Some Jews more than triflingly Orthodox

Publish Date: 6-Apr-2006

In the article “A trifle unorthodox” [March 30–April 6], Jewish Film Festival president Leonard Schein is reported as saying “All the [Jewish communities in] West Coast cities tend to be a bit more reform-oriented, you could say, and more integrated with the larger community.”

While I believe other West Coast cities may be more “liberal” (is that what he means by reform?), I wouldn’t count Vancouver among them.

Of the strictly Reform synagogues, Vancouver (and the entire Lower Mainland) has only Temple Shalom. Other than this, there are two “traditional egalitarian”, one Conservative and the rest are some version of Orthodox. Among these, Chabad-Lubavitch—whose membership do not assimilate—has many hubs in the Lower Mainland. The Peretz Centre—a centre for secular Jewish culture—coexists with the Jewish Community Centre, which is strongly pro-Israeli. And there are, of course, Jews who are completely assimilated, with no Jewish- specific affiliations.

My experience of Vancouver is that “reform” is in the eye of the beholder. Where you look is what you see.

> Phoenix Wisebone / Vancouver