Irena Karshenbaum
Published
Self-Published
The Unexpected Visit from the Prophetic Sam and Lucy
A children’s book for adults inspired by Mikhail Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita.
Story, photographs and book design by Irena Karshenbaum (2014)
Shalom Salam: A Celebration of Persian Jewish and Bukharian Culture (2014)
Cultural exhibition catalogue about the Shalom Salam cultural festival held at the Calgary JCC February 20 to March 9, 2013.
Story, photographs and book design by Irena Karshenbaum (2014)
Essays
The Little Synagogue in Me: How the Lost 1916 Montefiore Institute Came to Calgary’s Heritage Park, Contributing essay to Jewish Life and Times (Volume 10)
The Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, Winnipeg (Spring, 2024)
The Little Synagogue on the Canadian Prairie, Contributing blog
The Baron Hirsch Jewish Farmers Community Blog: Finding Stories of Jewish Farmers in the New World and their Descendants Worldwide.
Silver Springs, MD, USA (April 17, 2023)
The Little Synagogue in Me, a Journey Within, Contributing essay
Living Legacies: A Collection of Writing by Contemporary Canadian Jewish Women Volume II
Published by PK Press, Toronto (2010)
Editing
60 Years of Hope: Providing Hope, Enriching Lives and Strengthening Communities since 1961
Researched and written by Dr. Donna Crawford
Contributing editor
Published by JFSC, Calgary (2023)
Newspapers & Magazines
Opinion Editorials in the Calgary Herald
Barron Building restoration a celebration for Calgary and a win for heritage — April 1, 2023
Remembering Mikhail Gorbachev, 29 years after his visit to Calgary — September 11, 2022
We’re losing access to our public spaces — January 16, 2014
It’s time to take our past into the future — November 2, 2013
Historic districts are built one building at a time — November 14, 2012
Anchor of the oil patch deserves to be restored — November 20, 2011
Municipal Complex could become Calgary’s living room — June 8, 2011
The uselessness of private grass — September 13, 2010
They paved paradise, put up the parking lot price — August 1, 2010
City policies mean downtown just for the rich — July 4, 2010
More God’s armpit spaces needed — June 6, 2010
Plus 15s make human hamsters of us all — May 2, 2010
Cemeteries are heritage and green spaces, too — March 26, 2010
Brewing up more culture — August 29, 2009
Want a better city? We can take some lessons from Spain — November 8, 2008
Only thing that will save us is the three-bedroom condo — June 10, 2008
Eau Claire Market needs creativity, not wrecking ball — March 16, 2008
Sandstone school needs a champion — August 14, 2007
Bring back charm of natural chaos — March 23, 2007
Let’s get culture back in Calgary — January 9, 2007
May EnCana inspire the others — October 18, 2006
Give us, at least, heritage’s facade — August 25, 2006
Disposable chic rules in Calgary — August 14, 2006
Saving our heritage from the bulldozer — June 2, 2006
What if Jane Jacobs had been our guide? — May 11, 2006
Tax breaks help save our heritage — March 31, 2006
Architecture can be true civic art — February 20, 2006
Arts also need help from private sector — December 19, 2005
Wealthy Alberta neglects its arts — December 5, 2005
Arts, Culture, History & Heritage
Tony Award Winning Play, ‘The Lehman Trilogy’ Comes To Calgary: Oct. 15 – Nov. 3 — October 11, 2024
Alberta Jewish News, Edmonton
Peter Caspari — September 19, 2024
The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, Toronto
Jenny Belzberg Receives Canada’s Highest Honour For A Lifetime Of Volunteer Work — July 11, 2024
Alberta Jewish News, Edmonton
Nani Vazana, the only known composer of new songs in Ladino, performs in Canada — December 6, 2023
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
Nani Vazana Performs New Ladino Songs in Canmore — November, 2023
Alberta Jewish News, Edmonton
A Brazilian Masterpiece, Finally Available In English — November 4, 2023
The Baron Hirsch Jewish Farmers Community Blog: Finding Stories of Jewish Farmers in the New World and their Descendants Worldwide, Silver Springs, MD, USA
“On a Clear April Morning,” a Brazilian masterpiece written by a Jewish author documenting the early Jewish experience in Brazil, is finally available in English — August 16, 2023
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
The Winnipegger who changed the course of Calgary’s history — May 10, 2023
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
Lenka Lichtenberg Wins JUNO For Holocaust-Themed Poetry Album ‘Thieves Of Dreams’
— March, 2023
Alberta Jewish News, Edmonton
Leah Horlick Becomes U Of C’s First Jewish Writer-In-Residence — February, 2023
Alberta Jewish News, Edmonton
Jewish Life in Canada, seen through the eyes of William Kurelek — January 18, 2023
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
Part 2 — Lillian Freiman, Mother to All — Fall, 2022
ORAH Magazine, Toronto
Fredelle Bruser Maynard's centenary and remembering "Raisins and Almonds" — September 14, 2022
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
City Park: Mid Century 2SLGBTQ+ Heritage — June 17, 2022
Heritage Toronto
Part 1 — Lillian Freiman: The woman who inspired generations to use their power for good — Spring, 2022
ORAH Magazine, Toronto
Remembering a forgotten book, "Winnipeg Stories" — November 24, 2021
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
The Little Synagogue in Me: How one of the last surviving prairie synagogues found a home at Calgary’s Heritage Park — May 12, 2021
