Noam Katz - Rabbi, Musician and Dean

Hard news media seems to really be waking up to the fact that social media, used as a tool for the aggregation and dissemination of news and newsy material, is quickly becoming a go to source. Many are more easily connected now to Facebook, Twitter and Blackberry BBM's for more up-to-the-minute and up close visual coverage than they are to accessing a television set.

Recently, if not for a posting on the Union for Reform Judaism Camps Facebook page, and an announcement from the Foundation of Jewish Camps website, we would have missed out on hearing that a great artist and recently minted Reform rabbi from HUC (Hebrew Union College) Los Angeles, Noam Katz, has moved his family to Toronto.
Heebonics caught up with Katz, just after the 2009 URJ Biennial. Katz is known for leading crowds of people from teens to their 40's in traditional prayers and rhythms, inspired by Jewish communities around the world. When he was last here in Toronto, he played songs from his latest album A Drum in Hand in front of 3,500 people.

Here's a sample track Sim Shalom from his third studio album:

Starting this summer, he takes on a new dual position with Camp George and the Leo Baeck Day School, as the Dean of Jewish Living. His music – as Vicky Tobianah previously reported for us – has transcended barriers, making his audience feel like part of a global community. Now for our children, in his new capacity, he will undoubtedly and successfully, seamlessly blend together formal and experiential education.

Jews most targeted religious group in Canada: police

Police services across Canada recorded 1,036 incidents of hate-motivated crimes in 2008, with 165 of them targeting Jews.

Bernie Farber... “the numbers do not suggest Jews have something to worry about"

People of the Jewish faith were the single most targeted religious group, far eclipsing incidents involving Catholics (30 crimes) and Muslims (26 incidents), according to a report by by Statistics Canada that were released last week.

To read complete story, go to The CJN main website.

NDP MP says Palestine ‘occupied’ since 1948

NDP deputy leader Libby Davies faced calls for her resignation last week after she told a blogger she believed Israel has been occupying Palestine since 1948, the year of Israel’s independence.
To read full story, please go to The CJN's main website.

So Much Flotilla ... So Little Time

Since the raid on the Gaza Flotilla happened, there has been quite the barrage of video's and general media coverage, from comments to analysis. It has been our practice not to follow suit in posting the multitude of video clips to The CJN's main site, or here to the blog for that matter. The sources from which they originate appear often times to be suspicious and look spliced and or poorly edited. With all that has been added to sites like YouTube and embedded in articles you have been reading from other publications, what are your thoughts on all that is floating out there?