Dear community members,

This past weekend, Ottawa’s Kosher BBQ Cook-Off and Festival welcomed approximately 1,000 people to the grounds of the Ottawa Torah Centre. It is Canada’s only kosher BBQ competition, and Ottawa Tourism celebrates it loudly and proudly on its website and socials. Amid the meat, the music, and the inflatable play structures, there was a beautiful testament to the diversity and joy of Ottawa’s Jewish community, and our place within the City of Ottawa. 

There were eight teams from across the city, bringing together members of our Ottawa Jewish community and local Jewish organizations, including Kehillat Beth Israel (KBI) and Camp B’nai Brith of Ottawa. Cooking alongside them were non-Jewish allies from the broader community, happy to share in the delight of spending the night smoking kosher meat. Multiple generations came together as children joined their parents in the booths, and there was even a team composed of Jewish and non-Jewish teenagers. There was a wonderful sense of people coming together around Jewish joy and food.

The teams gathered on Saturday evening, after Shabbat ended, to fire up their smokers and celebrate Havdalah under the stars. Some brought tents, others brought mattresses, and they settled in for a night of preparation and slow cooking.

By Sunday, the crowds had arrived, and the festivities were in full swing, with an expansive kids’ zone, a musical performance by Jewish country-rock musician Tali Yess and, of course, plenty of freshly prepared food. My kids didn’t know where to begin and definitely didn’t want to leave.

Among those joining the festivities were Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, and city councillors David Hill and Wilson Lo.

OTC's Rabbi Menachem Blum shared that nearly 100 volunteers, (a few of whom are shown in the photo above) helped make the BBQ such a success, a remarkable show of community spirit and another reminder of just how many people came together to make the day possible.

This event, and events like it, mean something different in the current environment. We spend a lot of our days reading about rising antisemitism and feeling unwelcome in different systems. Earlier this month, the Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism released an unsettling report on Campus Antisemitism and the Student Experience, and recommendations from the Network of Engaged Canadian Academics, which was spearheaded by Ottawa’s Cary Kogan and Deirdre Butler. The weight on our shoulders, and on those of our allies, is heavy, and we must actively work to counter our community’s growing sense of isolation.

What the Kosher BBQ Cook-off represents is a safe space where we can be Jewish, be joined by our allies and neighbours, and lean into our Jewish joy. May we find more time and opportunities to celebrate our Judaism and Jewish identity throughout the city.  

Kol hakavod to the 2026 Grand Champion, the Irving Rivers team, (shown above with their medals). See you all there next year!

Shabbat Shalom,

Danya

P.S. Join us at our annual Jewish Community Pride Breakfast & Carnival!

On Sunday, August 30, from 10 am to 12 pm, we will gather to celebrate Pride as a community with a delicious breakfast, a drag performance from Ottawa's own Adrianna Exposée, as well as music, circus performances, and more.

New this year: yoga with Holly and spin classes will be offered during this event. There are a limited number of spots for each, so make sure you sign up soon.

Click here to register for this great family-friendly event.