Growing, thriving and celebrating together

At a time of year when it feels like things should be slowing down, they’re only ramping up. Our Shabbat Message has gone in depth on certain issues lately, so today we want to give you a short and sweet series of highlights from a busy week. 
 
First, Giving Tuesday is coming up and we have a $25,000 match in place. 
 
If you haven’t yet made your Annual Campaign gift, you can now have your impact doubled, thanks to the generosity of PearTree Canada. This is the third year in a row that they have provided this generous match. Thank you, PearTree! 
 
They will provide up to $25,000 to match gifts made between now and November 29^th, which is Giving Tuesday. It takes everyone in our community to support our community, so come be part of it! It’s so easy to make a secure gift online. Just click here and make Amazing Happen.  
 
Through the Annual Campaign you support all the local Jewish day schools, but we always love it when people also support causes and organizations directly. That is exactly what you can do on the Day School Day of Giving, which is also on November 29^th. This fundraiser is a great way to give to each day school directly.  
 
Education is one of the best investments we can make in the future.  
 
That includes Holocaust education. I was very proud to join SFU History professor Lauren Rossi, Holocaust survivor Peter Suedfeld and an auditorium filled with Magee Secondary students for the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre’s annual symposium on the Holocaust.  
 
Each year, the VHEC educates more than 25,000 students and teachers through its symposia. We are incredibly proud to support their important work promoting human rights, social justice and genocide awareness through education and commemoration of the Holocaust. I encourage you to visit them downstairs when you are next at the JCC.  
 
It hardly seems possible, but Hanukkah is nearly here.  
 
We are committed to working collaboratively to cultivate Jewish life across BC. This year, we are involved in Hanukkah celebrations across the region, even in Salt Spring Island and Tofino. 

Since it was almost exactly one year ago that Abbotsford was among the communities affected by the devastating flood, I would like to highlight the event coming up there. 

When disaster struck the region in 2021, we reached out and personally called every Jew we knew of who lived in Abbotsford to see how they were and what they needed. Grace Miller Day, our associate director of community engagement, spearheaded this. Since then, we have built many wonderful relationships with community members there, and they have continued to build strong relationships with each other. 
 
The Langley Jewish community members have now formed a new society called Kulam Ba Valley, and we are proud to have supported it from its inception. Now, we are absolutely thrilled to see them partnering with the Centre for Judaism of the Lower Fraser Valley for a Hanukkah celebration on Tuesday, December 20^th at Willoughby Community Hall. It will be an evening full of light and fun with an outdoor giant menorah lighting, greetings from the City Council of Langley, a fire show, a photo booth, and of course latkes and sufganiyot. We couldn't be happier to see this community grow, thrive, and celebrate together!

Shabbat shalom.