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Annual Campaign Opening Event
For those able to be with us on September 10th for our campaign opening, thank you for joining us. It was truly inspiring to be in the presence of such a tremendous personality in our Jewish world, and to be together for the largest community event we have ever hosted. In addition to the conversation with Elie Wiesel, the evening also provided an opportunity to showcase powerfully the March of the Living program, highlighting the group’s experience this past spring accompanying Robbie Waisman on his return to his village of Skarzysko in Poland, and to the apartment where he had lived.

We have had wonderful feedback from many people but have also heard from those who were affected by the audio problems in the theatre, and who were therefore not able to hear, or hear fully, the dialogue between Elie Wiesel and Robert Krell. For most people there, the event represented a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear Professor Wiesel live. And for those whose expectations for the evening were not met, we are deeply sorry.

While we not permitted to record the event, we are working with Professor Wiesel to have him restate his answers to some of the more poignant questions from the evening. We hope to be able to provide that to the community soon.

Dunbar Apartments Open
This week saw the official opening of the Dunbar Apartments, a new government-funded building that provides supportive housing to adults with mental health issues. Through a partnership with the Yaffa Housing Society, five apartments have been designated for members of our community who require a supportive environment. A unique aspect of the Dunbar Apartments is the kosher kitchen funded by the Phyliss and Irving Snider Foundation.

To enable residents to build friendships and socialize together, funding from the Federation Annual Campaign supports the JCCGV’s Bagel Club to organize and cater four dinners for club members and the Dunbar Apartment residents. Bagel Club members will be actively involved in the food preparation, and will participate with the Dunbar residents in the accompanying programming. This is just one of the many ways our community can continue to support the most vulnerable, and help provide into warm and caring homes.

JFSA Starts Radio Show
Thanks to the kind donation from Dmitry Shiglik, a US-based philanthropist and owner of 'Radio Vera' (a Vancouver-based radio station for the Russian-speaking community all across Canada), Jewish Family Service Agency has launched its own radio show called JFSA Voice. The show broadcasts at 96.1 FM from 9 -10 am.

The first program went live on September 12th and included an interview with Al Szajman, chair of Jewish Federation’s Marketing and Communications Resource Group. Al introduced the Russian community to the history and mandate of our Jewish Federation, and addressed questions related to the Federation Annual Campaign, including how funds are allocated locally and abroad, and how Federation works with its various local Jewish agency partners. The show's listeners responded with keen interest, calling in with questions and requests for future shows to learn more about Federation’s goals and the Jewish value of tzedakah.

L’Shana Tova
This week's parasha, Bemidbar, begins a new book, in English called the Book of Numbers. The book relates to the story of the Israelites’ forty years of wandering in the desert. The name, Numbers, derives from the first four chapters, which describe a census of the population. Jeff Swartz, former CEO of Timberland who spoke at this week's Jewish Family Service Agency Innovators Lunch, talked about the census process being used as a tool to create a "community of intention" - one committed to a common purpose. At that biblical moment the common purpose was finding our collective way to the Land of Israel. Today we create "communities of intention" whenever we gather together to pray, to raise funds, or to take action on important issues of the day.

Through Jewish Federation's work and that of the many agencies we support, we are in the business of building "communities of intention" each and every day, as we strive to save and strengthen Jewish lives, care for the vulnerable among us, and transmit Jewish identity and commitment across generations. Our thanks to our many donors and volunteers who join together to make that possible.

Shabbat shalom!