Month: October 2019

Standout American Jewish standup Orny Adams to perform at McGill IBD Research Group Fundraiser

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By Mike Cohen

Chances are you have not heard of Adam Jason Orenstein. However, if we switch over to the stage name this popular Jewish American stand up comic has been using for the past three decades then Orny Adams should indeed sound very familiar.

Adams has been a regular at the Just For Laughs Festival for many years and he absolutely loves Montreal. That is just one of the reasons why he has agreed to  headline the McGill IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease)  Research Group “Laugh Your Butt Off” fundraiser  on Thursday, November 14 at the Oscar Peterson Hall in NDG (7141 Sherbrooke Street West7141 Sherbrooke Street West).

Orny Adams, seen here in Israel.

Adams is proud of the hour-long stand up specials he has done on Netflix, Comedy Central and Showtime. In addition, he has appeared on The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman and The Conan O’Brien Show while starring as Coach for six seasons on the hit TV show Teen Wolf.

Adams graduated from Emory University in Atlanta in 1993 with a degree in Philosophy and Political Science and had intended to go to law school until he was awakened by the arts while studying abroad in Florence, Italy. After college  he had trouble finding a job so between part-time work he  began playing comedy clubs in the Boston area. He quit working days and has never looked back since.

Orny Adams on stage.

Adams delivers a powerful, incisive stand up routine that vacillates between the relevant and the absurd. He attacks what’s wrong with the world and sometimes even what’s wrong with Orny. In addition he is touted as brutally honest, satirical and his performance is ceaselessly energetic.

Adams  recently told The Jewish Telegraphic Agency that he concedes his worldview is shaped by being Jewish. “We Jews find pain in everything!” he says. “And we don’t forgive. You hear people of other religions say, ‘You murdered my kid, but I forgive you, that’s what God would want.’ Jews? We never forgive. We don’t even forgive a bad meal!”

The JTA notes that that Adams’ comedy mentor was the late Garry Shandling, and Adams first came to national attention in the 2002 documentary “Comedian,” which contrasted superstar Jerry Seinfeld with the then-struggling younger comic. Seinfeld remains supportive of Adams’ career.

“Some comedians try to divide the audience,” he says. “I go up there and use comedy to bring us closer together.

The  goal of the upcoming program, entitled  “Laugh Your Butt Off,”   is to raise $175,000 to secure funds critical for IBD research and patient care.

Lorne Mayers and his wife Lois.

Lorne Mayers is the president of the McGill IBD Research Group.

 

Dr. Ernest Seidman

Dr. Ernest Seidman is the Director of the McGill IBD Centre of Excellence, located   on the 16th floor of the Montreal General Hospital

The evening will consist of a cocktail dînatoire courtesy of Java-U Catering, with musical entertainment provided by Que Sera, followed by Adams,

The McGill IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) Research Group was established in 1992 by concerned members of the community to ensure financial support for IBD clinics at McGill University’s teaching hospitals. Its mandate is to continue to provide important services for those living with IBD, as well as their friends and family, with the overall goal of improving quality of life and preventing complications. Services include accessible, state of the art patient-centered care provided by multidisciplinary teams of dedicated professionals;  cutting edge clinical research on the genetic and environmental causes of IBD, novel, non-invasive diagnostic methods, the most up to date therapies; training the next generation of clinicians and scientists dedicated to treating and searching for the cure of IBD; and  raising awareness about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis through patient education and community outreach programs.

Tickets for the fundraiser are available online at www.mcgillibd.ca or by calling 514-398-2787. The cost is $300. A special price of $175 is available for those aged 35 and under.

Leitner Consulting For Seniors gives covers all of the bases for families

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Amy Leitner has become a fabulous resource for children in need of placing and assisting their senior parents. Consider it one-stop shopping! One call to Amy and he will ensure to cover all of the bases,

Amy (far right) shown here with his mom and children.

Leitner Consulting For Seniors takes families overall picture in mind as his target market are the children. His business card reads “Liaise for children whose parents are transitioning into a residence.  My services are catered from the first red flag up to and including locating a Senior’s Residence. In other words, an elderly parent has passed and the other spouse is faced with being alone after many years of marriage – the children are concerned with isolation. I offer solutions that address those needs such as activities that I know of in their neighbourhood or connecting them with caregivers that I know and match their needs. I am also connected to drivers that can take them to medical appointments or activity centers.”

Amy is  also connected with an audio / visual monitoring company – where a child (or guardian) can view and speak to their parent “live” using a phone app. An emergency button can also be installed. There are possibilities for government reimbursement as well. If there is no choice but to find a senior’s residence,  he  can handle that as well.

Amy does not take any payment from third parties as is his intention to regard the needs of his clients only. He has other services as well and works as a portal depending on the situation.

Services Include:

– Solutions based on immediacy
– Planning and implementing enhanced living conditions
– Dealing with isolation
– Organizing activities
– Safe home environment
– Arranging for appropriate Care Givers
– Drivers for appointments
– Emergency medical systems
– Home based audio/visual monitoring system
– Establishing need for residence according to level of care, location and budget
– Offering the best suited available choices
– On sight evaluation of residence
– Never offering medical or financial advice to parent
– Confidentiality
– Additional services available according to mandate

For more information call Amy Leitner at 514-651-3499 or log on to  http://www.leitnerseniors.com.

Global music icon from Israel Idan Raichel to perform in Montreal

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Producer, keyboardist, Lyricist, composer and Performer Idan Raichel   is a global music icon who has brought his inspiring example and soul-stirring music to some of the planet’s biggest stages. His The Piano Songs Tour will come to Montreal  and The Olympia on Thursday, November 7 (8 pm) at L’Olympia (1004 Ste. Catherine Street East).

Israeli superstar Idan Raichel.

As the leader of The Idan Raichel Project, Raichel acts as a musical ambassador representing a hopeful world in which artistic collaboration breaks down barriers between people of different backgrounds and beliefs.

Over the past 13 years, Raichel has collaborated with American pop stars India Arie, Dave Matthews and Alicia Keyes, not to mention a wide range of artists who are household names in their native countries: Portugal’s Ana Moura, France’s Patrick Bruel, Italy’s Ornella Vanoni, Germany’s Andreas Scholl, and Mali’s Vieux Farka Touré to name but a few.

The Idan Raichel Project’s spectacular live show has enchanted audiences worldwide. They have headlined in some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including New York’s Central Park Summer Stage, Apollo Theater, Town Hall and Radio City Music Hall, Los Angeles’ Kodak Theater, the Sydney Opera House, Zenith in Paris, London’s Royal Albert Hall and many international festivals. They have also performed across Europe, South & Central America, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Ethiopia, South Africa, Ghana, Japan and dozens of other countries for enraptured audiences of all backgrounds.

Raichel’s new album And If You Will Come To Me, released in January 2019, is shaped by numerous collaborations and promises to be the most impactful album of his illustrious career. You can listen to it here. The title track, “Ve’Eem Tavo’ee Elay” in Hebrew, has already become one of his biggest hits ever in Israel, with nearly 18 million streams on YouTube alone, and the singles from the album have racked up a total of 35 million YouTube plays.

Tickets: $29.50 to $99.50 (tax included, SVC extra) Box office: olympiamontreal.com / 1-855-790-1245

Segal’s Bentley Montreal unveils the spectacular Flying Spur

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By Mike  Cohen

It is hard to believe that I had never met prominent Jewish automobile executive Joel Segal before I was invited to attend a private showing of the 2020 Bentley Flying Spur, the third generation of Bentley’s luxury four-door Grand Tourer.

Joel Segal with the Flying Spur.

Segal is the president of Decarie Motors, which has been providing Montreal with some of the world’s finest new and pre-owned automobiles since 1946. With more than 70 years of history and brand-new, modern facilities, the dealership is one of the most spectacular and successful luxury automotive showrooms in Canada. “In 2016, we earned industry and customer praise for our new state-of-the-art Bentley, Aston Martin and Decarie Signature facilities,” said Segal. “In 2018, we brought excitement to the Decarie Motors complex once again with the opening of our new Land Rover Jaguar showroom.”

A wider look at the car.

Working alongside his wife,  General Manager Cheryl Blas,  Segal is at the helm of a dealership that exudes class. That is what this showing exemplified as brand manager Maurice Assor and sales consultant Wesley Rehel brought the assembled media up to speed with The Flying Spur. The luxury vehicle  will sell for around $285,000 and Bentley Montreal, a division of Decarie Motors, will get some demo models in by early spring. As we were listening to the presentation a couple who were browsing in the showroom  walked over to check out the loaner model that Assor and Rehel were  unveiling and made an order for one.

The all-new third generation Flying Spur, which was designed, engineered and handcrafted at the home of Bentley in Crewe, England, showcases Bentley’s unique integration of British craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology and pushes the boundaries of refinement to deliver the finest super-luxury sports sedan ever built.

The beautiful interior.

The exterior of the new Flying Spur is an automotive work of art, with its modern sculptural design, muscular proportions, latest generation cut-crystal effect LED matrix headlamps, new wrap-around rear lamps with “B” motifs and bold 22-inch wheel designs. Bentley’s iconic “Flying B” retractable mascot adorns its nose for the first time in modern memory, standing atop a gloss black radiator matrix with bright chrome surround and vertical vanes that hearken back to the coveted 1957 Bentley S1 Continental Flying Spur.

The interior is a marvel of design, comfort, and visual beauty. Its modern and spacious cabin cradles the driver in unrivaled luxury and innovation. Its sweeping horizontal veneer flows across the dashboard and into the doors, emphasizing the generous width of the space. Upon pressing the engine’s start button, the central veneer dashboard section rotates to reveal the industry-first Bentley Rotating Display, composed of a customizable three-tile, 12.3-inch touch screen and three elegant analogue dials displaying outside temperature, a compass and a chronometer.

