Heebonics

Maikel Nabil Sanad Freed!

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Last week I posted a story on imprisoned Egyptian student blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad.

Well, he's out. Free to go about his democratic, Israel-lovin', peace proselytizing, moderate way.

And he's hoppin' mad, justly so. Here's a video he posted mere hours after his release, excoriating the Egyptian military tribunal system and the way the country dispenses "justice".

He had been held for 10 months after a military tribunal charged him with insulting the armed forces. Maikel was freed from Cairo's Tora prison late in the afternoon on Tuesday.

You can get more details about why he was jailed in my previous post. This is just an update and expression of hope that Maikel, and his moderate peers, can help influence the direction of Egypt now that it's assured there is an Islamist bent to its parliament.

Yesterday, his brother Mark had this to say to Reporters Without Borders:

"The release of Sanad, the post-Mubarak era's first prisoner of conscience, is wonderful news for both his family and for all those who campaigned on his behalf," he said. "His release is timely, coming on the eve of the Egyptian revolution's first anniversary. His only crime was to exercise the fundamental right to free expression, a right often flouted by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces since the revolution.

"The justice system must now overturn his conviction and declare him innocent. The relevant authorities must also be held accountable for his mistreatment and the harassment of his relatives. We will continue to monitor the situation in Egypt closely. On this very symbolic date, 25 January, we urge the authorities to stop using violence and judicial abuse to suppress all forms of criticism and to end the repeated arrests, interrogations and harassment of bloggers, netizens and journalists who criticize the Supreme Council's record."

Congratulations on your freedom Maikel. You should never have been jailed in the first place. Keep talking.

Hadassah-WIZO wins big with Bingo and Bagels

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:54:00 +0000

It has been quite some time since I last played Bingo as competitively as I did on Sunday. But I did it in support of Canadian Hadassah-Wizo's Ateret Chapter.

The 4th annual Bingo and Bagels fundraiser was held at Toronto's Beth Tzedek congregation and was once again a tremendously successful event. More than 200 participants came out to drop coloured discs on coloured cards for a chance to win prizes and for Canada's leading Jewish women's philanthropic and volunteer-driven organization. Proceeds from the day will fund a multitude of programs and projects for children, healthcare and women in Israel and Canada.

Before the game got started, and then during the breaks, smiles adorned most players' faces. If they did not manage to win the games, they noshed happily on bagels, artisan breads, various shmeres, baked goods and fruit platters. Congratulations from we here at Heebonics to the Ateret chapter organizers on a well executed and successful event.

Free Maikel Nabil Sanad, the voice of moderate Egypt

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:28:00 +0000

Maikel Nabil Sanad, now imprisoned and in failing health

One of the leading Egyptian pro-democracy, revolutionary voices has been silenced by that country's military and its woefully undemocratic legal system.

In an exclusive guest voice on The CJN's website, Liberal MP, lawyer and noted human rights advocate Irwin Cotler, asks the world not to forget the case of Maikel Nabil Sanad, the 26-year-old blogger who has been sentenced to three years in prison for speaking his mind.

A Coptic Christian – so he's already member of a persecuted minority in Egypt – Sanad came to prominence in the early days of the "Arab Spring" last year, when he advocated on his blog for the end to mandatory enlisting in Egypt's military.

His blog was critical of the army's handling of the Egyptian revolution last year, which called for then-President Hosni Mubarak to step down and make way for a democratic, elected government. That process has since turned into a multi-step election that has been co-opted by Islamist candidates and parties. It's hardly the democractic outcome many of the Egyptian students and social networkers who organized the Tahrir Square demonstrations had hoped for.

Here's an excerpt from Cotler's piece now online:

While the world celebrated the ushering in of 2012, 26 year-old Egyptian blogger Maikel Nabil – one of the first political prisoners of the post-Hosni Mubarak era – continued to languish in an Egyptian military hospital for exercising his fundamental rights to freedom of expression and association under both Egyptian law and international law.

And in another excerpt:

On Jan. 1 – again under the radar screen of the New Year – Nabil was moved from El-Marg military prison, where he was reportedly tortured, to the Tora Prison Hospital, where his life continues to hang by a thread. Although he reluctantly ended his four-month hunger strike in response to the pleas of his family and friends – and indeed I myself wrote him emphasizing the importance of his staying alive so that his voice could continue to be heard – his health nonetheless remains threatened by prison authorities who stopped administering his necessary medications in his weakened condition.

