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United Church of Canada's Boycott of Israel
This August, delegates from across Canada will meet at the General Council of the United Church of Canada (UCC), at which they will vote on proposed Church policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

One of the proposals calls for the United Church to give “high priority” to a church-wide boycott of Israeli products from settlement communities. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is calling on all Canadians to add their name to a petition to be shared with the United Church in the days leading up to the General Council meeting. CIJA is requesting that the UCC reject boycotts of Israel in any form, refuse to hold the world’s only Jewish state as solely responsible for ending the Arab-Israeli conflict, and instead support positive initiatives to advance peace, reconciliation and prosperity in the Holy Land – for the benefit of both Palestinians and Israelis. Locally, CIJA regional director, Darren Mackoff, and a number of community rabbis have been in discussions with United Church clergy to help them understand why this report is so problematic.

It is worth reading the letter sent this week by Reverend Gary Gaudin from South Arm United Church in Richmond to all off the elected BC United Church Commissioners. Reverend Gaudin has taken an outspoken and courageous public stance on this issue based on his own personal commitment to fostering positive Jewish-Christian relations here in BC, as well as what he believes to be an unbalanced and biased United Church report against Israel.

Please click here to read the full text of the petition and to add your signature.

New ‘Enemy Aliens’ Exhibit Opens at Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre
The Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre (VHEC) has opened a major new exhibit titled, “Enemy Aliens”: The Internment of Jewish Refugees in Canada, 1940 – 1943. The exhibit, the first of its kind in Canada, explores a little-known chapter of our national history - Canada’s wartime internment of approximately 2,300 civilian refugees of Nazism, most of them Jews. These men, many between the ages of 16 and 20, had found asylum in Britain only to be arrested under the suspicion that there were spies. After a brief period of internment in England, they were deported to Canada and imprisoned in New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec alongside political refugees and, in some camps, with avowed Nazis. The internees’ journey is a bittersweet tale of survival during the Holocaust.

These remarkable stories, and the significance of the internees’ subsequent contributions to Canada, have national resonance. Many of those “deemed suspect” later assumed influential positions, several were awarded the Order of Canada and two became Nobel laureates. The exhibit runs through June 2013.

Jewish Teen Video Contest
Six teens involved in the TAG film course this spring produced the winning video in the first Annual Short Video Contest co-sponsored by Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and the Jewish Film Festival Society. Entitled What a Jew, the video effectively illustrates some of the subtle and overt ways Jewish teens experience anti-Semitism from their peers. The video will be screened at the upcoming Jewish Film Festival. The talented film crew included Jamie Magrill (director), Paul Freiwirth (writer), Julia Morris (lead actress), Aleesha Rubinstein (supporting actress), Mark Osten (editor), and Gene Cole (co-writer). A total of five short videos were submitted as part of the contest. The remaining winners will be announced at the Film Festival in November.

Lion of Judah Recognition Dinner
Last week, more than 75 women gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery to be recognized for their generosity to our community through the Federation Annual Campaign. The evening included a private tour of the Vancouver Art Gallery’s current visiting exhibit, Collecting Matisse and the Modern Masters. We are very fortunate to have had the support of The Diamond Foundation, major sponsors of the exhibit, in making the private tour available and in sponsoring the dinner.

Lions of Judah contribute at least $5,000 annually to the campaign, and this year’s recognition dinner was our largest ever. Of particular note was a focus on those women who have established Lion of Judah Endowments, which will preserve their wonderful legacy of giving to the community through the Federation Annual Campaign beyond their lifetimes. To view photos from the event, click here.

Wiesel Tickets Now on Sale
Tickets for our campaign opening on September 10, 2012, featuring Elie Wiesel, went on sale Tuesday, and we were immediately deluged with orders. More than 500 community members already have their tickets reserved. While the theatre has lots of capacity, you don’t want to miss the chance to be with us for a rare opportunity to see world renowned author, professor and human rights activities Elie Wiesel in person.

Early bird ticket pricing is in effect until July 16th. You can purchase tickets online or contact the Jewish Federation office at 604.638.7281.

Parashat Korach
In this week’s reading, Korach leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron’s authority in leading the Israelites through the desert. He and his followers are swallowed up by the earth as God intervenes to reinforce the leaders’ authority. Many commentators focus on Korach’s arrogance in lusting for power as the rationale for his destruction. The parasha is an instructive lesson on the limits and dangers of seeking power.

As leaders, Moses and Aaron are often hesitant. They make apologies for themselves and for their people. They lead from a place of uncertainty about their role, motivated by serving the people. To the commentators, Korach’s sin is that he inflates his own prominence in order to achieve power. His motivation is about his own place, and not what he might do on behalf of others.

We live in an era where political leaders, in order to gain power, must appear strong and confident. How do we best gauge who is truly motivated by a desire to serve the needs of the people?

Shabbat shalom!