Shabbat Message - November 12, 2021
This message has 605 words and will take about 2.5 minutes to read.
While the week ended with Remembrance Day, that’s where our Shabbat Message starts.
There’s an old Jewish tale that Rabbi Tendler introduced me to called The Barrel. In it villagers are each asked to pour a small amount of their best wine into a barrel for all to share at a special simcha. When the celebration day arrives, the rabbi pours a glass of what should be the best of the best the village has to offer. Instead, what comes out is water.
Rather than make even a small sacrifice for the greater good, each villager expected the others to add wine while hoping no one would notice that they gave only water.
Perhaps they didn’t think one individual’s contribution mattered.
On Remembrance Day, we are reminded that nothing could be further from the truth.
I read The Barrel as part of the remarks I delivered at the Remembrance Day assembly at Vancouver Talmud Torah, which I felt truly privileged to be part of, especially since two of my children were there. If you haven’t already, read this CBC article about Ruben Sinclair, the oldest living veteran in Canada, who was honoured at the ceremony.
It was one of many moving Remembrance Day commemorative events that took place at day schools across our community, where we honour the service and sacrifice of those who have served our country. It was also an opportunity to show our appreciation for those who serve today.
This year, it was especially heartening to see so many people mark National Indigenous Veterans Day on November 8th, which fell the day before the anniversary of Kristallnacht.
If you would like to read The Barrel, it is featured in the book, Three Times Chai: 54 Rabbis Tell Their Favorite Stories, as the selection of Rabbi Steven Leder of Wilshire Boulevard Temple.
On Sunday, we celebrated the contributions of women, and the choices they make to support our community.
Women have always played an integral part in leading our community, whether it be in their roles as professionals, with their tzedakah, by volunteering, as just a few examples. Right now at Jewish Federation, women are leading our Board, the Annual Campaign, our Israel and Global Engagement Committee, the Jewish Community Foundation governors, and on our staff, with their philanthropy, and more.
Supporting our community through the Federation Annual Campaign is a choice that hundreds of women make each year, and that is what we celebrated at our 17th annual Choices event. I want to thank all of the women who contribute to the Annual Campaign and fill our community’s barrel.
Kol hakavod to the Choices co-chairs, Courtney Cohen, Leanne Hazon, Sherri Wise!
Along with the Choices committee, our Women’s Philanthropy co-chairs, Sue Hector and Shawna Merkur, and our campaign manager, Ricki Thal, organized another successful event and gave many women the opportunity to share their voices in three absolutely inspiring videos. Women from all corners of our community shared how community has strengthened them during the pandemic, what they are grateful for, and what inspired them to volunteer. Along with keynote speaker, Jill Zarin, they were highlights of the event, and I want to thank everyone who participated. You can watch the videos here, here and here.
It wasn’t our intention, but we seemed to have connected the importance of individual actions with collective responsibility and tzedakah. Well, after all, we are in the middle of the Annual Campaign and National Philanthropy Day is coming up on Monday. If you have already made your gift, I thank you. If you haven’t yet had a chance to do so, just before Shabbat is always the perfect time.
Shabbat shalom.
Ezra S. Shanken
Chief Executive Officer