I still couldn’t play for
the team. In my last tournament in
Windsor I played against guys who
are bigger and stronger than me, but
still I managed to score.” Zimmerman now plays for the Toronto Royals AA team.
Team goalkeeper, Dan, was born in
Yavneh. Dan’s role as a goalkeeper
is a very difficult one which comes
with a lot of responsibility. During
the last preparatory tournament for
the third rank World Championship
held in Windsor, Ontario, Israel's
national team also took part. Dan
played some great games and managed to stop a lot of goals for the
team.
“I gave my heart for the team, I
played as hard as I could,” said Dan
who now plays for the Thornhill
Rebels. “At first my hands were
shaking but it went away quickly.
You cannot be complacent even for
a minute during a hockey game. You
must concentrate at every moment.
After the game ends thoughts about
the team uniform and representing
Israel's youth team in ice hockey.
the state begin to float into your
head.”
Yanir could not participate in the
preparatory games in Windsor because of his high quality rating.
Yanir, who plays defense, played
with players at his age and level in
a tournament which was held at the
same time in Toronto. For Yanir,
the tournament was a success, as
he had many assists and played at
a very high level. “Hearing Hatikvah is very exciting when you play
www.
an official game abroad,” he said
of his impressions of the last year
world championship tournament in
Monterey, Mexico. “Each group was
united for one purpose and it was exciting. We underwent very successful team-building throughout the
tournament.” Today, Yanir plays for
the North York Rangers.
In March, Israel's national team will
play in the third rank World Championship under 18 which will be held
in Mexico City. Dan and Yanir will
participate and represent Israel with
pride (Bar will be unable to play as
he is still too young to do so). In the
previous championship, Israel's national team finished fourth, beating
Ireland 8-0 and losing the third spot
after a close race with South Africa.
“This year, two Israeli players who
live in a hockey boarding school in
Alberta joined the team. The team’s
level has improved despite the fact
that three excellent players moved
on to the adult team,” said Yanir.
Dan added: “We are mature enough
to play and defeat any rivals. It's not
going to be easy, but it's going to be
a great experience.”
Finally, this story has a sweet and
sour taste to it. Israel’s ice hockey
teams have a very low budget, and
parents need to finance almost every expense out of their own pockets. Perhaps the State of Israel will
soon begin to realize that it must invest in its youth, particularly in the
field of sports.
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“Wheel of Conscience”
Unveiled in Halifax
17.02.2011 • ‫ תשע״א‬, ‫ י"ג אדר א‬,‫ יום חמישי‬,342 ‫גיליון‬
Memorial to Jews turned away by Canada during WWII
A memorial to the hundreds of
Jews aboard the MS St. Louis
who were turned away from
Canada on the eve of the Second World War was unveiled in
Halifax last Thursday, the CBC
reported.
In May 1939, almost 1,000 European Jews fled Nazi Germany
for Cuba, said the CBC. After being at sea for a week, 937 passengers aboard the ship pulled into
Havana harbor, only to be told
several days later that Cuba had
changed its mind. The ship was
told to leave.
The captain continued to sail
along the eastern seaboard, asking the United States and Canada
to let the ship dock, but both said
no. It then returned to Europe,
and close to 250 of those on board
eventually perished in concentration camps.
The Halifax monument, called
“The Wheel of Conscience,” was
created by the celebrated American architect Daniel Libeskind.
It is located at Pier 21, Canada's
national immigration museum.
Bernie Farber, CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress, told
CBC that Pier 21 was chosen as
the site of the monument because
that is where the ship would
likely have docked had Canada
allowed it to do so. The ship had
been within two days of Halifax
Harbour when Ottawa refused to
grant the refugees entry.
"The St. Louis is not a moment
frozen in historical time but is
rather a part of the continuum of
human experience and must be
owned by all of us if its memory
is to have any value today," said
Farber.
Libeskind is the son of Holocaust survivors. He was born in
Poland in 1946 and immigrated
to Israel in 1957, and then to the
U.S. two years later.
Libeskind said his father passed
through Pier 21 en route to the
U.S. He said he wanted to tell the
story of the St. Louis in a way
that would both recall its ill-fated
passengers, and affect people today.
