Vision of an Accessible Jewish Community Garden: Benefits and Possibilities

By Dr. Madelaine Werier

I affectionately call my time spent in nature, my “vitamin N”. It is replenishing, grounding, and as essential as any other nutrient for my wellbeing. Getting my daily dose is a literal and figurative breath of fresh air! For city dwellers like me, urban communit…

There’s a new mohel in town – Dr. Allan Shefrin

Dr. Allan Shefrin has worked for 13 years as a pediatric emergency department doctor at Ottawa Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). Having taken the step to commit to volunteering for the Jewish community and to raising his children Jewish (they both attend the Ottawa Jewish Comm…

Ottawa-area schools welcome Jewish culture

Amid the increasing challenges of antisemitism, we are pleased to highlight the experiences of inclusion taking place in our public, Catholic and secular private schools. Throughout the National Capital Region, parents, caregivers, and administrators are being invited to share insights into …

You never know how acts of Tikkun Olam can blossom and grow

By Jane Gordon 

For many years Temple Israel has had a Quilting Group making beautiful baby quilts for hospitalized and needy babies in Israel and Canada.  In recent years, following a request for black IDF approved knitted toques from the Bayit Shel Benji (Benji’s Home) for lone soldie…

Jewish community mourns loss of its own

The Jewish community of Ottawa is profoundly saddened by the recent murder of Adi Vital-Kaploun, a 33-year-old beloved mother of two, at the hands of Hamas terrorists in Israel. Adi’s family is from Ottawa and are active members of our community and her death has touched us all on a person…