I wanna get "Jew" there...

Written By: Melissa Zeller

Did you know that Toronto has the most speed traps in North America? With that said, we thought we would help a Jew out....

The Top 5 Places in Toronto Where Cops Like to Hide and Catch "Jew" Speeding...

1. Bathurst and Wilson (Under the bridge)

2. New Westminister Street (near the Promenade mall)

3. Bathurst Street before St. Claire

4. Highway 400 (when all the Jews are on the way to the cottage Saturday morning)

5. The Bathurst and Sheppard bridge (the cops like to hide in the apartment building driveway)

When approaching these areas SLOW down...it will save you a speeding ticket and even a couple demerit points...

Hitting the wall...

              Written by: Shira Webber









Sitting here thinking about what I was going to blog about next I realized that what you have to say is likely more interesting then what I have to say.  I have decided for this post I am hitting the wall, your facebook wall with questions and I'm going to quote your responses here.

Below are your quotes from today's question; (feel free to check chat on said walls for back and forth banter associated with each quote.

Seeing that this is my first time hitting your walls with questions to what I envision becoming a "hitting the wall" blog series,I started off with a light question; "Which Jewish "celebrity" in your opinion  is currently making the biggest waves in the media or spotlight, for good or bad."

Here is what you had to say:

1. Darren Riber - "biggest wave would have to go to Zac Efron (yes he is of Jewish ancestry) as he caught some huge waves surfing in in his recent trip to Hawaii."

*Effron Catching Waves - Click Here

2. Loren Bornstein - "aharon glasser.......duh"

3. Shoshana Allen -  "Mark Zuckerberg a millionaire, star character in an oscar-bound flick, controversial but key role in the biggest thing to happen to the world since the the invention of the plastic thing on the end of shoelaces (and by that I mean facebook), epitomizes the aesthetic stereotype: "jew-fro", and he's a philanthropist...."

 
4. Jonathan Shurgold- "There are Jews in the media? I think Judd Apatow has had the biggest impact on today's media just by bringing a fresh new comedy style to hollywood. With movies like Superbad and more recently Get Him To The Greek, he has shown that his sense of humour is just what toady's generation wants to see."

 

5. David Broudie- "Adam Sandler and his Chanukah song." 

 








6. Shlomo Buzaglo- "shlomo buzaglo"

7.  Elliot Sokolsky - "That's a tough one. No one really comes to mind right now. Personally I don't think we should be making a lot of waves right now, what with Mel Gibson free and on the hunt."

8.Steven Kraft- " Seeing as Justin Beiber isn't Jewish...I would have to say Canadian entrepreneur Dov Charney.

The American Apparel Founder & CEO has been in the spotlight a lot recently for both bad and good.

The media has focussed a lot on the numerous sexual harassment charges he has been subjected to. Another big news item is the fact that

American Apparel has also amassed substantial debt and could very well file for bankruptcy.

On the flipside praise has been handed to him for not outsourcing AA's manufacturing labour by producing all clothes in downtown LA, It's a truly amazing feat for a huge company to go against the current trend of manufacturing products in Asia and exploiting cheap labour.

What stands out though is that fact that everyone seems to respect his entrepreneurial spirit."


Did we forget anyone?

Top 5 Hottest Jew Celebs (Ladies)

By: Dave Goodman

Everybody loves celebrities, celebrity blogs, paparazzi, all that crap.  Yeah, I said it, its pure crap, but its all the rage.  I admire the celebrities acting skills, I admire when they stick their face on an important cause to create awareness and funds, and I admire their looks.  Otherwise, they are as boring as you and I.  I wonder how many of the following will ever read this post?  Hopefully my top three will find it, surely my 4th or 5th pic will find their way to TO to rep a cause, plant a tree, give out the game ball...but I digress.  Onto Goodman's top 5 hottest Jewish celebs:

5) Emmanuelle Chriqui

 

She has locked in a bigtime role in HBO's worst show 'Entourage', she stole our hearts in Adam Sandler's 'Zohan' as the Palestinian stylist, and she attended a JUMP event three years ago.  She hails from Montreal and spent formative years in Richmond Hill.  Big time score for Canada, Jews and E.