Irwin Cotler

This is an important story. Read the full comment from Cotler here.

And while you're at it, take a moment to look through Sanad's blog and particularly to his video addressing the Israeli people. It's a rare look into the real moderate views of many in the young, liberal Egyptian generation, whose future is being sold down the river by the ruling military regime and the threat of an Islamist autocratic government coming to power.

Also, here's an equally important story highlighting Sanad's plight by David Keyes, executive director of Advancing Human Rights and a co-founder of Cyberdissidents.org. Keyes discusses the dire need for the world to react to Sanad's imprisonment and of Cotler's "tireless" efforts to keep Sanad alive.

What are your thoughts?

Birthright photo contest

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:38:00 +0000

A couple months ago, Taglit-Birthright Israel held a contest open to all North American Birthright alumni to submit photos they had taken that highlight Israel in all its scenic glory.
The person who submitted the best and most popular photo won a free, round-trip ticket back to the Holy Land. Not a bad deal!

The first photo below is the winner, submitted by OCAD University student Ronnie Friedman. The second is the runner-up, and the rest were posted in no particular order.

If these photos aren't enough to give you that I've-got-to-get-back-to-Israel itch, I'm not sure what will.

The young professional 'Jewish' imperative

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:47:00 +0000

With the start of each new calendar year, organizations throughout North America tend to take stock of their program schedules and re-evaluate the goals they wish to achieve. Having attended many of the programs that were organized and hosted by the plethora of Jewish organizations in Toronto for young professionals, (among them, JUMP, The House, The Annex Shul and The Forest Hill Jewish Centre ) I can tell you that at the core of each one is the 'Jewish Imperative'. What I mean by the Jewish imperative is the need amongst all program participants on even the most basic level, to forge a Jewish, socio-cultural connection.

Engaging many disenfranchised and alienated Jewish youth from Toronto to reconnect to and find meaning in their culture and religion is upheld by most of these organizations as essential to the longevity and sustainability of the Jewish people. Re-discovering one's spiritual side by delving into the inspirational teachings from the leaders found in these environments, the values brought forth from the texts they employ and the communal sharing in the traditions of our people, helps produce the next generation of Jewish leaders and create better human beings.

If you have yet to find your spiritual way and are looking to connect "Jewishly," the aforementioned organizations are your best place to start. Get a taste of what each has to offer from our Facebook page's Citywide album or from their respective event calendars today!

Theo Fleury to speak at JACS Toronto

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:18:00 +0000

Theoren Fluery

The Jewish Addictions and Community Services of Toronto (JACS) nonprofit is hosting a high-profile event this week. On Thursday Jan. 12, NHL alumni, child abuse survivor and former addict Theo Fleury will speak to and with the community.

JACS is promoting the event through numerous channels in the hope that those who need the inspiration to combat whatever personal demons currently torment them will show up and take hope from the outspoken former NHLer. It promises to be a fulfilling evening.

Here's JACS' official announcement:

Theoren Fleury is a former NHL All-Star, Stanley Cup winner and Olympic Gold Medalist. Recently, Theo fascinated readers with his #1 bestseller, “Playing With Fire.”

Now he is one of the country’s most in-demand keynote speakers. He shares funny stories behind the scenes with the game's biggest stars. Theo tells jaw-dropping anecdotes of living hard at the top of the NHL, the crash that followed, and finally his comeback and redemption.

Theo knows what it takes to become a champion, build a strong team and overcome incredible odds. JACS is proud to announce that we will be having Theo speak on January 12th, 2012 at 7:30pm at Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (730 Eglinton Ave W. Toronto).

Regular tickets are available at $10 or at the door for $18. Reserved seating is also available. Please call Anna for more information at 416 638 0350 ext 221 or email anna@jacstoronto.org

Bibi speaks at Taglit-Birthright Israel Mega Event

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Wednesday night was the highly anticipated Taglit-Birthright Israel January 2012 Mega Event. The semi-annual Mega Event brings together all Birthright participants who happen to be in Israel at the time, for an evening of entertainment, dancing and speeches from the philanthropists who fund the free 10-day trip.

