Litvak Polachek passionate about striking out leukemia

Claudia Litvak Polachek is grateful to be part of Montreal’s vibrant Jewish community. As the happily married mother of three and a noted community activist, she has made her presence felt her over the years via her involvement with a number of organizations. However, it was not for happy reasons that she and her family immigrated to Canada from Chili when she was only four years old.

Claudia Litvak Polachek

“My aunt was dying of leukemia and we came here to support her,” Litvak Polachek recalls. “Sadly, she lost her battle a year later. She was only 23 years old.”

Litvak Polachek’s nephew got leukemia when he was only six years old. While  he beat the disease and  is today a healthy 21 year old, her uncle was not so lucky. He was diagnosed with  leukemia eight years ago and passed away five months later.

Given the degree that leukemia has touched her family,   Litvak Polachek  has decided to focus attention in her role as Women and Science Chairperson of  Weizmann Canada to raise $110,000 for much needed equipment at the Weizmann Institute of Science  in Israel to further their important research on the disease.   As of this writing, more than half the funds have already rolled in. On Wednesday February 8 the Segal Centre for the Arts (5170 Cote St. Catherine) will be the site of an exclusive cocktail dînatoire and a special  presentation of  the play  Scientific Americans.

“I really hope we can reach the complete goal that night,” Litvak Polachek says. “We have choices in our lives. We can sit and fear that this disease will take another life from us or we can play an active role to help fund leading research in hopes of finding a cure.”

Litvak Polachek first became involved with Weizmann four years ago. She was immediately taken by the groundbreaking research being done on so many fronts. “I decided to take my committee in a new direction and not necessarily just raise money for  Women of Science. I asked our director, Susan Stern, whether I could marry my love for Weizmann and my commitment to do something for leukemia research and she gave me the go ahead. It turned out someone had pledged to build a room for leukemia research, but they needed the equipment. I knew then that I had found the right project.”

One of the most rewarding aspects of this project for Litvak Polachek has been the support she has received from husband Garry and her three children, Jacob, Nathanial and Hanna.  The boys are part of the B’nai Tzedek Program  for kids celebrating a bar or bat mitzvah to get a real idea of what tzedakah is all about. Money they received as gifts are set aside in a special individualized  Jewish Community Foundation Fund. Once a year, they choose what charity and/or Jewish agency they would like the accrued interest from their individual funds to go to.

“Jacob and Nathanial bought their own tickets for our fundraising evening from their B’nai Tzedek proceeds,” notes the proud mom. “I cannot tell you how special that made me feel.”
For more information about the event, called Claudia’s Hope for a Cure, call 514-342-0777  or log on to  http://itsinourblood.weizmann.ca/.

Ettingers : reincarnation of Briskets ; Il Etait Un Fois

Two of Montreal’s once legendary restaurants are back in business, merged into one entity and guided by the culinary genius who is responsible for their creation. I attended the official grand opening of Ettingers Deli (www.ettingers.ca), located at 9100 Newman (corner of Dollard) in LaSalle and I came away very impressed.

This unique and contemporary style deli and bar is the brainchild of well known respected restaurateur and real estate magnate Saul Ettinger, the man who brought us the Briskets smoked meat chain and Il Etait Une Fois, home to the juiciest burgers in town.

Thirty years ago, Ettinger opened his first Briskets deli on  Bishop Street. Twelve  franchises in Montreal and Ottawa soon followed.  As Saul says, people who remember dining at Briskets described the smoked meat sandwiches as "addictive." Briskets smoked meat was not only homemade, but it was never pumped. “Most smoked meat in Montreal and elsewhere were and still are prepared with briskets that are pumped with phosphates and a preponderance of nitrates and sodium,” Saul explains. “ This pumping technique is used in order to increase profit margins by making the briskets heavier. Strange, isn't it---the government bans the use of phosphates in your dishwasher and laundry detergent, but allows it in food? Briskets' smoked meat was made with unpumped briskets using a tightly-held secret recipe. They were dry-cured the truly old-fashioned way over a period of two to three weeks, producing superior smoked meat---smoked meat that was mouth-watering, and truly addictive.

