Shabbat Message - July 2, 2021

 

This message has 672 words and will take a little more than 3 minutes to read.

 

Yesterday, we marked a very different Canada Day, as we reckoned with the tragedy of residential schools and the intergenerational trauma they have caused Indigenous Peoples. At the same time, the heat wave continued to sweep across Western Canada, causing at least 486 sudden deaths. We send our condolences to the families of the victims and our thanks to the first responders who have been working tirelessly in these severe conditions. We also want to thank our partner agencies and local synagogues that have been proactive in reaching out and providing respite to vulnerable community members.
 
We have all been devastated by the tragic fire in Lytton, and with concern growing about the wildfire season, we have opened the BC Wildfire Relief Fund to assist those affected by wildfires in our province. You can donate here.

With Canada Day came the welcome end to many of the COVID-related restrictions. The road to recovery feels like it is beginning in earnest, and it will be a challenging journey for the dozens of organizations that serve our community. It isn’t a matter of simply opening the doors again and having it all go back to normal. There is no going back to normal. A new path to the next normal—whatever that may look like–needs to be charted.
 
COVID-19 has taken a particular toll on those people who were already vulnerable, and we’ve written many times about the exponential impact on food insecurity within the Jewish community. Fresh produce, because of its high cost, is one of the things that many people have had to give up, and so it was exciting to see 138 pounds of cucumbers, lettuce, chard and bok choy delivered to The Kitchen, which is operated by our partner, Jewish Family Services (JFS). The produce was donated by Windset Farms, as part of a new partnership we helped bring together, and West Coast Seeds, which also regularly donates crates of produce.
 
With school ending this past week, we saw the departure of three respected day school administrators: Rabbi Pacht, Meira Federgrun, and Ronit Amihude. We are very fortunate to be able to welcome three new individuals who will be taking on this demanding role for their respective schools: Rabbi Barak Cohen (Vancouver Hebrew Academy), Sabrina Bhojani (Richmond Jewish Day School), and Ian Mills (Shalhevet Girls High School). Each brings extensive educational experience to their new role, and I look forward to meeting with them over the next few months. I also want to acknowledge the committed volunteers of each of the schools' boards, who have worked tirelessly to make these important hiring decisions and ensure that the schools remain strong and viable.
 
With school out for the summer, you may be looking for things to do with your children. PJ Library is introducing Summer of Mitzvot, a kit for families to do with their kids that covers a range of activities all connected to different mitzvot and Jewish values. It’s a great way for families to continue to "Do Jewish" at home while enjoying the province's gradual re-opening. Each kit contains activities for eight weeks, including planting spices, making challah, and collecting non-perishable items for the Jewish Food Bank. Families can register to receive their first kit for free, and if you want a kit for each child in your family it is just $10 for additional kits. Register here.  
 
If your kids aren’t kids anymore, we have a great new way for them to contribute to community. Our Axis program for young adults has teamed up with Herschel Supply Co. and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to help kids have what they needs for a great summer at camp. Every time a young adult donates $54 to the Community Recovery Fund, not only will they be helping our community grow stronger, we’ll send a Herschel backpack full of summer essentials, like sunscreen and bug spray, to a local camper whose family is in need. If you’re in your 20s or 30s, click here to donate. If not, pass the word along!
 
Shabbat shalom.

 

Ezra S. Shanken
Chief Executive Officer