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
How a Holocaust survivor built Rideau Towers — January 27, 2021
Heritage Calgary
How A Holocaust Survivor From Berlin Built One Of Calgary’s Best Multi-Residential Developments
— November 3, 2020
Alberta Jewish News, Edmonton
Award-winning author (and area resident), Sharon Butala, reflects on a life well lived
— April, 2020 Cover Story
Braeside Bulletin, Calgary
Award-winning author (and PBP resident), Sharon Butala, reflects on a life well lived — April, 2020
PBP Matters, Calgary
Little shul on the prairie — July 18, 2019 Cover Story
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
The Little Synagogue in me — June 7, 2019
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
The Musical Cohens spark a Jewish Renaissance — June 6, 2019
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
The musical Cohens fuel a Jewish renaissance at the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra — May 17, 2019
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
The Little Synagogue on the Prairie Turns 100 — Volume XIX, Number 3, 2016
Heritage, The Magazine of the National Trust for Canada, Ottawa
Avi Avital’s Mandolin — April 22, 2016
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Jews: A Canadian Story in Pictures coming to Calgary City Hall Atrium — January 24, 2014
getdown.ca, a blog of the Calgary Downtown Association
A love story by Sara from Sarajevo, Sara from Jerusalem — December 6, 2013
Story and photograph
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
The Inglourious Basterd that was Henry Balaban — March 22, 2013
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
My Bukharian conversion — February 15, 2013
Story and photograph
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Save the Shaarey Tzedec — Winter 2012
Story and photograph
Chinook Country Historical Society Newsletter, Southern Alberta
Save the Shaarey Tzedec — November/December 2012
The Mission Statement Newsletter, Calgary
Will anyone stand up to protect the Shaarey Tzedec Synagogue? — October 12, 2012
Story and photographs
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Calgary fiddles while historic Uptown ‘burns’ — September 21, 2012
Story and photograph
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
The Barron Building: Anchor of the Oil Industry in Calgary — July 30, 2012
getdown.ca, a blog of the Calgary Downtown Association
Calgary shouldn’t kill one of its beautiful buildings — January 25, 2012
C2C Journal, Canadian Journal of Ideas
Community Heritage Roundtable comes to the Jewish community — December 16, 2011
Story and photograph
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
The Barron Building: Calgary’s Most Significant Art Deco Building — Fall 2011
Chinook Country Historical Society Newsletter, Southern Alberta
Jewish living on the Prairies: Calgary’s Glenbow Museum is collecting more cultural objects
— June 17, 2011
Jewish Independent, Vancouver
The Diamond Residence added to list of Calgary historic sites — June 10, 2011
Story and photograph
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Museum full of stories about Jewish prairie life — March 10, 2011
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Stories about the Jewish community at the Glenbow Museum — February 4, 2011
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
A bisl und a bisl macht a fulle schizl (A little and a little makes a full bowl) — September 10, 2010
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
A drop and a drop - and the cup is full! — September 9, 2010
Translated own story into Russian
Koleso Russian Newspaper, Calgary
A bisl und a bisl macht a fulle schizl, The Calgary Jewish Family Service Bureau gets its start in 1961
— September 2010
Jewish Family Service Calgary Newsletter
From challah and cholent to hot dogs and hamburgers, the Switzer family celebrates 100 years in Canada
— August 27, 2010
Story and photograph
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Calgary family celebrates 100 years in Canada — June 17, 2010
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Switzer family celebrates 100 years in Canada… gathers for a family reunion — June 11, 2010
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
The Little Synagogue on the Prairie — Summer 2010
Chinook Country Historical Society Newsletter, Southern Alberta
Tanya Volovnik Gelfand Sklar: A Woman Ahead of her Time — Winter 2010
Discovery, The Journal of the Jewish Historical Society of Southern Alberta
Ribtor downtown store, a Calgary institution closes after 59 years — March 14, 2008
Story and photograph
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Amy Winehouse, the badest girl in all of jazz — December 14, 2007
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Moshav, they’re not bad they only look that way — November 30, 2007
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
J.B. Barron: the Jew who founded Alberta’s oilpatch — August 2, 2007
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
J.B. Barron, A Renaissance Man for All Ages — February 15, 2007
Story and photographs
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Homesteaders established prosperous Jewish community in eastern Alberta — September 14, 2006
Story and photographs
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
The Sengaus Family 100 Year Farm Centennial — August 31, 2006
