Ottawa Citizen

It’s a common Hebrew expression: “holech al gadol,” which translates directly to “going for big.” In casual usage, the words describe an ambitious person but they also apply in a larger sense to 21st century Israel. Look just about anywhere…

HAIFA, Israel – Professor Uri Sivan wants to show Israelis that small can be beautiful. He is one of the world’s leading researchers in nanotechnology — the science of developing materials and creating machines by manipulating molecules. From his office…

METULLA, Israel_ Lying on his bed, Oren Zamir can take in the comforting mementoes of his sporting life: team pictures, a Toronto Maple Leafs flag and mounted hockey sticks. Out the window of his bedroom, though, are soldiers, a fence…

Bob Metcalfe died Wednesday doing his life’s work: volunteering and serving those less capable. He collapsed at a meeting of Sage, the Kiwanis-backed service club for seniors and an organization the former Rotarian joined five years ago. The Second World…

JERUSALEM – Adolfo Roitman, one of the world’s leading Bible scholars, thought he knew everything about the Dead Sea Scrolls. After all, he’s the curator of the Shrine of the Book, which houses the priceless artifacts at the Israel Museum….

Sean Egan is a man who never shies away from a challenge — especially when it concerns his own body. As a young man, he was a boxing and kickboxing champion in both Ireland and France. As a graduate student…

The corridors of North Grenville District High School in Kemptville seem just like any other high school hallways. Lockers line the wall, the floors are scuffed and the sounds of chattering teens fill the air. Yet walking down one of…

In The Assassination of Richard Nixon, Sean Penn gives a masterful performance as a working-class misfit, disillusioned with American society, who decides he must kill the president of the United States. Neils Mueller’s directorial debut comes through with a depressing…

OTTAWA – Until this weekend, Francois Lessard thought he knew a thing or two about death. A former police reporter, he had often been forced to carry out the gut-churning task of calling bereaved family members in their time of…

OTTAWA – Tragedy by fire seems to be in Richard Egan’s blood. Seared into the Ottawa man’s consciousness is a 125-year-old story: Religious strife, territorial battles and family revenge led to the bloody lynching of his ancestors, the infamous “Black…

Sixty years ago, she was a weak, weary 15-year-old Polish girl, recently liberated from the Auschwitz Concentration Camp after losing her family. Last night, proud and strong, Anna Heilman captivated a capacity audience at Ben Franklin Place with her harrowing…

I remember the boots. They were red. There were about 20 pairs of them, lined up in a neat row. But I could hardly distinguish their true colour — the bright burgundy boots of the soldiers were splattered with thick…

Many Ottawans may not remember the name Andy Andrews, but few can forget the images he left behind. Over the course of six decades, if there was something significant happening in Ottawa, Mr. Andrews would be there, pipe in mouth…

OTTAWA – Jacqueline Benoit and her 12-year-old daughter, Devyn, enjoyed an early Christmas celebration at their home in the Glebe last Thursday. To the tune of her favourite music, Devyn opened her presents as she and her mother danced with…

OTTAWA – To roaring applause, U.S. President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Paul Martin descended the escalator with their wives into the Great Hall of the Museum of Civilization for the official dinner capping off the first U.S. presidential…