Three-dimensional, diamond-quilted leather door inserts appear for the first time in a production car, inspired by the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 design concept, and new diamond knurling adorns the rotary switches, a decorative detail for which a software algorithm was invented to work with the complex curves of the ducts.

The Flying Spur’s all-new seats feature a twin-flute design and enhanced functionalities, including heating, ventilation, multi-mode massage, adjustable bolsters and top tilt. The rear seats provide a posh travelling environment, with a folding central armrest and a manually-deployed central headrest that stows away for maximum visibility when not in use.

In addition to its alluring looks, the new Flying Spur is a technological tour de force. It’s the most advanced luxury Grand Touring sedan available today, with not much more in common with its predecessor than its name. It features Electronic All-Wheel Steering for the first time on a Bentley, coupled with Active All-Wheel Drive and Bentley Dynamic Ride, delivering phenomenal handling and ride. New three-chamber air springs allow a much greater range of suspension adjustments. A multitude of new Driver Assistance Systems, which are integrated as standard features, elevate the Flying Spur to the summit of comfort, power and luxurious driving.

The heart of the new Flying Spur is an enhanced version of Bentley’s renowned 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engine that delivers 635 PS (626 bhp) and 900 Nm (664 lb.ft.); 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h time of 3.8 seconds); and a breathtaking top speed of 207 mph (333 km/h). The engine, which was developed and hand-built in Crewe, it is the most advanced 12-cylinder engine in the world, setting a new benchmark in performance, agility and dynamics. Its “W” configuration makes it considerably shorter than an equivalent V12, improving weight distribution significantly and maximizing cabin space.

The new Flying Spur redefines personalization and customized luxury in its market with an unprecedented range of paint colors, leather hides, wood veneers and options, which offer a limitless spectrum of color to suit all tastes and preferences.

Will Segal drive home with one of these himself? We will have to check back with him in the spring.

Former NBA star as well as a porn addict and his wife to speak at Chabad Lifeline event

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By Mike Cohen

Former NBA Star Lamar Odom of Keeping Up with the Kardashians fame will open up about his drug and sex addiction at Chabad Lifeline’s “soiree on sex addiction” on Thursday, October 24 (7 pm) at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts  (1379-A Sherbrooke St O) as part of the Au Contraire Film Festival.

The evening will focus on the effects of porn and sex addiction on the family, particularly spouses. Eli Nash, CEO of JEG & Sons, will also speak about his addiction to pornography, which included a period of time when he was studying at an Hasidic Yehiva in Montreal. His wife Fraidy will talk about her experience as the spouse of a sex addict.

Additionally, the Canadian premiere of the short film “Being Here” will be screened. The evening is coordinated by and benefits Chabad Lifeline, a non-sectarian agency dedicated to helping everyone affected by addiction.

“Addiction is stigmatized and filled with misconceptions,” said Chabad Lifeline Director Rabbi Benyamin Bresinger. “Lamar, Eli, and Fraidy are very brave individuals and their discussions will hopefully help others affected by addiction begin the path to recovery.”

Odom won two NBA Titles, an Olympic bronze medal, a gold medal at the FIBA World Championship, and the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. He also starred in “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and his own reality series “Khloe & Lamar.” In 2015, he fell into a coma after using cocaine and was placed on life support. After recovering, Odom opened up about his cocaine and sex addiction. He has since been an advocate for recovery  “I’ll be 40 on November 6 and I’m just trying to put out the best me, right now,” said Odom. “My life is a blessing.”

With JEG & Sons, Nash took a startup to a company now making over $200 million in revenue annually. He is also the co-founder of MicDrop. Eli held the details of his own abuse and porn addiction for many years, until using his voice to be an agent of change and empower others with an incredible TED Talk you  can see here. He will once again be sharing his story, this time more in depth on October 24. For the first time, his wife Fraidy will detail her experiences as the partner of a sex addict live at this powerful evening.

“There’s no question that the hardest thing I’ve ever done is to live a life free from compulsive and addictive behavior,” added Eli Nash. “The best way I know to continue staying sober, is to reach out and share my story with others.”

As for the movie  “Being Here” follows the life of Charlie, a young woman in her late 20s, as her three months in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility are coming to a close. In fear of leaving her newfound safety bubble, Charlie resists moving on from rehab — defaulting to all of her unhealthy coping mechanisms that brought here there in the first place. This short film won Best Student Film at the Magnolia Independent Film Festival, and this will mark its Canadian Premiere.

Chabad Lifeline is a non-sectarian agency dedicated to helping everyone affected by addiction, and where people suffering from substance and behavioural addictions and their family members are guided through the process of healing and recovery. Chabad Lifeline offers a full range of recovery options as well as comprehensive youth-at-risk programs. Their services are immediate and no one is turned away due to financial circumstance.