This message has 631 words, and will take about 2-3 minutes to read.
Transition Fair Supports Young Adults with Special Needs
The first Transition Fair for youth with special needs and their families was held at the JCCGV this past Sunday. The crowded auditorium was filled with over 30 exhibitors representing local colleges and universities, employment programs, and social service and counseling agencies. More than 80 people attended and explored the various opportunities available. One of the highlights of the fair was a youth panel in which the participants candidly shared both their successes and setbacks as they transitioned from high school to adult life. Special thanks to Anat Toledano, the JCCGV’s special needs coordinator, and her planning committee for making the day such a success.

Jewish Day School Professional Development Day
The annual Jewish Day School Professional Development Day was also held this past week. It was organized around the theme of teaching to diversity. About 100 teachers participated and had the opportunity to hear from both local and national experts, and to share their own experiences with their colleagues from other day schools.

Every year at this event, we honour one of our local Judaics teachers with the Grinspoon Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. This year’s award recipient was Rabbi Shalom Meltzer, who teaches at Pacific Torah Institute, Shalhevet Girls High School and Torah High. Yasher koach, Rabbi Meltzer, for your dedication to Jewish learning.

High School Debates
Last night, the 20th annual High School Debates took place at King David High School. It was one of the most successful events we've had, with 26 teams and more than a 100 participants. With 150 proud parents and guests in attendance it was a full house at KDHS. The amount of work the students put into researching and crafting positions both for and against topics on complex and challenging issues facing the State of Israel was evident. Through thoughtful structured debate, the students engaged in issues that included negotiating with terrorists, citizenship laws and politics at a time when many adults find it difficult to foster open and calm debate of such issues.

Look for an article on the debates in the March 9th issue of The Jewish Independent by Ophir Pick, a student at KDHS who has debated since 2008.

UIA Federations Canada is now Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA
UIA Federations Canada recently rebranded and changed its name to Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA (JFC-UIA). The change of name represents the beginning of a process to clarify and revalidate the role and function of the national organization. It is part of a larger strategic plan that includes strengthening its work in Israel and regional communities, and continuing to provide meaningful Jewish identity experiences for the next generation.

As the vehicle that connects Canadian Jewish Federations and communities together with the Jewish people and with Israel, JFC-UIA works to improve the Canadian Jewish community’s capacity to act together in the service of our common goals.

Parashat Tetzaveh
In this week's parasha there is detailed description of various ritual objects associated with the tabernacle and the rituals of the priests. It opens with a description of the menorah: a seven branched candelabra. The menorah has remained a potent Jewish symbol through the ages, and is one of the symbols of the State of Israel today. Rabbi Cathy Felix notes that in ancient times people knew of five planets. Those, taken together with the sun and moon and of course the stars, constituted the heavenly bodies of their known reality. They believed each of the planets to have its own heaven. For our forebears, these bodies were the seven heavens of their universe and the branches of the menorah reminded them of the wide expanse of space inhabited by God. What a lovely symbolic way to capture the all-encompassing nature of God's presence.

Shabbat Shalom!