by Kate I recently had the chance to research the YM-YWHA’s Active Service Centre for our boys in WWII. Run by young hostesses, this Centre provided entertainment like dances and splash parties for servicemen in need of a little distraction. I came across some newspaper clippings in the YM-YWHA archival collection that profiled a particularly unique outing offered by the ladies. In the summer of 1944, over 90 Canadian veterans returned home after fighting in Italy [...]

Sarah Fischer, while born in Paris, spent her formative years growing up in Montreal, where she was to kick off a highly successful career as an opera singer on the international stage, whre she was known as a Canadian soprano. Good reviews of her performances abounded in the press, both [...]

If you’re in Toronto this up-coming Sunday, June 2nd, the Toronto Jewish Literary Festival is holding the Ontario book launch of The Exile Book of Yiddish Women Writers.  The event will feature editor Freida Forman, with dramatic readers in Yiddish and English.  Joining Ms. Forman for the launch are Yiddish expert Gloria Brumer, actress and singer Theresa Tova, and pianist Matt Herscowitz. From the Festival’s website: This anthology presents new translations by 8 Canadian translators of [...]