Vancouver Talmud Torah Alumni

Class of 2013 alumnus Liron Gertsman is an award-winning nature photographer. His latest 6-minute video for CBC teaches novices how to take professional-looking photos of birds in their natural habitats straight from one's mobile phone. Liron's tips and tricks are extremely useful, and you'll never believe how many shots he took in one day...
Watch it below:

Capture stunning bird photos using only your phone | CBC Creator Network Professional wildlife photographer Liron Gertsman reveals his top tips and tricks for capturing breathtaking bird photos using just a smartphone. In this vid...

From Generation to Generation—Full Circle!
After 27 dedicated years at VTT, Tammy was thrilled to reconnect with past VTT parents who have now become proud VTT grandparents! They returned to campus for a heartwarming PJ Library Grandparents Day event, this time with their adorable grandchildren by their side. What a beautiful reminder of the lasting impact of a Jewish day school education and the strong community we build here at VTT! ❤️

Quality over quantity, right?
For 20 spectacular minutes yesterday, VTT's Early Childhood Director, Lyora Nifco, snuck away from her JNF Educators Mission programming in Israel to have a quick, but meaningful, catch up with former VTT EC educator, Loris Cohen. Loris devoted 30+ years to educating our youngest students and brought joyful Judaism to the classroom each and every day. We still miss her!

When you work at VTT, you're not just joining a workplace, you're joining a family! Now recruiting for 2024-25: teachers and classroom aides. Apply now at http://talmudtorah.com/careers

Wildlife photographer and Class of 2013 alumnus, Liron Gertsman, is at it again. Check out his mission to capture a photo of the white-tailed Ptarmigan, an elusive bird that spends its entire life at high elevations. It's as challenging as it sounds, but the result is spectacular!

A week in the life of a professional wildlife photographer | CBC Creator Network Photographer Liron Gertsman is on a mission to capture a photo of the white-tailed Ptarmigan, an elusive bird that spends its entire life at high elevations....

Hi everyone! This is an important action alert from UBC Hillel. Please consider copying and pasting the message, entering the AMS President’s email and adding your name to the end of the message.

Action Alert from UBC Hillel

🌟 A heartfelt shoutout to the incredible members of the VTT community—past and present—who joined us at yesterday's inspiring "Bring Them Home" rally!

A special mention to the dedicated VTT students proudly carrying our banner, embodying our collective commitment to standing with Am Yisrael.

👏 Let's keep the momentum alive! Join us every Sunday at 2pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery as we continue to advocate for the safe return of all hostages. Together, we can make a difference!
The journey isn't over until every loved one is safely back home.

Liron Gertsman, Class of 2013, co-produced and co-filmed this highly entertaining short about the crows of Vancouver/Burnaby. Enjoy!

Thousands of crows flock to Burnaby every day to roost. Witness their spectacular journey. Crows from all over the Greater Vancouver area travel to a quiet, unassuming street in Burnaby to roost, reaching numbers as high as 10,000 during the winter...

Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah on Thursday, December 7 at 5:30 p.m at the Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza for the annual lighting of the Silber Family Agam Menorah followed by a rally for Israel.

There will be remarks from dignitaries, musical performances, and a special appearance by internationally acclaimed spoken word artist Vanessa Hidary, founder of the Kaleidoscope Project, which tells stories of Jews of diverse backgrounds.

Help bring as many people as possible! We’re encouraging everyone to bring a friend who doesn’t usually attend community events, or from outside our community.

Together, we can unite in light and send a powerful message against antisemitism and defending Israel’s right to exist.

Stand with Israel. Stand Against Antisemitism. Stand With Our Community.

Thank you to the brave members of United Jewish Shield for accepting their first gig to provide security at VTT's alumni gathering. UJS is a grassroots collective of VTT parents and community members who are concerned about the recent surge in antisemitism since the October 7th massacre. It is a volunteer organization dedicated to strengthening our community's safety and enhancing peace of mind.

Please consider volunteering (no particular skills or experience required) as we are strongest when we are united!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScown9Re0CcG-4NJE6QwZ-3WMr0vRahmCpvyeow48B5Ffm_CQ/viewform

With representation from the Class of 1978 through to the Class of 2015, 80+ alumni gathered at VTT on Wednesday evening to Stand for Israel and take a stroll down memory lane. For most of the attendees, this was their first peek at our impressive 2016 campus expansion, though their nostalgia for the Wosk synagogue and small gym cm cafeteria was palpable.

Huge appreciation goes to Brent Davis and Justin Segal, Class of 2003, for orchestrating this special moment that brought everyone together. And mazal tov to Denise Davis for her impressive victory in the group "Kahoot," winning the coveted River Rock grand prize!

We hope to offer more opportunities to connect in the future. Help our grow our alumni database and email [email protected] if you or others would like to be added to the email list.

