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Dr. Rick Hodes Preps for Philanthropic Operation
Over the years I have written about Dr. Rick Hodes, who for more than 20 years has served as medical director for the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Ethiopia. In addition to dealing with the medical needs of the Jewish community until it left, and the Falash Mura population as they await their exit, Dr. Hodes volunteers extensively with the Mother Teresa Mission, providing medical services to countless numbers of people. Over the years he’s become the country’s specialist in spine disease, cancer and heart disease among children.

Local community leader Gary Segal met Dr. Hodes six years ago when we traveled together to Ethiopia on a Jewish Federation mission to see first-hand the impact of the work of our partner, the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). After Gary’s son helped raise funds to build schools in remote villages, Gary’s relationship with Dr. Hodes grew deeper and led to a successful effort to get a surgery performed here at Vancouver General Hospital for one of Rick’s patients, followed by a four month recuperative stay in Gary and Nancy Segal’s home. That patient was Tesfaye - his name means hope.

The inspiring story of the impact on one life has spawned a broader effort to hold a benefit fundraising evening at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver on April 4th, called An Evening to Bring Back Hope. Together with the JDC, Jewish Federation is involved with this event, which will help raise funds to support Dr. Hodes’ humanitarian efforts. Dr. Hodes was in Vancouver this week helping with preparations for the event, particularly with a media blitz that gained coverage in The Vancouver Sun, The Province, on Global TV and more.

The story of a Jewish doctor in Ethiopia performing life-saving miracles for Christian and Muslim children has ignited a broad coalition of support. The steering committee for the Bring Back Hope event represents the diversity of our Greater Vancouver community. Along the way, a key partnership was forged between Dr. Hodes and Dr. Bob Taylor at UBC’s Branch for International Medicine, the leading training site for doctors who specialize in dealing with the kinds of medical challenges Dr. Hodes faces every day. If you want to be inspired by one of the truly magnificent stories of Jewish-sponsored non-sectarian philanthropy in the world today, mark your calendar for April 4th, or better yet, check out the event website and see how you can help.

Professor Robert Krell Provides Keynote Address at UN Holocaust Commemoration
The United Nations remembered the children who perished during the Holocaust with a week of events culminating today in a memorial ceremony held in the General Assembly Hall in New York. The global network of United Nations information centres also played its part in remembering these children with film screenings, educational programmes and exhibits. More than 20 United Nations information centres — from Argentina, to Ghana, to Turkey — held events.

Professor Robert Krell, from our own community, was the keynote speaker at the ceremony held today. Professor Krell is a renowned psychiatrist, writer, lecturer and child Holocaust survivor, and was one of the founders of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre.

Parashat Bo
In this week’s parasha we read the rest of the story about the plagues, and are provided a series of ritual observances through which we can remember the experience of slavery and our collective redemption. Of course, one of the most widely observed is the eating of matzah – a bread baked quickly before it can rise, which reminds us of the haste in which our forefathers left Egypt. Through the act of eating matzah we relive that moment in Jewish history, and connect with all Jews around the world who are also observing this commandment. That continuity through history and connectivity throughout our global Jewish community are what bind us together in mutual responsibility for one another today, and for our collective well-being into the future.

Shabbat Shalom!