4) Mila Kunis

I fell in love with her role in 'that's 70's show', was still attracted to her as the voice of Meg on 'The Family Guy' and had trouble breathing throughout her role in 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' when she fell for fellow member of the tribe - Jason Segal's character.  Her eastern Europeon Jewry is irresistible.

3) Jamie Lynn Sigler

She went on Taglit two years ago.  She is down to earth.  She didn't act like a pre-madonna celeb on the trip (other than insisting on upgrading her coach ticket to first class), but did some nice PR for our wonderful Taglit Birthright-Israel afterwards.  She's sizzling and looks Italian making her more sizzling due to believed 'shicks-appeal'.  

2) Sarah Silverman

Now I'm not sure if it's her humour or the fact that her looks get outplayed by the ridiculousness that comes out of her mouth, but this proud Jewish comedian is filthy, and we love it!  She probably puts our entire race in hot water on a bi-monthly basis with hugely successful viral videos or network tv cameos, but when she wants to turn heads, she has no problem.  

1) Natalie Portman

Was there any doubt?  I'd say about 95% of Jews will agree that she holds court for hottest Jewish Celeb.  She reaffirms that Israel is the greatest country in the world, easily Israel's best export to the U.S.  Her eyes cut diamonds and cut through my heart.  As Wayne Campbell of 'Wayne's World' says: 'She will be mine...oh yes...she will be mine'... And now we break out into Garth Algar's 'Dreamweaver' song. 

Goodman's Criteria for rank:

• Proximity to A-List
• Proudly Jewish
• Aesthetics

Best of NOLA- a reflection

Drinking in the streets?

Maybe it was the thousands of Jewish people walking the streets. Or maybe it was a city's essence of surviving tragic times. Maybe it was the drinking in public. Or maybe it was the crowded streets of the French Quarter, a throw back to the old city of Jerusalem- It all felt like home. If  you want to see something new without traveling too far from home, make New Orleans your next stop. Here is a report of the best things about New Orleans and the GA of 2010.


Best Celeb siting:

Howie Mandel

The best speech:

Michael Oren

Best Food:

Cuvee, New Orleans on Magazine St

Best Drinks:
- Hand Grenade

$8 a pop. will last the night!

Best Music:
- Anything on Frechman Street

Blue Nile

Crazy Scene:
- Bourbon Street

There is a crowd all year round

Best Dessert:
-Cafe Du Monde



These are Kosher! Don't wear Black!













Best Purchase:
- Red TOMS!



Too cute for words!













People- A special Thank you to these fine ladies that made my New Orleans experience one of a kind!

Best Mentor:

Janis Roth

Favorite reunion Friend:

Linda Kerzner

Favorite new friend: Photo not found :(

Robyn Goldberg

My ode to Jdate screen names



Add caption

 Written by: Shira Webber

It has been said that your name can say alot about you. Imagine a name that you don't even get to choose or have any say in the matter when your parents make their final decision as to what they are going to call you for the rest of your life, can ultimately impact your personality...well thank goodness for screen names and our new found ability to create our own alias online is all I have to say.

Choosing your screen name has given us the power to call ourselves whatever we want. There is a lot of thought that goes into this name as this is your chance to choose a name that you feel best fits your personality and more importantly if you are creating your screen name for a dating site it'a got to be a name that  is going to attract the attention of the opposite sex.

Jdate has proven this to me, and I can honestly say that it is here that I have seen some of the most hysterical Jewish screen names.

This Blog is my ode to Jewish Screen name, this is my top 5 in descending order;

5. Long John Silver'stein'

4. Matzaballer

3. IgotwhatJEWwant

2. Bubbysboy

1. YOURNONGOYTOY (your non goy toy)

In sum theses names are not cool, they are funny yes, but possibly not drawing the kind of attention that one may be looking for on a dating sight. Here is my  thought for the Jdating males who think theses names are the bee's knees...I think it's time to go back to the drawing board and to try for a name with a little less pun, and maybe a little more fun...I may have just gone too far with that last comment, but I think you know what I mean... 