The keynote speaker of the evening this time was none other than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He urged the young Diaspora Jews from more than 15 countries to bring home positive messages about Israel as a free and egalitarian society.

“We live in a tough neighborhood and we have to defend ourselves, and we have the bravest soldiers in the world to do that. But the most important battle is the battle for the truth. And all of you can become an ambassador for Israel. And whether you come here or whether you stay where you are, be proud of your birthright,” he told the crowd, according to Israeli news channel Arutz Sheva.

Watch Bibi’s speech excerpt in the video below:

Tattoos bridge cultural gap

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:54:00 +0000

Avid reality T.V. enthusiasts and tattoo aficionados know Ami James as the talented tattoo artist from the popular show Miami Ink. What many people don't know about the tough-looking artist is that he is Israeli. James was born in Israel, lived there as a child and returned to serve in the IDF.

In a scene from the new TLC show All-American Muslim, which follows ordinary Muslim families in Michigan, Bilal Amen, a Lebanese-American, gets a tattoo from James. He is apprehensive about the reaction the Israeli tattoo artist will have to the Lebanese flag on his back, where the new tattoo will also be inked.

From the video below Amen and James demonstrate how sharing perspectives and having mutual respect can surmount cultural tensions.

Idan Raichel and India Arie collaborate on new album

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:42:00 +0000

If you've ever listened to popular Israeli tunes, you've probably heard at least a couple of songs by the dreadlocked musical genius Idan Raichel.

Raichel is known for his band's eclectic cultural mix, bringing together Ethiopian, Yemenite, Israeli and South American singers to create a unique sound. Two years ago, he met India Arie, the Grammy Award-winning soulful American singer, and the two hit it off immediately.

Since then, they've been collaborating on an album called Open Door, which, after some delays, is now set to be released this coming March. Just one more thing to look forward to in the new year!

For a taste of what the duo has to offer, check out the video below of their song Gift of Acceptance, which they performed at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway last year.

Boutique stays in Tel Aviv

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:52:00 +0000

Tel Aviv is hands down one of the most popular destinations for Jewish youth in Israel. For those travelling on a medium-sized budget and looking for a more urban-chic type stay, consider booking at one of the five boutique hotels rated best in the city by Tourist Israel. These intimate and generally high-quality accommodations offer something a bit different, and they do it well, with guests reporting only positive experiences.

To jump to the list, click here and be sure to check out this clip of Claire Danes telling Conan O'Brien how she shot scenes for the "Homeland" pilot in Israel (the country was used as a stand in for Iraq) and how she extolls Tel Aviv as an "intense party town" where "the bars are hopping."

Chanukah parties of a different sort

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:42:00 +0000

While others are sitting down to Christmas dinner on Dec. 24, young Toronto Jews can check out two events this year that offer them the chance to party the night away.

Be sure to come back and review either event in our comment section below.

Beardless Matisyahu explains himself. Sort of.

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:37:00 +0000

OK, so by now, you've probably heard that Orthodox Jewish reggae superstar Matisyahu has shaved his beard.

Fans were left wondering what the future held for the "One Day" singer after he posted a photo on Twitter of his clean-shaven face, as well as a statement on his website that said:

“No more Chassidic reggae superstar. Sorry folks, all you get is me… No alias. When I started becoming religious 10 years ago it was a very natural and organic process. It was my choice. My journey to discover my roots and explore Jewish spirituality — not through books but through real life.

"At a certain point I felt the need to submit to a higher level of religiosity… to move away from my intuition and to accept an ultimate truth. I felt that in order to become a good person I needed rules — lots of them — or else I would somehow fall apart. I am reclaiming myself. Trusting my goodness and my divine mission. Get ready for an amazing year filled with music of rebirth. And for those concerned with my naked face, don’t worry… you haven’t seen the last of my facial hair.”

He followed his statement up with another Twitter message to reassure his fans that beard or no beard, he's still a committed Jew.

“For all those who are confused: Today I went to the Mikva and Shul just like yesterday," he tweeted.

Earlier this week, Matisyahu was interviewed at a New York City radio station about his new look and what it all means. Although he was pretty vague and didn't really give much insight into what led him to get rid of the facial hair he'd been sporting for 10 years, the videos are still worth a listen.