"I thought, how does that image
of that ship that people have in
their heads — how does it fracture, fragment and disappear
from reality because of the callousness of the machinery which
drives not only bureaucracy or
the ship but the machinery of forgetting?" he said.
"I thought, what are those elements that drive the tragedy?"
Libeskind says the gears that
moved the ship - both literally
and metaphorically - are represented in his work. The steel
sculpture is made to look like
clockwork, with gears labeled
"Hatred," "Racism," "Xenophobia" and "Anti-Semitism."
Libeskind designed the Royal
Ontario Museum in Toronto
among many other buildings,
and is married to a Canadian.
28
UFC Breaks Rogers
Centre Gate Record
Torontonians excited to host their first
Ultimate Fighting event
With the Ultimate
Fighting Championship
(UFC) coming to town
April 30, the Rogers
Centre (formerly the
Sky Dome) has sold out
in excess of $10 million,
it has been reported.
UFC 129 will be the
sixth UFC card held
in Canada, previously
hosted by Montreal and
Vancouver.
The Rogers Centre
show doubles the largest gate and attendance
records in UFC history.
UFC - Quebec's Georges St-Pierre
It has also set a singleday event gate record
for the stadium.
Tom Wright, the UFC’s director of Canadian operations, described
the ticket sales as “overwhelming.” More than 40,000 tickets were
sold on Thursday in the first day of a pre-sale to members of the UFC
Fight Club, prompting the UFC to put more on the market.
The rest were snapped up Friday, in another pre-sale, and then Saturday, when tickets were made available to the public.
Tickets originally ranged in price from $50 to $800, however now
that they’ve all sold, focus has shifted to StubHub, a ticket reseller,
that as of Saturday was selling seats from $143 to $9,999.
The show is expected to attract pay-per-view buyers via broadcasts
in 137 countries and territories. UFC 100 reportedly drew a UFC record of 1.6 million pay-per-view buys. At the current $49.99 a shot,
that’s $80 million in revenue — more if viewers opt for the $59.99
HD version.
The UFC 129 main event will feature welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre of Montreal against Jake Shields. Mark “The Machine”
Hominick of Thamesford, Ont., takes on featherweight champion
José Aldo in the co-main event.
Yemen Blues
Continued from front page
Born to Yemenite parents, the thirty two year
old singer is the third child of six - three brothers and three sisters. He was born and grew up
in Bat Yam. “I was always singing,” he said.
“I remember being five years old and singing
gibberish on the street. Our family was very religious and my father made sure we sang Yemenite prayers. I’m not religious now,” he made
sure to add. “My music is my religion.”
His father, a scribe, barely made a living, and
Ravid had to work at a young age. But he was
always drawn to music. “Music was always the
strongest thing in me.” With such a distinctive
voice, he planned on being an opera singer. But
just as he was on the verge of going to France
for classical training, he was badly injured in
an accident. Rethinking his life, he decided
to go where his passion lay. “I returned to my
Yemenite roots, somewhere I belonged more.
I always sing what I deeply feel, the most true
place from my soul.”
One night as he was performing as part of a
modern dance piece, “I was standing there in
front of a thousand people and singing in this
very high falsetto. I was in ecstasy. My body felt like it
was burning. I decided then and there that this is what I
wanted to do with my life.”
Yemen Blues first performed in Marseilles last March to
1500 people, from all walks of life. “People went crazy,”
he said. “Actually, I was in shock that it was so
successful.” In not quite a year, they have toured
major festivals in North America and Europe.
Omer Avital is his partner in the band. “We
didn’t want any guitars or keyboards, because
this isn’t really a pop or a world music thing,” he
explained in a press release. The unconventional,
top notch band includes a cello, violin, flute trumpet, trombone, electric bass and two percussion
players. “We keep it raw and that’s what makes
it interesting. It’s a shifting family of voices, not
just a sound.”
Eric Stein, director of Ashkenaz, who is helping
to promote the band, declares “it’s the must-see
music event of the winter.”
Says Kahalani: “Music has got to be a moment
of soul. The beauty of music is it avoids politics
and at the end of the day it brings all people together. I want to take music out to everyday life.