A Night in Amsterdam

Written by: Dean Medina


Something really unique happens on November 6th in Amsterdam. About 26 000 people take to the streets in an event unlike any other I have seen before - Museum Nacht (Museum Night). Over 40 museums and cultural centers open their doors in this relatively small city from 7pm to 2 in the morning putting on incredible displays, shows and exhibitions. Check out http://www.n8.nl/2010/ for more info.

Being back in Amsterdam this past week for the sixth time in less than three years, I had a very unique and somewhat unusual experience on this night. As a young Jewish professional my mentality was different, my eyes open to a different light, I was aware of things I never really noticed or appreciated before.

This city is so extremely rich in Jewish history, but being in Amsterdam you don't really focus on what's really all around you. Once Amsterdam was a hub for Jewish activity, you would never know it now but Amsterdam is what it is today largely in part due to the strong Jewish presence that existed before the war.

With this in mind I went out on Museum Nacht with a particular path in mind: simply to seek out fascinating things about the Jews of Amsterdam. Here’s an idea of what I saw:

1.      The Portuguese Synagogue: I stepped in this building for the first time 2 years ago on Yom Kippur. There is something absolutely surreal and spiritual about standing in this ancient building that is lit entirely by candle light in the cold… there is also no heating so you can see your breath.

Check out a service here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd2Ayst3C6M

2.      Artis Zoo: There is something extremely creepy about being in a zoo at night, especially Europe’s oldest one. I learnt from a friend that Jews used to hide out in some of the animal enclosures for years to protect themselves from the Nazis.

  

3.      Anne Frank House: It was sad to see that the symbolic chestnut tree that was referenced by Anne Frank in her diary no longer stood outside the window. It fell in a storm in August.

4.      Resistance Museum: Holland is storied for its resistance against the Nazis and also for protecting Jews. I discovered that right in front of the museum hundreds of children were saved by members of a daycare by using the tram right in front of the museum as cover. They would follow the tram by foot until they reached safety and could hide the children.

5.      Old Jewish Neighborhood: Just by taking a stroll through this neighborhood brought up images of thousands of Jews going about their daily lives in my mind. There is very little evidence that they were there today except for the Jewish museum that stands as a reminder.

6.      Chanukiah’s in store windows: As I walked through the streets of Amsterdam at night I passed by antique store windows and in them often stood beautiful chanukiah’s lit up by the store light. I couldn’t help but think that these once belonged to the 65 000 Jews that perished during the Holocaust in Amsterdam.

7.      Harry Mulisch Dies: I learnt the fascinating story of this famous Amsterdam author who died a few days before Museum Nacht. Born to a Jewish mother and an Austrian father who was a Nazi collaborator (who actually saved the mother and the child). I strongly urge you to read up on him. An incredible, very complicated man.

Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Mulisch

The Jew Don'ts of Philanthropic Events

Written by: Dave Goodman

You wear uncomfortable clothing, get a haircut, practice your handshake and work the room.  That's right, you're hitting a Jew do!  Not quite the same as Jersey Shore, but to many, just as exciting.

I sit somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, excited for some, not so much for others, but all in all, event organizers, be it professional or volunteer put countless hours of detail and hard work, plus the Jewish stress (stronger than other forms of stress) making these happenings significant.  Raising necessary funds that keep vulnerable Jews above water while simultaneously keeping the Jewish community tight = nice formula.  However, in practice, it can be a nightmare, especially when you are up against some of the biggest critics in the world; diaspora Jews.  Here is a prime example of a "Jew Don't" at my most recent Jew-Do experience...

I'm gonna put something out there to any event pros working with celebs - whether they are A-listers or Hack C or D listers like Mike Bullard or Howie Mandel...don't be afraid to tell them what their role is.  Let's face it, you dedicate a large percentage of your event budget (money that was donated by attendees and volunteers of the event) to pay for these individuals to raise the profile of your event to draw more awareness, participation and funding.  When you pay someone, you should get what you want from it.  What happened last Thursday evening at the Baycrest Dancing with Our Stars (Season 2) is the driving force behind this post.

