Month: August 2019
JPPS-Bialik introduces Shawn Taylor as new basketball head coach
By Matt Starr, Director of Athletics
The Bulldogs Athletics Department of JPPS would like to welcome Shawn Taylor as the new head coach for the juvenile boys basketball team for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Shawn brings with him 27 years of basketball experience. Most recently he coached the Dawson College CEGEP Division 2 Men from 2014-2017. He has successfully coached intercity basketball in Laval, Dawson Community AAA and at Red Rush in the South Shore.
“I am looking forward to working with a new group of kids this season and teaching them team concepts, communication and life skills,” he said.
His main goals are to make sure the kids work hard, are determined and put in the effort to grow and get better on and off the court.
We asked Shawn a few questions to get to know him a bit better:
What is your favourite sports brand? ‘‘Nike’’
What is your favourite type of music? ‘‘Old school hip hop’’
Who is your favourite sports reporter? ‘‘Chris Berman’’
Do you have a favourite food? ‘‘Roti’’ (Carribean dish)
Do you play Fortnite? ‘‘NO!’’
What would you do with $150,000? ‘‘Pay off debts and start a youth center’’
Do you have a charity of choice? ‘‘No but from time to time I donate to certain causes’’
Who is your favourite basketball player? ‘‘Damian Lillard’‘ (wants to play with players he has, doesn’t want to pair up with another superstar)
What is your most/least favourite basketball rule? ‘‘14 seconds in the front court is my favourite and the new FIBA travelling rule is my least favourite.’’
What is your favourite part about coaching? ‘‘Making kids better, showing them the game and relating it to life.’’
Shawn resides in Laval with his wife Lara and kids Kashawna, Tristan and Jasmine. Please join me in welcoming Shawn to JPPS-Bialik.
Four local teens were part of a true Cinderella basketball story at the JCC Maccabi Games
By Mike Cohen
Côte Saint-Luc youngsters Adam Miller and brothers Josh and Noah Liebman and Hampsteader Ariel Nathan, recently returned from the JCC Maccabi Games in Atlanta where they became part of a true Cinderella story. Adam attends Bialik High School and the latter three Herzliah.
More than 1,600 participants, aged 12 to 16, competed in 13 different sports. The event included an Olympic-style opening, closing ceremonies and a community service day.
The local JCC (Jewish Community Center) did not have enough players to form their own team in Atlanta, so organizers assembled the J Team. It was composed of Adam, Ariel, Josh, Noah and 10 other kids from American cities who also did not have a delegation. Well, one would have thought this patched together squad had no chance of winning any games. Lo and behold they went all the way to the finals and despite being 24 points behind to Baltimore, they made an extraordinary comeback and won the game 53-49. “It was something right out of the movies,” said Mish Granik, grandfather of Adam and great athlete in his day.
Robbie Granik, Adam’s mom, said her 13 year old son has been playing basketball with the YM-YWHA Wolves since he was eight. That is where his love for the game started, under the outstanding leadership of coach Martisha Richards. He also plays for Bialik. His dream is to play in the Israel Macabiah Games in two years.
Noah, 12, has been playing Wolves basketball for three years now. He also played for his school team last year. Josh, 14, played for his elementary school team, as well Herzliah for the past two years. “They both love basketball,” said mom Heather Leckner. “We found out about the Maccabi Games through an email that the Jewish schools received. When I saw that there was the opportunity to play basketball, I knew that it would be a great experience for the boys, as well as the advantage that they were able to play on the same team.”
Ariel, 13, has been playing basketball since the age of nine. He started with the Wolves and then the Solomon Schechter team.
Didier Serero and his wife Stacy Herman chaperoned the kids. as well as coached the girls U14 soccer team.
MP Rachel Bendayan announces federal security funding for Outremont synagogue
By Mike Cohen
The government of Canada is helping protect people against hate-motivated crimes through the Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program (SIP). By funding better security systems, the federal Government is helping to keep our communities safer.
Liberal Member of Parliament for Outremont Rachel Bendayan, on behalf of the Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparednes Ralph Goodale, announced up to a little more than $131,000 in federal funding to the Congregation Toldos Yaacov Yosef and the Congregation Kehal Toldos Yakov Yosef.
Since the launch of this program, the government has quadrupled its funding as part of its commitment to better protect organizations against hate-motivated crimes. As committed in Budget 2019, $4 million is available each year, until 2021-22 and $3 million in ongoing funding thereafter.
“There is no social license for hate in Canada,” said Bendayan. “Our country is diverse and inclusive, but we must not take our safety and security for granted. Protecting our communities from violence, including our community centres, educational institutions and places of worship, is the right thing to do. I am pleased to fight for funding that will help keep Outremont safer.”
Added Joseph Silberman, Secretary, on behalf of Congregation Toldos Yaacov Yosef and Congregation Kehal Toldos Yakov Yosef: “The security issues in general in community centers need to be addressed to the highest standards possibly available, so that the public shall feel safe, sound and secure and use these facilities in a relaxed atmosphere. We are confident and assured that with the funding that we will be receiving from the SIP program, Public Safety Canada, our community centers will be offering a safe and secure environment for the entire district, which will be to the benefit of the whole community at large.”
Here are some quick facts:
- In 2017, police reported an increase of 47 percent in criminal incidents in Canada that were motivated by hate. Incidents targeting the Muslim, Jewish, and Black populations accounted for most of the national increase. Hate crimes targeting religious groups increased by 83 percent with incidents committed against the Muslim community increasing the most, by 151 percent.
- SIP is designed to help communities at risk of hate-motivated crime improve their security infrastructure, which will help make Canada safer for all Canadians.
- Funding is available to private, not-for-profit organizations linked to a community at risk of being victimized by hate-motivated crime. Approved projects may receive up to 50 per cent of total project costs, to a maximum of $100,000 per project. Eligible organizations that have multiple locations may now apply for projects at each of their sites, rather than being limited to one project per year.
- Interested organizations representing places of worship, provincially and territorially recognized educational institutions, and community centres can apply annually from December 1 to January 31 and from June 1 to July 31 through Public Safety Canada’s website.
JNF Negev Dinner is September 19
| The Campaign
This year’s funds raised will be allocated toward the construction of the new Abramovich Building, future home to TAU’s Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Center, a state-of-the-art building on campus galvanize technological research and development at Tel Aviv University. Made possible through a US$30 million gift, the building will be the dedicated new home of TAU’s Nano Center, established as the first of its kind in Israel in 2000. Today, the Center comprises 90 research teams who have published over 1,700 scientific papers, registered 200 patents and provided advanced services to dozens of industrial affiliates. Once complete, the building is expected to captivate the nanoscience community, reinforce multidisciplinary research and technological innovation, intensify industry collaboration, and create new connections between the scientific world and society at large. On September 19, 2019, JNF Montreal will close the Campaign at their Annual Negev Gala, this year celebrating its 65th Sapphire Jubilee Anniversary, honouring Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University Immediate Past National President and 2007 Tel Aviv University Honorary Doctorate Recipient, Barbara Seal, C.M.. Barbara is the first woman to be honoured at this event in 22 years – and only the fourth woman in the Gala’s history. Drawing her inspiration from the Jewish value of “Tikkun Olam”, Barbara hopes to seed future medical breakthroughs by spurring support for the construction of the Abramovich Building for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at Tel Aviv University. This revolutionary project is a multimillion-dollar effort to bring Barbara’s vision of improving humanity to fruition. |
The Jewish Standard Magazine 