It's kind of refreshing that a guy who has such a powerful, musical voice, is so soft-spoken.

A funky kind of Chanukah

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:44:00 +0000

Into the void that may now be left by Matisyahu's departure from the world of Jewish reggae and rap, (see the story here) the similar stylings of Y-Love could now take center stage. Samplings of a collaborative effort by Jewish rappers Erran Baron Cohen, Jules Brookes, and Y-Love can now be found on popular comedy video website Funny or Die, which is featuring sample tracks off of the artists' first holiday effort Songs in the Key of Hanukkah.

If you haven't heard any of the songs yet, check out the two funked-up classics below.

Dreidel

Hannukah Oh Hannukah

Falafel Man

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:01:00 +0000

Just a quick video clip today. Watch this dude make falafel sandwiches like nobody's business.

(Thanks to the folks at the Israel: Size Doesn't Matter campaign for flagging this first here.)

Apparently, his name is Golan and he works at (or owns?) the eatery Falafel Hanasi in Afula.

Mmmm... falafel.

Canada to Rock and Roll HOF: Ummm... RUSH?!

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:54:00 +0000

The Rock and Roll HOF: Still RUSH-less

Another year, another round of inductions into the Rock and roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

This year's inductees include Guns N' Roses, the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Laura Nyro, Donovan and The Small Faces (that group Rod Stewart fronted for awhile back there).

There have so far been 296 inductees into the hall since it's opening in 1986.

Fantastic. Congrats you 296 rock acts and impressarios who are in. Just one problem – there is one, huge, glaring band omission: a small Canadian mega-selling, wildly popular, prog-rock innovative, legendary musical genius trio. You may have heard of them, little band from Toronto by name of R-U-S-H.

Rush's eponymous first album cover

It's RUSH, people. RUSH. Purveyors of such ditties such as "Tom Sawyer", "YYZ", "Spirit of Radio", "Red Barchetta", "Working Man", and an iconic album called 2112.

The band has sold more than 40 million records worldwide, and according to the Recording Industry Association of America, Rush is third after The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum studio albums by a rock band.

From left: Neil Peart + Geddy Lee + Alex Lifeson = Rush

Hellooooo??! HOF voters (or shadow cabinet, or whoever decides these things)... put them in there already. They've been eligible for the last 10 years.

It's interesting, because three of the biggest bands still looking in from the outside are Rush, Kiss and Bon Jovi. And if you're a conspiracy theorist (and a paranoid Jewish one at that, not that we are here at Heebonics) there is a Jewish link between the bands. Rush has Geddy Lee. Kiss has two: Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. And Bon Jovi's co-founder is keyboardist David Bryan. All Jews.

Bon Jovi

Kiss

Make of that what you will (and really, you shouldn't make anything out of it. Now go watch your X-Files reruns and fume about something real, like the imminent invasion of extra-terrestrials.)

Now it's time for this post to fly by night away from here.

Israeli-Canadian aims to be next Queen guitarist

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:23:00 +0000

Torontonian Roy Ziv shreds during auditions for Queen

UPDATED: Roy didn't make it. He received word early on Dec. 8 that he was not the guitarist. Sorry Roy. But what a ride! This should do wonders for your CV and future.

Roy Ziv moved to Toronto from Israel when he was seven. He's now a 20-year-old who hails from Richmond Hill and studies music at Berklee in Boston.

Oh yeah, he might also be the next guitarist for iconic classic rock band Queen.

Last night he may have gotten one step closer to his dream of rock stardom: he performed as a finalist on The Queen Extravaganza contest. The trials were set up by Queen founding member, drummer Roger Taylor – he's also one of the judges – who will send this new "Queen" out as a band after selecting a new crop of musicians to stand in for himself, late vocalist Freddie Mercury; guitarist Brian May and bassist John Deacon.

Ziv was selected to be one of the guitarist finalists and performed for Taylor yesterday to try and win the coveted "Brian May" position and tour with the band next year. Here's his video audition:

Winners are scheduled to be announced later this week. The Canadian Jewish News will have a full feature interview with Ziv in an upcoming edition of the paper.

Kol hakavod, Roy!