The jaw-dropping critique of a Top-Fundraising Volunteer dancer

Now I have never been to this event before, but 5 contestants basically learn how to dance (over the course of 5 months) and must do so in front of 800+ people in a gala setting.  This is after they have raised a record setting $2 million plus for cutting-edge geriatric research and development at the world-class institution at Baycrest.  Last Thursday evening at the Sheraton, two of the five dancers were mocked by the judges in a roast-like fashion that made my fraternity speech to outgoing brothers look charming.  The disgust of attendees in the room was palpable.  The aftermath and negative buzz in the community of this event left a terrible taste in the mouths of donors and attendees alike.  Will the negativity of this event's Jew-Don't be strong enough to jeopardize future Dancing with our Stars galas? 

Volunteer Fundraising Stars at Hoops 4 Israel 2010

I can't possibly imagine subjecting these people (my top Fundraising volunteer-participants) to the most embarrassing moments of their life.  They go out and rally their networks to support an important Jewish cause for my org.  I can summarize the Jew-Don't phenomena with a book I just found called: 'Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000', and cannot emphasize the importance taking care of your top donors at major Jew-Dos.  On a smaller scale, I have had mishaps with top fundraisers and know the fallout can be hugely detrimental to the integrity of an event, not to mention the sustainability of it. 

The thing is...sometimes when you Jew-do, you really Jew-Don't.  I don't even know what that means, but it's catchy isn't it?

As you were...

My Survivor

By: Ali Silverberg

Holocaust Education Week has very personal meaning for me.  I am very fortunate to have my grandmother, Leah, who is 91 years young and a survivior of the Holocaust. It is hard not to be in awe of my amazing grandmother, Leah (Kaplansky) Zuker.

Grandma grew up in Opatov, a small Polish town of eight thousand inhabitants.  She had a conventional upbringing in a happy home with her parents and eight siblings. Her family was comfortably well to do by the standards of the day.  They even owned one of the first telephones in the town. My grandmother will never forget her phone number...#64...nor let you forget it either, for that matter. Her family had disciplined routines.  You knew dinner was every day at 2:00pm, with white table cloths, and everyone seated in their chairs throughout the duration of the meal.  The trait that separated Grandma from so many others was that to this day, she is a self-confessed bookworm.  She is a well-educated woman imbued with a wonderful sense of curiosity and a lust for learning.  Her keenest area of interest is fittingly, studying history, from the Roman Empire to modern history and all times in between

Until the war started, her family lived a happy life.  They had no idea what the future held in store for them, and the destruction their tranquil lives would endure. On a September morning in 1939, the Nazis came knocking.  Grandma watched as she, and her siblings were taken away and dispersed, never to be reunited again. Grandma Leah was taken to Skarjiska, a brutal death camp where she witnessed the rape and murders of loved ones.  She was starved and beaten, and forced to make ammunition in a factory for the Nazi war machine. Like far too many, her experiences and what she witnessed during the Holocaust are too barbaric and painful for me to fully comprehend but nonetheless inspire me to keep trying.

After her liberation at the end of the war she was fortunate to be able to reunite with three of her siblings, who also survived.  They all immigrated to the United States to be with a brother in Detroit, who was lucky enough to leave Poland before the war started.  The rest of the family perished, along with their spouses and children and so many other relatives and loved ones.

Even though she was occupied with helping to run a business she co-founded, while raising my mother, my grandmother still had time to pursue her formal education, earning a high school diploma and moving on to pursue a university education.  In 1963 she wrote an essay outlining her life in Poland, and her life through the war. It is a composition that moves me beyond words because of the horrors she endured and the wisdom of her observations.  That essay opened my eyes and made me so proud to be the granddaughter of Leah Zuker.  As a sample, speaking of her Nazi tormentors, she wrote,

“The glorious murderers had never been awarded with the long awaited medals. All they could do is claim credit for the millions of innocent victims scattered all over the continent.

 The end of war meant freedom to me. An experience that is incomprehensible to anyone who never felt its loss. The value of freedom is priceless, and the preservation of it is worth all the human sacrifices. Freedom is like good health that makes a person vigorous and happy. Once it deteriorates it is difficult to recapture it; the lack of it emphasizes its meaning.”

Holocaust Education Week for me is epitomized by Leah Zuker – the pain, the torture, the death,  the will to survive, the gift of freedom, the imperative that we learn the history and teach others so we never forget.