Experience the perfect blend of tradition and innovation at VTT! Enrich your child's journey with our warm and vibrant community, fostering Jewish literacy and knowledge. Don't miss out—submit an inquiry to secure your spot for a personalized tour. Applications open for children born 2019-2021. For priority consideration, apply by Monday, November 20th! http://talmudtorah.com/inquire

Did you attend or graduate from VTT between 1948 and 2016?

We're hosting a gathering To Stand Together for Israel, for Jewish Education and for Community. Join us on Wednesday, Nov 22 @ 6:30 p.m. at VTT.

Special bonus: Check out our new 2016 campus!

Share with your other VTT alumni friends and family!
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​Thank you to Brent Davis and Justin Segal for co-chairing this multigenerational gathering!

RSVP here: https://events.veracross.com/vtt/7-vtt-alumni-standtogether

We love hearing good news about our alumni!
Mazal tov to Daniel Rubin, Class of 2021, who won silver (17 and under category) at the North American Fencing Cup in Orlando, FL. This achievement puts Daniel on a promising path for the Canadian National Team in the same age category.

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Morah Varda Greenberg late Saturday afternoon (July 29, 2023).

Morah Varda was a much beloved Grade 3 Hebrew and Judaics teacher for 33 years. She will be remembered for her vim, vigor, and vivaciousness. Always young at heart, she was known for her unique fashion style and her self-deprecating sense of humour. Morah Varda was passionate about educating the next generation of Jewish leaders in our community, and relished the privilege of teaching two of her five adored grandchildren.

We send our condolences to her husband Rami, daughter Keren (Phil) and her son Oz (Diana, a VTT teacher) and her five granchildren: Oriana, Liron, Liam, Anaiya and Ziv.

The funeral will be held on Monday, July 31st at 2 pm at the Beth Israel Cemetery. 1721 Willingdon Ave, Burnaby.

Shiva Minyanim will take place on Monday, July 31 and Tuesday, August 1 at 7 pm at Keren and Phil's home: 481 West 23rd Avenue, Vancouver.

May Morah Varda's memory be for a blessing

A promise made is a promise kept!
At our June graduation, Head of School Emily Greenberg made a pledge to our graduates to place a prayer in the kotel in honour of their pilgrimage as the Class of 2023. As she said, "It has been an honour watching you on your journey for the last several years and I look forward, as does your entire VTT family, to seeing how you take the lessons you’ve learned with you to make an impact on those around you and on the trajectory of your life."

It's not easy to get all 99 of us together at the same time...

Hot off the presses! VTT's Class of 2023

Now recruiting for 23-24! Share with your networks!
Learn more here: https://vtt.bamboohr.com/careers/50

Now’s your chance to hear more about this CAPITAL ACHIEVEMENT!

Andrew Cristall goes to Washington (Capitals): The only Jew from the 2023 NHL draft is from Vancouver Only one Jewish rookie out of 244 was selected at the NHL 2023 draft, held from June 28-29: Andrew Cristall. If the surname sounds familiar, it’s because the 18-year-old is the son of Alex and Jodi Cristall, leaders and philanthropists who are deeply involved in Vancouver’s Jewish community.On J...

Once you read this in-depth profile of VTT parent Rachel Goldman McLennan, you'll easily understand why she was selected as this year's Courage to Come Back award recipient in the medical category.

Beautiful life despite illness Beautiful life despite illness 0 Flares 0 Flares × Rachel Goldman and her husband, Geoff McLennan. (photo by Avi Dhillon) Rachel Goldman is this year’s Courage to Come Back Award winner in the medical category. She couldn’t be there in person at the Vancouver Convention Centre June 9, but she d...

This year he's the winner!
Mazal tov to Class of 2013 alumnus, Liron Gertsman, for his Audubon award-winning photo. May he continue to expose his many fans and admirers to the spectacular wonders of our natural world.

The 2023 Audubon Photography Awards: Winners and Honorable Mentions We pored through thousands of entries for this year’s contest. The best images show birds going about their business in the most glorious ways.

Let's hope Reuben Sinclair can come back again next year.

Oldest veteran in Canada shares secret to living more than a century The year Canada's oldest veteran was born, a cup of coffee was 15 cents and two cans of peanut butter cost 35 cents.

Check out the stunning artwork and poetry submissions for the Canadian Legion Remembrance Day contest.

Remembrance Day Artwork 24 new items added to shared album

It took months to produce but is a labour of love. Take a stroll down memory lane with our inaugural issue of Mishpacha, the VTT alumni magazine.

VTT's Mishpacha Magazine 2022 Read VTT's Mishpacha Magazine 2022 by Vancouver Talmud Torah on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Start here!

Come See VTT! Don't miss out on the opportunity for a personalized, one-on-one tour of our incredible campus and inspiring school. Booking now for the 2023-24 school year! Go to http://inquire.talmudtorah.com

Calling all little ones born in 2018! Join us for a VTT + PJ Library Sensory Sukkah Birthday Party on Sunday, October 9 at 10:30 a.m. Register at https://www.jewishvancouver.com/sensorysukkah