It’s not just entertainment; it’s a way of life. Music connects you with all humanity”.
Yemen Blues, Saturday February 26,
The Mod Club, 722 College St. (at Crawford).
Doors open at 8:30. Show at 9 p.m. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Or call 416 979 9901.
27
Issue 342, Thursday, 13 Adar 1, 5771 • 17.02.2011
A Uniquely Canadian Opportunity
to Invest in Israel
Keren Segal Fox
Zale Newman, President of Bond Street
Mercantile, has been a leader and innovator in the financial services industry for
the past 26 years.
In 2003, Newman developed a series of
financial products and instruments that
were new to the Canadian marketplace.
These products were in diverse yet related
fields of life insurance, exempt market
products, alternative investments and tax
reduction strategies.
His latest project is the Holy Land Investment Fund – a unique, low risk vehicle which enables Canadians to invest
in Israel in a “Canadian Way.”
What’s the case for investing in Israel?
You just need to read what others, who
are already deeply invested in Israel, are
saying, based on the economic facts.
According to the Citigroup Report on Israel from 2010, “It is difficult to see much
evidence of the negative impact of political
uncertainty here. The Israeli market presents a compelling long term investment
opportunity.”
Warren Buffett has thus far purchased
four companies in Israel, including two in
August of 2010. These are the only major
investments he has made outside of the
U.S.A.
There are more Israeli companies listed
on the NASDAQ than from all of Europe,
China, India, Korea and Japan combined.
Israel also recently discovered huge natural gas and oil reserves, enough to provide
its energy needs for the next 150 years.
Over the last 8 years, the Tel Aviv Stock
Exchange (TASE) has significantly outperformed all of the world’s major stock
50% invested in Israeli corporate and government
bonds, and 50% in Israeli
stocks. It focuses on public
companies in four sectors of
the economy that Canadians
understand - real estate, oil
and gas, financial services
and medical equipment.
Some of the unique characteristics:
• Low minimum investment for Accredited Investors
Zale Newman with the Bushes
• RRSP and RRIF eligible
The HLIF will be holding
markets. Over the past 4 years it has outan “invitation only” special
performed the TSX by more than 500%.
event for its investors and their guests on
Bank of America Merrill Lynch has come March 7th. The Israeli Fund Managers,
out with a report strongly recommending with whom they work, will come from
Israel, due to the following factors:
Israel to discuss the following topics: OpIsrael’s resilient economic performance, portunities to benefit from the new Israel
strong currency, liquidity and investors oil and gas boom, an overview of more esremain underweighted in Israel. It is the tablished investment opportunities in Israhidden gem of investments. It has outper- el and the impact of the recent uprisings in
formed the world average by 60% over the the Arab countries on the Israeli economy
past thirty years, yet almost no one knows
The Speakers include:
about it or how to access investments in
Uri Aldubi, CEO of Halman Aldubi
the country.
Group, one of Israel's largest Pension Fund
“The central bureau of statistics pub- and Mutual Fund Company with more
lished Israel's economic growth rate for than $2.5 billion under management, and
2010 was 4.5% which is the highest eco- the Chairman of the Association of Oil and
nomic growth rate among OECD mem- Gas Exploration Industries in Israel.
bers” (Oct ‘10).
Rony Halman, Chairman of Halman AlThe Holy Land Investment Fund is de- dubi Group. Halman is a well recognized
signed specifically for Canadians who investment "guru" in Israel, as well as
wish to invest in Israel. “I feel that every- Chairman of the Israel Opportunity Oil
one who has an affinity for Israel ought to and Gas Exploration Company.
have at least some portion of their investments in Israel,” says Newman.
The HLIF is a lower risk fund with about
Why should I have to go to Ontario to be deposed?
Izzie Schwartz hired Selila Ness to work
for his travel agency doing business in
Israel and the United States called “Izzie
Travels.” Soon, Izzie recognized Selila’s
talent and delegated complete control of his
business to her. He trusted her with his client lists, introduced her to his contacts and
Selila managed the business Izzie built.
After ten years, Selila quit. She moved to
Ontario and created her own travel agency.
Selila used all of Izzie’s contacts, made use
of his client lists and was a complete success. That success came at Izzie’s expense.