Israeli government doesn't want Israelis getting too cozy with American Jews

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:54:00 +0000

A recently launched ad campaign by the Israeli Ministry of Immigrant Absorption aims to keep Israelis from getting "Americanized." Some of the campaign videos and billboards that have been spotted in California, New York and Florida not-so-subtly suggest to Israelis to avoid marrying American Jews and raising American children, and to come back to Israel.

The campaign, reported to cost $1 million, features videos like the one below, showing a young family on video chat with grandparents in Israel. Behind the elderly couple is a menorah. They ask their granddaughter, in Hebrew, what holiday it is, and she excitedly answers "Christmas!"

At the end, the video tells viewers,"they will always stay Israeli. Their children will not. Help them return to Israel."

Another video shows an Israeli woman whose American boyfriend mistakes a memorial candle on remembrance day for a romantic gesture.

For expat Israelis, ,the ads hit a soft spot, making them feel guilty and fearful for leaving the Holy Land. For Jewish North Americans, they can be seen as an insult. While Jews have long been taught to avoid intermarriage, narrowing the marriage pool even among Jews creates new divisions, suggesting that American Jews are not "Jewish enough."

What's your take on the controversial ads?

Siri to support Hebrew

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:09:00 +0000

Siri, the application on iPhones that can understand what you say, can talk back and helps with everyday tasks, may be available in Hebrew soon.

According to a n ew report by the JTA (a Jewish news agency), Apple is in the process of developing add-ons that would allow people to communicate with Siri in several languages, including Hebrew.

The website iPhones.co.il reported that Nuance, a voice technology company working with Apple, is already recording Hebrew phrases for the project.

Though there are no guarantees that the next iPhone software update (iOS5.1) will feature a Hebrew-friendly Siri app, the work is underway to ensure that the next time you want to find the closest falafel stand, you'll be able to ask your phone in Hebrew.

Hopefully, you'll have more luck than the guy in the video below (warning: it's all in Hebrew).

"Mini-Mood" conference to engage Montreal's Jewish youth

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:21:00 +0000

Montreal's Jewish youth are connecting to their roots in a different and exciting way. A new series of programming called mini-Mood (from "Limmud," the Hebrew word for learning) is serving the city's up-and-coming generation with a variety "out-of-the-box" Jewish learning experiences.

The youthful, eclectic programming is an initiative of Federation Combined Jewish Appeal to engage the next generation of Montreal's Jewish community.

Mini-Mood, which takes place tonight (Nov. 28) is the condensed version of the all-day Le Mood conference. This past June, that event brought out 800 people, according to organizer Mike Savatovsky, in the Montreal Gazette.

Mini-mood will feature speakers on topics from LGBT identity to Hasidic hip hop, and even Quebec separatism.

Well-known Jewish hop-hop artist Y-Love (or Yitz Jordan, as he is also known) will be performing for Montreal crowds as part of mini-Mood. Y-Love, raised Catholic, felt a calling to to become Jewish as a child. The rapper told the Montreal Gazette that Judaism is not just a religion for white people, as some think.

Mini-Mood organizers are thrilled with the success of past events and are looking forward to continue expanding and finding different ways to engage Montreal's Jewish youth. Plans for next year's Le Mood are already underway.

For more information on the "mini-Mood" conference, check out the Le Mood website.

Tel Aviv Fashion Week featuring Roberto Cavalli

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:29:00 +0000

This week marked Israel's first fashion week in Tel Aviv in 30 years. Prominent Israeli designers, as well as newcomers to Israel's fashion scene, showed their designs alongside Italian fashion veteran Roberto Cavalli's Spring 2012 collection.

Tel Aviv Fashion Week featured about 20 shows and drew the attention of dozens of international fashion journalists. Israeli designers embraced by the international media include Dorit Bar Or and Tamar Primak.

The event was supported in part by the Ministry of Tourism, the Foreign Ministry and local businesses, to show the world a slice of Israel's vibrant cultural life.

Watch Cavalli's models walk the runway below.

Seth Rogen teaches Elmo Hebrew

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:28:00 +0000

Canadian comedy star and nice Jewish boy Seth Rogen took some time out of his busy schedule of cracking people up to teach Elmo some Hebrew. Rogen, appearing on Shalom Sesame taught the red furry monster to say "todah," the Hebrew word for "thank you."

Check out the adorable video below.

Celebrating Stanislaw Lem's The Cyberiad!

