Humans of Netivot
Humans of Netivot is an exciting initiative sparked by the experience of Shabbat Netivot Byachad. Everyone has a story to share. As we get to know members of our special Netivot community more closely, our kehilah will be connected, comfortable and stronger.
Growing up in Sudbury, Peter Rewega had no exposure to Judaism, but became interested in it while attending university in Toronto. He then went through the conversion process with Caterina, who eventually became his wife. Their entire family was fully supportive of their journey, including one brother-in-law who is now a rabbi in[…]
“It was in my blood since I can remember… creative ideas, creative expression… I loved all the
art supplies my parents would buy for me; it didn’t matter what medium”, shares artist Mahla
Finkleman, graduate of the prestigious Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver,
“When a person is hardest to love, that’s probably when they need to be loved the most,” reflects Yehuda Levi as he shares his genuine passion about the plight of homeless people in our city.
Yehuda describes what inspired this passion and how he eventually became closely involved with some[…]
“I really like connecting with people. I’m empathetic, and I like helping people. I became a psychologist because it is a ‘helping profession,’ but I also like the challenge of it. I do assessments for Autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and often it is a puzzle. I like the challenge of figuring it out,”[…]
“You really don’t remember what your business results were on a certain brand 10 years ago. At the time it was all encompassing… but when I look back, what I do remember and what I hope people remember, is the way I impacted them, the way I made them feel. For[…]
“The music room in school was a safe space. I was part of a community; music allowed me to be an individual but also a part of a team. There’s something for everyone in music. Listening, playing, talking about it – it will impact everyone. Music livens their senses…It did that for me.[…]
Immigrating alone to Toronto “the land of opportunities” at the age of 17, Alex Katz’s life’s journey has demonstrated that resilience, perseverance and the kindness of a Jewish community can make all the difference. Shortly after arriving in Canada, he rented a small, cheap apartment in old Parkdale (west end of[…]
“As a person who has been brought up amongst a very conservative society, it is not so easy to come out of it and think differently. But I slowly accept it, and I am a forward thinker.” On her mother’s side of the family, Padmaja Bharath is the highest educated and qualified among[…]
“Studying pays off. If you don’t study and you don’t do well, you’re not going to feel good about yourself. You know you could have done more and you know you could have placed better. If you studied hard and you didn’t get all the answers right, you still know you put in the time[…]
“Being injured in war in an IDF uniform gives you a sense of the sacrifice of so many people in history; you’re part of a huge chain and story. It’s very impactful. We learn about this in school, but it’s not the same as going through it yourself. I feel my connection to[…]