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Jewish Canadian War Veteran gallery to open in Calgary — June 29, 2006
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Art Gallery in Honour of Jewish Canadian War Veterans — May 25, 2006
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
The remarkable life of Gershon Iskowitz — May 25, 2006
Story and photograph
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
The remarkable life of Gershon Iskowitz — April 13, 2006
Story and photograph
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Saving the Temple Mount from religious terrorism — March 23, 2006
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
A walk down memory lane: Remembering Calgary’s communities with author Harry Sanders
— September 1, 2005
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Smart music for smart kids — November 22, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
A life of storytelling through art and music — October 25, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
A writers’ festival that really is festive — October 11, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Retelling an Alberta tragedy through song — September 13, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Edmonton’s uncommon songbird — August 30, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
All the world’s a page for Winnipeg’s Shakespearian etcher — August 2, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Calgary’s own honky-tonk legend lives on — June 28, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
The West meets an Eastern-inspired Edmonton designer — June 14, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
A children’s author with unusual talent — May 3, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Old Trouts breathe life into the art of puppetry — March 29, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Western writers get lost in the national shuffle — March 12, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Book Reviews
The privileged, yet not unscathed, life of Baron Maurice de Hirsch (The Baron: Maurice de Hirsch and the Jewish Nineteenth Century, Written by Matthias B. Lehmann) — December 6, 2023
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
"A Queen to the Rescue" tells the story of Henrietta Szold (A Queen to the Rescue: The Story of Henrietta Szold, Founder of Hadassah, Written By Nancy Churnin, Illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg)
— February 16, 2022
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
New children's book tells the story of Hadassah founder, Henrietta Szold (A Queen to the Rescue: The Story of Henrietta Szold, Founder of Hadassah, Written By Nancy Churnin, Illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg)
— January 24, 2022
Alberta Jewish News, Edmonton
Alberta scientist relates nutrition to mental health (The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition, Written by Bonnie J. Kaplan, Julia J. Rucklidge)
— June 21, 2021
Alberta Jewish News, Edmonton
Calgary scientist Bonnie Kaplan publishes new book stressing the importance of nutrition on mental health (The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition, Written by Bonnie J. Kaplan, Julia J. Rucklidge) — May 26, 2021
The Jewish Post & News, Winnipeg
Morality, as a one sided expectation (The Moral Lives of Israelis: Reinventing the Dream State, Written by David Berlin) — January 20, 2012
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Walking Home makes me want to drive (Walking Home, Written by Ken Greenberg) — October 28, 2011
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Yuri Suhl’s One Foot in America is republished 60 years later — September 9, 2011
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
David Bezmozgis writes the Soviet Jewry movement into literary history — September 2011
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada Newsletter, Toronto
A difficult, yet heady exodus (The Free World, Written by David Bezmozgis) — July 10, 2011
Calgary Herald
Putting down roots after exodus: David Bezmozgis’ novel, The Free World, takes readers on a familiar immigrant journey — July 1, 2011
Jewish Independent, Vancouver
The Free World: New novel by David Bezmozgis is about anything but — May 6, 2011
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
A lost manuscript about the history of Toronto’s Jewish community is published (The Rise of the Toronto Jewish Community, Written by Shmuel Mayer Shapiro) — April 15, 2011
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
New book chronicles contribution of Alberta’s Jewish community (Joyful Harvest: Celebrating Jewish Contributions to Southern Alberta Life, Published by the Jewish Historical Society of Southern Alberta)
— October 25, 2007
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
A Joyful Harvest, the book, chronicles the many contributions of Calgary’s Jewish community
— August 24, 2007
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Jewish historical saga captures rich legacy (Joyful Harvest: Celebrating Jewish Contributions to Southern Alberta Life, Published by the Jewish Historical Society of Southern Alberta) — August 23, 2007
Calgary Herald
28-year-old writes about his ‘retirement’ in Florida (Early Bird: A Memoir of Premature Retirement, Written by Rodney Rothman) — February 15, 2007
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
