Veahavta gala honours tikkun olam leaders [Video]

TORONTO — A world-renowned violinist who is using music to help poverty-stricken youth in troubled neighbourhoods, a Holocaust survivor and educator, and two kids who raise thousands of dollar for cancer research from lemonade stands were a few of the nine people honoured at the 11th annual Starry Nights: Ve’ahavta’s Tikun Olam Awards Ceremony on Nov. 10.

The event, which attracted about 500 people, including Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, honoured nine people in five categories: human rights leader and activist Chief Phil Fontaine for humanitarianism, Joe Gottdenker and Faigie Libman for remembrance, Moshe Hammer for education, Dr. Andrew Simor for medicine, and Jamie and Alexandra Eckler and Amanda and Joshua Belzowski for young leadership.

“It’s enormously inspiring,” said Robyn Segall, director of programs and marketing for Ve’ahavta, the Canadian Jewish Humanitarian and Relief Committee.

“We often recognize people who haven’t been in the limelight, who have been doing tikkun olam quietly – …