Selila’s contract with Izzie provided that
she would not compete with Izzie Travels
in any similar activity for a period of three
years. Since Selila was in Ontario, he sued
her in that jurisdiction.
In Ontario, the Rules of Civil Procedure
provide a road map on how litigation is to
be conducted. Izzie would set out the damages sought and the grounds for the lawsuit in his statement of claim. Selila would
set out her side of the story in a document
called a statement of defence. Afterwards
the parties would exchange affidavits of
documents listing all of the documents
relevant to the lawsuit. The next step is
depositions. Each side would present a
representative to be examined by the other
side’s lawyers. In the United States this
is referred to as depositions. In Ontario
it’s called examinations for discovery. In
this fictional scenario, there is a wrinkle
because one of the parties does not live or
carry on business in Ontario.
In our fictional case, Izzie would argue
Selila’s lawyers should come to Tel Aviv
to examine him because that is where he
lives and where all his original documents
are located. Selila would argue that Izzie
should come to Ontario where Selila carries on business and where the claim is proceeding. What would the courts say?
Where a person to be examined resides
outside of Ontario the court may determine
the place of examination. There is no hard
and fast rule. The general test is what is just
and convenient to all parties. Courts have a
wide discretion, and there are no prima facie rights or burdens on either party. That
said, based on my experience and review of
the case law, Ontario courts have traditionally ordered the parties to come to Ontario
to be examined in this jurisdiction .
Exceptions have been made where the
person to be examined was impecunious
and could not afford the trip (FN4), or was
too unwell to travel (FN5). However, in
such circumstances the court may require
the travelling costs to be paid, or a portion
to be paid, by the party conducting the examination. So what happens if the court
does not make someone come to Ontario to
be examined?
Let’s look at Midland Resources Holding
Ltd. v. Shtaif . The plaintiff lived in Moscow, and had never lived in Toronto. Given
his poor health, the plaintiff did not travel.
Here, the plaintiff did not come to Ontario and the court allowed examinations to
proceed by videoconferencing. Examination by videoconferencing was a departure
from the general rule. Ordinarily, Ontario
courts order that all parties must be examined in person.
This short review of the case law should
not be taken as legal advice. Based on my
experience in dealing with these cases,
they often turn on the specific facts. If you
have a legal question relating to something
similar, you are best advised to seek out
competent legal counsel to determine your
best course of action.
Charles B. Wagner is a partner at Wagner Sidlofsky LLP. This Toronto office is a
boutique litigation law firm whose practice
is focussed on estate, commercial and tax
litigation.
What's On This Week
Business Club Toronto invites you to its
second networking event, The Art of Coaching,
which will teach you how to recognize yourself
as an instrument of influence and how to
recognize opportunities available in working
with others. Speaker: Dorothy E. Siminovitch,
Principal of GestaltCoachingWorks and
AWAREWORKS International. Thursday,
March 3, 7:00pm-9:00pm at Shalom Centre,
361 Connie Cres., Concord. RSVP by March
1 at [email protected] or visit http://
theartofcoaching.eventbrite.com
Please join us for a FREE introductory
lecture about The BodyTalk System, an
exciting new energy healing modality.
The BodyTalk System is a holistic healing
modality based on the body’s inborn ability
to heal itself. This free lecture introduces the
principals of the BodyTalk System including
hands on demonstration. Lecture will take
place on Thursday, February 17, 2011, 7:00pm
at the Holistic Healing Clinic, located at 2174
Major Mackenzie Drive, Maple ON. RSVP
required: [email protected], or
call 905-482-2633.
You are invited to a discussion on the
subject of “Changes in the Neighbourhood –
Reflections over the Civil Society in Israel”
with Yaniv Sagee. Thursday, February 24 at
7:30pm at Hashomer Hatzair Centre, 1111
Finch Ave. West Suite 156. Please RSVP by
contacting the Hashomer Hatzair office at
(416) 736-1339 or [email protected] by
February 18.
Ashkenaz presents Yemen Blues, featuring
Ravid Kahalani of the Idan Raichel Project.
Saturday, February 26 at The Mod Club,
722 College St. Doors open at 8:30pm, show
begins at 9:00pm. For tickets please visit
www.ashkenazfestival.com or call (416) 9799901.