 

I'm looking for someone who is....

Two years ago, I staffed a birthright trip that consisted of 34 girls and six guys. My first thought when I was told I was staffing this trip was that it was likely going to be a hormonal nightmare...34 girls with one bathroom at rest room breaks...not really my idea of a bag of laughs. Surprisingly today, I can say with confidence after leading several more trips over the years that this was one of my favorite trips ever.


I remember thinking while on that trip that it was almost as though each girl there was hand selected: they all seemed so talented, intelligent, funny, beautiful  and single to boot. On trips there afterwards when guys would tell me they were disappointed with not meeting anyone on their trips, or that all the girls on their trips were in relationships, I would immediately think about this "all girls" trip and how much these guys would have loved to have been on that bus. Now, it does need to be said that the six males who were on this bus were also amazing. They were so amazing that they were for the most part already off the market and taken making what other males would have considered  a dream ratio of 34:6  not something that really mattered to these guys, noneheless they were a great group of guys that were dealt a hand that many other males would likely refer to as their birthright dream.



Looks like a room full of girls to me...

Why am I bothering to tell you this? Well because I realize now that this was the trip that fueled my match making fire... where I became a full time Jewish community professional and part time shitach (match) maker. If these guys were hoping to meet a Jewish girl to take home to mom and dad  and didn't meet her on thier own buses, there was no reason why they shouldn't have an opportunity to meet some of these ladies from other buses, including the ladies from this trip, whom I have been known to refer to as, "the all-star 34". Who better than to introduce them than me?




To date I have introduced eight couples. EIGHT REAL COUPLES....who seem to think that they otherwise may not have met if I hadn't introduced them. This you can never know for sure - it is possible the stars could align and paths could cross with out the help of cupid's arrow, but why leave it to fate when it is possible I may have already met him or her for you? With that being said, you should know I am not saying all this in an attempt  to toot my own horn; it is actually the opposite...What I am saying is that with all the people I meet you shouldn't be shy to ask me if i know anyone for you...because I might just know the one.



Just one of the ladies of the all star 34 ...and her boyfriend who was on a different trip I staffed months earlier...

Name Droppin' from Holly Grove, New Orleans!

Wirtten by: Alana Kayfetz
The Projects, Eco- Green. Kehilla, Oct, 2010.

New Orleans is known for Lil Wayne, Trief, Mardi Gras, The Saints, and Hurricane Katrina. This year, the city will be the host for the 2010 GA!  

The General Assembly of Jewish Leadership (a.k.a the GA) is an annual convention of Jewish people from around the globe. The GA is like the Woodstock of Jewish influencers but instead of a glassy lawn, it takes place at a hotel.   

This years lineup is unreal! Not only do we get to spend a day repairing New Orleans, but the speakers list is extremely impressive.

Here is a list of the top 10 most impressive people that I hope to bump into:

1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Prime Minister of Israel
2. Ehud Barak: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense in Israel
3. Tzipi Livni: Leader of the Opposition in Israel
4. Martin Fletcher: Special Correspondent- NBC News
5. David Cygielman: CEO - Moishe House
6. Marcus J. Freed: Director - Bibliyoga
7. Nancy Lublin: CEO and Chief Old Person - www.DoSomething.org
8. Ruth Messinger: President of American Jewish World Service (AJWS)
9. Rae Ringel: President: The Ringel Group, LLC
10. Shira Ackerman Simchovitch: Director of Educational Content and Outreach Rechov Sumsum - Shalom Sesame/Sesame Workshop

As the mission statement says, I am excited to "be a part of the conversations that address current & emerging Jewish issues".  Stay tuned and I will be reporting on the celeb sighting and insight from this amazing experience!

For more info or to follow the happenings at the GA, go to http://ga.crosstechpartners.com/

Top 5 "Jew-do" Breakfast Spots in Toronto



 Written by: Melissa Zeller

Are you looking for great breakfast spots where you can enjoy your meal with every other Jew in the community?

If so, the below restaraunts are exactly what you are looking for!!

Check them out...

1. What A Bagel

2. Kiva's



3. Bagel World

4. United Bakers Dairy Restaraunt

5. Steve's Restaurant