Briskets smoked meat sandwiches were just about everywhere, be it  the Olympic Stadium concession stands or catered at private parties.   As for Il Etait Un Fois, the classic hamburger spot was located in a standalone building in heart of Old Montreal at a time when it was a relative ghost town, Saul  recalls pioneering  a new phenomenon. While McDonald's was selling burgers for as little as as 60 cents, he decided it was time to introduce Montreal to a gourmet half-pound burger at $5. In those days, the thought of a burger for $5 was ludicrous. Yet, within a short few weeks, Il Etait Un Fois attracted huge line-ups and rave reviews. Saul's burgers were made through a rarely used secret process that turned out the juiciest and most scrumptious burgers in Montreal. And along with mouth-watering burgers and incredible fries, the menu included specialities such as homemade beer-battered onion rings and fish n' chips as well as fried mushrooms and foot-long dogs.

Another of Saul's visions was launched on the Trans Canada. It was and is still called Linguini, an Italian restaurant situated in a rustic log cabin built by Saul on the south side of the 40 just west of Morgan.

  

For years after Saul retired from the restaurant business, he still hosted dinners and parties where he would serve his amazing smoked meat. Without exception, those who partook in these affairs, would beg him for his recipe and strongly suggested he open up a deli. 

Charles Benedek, Warren Kleiner and Saul Ettinger

 

Decades after his great restaurant successes, a good friend and protégé, Bob Luxenberg, Saul's step-son, Warren Kleiner, and Warren's best friend, Charles Benedek,  joined forces with the legend and Ettingers was born in a former car dealership facility on Newman. Not only is this a pretty restaurant, with flat screen televisions, comfortable seating and plenty of parking – but it is truly a dream destination for Montreal diners who can experience Briskets and Il Etait Un Fois under one roof.

They officially debuted in November and the soft opening has been a success. AT the ceremonial affair, charismatic LaSalle Borough Mayor Manon Barbe cut the ribbon and special guests got to sample the cuisine. I give a big thumbs up to the smoked meat sandwich and curly fries (with cole slaw) that I had served. One of my colleagues from The Suburban, Melanie Pepin, had troubled finishing her smoked meat sandwich while Associate Publisher Sari Medicoff  was in much the same position with her delicious burger.

You can go to www.ettingers.ca and access the complete menu.

I had a chance to sit  down with Saul,  Warren and Charles to get their take on the new restaurant and what the future holds. Could this be a new chain in the making? Take a look: 

Battle of the Bands - for Ghana

For the 21 year old president of Concordia University’s Hillel, participating in the annual “alternative spring break” last year was a life changing experience. This is why Evara David and her colleagues are pushing ahead with an upcoming Battle of the Bands fundraiser to ensure that these type of programs continue.

The Battle of the Bands will take place on Thursday, February 2 (8:30 p.m.) at Club Lambi (4465 Boulevard Saint-Laurent corner Mont Royal) in Montreal. Hillel Concordia is organizing the event. All proceeds will go towards purchasing building materials for a Hillel envoy to bring to Ghana. Four bands (The Spitfire Nines, the Smokin’ Darts, the Rocket Alarms and Ill City Lights) will battle it out on stage, each playing a set of originals plus an appropriate cover!  

Assaf  Goldberg's band

Groups like New York-based American Jewish World Service (AJWS) and Jewish Funds for Justice (JFJ) coordinate these “alternative  spring breaks,”  a one-week to 10-day international service-learning programs for university students. Participants promote social change in the developing world by volunteering with a grassroots partners, and explore the relationship between social justice, service and Judaism. 

Last year, Hillel Montreal sent a few envoys to Miami, Nicaragua and   yes the poor areas of Los Angeles. “On each trip the candidates worked with different grassroots organizations - some Jewish and others not- such as soup kitchens and urban farms,” David explained. “This year, one of the trips will be going to Ghana! While each participant is responsible for paying their own way, albeit subsidized, they still have to raise money to buy building materials. This is where our Battle of the Bands come in.”

David says that Concordia has provided them with a budget, enabling all proceeds from the ticket sales and potentially a bake sale on site to go directly towards the materials that will be needed to build schools in Ghana by the Hillel volunteers over spring break. 

