Art as Remembrance: Yom HaShoah through the eyes of two artists

This year, the Jewish Federation of Ottawa’s Yom HaShoah commemoration will shine a light on how art can serve as a powerful form of memory. The evening program on April 23 will include a solemn candle-lighting ceremony by Holocaust survivors in honour of the six million Jews who were murd…

Baking challah and building community

As Passover approaches, many of us are busy ridding our homes of chametz — bread and other leavened foods we traditionally set aside during this time. But for Janice Pleet, bread has remained at the heart of something much deeper: a way to nourish community and do good.

In the weeks follo…

Have your say: Help shape the future of Jewish Ottawa

The Jewish Federation of Ottawa is inviting everyone in our community to help chart our collective future. As part of the strategic planning process now underway, your voice is needed — whether you connect with Jewish Ottawa through Federation, a synagogue, a school, or any other organizat…

Ottawa's Jewish Community faces continued threat of hate crimes in 2024

The recently released 2024 Hate and Bias Crime Unit statistics from the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) confirm what many in the Jewish community already feel — hate crimes remain a serious concern. In 2024, the OPS addressed 467 incidents, including 351 criminal and 116 hate-motivated inciden…

Signs of progress at the National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism

The National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism, held March 6 in Ottawa, was organized to bring together allies from across Canada to discuss how the government can strengthen its strategies to combat antisemitism. Convened by Minister Rachel Bendayan, then-Minister of Official Languages and A…