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At the Canadian Jewish Literary Awards

Canadian Jewish Literary Awards, Canadian Jewish Women Writers, Rona Arato

On Sunday October 27, 2024, I attended the Canadian Jewish Literary Awards (CJLA) event at the Miles Nadal JCC in Toronto. It was a wonderful event, celebrating authors who have published masterful works this past year. Here’s Sidura Ludwig, winner in the Youth category for her heartwarming book, Rising, with me and Rona Arato, good friend and CJLA jury member. Thanks to Edward Trapunski, jury members, winners, and organizers for a truly memorable event filled with joy and gratitude! For more information about the CJLA, go to: https://cjlawards.ca/

A Jeweller’s Legacy

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On October 26, 2024, I was thrilled to attend the book launch of A Jeweller’s Legacy: A Boy’s Journey from War to Peace, Henry (Hank) Schaffer’s memoir. It was an honour and delight for me to edit this moving memoir of a child Holocaust survivor. Thank you to Renate Krakauer who introduced this courteous and intelligent man to me.
Here’s a brief description of the book: Henry’s journey was one from war to peace. Born a week before the Nazis invaded his hometown of Warsaw, Poland in 1939, Henry survived the war and Holocaust through luck, perseverance and love of his mother, Vera Schaffer. The family with the help of jeweller Simon Schaffer thrived in Belgium after the war and eventually in Montreal, where Henry became a jeweller himself as well as a beloved husband, father, and grandfather.

To hear Henry’s interview in 2021 for the Montreal Holocaust Museum, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wEG5RcxPdI

Unveiling of Sunnyside Stadium Softball plaque

Biography--Jewish Women, Bobbie Rosenfeld, Canadian Jewish Women Writers, Olympics, Second Story Press, The Matchless Six

On June 1, 2024, I attended the unveiling of the plaque for the Sunnyside Stadium Softball by Heritage Toronto. It’s here where girls and women played softball from 1924 to 1956. The stands were often packed with 5,000 spectators; the cost of admission was ten cents. These young women were truly in a “league of their own”!

I was delighted that the organizers included a display about Bobbie Rosenfeld, Canada’s female athlete of the half-century, and that Bobbie is mentioned on the plaque!

The Boulevard Club is now on the site of the Sunnyside Stadium, but a lot of people still have fond memories of their family members playing there, or of even  playing there themselves.

To watch the YouTube video of the event, go to:

TBC Sunnyside Plaque Unveiling (youtube.com)

And here’s a photo of the plaque: 

“Bobbie” play at Theatre by the Bay, Barrie (ON)

Biography--Jewish Women, Bobbie Rosenfeld, Canadian Jewish Women Writers, Olympics, Second Story Press, The Matchless Six

What a treat it was to go to Barrie and see the play Bobbie, presented by Theatre by the Bay! Trudee Romanek did a superb job writing the play–clear, passionate, well-researched. The actors were skillful and expressive, and Kathy Kacer’s consultant work was detailed and accurate. It brought me great joy to see Bobbie’s achievements (and challenges) come to life! I do hope you’ll have a chance to see the play. It runs until Sunday Sept. 10, 2023. Here’s TBTB’s  website for more information:  https://theatrebythebay.com/2023

Bobbie Rosenfeld for the Friends of the South Grey Museum, Markdale, Ontario

Biography--Jewish Women, Bobbie Rosenfeld, Olympics, Second Story Press, The Matchless Six

I was delighted to give a presentation about Bobbie Rosenfeld: The Olympian Who Could Do Everything (Second Story Press) on May 17, 2023 in Markdale, Ontario to the Friends of the South Grey Museum. Although this award-winning biography about Canada’s outstanding female athlete was published in 2004, people are still interested in Bobbie’s life and accomplishments. A new play, written by Trudee Romanek, will be presented August 30 to September 10 in Barrie, Ontario. On September 2, after the matinee performance, I’ll be part of a panel discussion including Trudee, Bruce Kidd, and Rochelle Thompson, Bobbie Rosenfeld’s niece. For more information, here’s the link to the Theatre on the Bay: https://theatrebythebay.com/2023

Thanks to Dave Sweiger of the Friends of the South Grey Museum for this photo, and for Lacy Sciamanna for the lovely display about Bobbie!

Bobbie – A New Play

Biography--Jewish Women, Bobbie Rosenfeld
I’m delighted that Trudee Romanek’s play about Bobbie Rosenfeld will be presented at Theatre by the Bay in Barrie, Ontario from August 30 to Sept. 10. Here’s the link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFzVudV_mSs
To purchase tickets–probably for sale in May–please go to the Theatre by the Bay’s website: https://www.theatrebythebay.com
The play is generously sponsored by Am Shalom Congregation in Barrie.