TEATRON Toronto Jewish Theatre presents
“A Hamburger in a Pita” by Nina Shenhav,
directed by Ari Weisberg. This world premiere
comedy introduces us to two secular Jewish
families: the Canadian-born Liebermans
and their new Israeli neighbours, the Noys.
Differences of mentality and mannerism lead
to tension, but when their children fall in
love with each other and discover Judaism,
the parents find that they have much more in
common than they thought. The show runs
from March 2 to 13, 2011. Purchase your
tickets now at the Toronto Centre for the Arts,
5040 Yonge St. (from 11:00am to 6:00pm),
by phone at (416) 781-5527 or online at www.
teatrontheatre.com
Motek Productions presents the king of
Israeli music, Shalom Hanoch, in concert
with Moshe Levi. The two will perform their
intimate ‘Exit’ concert at one Toronto’s eldest
and most charming theatres. Thursday, March
3 at The Bathurst Street Theatre, 736 Bathurst
St., Toronto. Doors open at 7:30pm, concert
begins at 8:30pm sharp. For ticket information
visit www.motekproductions.com or call (647)
899-0071.
Join Club Aliza for an evening of Israeli
sing-along led by Mickey Lewin and Israeli
dancing led by Shoshana Frank. Saturday,
March 5 at 7:30pm at Borochov Centre, 272
Codsell Avenue. Light refreshments will be
served. Admission is $18 per person.
Games Jewish Singles Play. Sunday, March
6, 2011 at 7:30pm at Beth Torah Synagogue,
47 Glenbrook Avenue (S. of Lawrence; E. of
Dufferin). Admission: $8.00. Refreshments
and Prizes included. For more information
contact Mollie at (416) 733-3634 or mollie_
[email protected].
To see your event listed in this section
email [email protected]
17.02.2011 • ‫ תשע״א‬, ‫ י"ג אדר א‬,‫ יום חמישי‬,342 ‫גיליון‬
We are a Highly skilled Toronto based recruitment and staffing firm specializing only in the direct
sourcing of mid-to-senior positions in the construction, real estate and property development industries.
Please read our website to learn about our services and what sets us apart from traditional recruitment
companies and feel free to contact us- we're happy to hear from you.
Manager, Financial Reporting, Toronto, Ontario
POSITION SUMMARY
Reporting to the Director, Financial Reporting, the Manager, Financial Reporting is primarily responsible for
regulatory filings in Hebrew, preparation of financial statements, analyzing financial information, accounting
research and other projects for the finance and accounting group of a growing asset management and real
estate Canadian company headquartered in Israel.
Company: One of the largest and wealthiest real estate organizations in the world.
Group: Finance and accounting
Compensation: $100K+ base salary, plus great bonus
Benefits: medical, parking, phone
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Assemble various regulatory reporting and submit them in Magna in Hebrew (e.g. related
party trading in shares, board resolutions, quarterly and annual reporting and other)
•Co-ordinate Hebrew-English and English-Hebrew translations with a translation company
•Prepare, proofread and edit Hebrew documents, as well as translate short memos or
summarize documents from Hebrew to English
•Prepare and review various quarterly and annual financial statements and notes disclosures
in accordance with IFRS
•Prepare and review management discussion and analysis and the Barnea reports
•Prepare financial statements analyses
•Prepare memos for researched accounting issues in accordance with IFRS and best
practices for asset management and real estate companies
•Review financial statements for proper currency translations from Canadian Dollar to New
Israeli Shekel
•Review various general ledger analyses and ensure various transactions are recorded in
accordance with IFRS
•Load quarterly financial data to Hyperion (consolidation software tool), ensuring that all
supplementary data are accurate and reconciliations of data between Yardi (general
ledger software) and Hyperion
•Maintain a listing of all audit, review and notice to reader requirements as per financial
covenants and coordinate various engagements with auditors and accountants
•Prepare and review working papers for audit, review and notice to reader engagements
•Assist with controls documentation and propose improvements
•Assist with ad-hoc financial information requests
REQUIREMENTS
•Canadian CA, US CPA or Israeli CPA
•Experience level similar to a new manager with Big 4 firm
•Fluent written and spoken business Hebrew and English a must
•Solid understanding of IFRS
•Self-motivated, eager to excel and wanting to take on initiatives
•Superior analytical and time management skills with ability to prioritize and meet tight deadlines
•Excellent computer knowledge, specifically MS Excel and MS Word
•Strong team player, as well as able to work independently
•Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
•Experienced with real estate companies
INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THIS POSITION OR FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please send your resume, by email, to:
Ilan Philosophe
President
ISP Direct Staffing
E. [email protected]
Website. www.directstaffing.ca
26
25
Issue 342, Thursday, 13 Adar 1, 5771 • 17.02.2011
Wanted
A hairdresser is wanted to rent a
chair or by commission. At Chabad
Gate Plaza, Thornhill. Please
contact Anna 905.731.4255 (345)
Hanna's Shawarma is looking for
waiters and waitresses, grill mans
and professional chefs. Please call
647-831-6706 (342)
Stubpond.com is recruiting
new dynamic salespeople.
