Shabbat Message - September 3, 2021

This message has 575 words and will take a little more than 2.5 minutes to read.

With phase four on hold, this isn’t the Rosh Hashanah we initially thought it would be, but with many people double vaccinated the New Year brings with it hope for the future. Our campaign chair, Lana Marks Pulver, shared her thoughts in this video to mark the official launch of the Annual Campaign.
 
As I’m sure you’ve heard, a vaccine passport will soon be required for certain activities. Backlash against the passport has at times turned antisemitic, and The Daily Hive published an OpEd I am proud to have authored with Nico Slobinsky, director of our advocacy agent, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs-Pacific Region. Click here to listen to the interview I gave to Jas Johal on his show on CKNW. It is unfortunate that we have to address this, especially on the cusp of the High Holydays, but we are here to stand up for our community and to speak out whenever and wherever Canadian values are compromised.
 
From brisket to apple cake to anything made with pomegranate molasses, there is nothing quite like a traditional Rosh Hashanah meal. At around this time last year, we told you how the need for meal and grocery delivery had quadrupled as a result of the pandemic. As anticipated, this is now the new base level of need.
 
This year, Chabad Richmond, Kehila, Beth Tikvah, Jewish Family Services (JFS), and Schara Tzedeck delivered more than 800 Rosh Hashanah meals combined. This is a tremendous accomplishment, and it reflects a tremendous need. We know that when someone needs help from one organization, they almost always need it from other organizations, too. Addressing the full range of community needs is just one of the reasons your gift is so important.
 
As you know, there are big plans in place for the redevelopment of the JCC site, which will result in a renewed 200,000 square foot, state of the art, multigenerational community centre on what is currently the JCC parking lot. It will include expanded childcare, seniors’ services, arts and cultural spaces, and amenities for all Vancouver residents, as well as affordable housing and a new King David High School in the second phase. It will take commitments from all levels of government, in addition to private donors, for this project to move forward, and in April we received a $25 million commitment from the BC government.
 
This week, we came a step closer, with announcements of support from the Conservative Party of Canada and the Liberal Party of Canada. You can see more about each party’s announcement by clicking the party name. I would like to thank my colleagues Eldad Goldfarb, executive director of the JCC, and Nico Slobinsky, director of CIJA-Pacific region, as well as the volunteer leaders who have worked on generating support for the redevelopment over the past four years. 
 
There really is much to look forward to in the days ahead, and I wish you and your loved ones a happy and sweet New Year. 

Shana tova u’metukah and Shabbat shalom.

Ezra S. Shanken
Chief Executive Officer