Celebrating Jewish Heritage Month

Shabbat Message from CEO Ezra S. Shanken
 

One of our goals for Jewish Heritage Month is to establish an ongoing way to celebrate Jewish history in BC. After meeting with community partners, we agreed to build on the popular series of walking tours offered by the Jewish Museum and Archives (JMABC).
 
Together with JMABC, JCC, Camp Miriam, and our community outreach programs PJ Library and Connect Me In, we are offering tours to introduce elected officials to local Jewish history, as well as a tour open to young families and children and one for our young adults program, Axis. I would love to see these grow in future years. Click here and join me to learn more about our community's roots with Michael Schwartz of the JMABC.
 
One thing that is central to my efforts as a parent is instilling a strong sense of Jewish pride in my children. While rabbis, teachers, extended family, and others also play important roles in this, the relationship between parents and children is crucial.
 
The loss of a parent is one of the most profound moments anyone can face. It is with deep sadness that I share with you that our board chair, Candace Kwinter, lost her beloved mother, Molly Burg z”l, last night. May her name be for a blessing. I want to extend our deepest condolences to Candace, Alan, their children, and their entire family. They have asked that anyone wishing to make a donation direct their tzedakah to our Israel and Global Engagement work here.
 
A parent's support means the world, especially when we are tackling new challenges and stretching our limits. 

On Wednesday night, after a two-year COVID hiatus, we welcomed back students and families to the 33rd annual Public Speaking Contest. Students in grades four through six from Vancouver Talmud Torah, Richmond Jewish Day School, and Vancouver Hebrew Academy presented three-minute speeches on Jewish topics. Special thanks to Larry Barzelai and Rhona Gordon for their ongoing commitment to the public speaking contest.
 
Here are this year's winners, listed from first to third place.
Grade four: Mushka Bitton, Tali Shustik, and Itay Ein-Dor.
Grade five: Sofia Delgafo, Leora Bick, Eli Chodos.
Grade six: Hailey Bar-Dayan, Jonathan Appelberg, Leahie Oren.
 
Kol hakavod to all the students who participated. Public speaking is a skill that will last them a lifetime.
 
When we foster greater understanding and tolerance, we give kids the tools to stand up against hatred and intolerance.  
 
For the past several months, Rabbi Bregman has been working with us on an interfaith initiative called “The Other People”. The group, comprised of Gary Gaudin, Tariq Tab, Inderjeet Singh, Jody Wilson-Raybould, Terry Yung, Jahmira Lovemore, and Rabbi Bregman, is called The Other People because each of them has been “the other person”; the one who was or is discriminated against.
 
In addition to participating in a number of community events, they have been visiting schools to talk about antisemitism, Islamophobia, terrorism, racism, and residential schools. They have been to King David High School, LA Matheson Secondary in Surrey, West Point Grey Academy, Saint Patrick Regional Secondary, and Salmon Arm Secondary.

Citing Islamophobia and antisemitism as problems in their school, it was faculty and staff at Salmon Arm Secondary who took the initiative and contacted The Other People to make presentations at both of their campuses. I want to commend them for taking this seriously and reaching out.

The Other People is generously funded by the Diamond Foundation and other community donors, and today we have exciting news to share with you about Gordon Diamond. Prior to the pandemic, the Governor General announced Gordon's appointment to the Order of Canada, and just a few days ago the investiture took place at Rideau Hall. We are very pleased to see him honoured for his dedication to making our country a better place for everyone. You can read more here. 
 
Let's celebrate Jewish Heritage Month in person at the JCC’s Israeli Culture Outdoor Festival together on Sunday.

Join me in celebrating Israel’s thriving multi-ethnic culture with music, dance, art, food and more. Everyone is invited! We are proud to have provided funding through our Israel and Global Engagement Committee and through our local allocations process, as well as additional funding for bringing Yaron Dekel to speak at the Israeli Time for Hebrew Speakers.

I also want to acknowledge that May is also Asian Heritage Month. These celebrations are not only of importance to both communities, but of personal significance to many of our respective members. Our communities are diverse, they overlap, and that means that together we have even more to celebrate.

One last item: please save the date for our Annual General Meeting on June 27th!

Shabbat Shalom.

Ezra S. Shanken 
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver