Jewish Ottawa

Local news and updates on the Jewish community of Ottawa.

Rockets over Tel Aviv

By Janet and Jonathan Isserlin

Tel Aviv is different from Jerusalem, and, of course, different again from Ashkelon and the area around the Gaza strip. But it's all Israel, and we are now all Israelis together.

As we sit in the shelter in the basement of our central Tel Aviv apartment block…

From my home in Jerusalem to your home in Ottawa

By Ned Steinman

How does it feel living in a country under attack? In one word, surreal. On Monday I was walking to the corner pizza shop (a glorious hole in the wall that is quite well known in our neighbourhood, run by a young guy and his brothers from France where we speak a mix of Frenc…

A report from Jerusalem: A complex and challenging situation

By Maureen Molot

5781 has been a challenging year for Israel, which until recently, had been dominated by lockdowns and shutdowns because of COVID-19. With the virus now only a minor irritant as a result of a well-planned and executed vaccination program, and with restaurants, shops, gyms, …

Students report being bullied in relationship to conflict in Israel, Gaza

CIJA, alongside community colleagues at Calgary Jewish Federation and Federation CJA in Montreal, facilitated a student support group last week in the wake of escalating violence and conflict in Israel and Gaza. On less than 24-hours notice, this group convened 120 high school and university…

Meet Rabbi Aryeh Kravetz, of Congregation Beit Tikvah

“I want people to live with an elevated sense of purpose … to share our energy and passion living as Jews and loving it.”

The last few years for English-teacher-turned-rabbi, Aryeh Kravetz, have been a bit of a whirlwind.

In 2017, Kravetz was living in Baltimore and teaching English …