The secret world of Florida’s retirees (Early Bird: A Memoir of Premature Retirement, Written by Rodney Rothman) — January 18, 2007
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Jewish hookers in the New World (Bodies and Souls: The Tragic Plight of Three Jewish Women Forced into Prostitution in the Americas, Written by Isabel Vincent) — February 9, 2006
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Story of orphan ‘Greenies’ based on little-known fact (The Greenies, Written by Myra Paperny)
— January 26, 2006
The Jewish Tribune, North York
Myra Paperny’s “The Greenies,” digs into past (The Greenies, Written by Myra Paperny)
— November 24, 2005
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Does Jewish history have to be dry? (The Canadian Jewish Studies Reader, Edited by Richard Menkis and Norman Ravvin) — April 7, 2005
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
The uninteresting side of adultery (After Goodlake’s, Written by Terence Young) — November 8, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Read and drive this summer (not at the same time) (The Longest Road: Stories Along the Trans-Canada Highway, Written by Bob Weber) — July 19, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Winning kids books may be closer than you think (Hidden Buffalo, Written by Rudy Wiebe, Paintings by Michael Lonechild; In Abby’s Hands, Written by Wendy A. Lewis, Illustrated by Marilyn Mets and Peter Ledwon; My Home Bay, Written by Anne Laurel Carter, Illustrated by Alan and Lea Daniel) — May 31, 2004
Western Standard, Calgary
Travel Stories
Me, myself and Malta — November 27, 2014
Story and photographs
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Me, myself and Malta, dispatches from the Mediterranean — November 14, 2014
Story and photographs
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Vignettes from Morocco — January 16, 2010
Story and photographs
Calgary Herald & Montreal Gazette
Spain 101 - an introduction after a 500 year absence — November 21, 2008
Story and photographs
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Morocco: a trip back in time to Arabian Nights — November 20, 2008
Story and photographs
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Toledo, Spain, first settled by Sephardi Jews — November 6, 2008
Story and photograph
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Memories of a Jewish golden age — October 31, 2008
Story and photographs
Jewish Independent, Vancouver
Drug trade, crime spoil Caribbean Island — August 17, 2006
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
The Jews of the Caribbean — July 6, 2006
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Jews have touched every aspect of New York’s life — December 8, 2005
Story and photographs
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
A Calgarian’s Journey through Jewish New York — November 3, 2005
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
A whirlwind romance: Confessions of a Canadian hurricane chaser — September 18, 2004
National Post, Toronto
Human Interest
Albina’s bus… and McKillop Award — October 12, 2012
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Calgary’s Jewish war veterans keep marching — May 25, 2012
Story and photographs
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Edmonton’s new rabbi follows in parent’s footsteps — January 8, 2009
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Grandmother, 90, does it her own way — June 19, 2008
Story and photograph
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
On the occasion of Aron Eichler’s retirement — May 25, 2007
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Community News & Issues
High Holidays 2020, What Will Jewish Seniors Be Doing? — September 8, 2020
Alberta Jewish News, Calgary & Edmonton Editions
Former Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, speaks about global trends at B’nai Brith dinner — April 7, 2017
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Harper makes rare appearance at Calgary B’nai Brith dinner — March 24, 2017
Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Economy hits Edmonton JCC — February 6, 2009
Jewish Independent, Vancouver
Construction of Edmonton’s new Jewish Community Centre on hold — February 6, 2009
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Downtown postpones new Edmonton JCC — January 15, 2009
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
A message from Jewish Ukraine — December 26, 2008
Jewish Independent, Vancouver
Don’t forget us! — December 19, 2008
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Birthright alumni visit Ukraine — December 11, 2008
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Calgary hosts 39th CHW convention — November 27, 2008
The Canadian Jewish News, Toronto
Little Synagogue project builds support — May 9, 2008
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Mazel Tov! It’s Haifa Deli — April 13, 2006
Story and photographs
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
Russian Immigration to Israel: History, achievements and challenges — January 12, 2006
Jewish Free Press, Calgary
New national president takes reins of Hadassah-WIZO — January 5, 2006
The Jewish Tribune, North York
Moving the mission on — December 9, 2005
Jewish Independent, Vancouver
Sandy Martin, Calgary’s first National President of Hadassah-WIZO — November 24, 2005
Jewish Free Press, Calgary