“I can speak on a personal experience with regard to the benefits of these trips,” said David, who was part of the LA entourage.” For one, I think we can all agree on the value of helping all of mankind, especially in these tumultuous times. Secondly, visiting places like the infamous skid row of LA was deeply emotional. When you take a kid, like myself, who has spent her entire life in the predominantly Jewish suburb of Côte Saint-Luc and put them in one of the most impoverished areas in the United States, it can be quite the realization. Growing up in a bubble, which we often do in the Jewish community, can allow us to take our good fortune for granted. Sure, we say ‘we're fortunate,’ but most of us truly don't understand what it means to be fortunate because we've never seen unfortunate to this extent. “

David notes that L.A has a homeless population of around 80,000. “What we noticed was that government intervention was minimal and upsetting, but we witnessed real life miracles that were manifesting within these grassroots organizations,” she says. “We   spent the day in a totally self sustaining homeless shelter, complete with doctors and legal aids that managed to turn out thousands of meals a day and yet run by a handful of people. We saw what a community, along with donations and good organization can achieve. What I witnessed on that trip will always be seared into my memory, the poverty was overwhelming but the hope and determination was astonishing and truly beautiful. 

“We can't always look at problems as relating to a specific minority, but rather as a human problem. We are Jews, but we are also human beings and as such we should help others. It's important to watch out for these people in your community and it’s a beautiful thing to have a strong community. However, this is the next generation of Jewish leaders and we need to be aware of problems facing all of humanity. My experience on skid row in South L.A was life changing. It changed me as a person and as a Jew. These are lessons that anyone can benefit from.”

Assaf Goldberg,  the vice-president of advocacy  for Hillel  Concordia,    believes that the envoys who go to Ghana will come back feeling very much the same way as David did.   He notes that McGill Hillel is also part of the program.

For information go to  http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/222069461208754.  Tickets are $8 at the door and $6 in advance.  Donations can be made online at https://www.hillel.ca/en/donations in honour of Ghana Alternative Spring Break.

Montreal Memories Facebook page a huge success

As described in my Suburban Newspaper column this week, the Montreal Memories Facebook group page is a great idea.

In just over a year, more than 3,300 people have signed on. Many of them are extraordinarily active and passionate about Montreal. The more ex-Montrealers log on, the more they miss our city. Members are posting some very nostalgic items.

Besides photos, folks like Allan Berbrier are finding things such as an old Miracle  Mart staff ID tag to post. Founder Barry  Zbar, an ex-Montrealer now in Toronto, posted  his old Northmount  High  School Grade 8  scheduler. A quiz on gas stations  that no longer exist attracted 43 comments.

Let me direct you to a post my sister  Lisa wrote about the fan page. She covers all of the bases here.

A few months ago CJAD's Aaron Rand did an interview with  Zbar whose colleague David Perelman  dressed it up as a neat slide show. See for yourself.

Local insurance broker wants to send Mayor Gendron to Israel

Côte Saint-Luc insurance broker Steve Acre is among those who find Huntingdon mayor and V Television Network commentator Stéphane Gendon’s comments on the December 27 edition of his Face a Face talk show abhorrent. Gendron called Israel an "apartheid state" that "does not deserve to exist." 

Acre suffered through a frightening childhood in Iraq, where Jews were marked for “extermination.”  He did escape as a teenager, finding refuge  in Israel and eventually moving to Canada. You can read about his fascinating story here.

Stéphane Gendron

Referring to Gendron’s comments, Acre said: “I went bananas. I would like him to compare Israel to places like  Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and others.”   

Acre has an offer for Gendon. “I am willing to contribute $ 500 for the mayor and his wife to fly to Israel and see for themselves, if Israel is as bad as they make it to be,” he said. “I am hoping this way, maybe more people will contribute so we can send this guy to Israel.”

Having worked for  the organized Jewish community in the past (11 years at the Canadian Jewish Congress) I am well aware of the successful missions to Israel that have been coordinated with politicians of different stripes in an effort to sensitize them to the plight of  the Jewish State. Are Gendron and Khadir hopeless cases?  Probably! But wouldn't it be interested  to make them such an offer? Steve Acre has got the ball rolling.

Rabbi Reuben Poupko, spiritual leader of the Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation in CSL said that he cannot fathom why Gendron was been invited back to share his inflammatory views on a sensitive subject.  "He is a dangerous force, a divisive force," said Poupko. "And the fact that the management and ownership of that station continues to tolerate his presence on air as they dismissed him five years ago is bizarre."

Gendron, by the way,  also supported the boycott of  the Boutique Le Marcheur on St. Denis Street because  its sells  shoes made in Israel.  Here you can see Gendron praise anti-Israel  MNA Amir Khadir for his position on the boycott of Le Marcheur.

