APRIL 2013


THE JEWS OF MONTREAL

Montreal is the subject of our explorations this issue, featuring Seymour Mayne’s examination of why Jewish culture has thrived in the city, plus films with a focus on Jewish Montreal. In music Malcolm Miller details the history of the 'ban' against Wagner in Israel, while in art Sarah MacDougall discusses the life and work of Boris Aronson, and in poetry Liz Cashdan reviews Norbert Hirschhorn’s Monastery On the Moon. Plus many more fascinating articles about what’s happening in Jewish culture.

A TASTE OF JR: READ SAMPLES OF JR ARTICLES


BROWSE THE FULL CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE BELOW

WHAT'S NEW

Orthodox Feminism Arrives in UK • Manchester Highlights from Limmud Day including Mohammed Amin and David Barclay on 'troublesome texts' • Poland Remembers: Commemoration of liquidation of Krakow ghetto; reconstructed Gwoździec synagogue comes to Warsaw's new museum • Launch of First Art Kibbutz • You can't Please all the People... some early results of JR's reader survey • JMI strengthens its team... and Yiddish learning

SCIENCE IN ISRAEL

Tom Keve finds out the reasons behind the Israeli science boom and its potential world impact – including an interview with Dan Shechtman • The origins of science in Israel • Facts and Figures of Israel's current position • Judith Mirzoeff profiles Nobel Laureates: Avram Hershko, Aaron Ciechanover, Ada Yonath and Dan Shechtman and looks at some of the most influential products of Israeli Science emanating particularly from the Weizmann Institute and The Technion

THE JEWS OF MONTREAL

What is it about Montreal? Seymour Mayne on why Jewish culture has thrived in the city • Timeline From 1760-2013 Barry Lazar • Putting down roots – the Hart family • A Walk on The Main Barry Lazar on the old Jewish quarter that is now seeing a renaissance • A diverse community in a divided city Janet Levin talks to demographer Jack Jedwab • Hip Montreal Barry Lazar on musician and composer Socalled plus: 'Le Mood' and Montreal's radio stations • View from a Brit Judi Herman interviews Stephen Glass, Music Director of Shaar Hashomayim synagogue • Yiddish – alive and well? Rebecca Margolis on the religious and secular Yiddish-speaking communities • Why are children learning Yiddish today? Janet Levin talks to a teacher and a student at JPPS-Bialik School • A Plethora of Poets Seymour Mayne explains the role of Jewish poets, including AM Klein, Irving Layton and Leonard Cohen, in Canadian literature • Sam Borenstein Joyce Borenstein gives a daughter's view of the painter • A Flourish of Films Summary of some of the many films featuring Jewish Montreal • Barney's Version Judi Herman reviews the film now available on DVD

REVIEW/PREVIEW

Gatekeepers Judi Herman sees the film and talks to director Dror Moreh • Jfest International The Leeds performing arts festival that has rebranded and is now in London too

MUSIC

Wagner and Israel Malcolm Miller gives the history on the 'ban' against playing Wagner in Israel and how it has been challenged and makes the case that it should be lifted

ART

Modernist Enthusiast of Yiddish Theatre Sarah MacDougall on the life and work of Boris Aronson and some of the designs that will be shown at the Ben Uri. • Chagall is Coming to Liverpool Monica Bohm-Duchen sees the exhibition Chagall Modern Master while it is in Zurich prior to its arrival in Liverpool • Herod the Great – The Final Journey Angela Levine visits the exhibition of the latest archaeological findings at the Israel Museum • Agi Erdos puts some flesh on the bones

BOOKS

Breaking a Wall of Silence David Clark attends a book launch of The M Room where he hears secret listeners of the M Room Fritz Lustig Mark • Classic Choice The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordechai Richler reviewed by David Herman • Also reviews of: I’m Your Man: Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons reviewed by Judi Herman Landscapes from the Metropolis of Death by Otto Dov Kulka and Helga’s Diary by Helga Weiss reviewed by David Herman • Radical Responsibility reviewed by Agi Erdos • Israel has Moved by Diana Pinto reviewed by Diane Lukeman • Retrospective by A B Yehoshua reviewed by Marge Clouts • Exposure by Sayed Kashua reviewed by Deborah Brooks • Book Week for Couch Potatoes A few recommended Jewish Book Week sessions that will be available online

POETRY

Monastery on the Moon by Norbert Hirschhorn reviewed by Liz Cashdan • Poetry Choice Liz Cashdan chooses poems by Stephen Wilson and Sue Schraer

FOOD

Delis to Die For Bill Brownstein visits three Montreal classics

LAST WORDS

Science in Hebrew Tamar S Drukker