Conveniently located near Jane
and Steeles. High commission pay
structure and salary for those who
excel. Training provided. For more
information e-mail jobs@stubpond.
com or call Sarit at 1-877-912STUB.
(343) "Salone Modele" is looking
for hair dresser to rent a station
as well as manicure/pedicure
room for rent. Please call Marina
416.953.5006 or Jay 416.407.7979
(100) Experienced instructors
for Moms & Tots music/activity
programs. Forward resume to Liat:
[email protected]
905.760.1888
(100) OFFICE CLEANERS, 2
- 4 hours, Nightly, in Vaughan
area. Must have experience &
transportation. Forward resume to:
[email protected]
For Rent
Brand new condo, 2 bedroom+
2 bath, corner unit, by the
Promenade. for details: 4164520072 647.328.3875
Yonge & Clark Furnished second
floor room, separate entrance,
includes kitchen, bathroom, cable
TV & Internet, close to TTC and
shopping. Good for students.
$500/month 905-707-8450
For Sale in Israel
Yifat Romano - Real Estate:
Stunning 2 bdrm apt on Nachum
St. Tel Aviv, walking distance from
the beach, shared parking, 91 sq.
m., perfect for vacation apt. Can
be rented for monthly revenue of
6500 NIS. Sale price: 2,450,000
NIS. +972-5-771-7205
Huge, opulent villa in Affula Elite
with separate unit in yard for family
or paying tenants, beautiful garden
with fruit trees. 1,300,000 NIS.
+972-5-771-7205
Huge 450 sq. m. villa in Kfar
Classifieds
Tavor, separate unit with separate
entrance. 2,200,000 NIS. +972-5771-7205
2 bdrm Apt. in North Tel Aviv,
renovated corner unit, 2nd floor.
1,450,000 NIS. +972-5-771-7205
Nannies
Are you looking for someone to
assist you with the caregiving of a
nursing home patient? Call Ann for
details 416.423.6857 (340)
(100) Experienced live-in
caregiver/nannies available
for children/ elderly. Call:
416.726.1055 International
sunshine care givers
www.sunshinenannies.ca
Lawyers
(100) Israeli law services, wills,
contracts, property in Israel,
family and company issues, Itamar
Cohen: 905.709.3896
(100) Immigration lawyers: self
immigration, family reunions,
business immigration, work
permits, student visas, reasonable
prices and con-venient financing!
Ronen Kurtzfeld 416.225.9800
Mortgage
(100) First and second mortgages
for recent immigrants and
self employed. Financing for
purchasing plazas, businesses and
property, office bldings etc. Call
Guy Scheiner today at Venture
Financial LTD. 416.616.2466
Social
(342) Happy times are coming!
Let's get together and let me find
you the perfect match. For all
ages. Tova 647.895.3371
Alternative/Chinese medicine
Family practice for adults and
children: Diagnostics and
treatment by natural means of
Chinese medicine.Diseases
treated: pain; cough; allergies;
stomach; bowels movement;
gynecological and urological; skin;
lungs; kidneys; high/low blood
pressure; depression, anxiety
and sleep; atypical symptoms.
Insurance accepted. Michael
416.877.5001