Tag: Remembrance Day

More Than a Moment of Silence: Why Remembrance Day Matters More Now

I learned something new this year.  It came from the podcast below that I hope you will listen to.  Despite being just 1% of the population, Jews make up 3% of Canadian Armed Forces.  As proud Canadians we would, of course, care deeply about Remembrance Day, but as Jewish Canadians we have an extra measure of pride and care knowing that we are overrepresented amongst those brave and selfless folk who place country first.
Remembrance Day is always planned and commemorated with great seriousness and reverence at OJCS.  This year, considering all the things…
…October 7th and all that is happening in Israel.
…turbulence in the States regardless of your personal political views.
…the hijacking of Remembrance Day in our local public schools and spaces…
…perhaps even more so.
There are three aspects of our commemoration that I would like to highlight in this post…
On November 6th, the students in Grade 7 visited the Jewish Memorial Gardens Cemetery.  The students met with representatives from the cemetery to learn about their important work within our community.  They also read narratives of local Ottawa Jewish veterans who served our country in various ways.  Students were then broken into groups and were provided with 15-20 gravesites to mark with Canadian flags.  The students had the opportunity to pay their respects to these veterans who risked their lives for our freedoms.  This was one of the many Remembrance Day activities our students engaged in throughout the week and is an annual Rabbi Bulka Kindness Project.
Speaking of whom…
For anyone who grew up in Ottawa, the National Remembrance Day Ceremony will always be closely linked to the venerable Rabbi Bulka.
His speeches, delivered in that same blue suit no matter the weather and the fact that everyone else dressed in warm coats, were a source of wisdom and instilled me with so much pride.
On this Remembrance Day, the Canadian Jewish News (The CJN)’s Ellin Bessner offered a glimpse into the Rabbi’s legacy with a timely conversation with me,  Congregation Machzikei Hadas Rabbi Idan Scher and Canadian Armed Forces Rabbi Noteh Glogauer.  Topics ranged from the launch of the Rabbi Bulka Kindness Project for OJCS Middle School students to a reflection on how Rabbi Bulka would’ve responded to the horrors of October 7th.
You can listen to the podcast here:

For Remembrance Day itself, we were blessed to host David Kirk who served with the Canadian Armed Forces for 14 years and is currently a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.  He shared powerful words with our students closed his remarks by saying, “All peoples should be able to live together in peace.  This is why we have a Canadian Armed Force; to defend our peace, freedom and others as need be.  Students – please care and remember those who gave so much for our way of life, you are the future.”   Students shared thoughts, prayers and songs in English, Hebrew & French and – as we do each year – laid wreaths to honour those who gave their lives serving and protecting our country.

For OJCS, marking this day was, and is, a powerful opportunity to reflect on the values that underpin our community: resilience, remembrance, and a commitment to peace.  In a world that feels increasingly fractured, we come together to not only honor the sacrifices of those who fought for freedom but also to reaffirm our role as a Jewish school in nurturing compassionate, justice-minded citizens.  More than ever, our students need to understand both the historical costs of war and the enduring need for solidarity, empathy, and resolve.  This Remembrance Day was a moment to remind ourselves and our students of the vital importance of standing together—against hatred, for peace, and with a renewed sense of purpose in building a better world.