Rabbi Bulka's granddaughter authors book about his life and legacy
Rabbi Reuven Bulka was known for sharing kindness and compassion everywhere he went and now, his granddaughter has written a book about his life and legacy.
Rabbi Bulka passed away from cancer in 2021, but left a legacy of caring.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"Finding out the impact that he made on Canada in that way was really impactful and inspiring to me," author Rikki Ash told CTV News Ottawa.
"Really what the book is about, and what I hope readers experience from it, is they get to see someone who lived a life of purpose and hopefully it inspires them to live their life with more purpose as well," she said.
Ash learned more about her grandfather while writing the book, and about the kind of person he was to so many.
"I started just with interviews. I interviewed my grandfather. I have like eight hours of video footage with him, which is also really special. And then, you know, my father did me a favor — or not, I don't know — of kind of telling people I was writing this book, even though I was like in the very initial stages, and so people who had stories, they would share them with me."
Known as 'Canada's Rabbi,' Bulka led one of Ottawa's largest synagogues for half a century and he left an impression on this city, and the country.
He was a long-time radio host on Newstalk 580 CFRA, a member of the Order of Canada, received a key to the City of Ottawa, and launched Kindness Week.
His granddaughter, visiting Ottawa from New York, shared stories about Rabbi Bulka with students at the Ottawa Jewish Community School on Friday.
"And we've honored Rabbi Bulka and his memory by renaming our mitzvah trip experience to the Rabbi Bulka Kindness Project this year. And I think it's really impactful for the students to be able to hear from Rabbi Bulka's family and learn some of those more personal lessons," says teacher Michael Washerstein.
Ash says 'The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Reuven Bulka, Canada's Rabbi,' will be available on Amazon.
"I really just hope that when people read the book, they kind of see that it's possible to live this kind of life of purpose," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Is it cold, flu or norovirus? Symptoms explained
The highly contagious norovirus is spreading across Canada, with some symptoms overlapping with other viruses. CTVNews.ca spoke with a health expert to find out how you can tell you have norovirus, the most common form of stomach flu, and what to do if you have it.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
Ontario's police watchdog continues probe of high-speed pursuit involving fatal crash
The investigation continues into a collision that killed two grandparents and their infant grandchild during a high-speed police chase on the wrong way of Highway 401 east of Toronto.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Search continues for 'armed man' in Dartmouth, N.S.
Police say they continue to search for an armed man who allegedly threatened people in Dartmouth, N.S.
Swarm of bees delays Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles game in Arizona. An 'MVP' beekeeper came to the rescue
Major League Baseball fans had an unexpected buzz on Tuesday after a swarm of bees delayed the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game for around two hours.
Newfoundland fisherman says police broke his leg during protest that delayed budget
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.
It's opening day for the $34B Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion
Wednesday marks the official start date of the long-awaited $34-billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project.