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Close to 800 people gathered at Temple Sholom last night to show solidarity between Canadians and the State of Israel. You can view photos from the event here.

Support for Israel was also expressed from outside of the community. Jewish Federation Board Chair Diane Switzer read a letter of support from Premier Christy Clark. Please take a moment to thank Premier Clark for her unwavering support during this difficult period.

Farid Rohani, a successful businessman, social activist and a member of the Board of the Laurier Institution addressed the issue of anti-Semitism in recent social media. He concluded that the coverage is remarkably lopsided and that “remaining quiet is a disservice not only to the values that we share as Canadians, but to order and what is right.”

The event also featured a young mother, Shunit Dekel, via a live feed from Israel, whose kibbutz 4.3 km outside of Gaza was forced into lockdown three times last week because of the danger posed by the underground tunnels. She provided sobering insight into how her life and life in the kibbutz have been impacted by the conflict and expressed gratitude for the support being provided by communities like Vancouver.

For Shunit and all Israelis living under the constant threat of missile attacks, our support is critical for preserving their quality of life. Please consider supporting the special campaigns to assist Israel during this time of need, including:

Jewish Federation’s Israel Relief Fund

Initiatives launched by:

Canadian Friends of Hebrew University
Canadian Friends of Ben Gurion University
Canadian Magen David Adom for Israel
Jewish National Fund Pacific Region

Thanks to all of the community partners for their support in planning and organizing the event and to the community for coming together and making it such a success.

Todah rabah!

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