Is Heather B Terry D's new CHOM sidekick?

Terry DiMonte officially returns to the CHOM FM morning show on Monday morning and while there is no official word as to who will be his on air sidekick, the rumours I am hearing lead to Heather Backman (affectionately known as Heather B) leaving her current post with a Q104 in Cleveland to join Montreal's Spirit of Rock 97.7.

Heather Backman

This would be an interesting move, given the fact she gave up a pretty popular afternoon show gig here on Virgin Radio just under a year ago. A native of NDG, Heather  has also spent time as the midday host at WSTZ in Jackson, Mississippi, WKXJ in Chattanooga, Tennessee and afternoon drive at WMXF in Chattanooga.

Here is a look at Heather B at the Grammy Awards last year. I think she would be a good fit with Terry. However, I am also very fond of current co-host Chantal Desjardins.

Update: It has now been confirmed that Heather B will become Terry's co-host as of January 16.

My first dining experience at the new Yangtze Restaurant

Since I first reported about the December 3 fire which destroyed the legendary Yangtze Chinese Restaurant on Van Horne Avenue in Montreal, there have been a record number of hits on my blog. Thousands of people from around the world responded with shock and sadness.

Brian Yau, with daughter Bobo and son Marco admire the painting.

Business Consultant Mel Leitman, whom I first met just a few years ago, was engaged by the new owners of the restaurant to help them rebuild. Things started to move a lot quicker than he or anyone else expected when owner Marco Yau, his sister Bobo and their dad Brian purchased the Tchang Kiang Chinese Restaurant at  6066 Sherbrooke Street West in NDG only a week after the blaze.  It closed last July after 35 years in business.  They already have a beautiful painting by noted artist Carole Spandau of the original Yangtze up on the wall.

The Yaus renamed the place Tchang Kiang by Yangtze and in record time opened their doors to the public on December 17. Like a magician, Leitman helped make new menus – all of the Yangtze favorites, plus the Szechuan dishes Tchang Kiang was known for. Today,  he invited me to meet the Yaus and sample some of the cuisine myself.  Yangtze first opened in 1956. I came into the world six years later and I can safely say my parents starting bringing me there as a toddler.

There was a fairly good crowd there for lunch. The 70 seat dining establishment has a very pretty interior, much nicer in fact than the old Yangtze. Marco is a charismatic young man in his 20s who is on a temporary leave from Concordia's urban planning program in order to focus on the business. The fire, he said, was a total shock. “I was at home on the South Shore and somebody called to tell me,” Marco explained. “I raced over and I could not believe my eyes. We only bought the place a month earlier.”

Brian Yau was actually a previous owner, from 2000 to 2007.  He had partners in the venture and when they decided to sell he agreed reluctantly. When it came back on the market just recently, he urged his son Marco to step up to the plate. Everything was going smoothly until the fire. “We do not know the exact cause yet,” said Marco. “The Fire Department continues to investigate. We are waiting to find out how extensive the damage is and whether we can in fact rebuild.”

The Yaus realized that if they did not act fast, they ran the risk of losing their experienced staff of waiters, cooks and deliverymen. Just coincidentally, Brian’s friend was a real estate who was looking for someone to take over the Tchang Kiang location. In this case, Bobo agreed to become the principal owner. What followed was a raise to get all of the necessary equipment in place and to agree upon a blended menu. Word spread quickly and already they have the best of both worlds, with a clientele who missed Tchang Kiang and of course the Yangtze diehards.

“When I took over the Yangtze many people asked why we did not have Szechuan on our menu,” said Marco. “Well, with this new restaurant we now have it all.”

The delicious egg rolls.

  
I dined on a hot bowl of won ton soup with dry noodles on the side, a delicious egg roll, some Cantonese lobster, beef with snow peas and broccoli, spare ribs, Tchang Kiang’s kouptien dumplings (steamed and lightly fried), pineapple chicken and steamed rice. It was all very delicious. Indeed, the Yangtze is already back better than ever!

By the way, the most frequent question I have received from readers is whether legendary waiter “Tiger” is still there. “No,” said Marco, “he retired some time ago. But we will invite him back to visit. The same for the former owner of Tchang Kiang, Siao Wong.”

Won ton soup.

Go to http://www.thesuburban.com/ as of January 11 and check out our Suburban Mall for Yangtze deals. 

And here is a copy of the new delivery menu