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:39:00 +0000

Stanislaw who, you ask?

Fans of science fiction literature will know the name as one of the fathers of the genre. He ranks up there with Asimov, Bradbury. Heinlein and others of that ilk. Many North American fans of the genre may not know who he is, but Europeans do.

Born on September 12, 1921, in Lwów, Poland, Lem was raised Roman Catholic but derived from Jewish ancestry and as such, fled his homeland during Nazi occupation to avoid a fate in the death camps.

Lem with toy cosmonaut (Wikipedia photo)

One of his most popular books, Solaris, has thrice been made into feature films, the last one in 2002 starring George Clooney. He's equally famous for his book The Cyberiad.

The Google search engine today put up a doodle-game dedicated to the late writer (he died in 2006) for its European visitors. It's an ambitious, amazing, multi-level cartoon/puzzle game based on The Cyberiad, its characters and storylines, which today turned 60. Google artists have outdone themselves. Sit back and enjoy.

Bibi and Abbas lock lips for Benetton

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:09:00 +0000

You may have thought you’d never see the day that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas get to first base – and you probably never will. But that didn’t stop Italian clothing company Benetton from giving the world an idea of what it would look like if the two engaged in a little "kissy face."

Benetton just launched a campaign for their Unhate Foundation featuring various world leaders who are in conflict making out. The doctored photos included President Obama with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, President Lee Myung-bak of South Korea and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il and Pope Benedict XVI with prominent Egyptian Imam Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb. That last image was removed from the campaign following complaints from the Vatican.

The purpose of the campaign is to ask people “to consider that hate and love are not as far away from each other as we think,” the foundation’s website tells viewers. “Don’t hate, Unhate.” The foundation is working to support social initiatives that promote tolerance in areas of the world where hatred has created conflict and injustice.

Whether the kissing odd couples will follow this message or not remains to be seen, but for all of us who’ve wondered if Bibi and Abbas would make a cute couple – imagination is no longer required.

The Technion Society thrives in Canada

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:58:00 +0000

The annual general meeting for the Canadian Technion Society's (CTS) Toronto chapter hosted the largest turnout it has had in recent years last Sunday. With the launch earlier this year of the young professional division, Generation Next, the number of attendees surged to 56 from 11 in 2010. Out of this developing new leadership group, Toronto chapter president Eddie Pal was nominated and elected to the position of CTS national president. Gen-Nexters Jack Bensimon and Ed Nagel – pictured, respectively, second from right and far left in the back row – were appointed directors to the board.

CTS is on a mission of revitalization and renewal as it continues to support and raise awareness of the great scientific research being conducted by one of Israel's leading universities. A cornerstone of the country's infrastructure, the Technion's work in science, technology and medicine is recognized and respected worldwide. It is the Technion's vision to be among the top 10 post-secondary institutions in the world.

In October, Prof. Dan Shechtman, pictured below on right during a teleconference call with university president Peretz Lavie, received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for his discovery of and work on quasicrystals.

CTS is proud to be a partner in furthering awareness of accomplishments by the university's faculty, students and alumni.

On Sunday Nov. 20, 16 Gen-Nexters will embark on a seven-day mission to Israel. The trip will encompass visits to the campus, a tour of the company Better Place – which is developing sustainable, eco-friendly transportation – and the Elite chocolate factory. Participants will also enjoy the ever-present wonders of Eretz Yisrael.

Four minutes to show off the Holy Land

heebonics@hotmail.com (Heebonics) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:42:00 +0000

Filmmaker Matthew Brown took a trip to Israel and tried to capture the experience in four minutes. Capturing anything about Israel in four minutes is a tall order, but Brown edited down his footage to show what he feels is most important about the country.

“I wanted to prove that there are so many beautiful people in that country, of all religions, cultures, regions. It was not hard to do, actually. The moment I arrived I was welcomed by every walk of life. The Jewish people's arms were wide open, and the Arab people always gave me a great big smile and welcomed me into great conversation. I felt a great warmth there,” he told The Atlantic.

Brown even filmed a busy intersection in Tel Aviv when everyone stood completely still and silent for Holocaust Memorial Day. He faced some criticism for moving and filming through the somber moment, but he felt it was an important aspect of Israel to show.

Check out Brown’s video "This IsReal" below.

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