This message has 815 words and will take about 4 minutes to read.

All week we have been following the journey of our March of the Living delegation as they travel through Poland learning about the Holocaust. The Poland portion of the program culminated in the three-kilometre march from Auschwitz to Birkenau for which 12,000 participants from around the world came together to show the strength and vitality of the Jewish future.

This year, the group of 23 local high school students was the largest we have ever sent. They have each committed to in-depth Holocaust education and to becoming the next generation of witnesses. Accompanying them are two chaperones and a Holocaust survivor, who have been with them throughout their pre-trip preparation. We are also very proud that Karen James, our board chair, is participating and will travel with the teens for about half of the Poland portion of the trip. We’ll be sharing them on Facebook and Twitter as they come in.

Here in Vancouver, our partner, The Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre (VHEC), presented our community’s Yom HaShoah commemoration on Wednesday evening to a full house at the JCC. The program featured a candle lighting by survivors; a representative of second generation survivors; former board member, Vivian Claman; and an address by Dr. Robert Krell, a child survivor. Earlier in the week, VHEC engaged 300 students when they hosted their fifth annual symposium on the Holocaust at South Delta Secondary, featuring VHEC outreach speaker and child survivor Alex Buckman and historian Dr. Lauren Rossi.

Rabbi Carey Brown, board member Penny Gurstein, and I were honoured to join 48 survivors from Vancouver and Victoria, led by representatives Leo Vogel and Dr. Robert Krell, at the BC Legislature in Victoria for a solemn candle lighting ceremony and commemorative event. Premier John Horgan presented framed certificates marking the provincial government’s recognition of Yom HaShoah to Penny as the representative our Federation’s leadership, and to David Blades, president of Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island. Many thanks to our advocacy partner, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA); the VHEC; and sponsoring Minister, Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, for making this event possible, and to Premier Horgan; Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing; Nicholas Simons, MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast; and Sam Sullivan, MLA for Vancouver-False Creek for showing their support by participating.

Sadly, decades after the Holocaust, anti-Semitism is still rampant. No one knows that better than Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. We were thrilled that Jonathan took time out of his busy schedule to speak with our major donors on Tuesday evening while he was in Vancouver for TEDx. Many thanks to Ian and Sandy Penn for generously hosting the event at their home. 

We go through so many emotions on Yom HaShoah, and I want to share with you this beautiful video of Holocaust survivors singing Chai, Chai, Chai with their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Many thanks to Rabbi Brown who shared it with Rabbi Bregman, who shared it with me.

Speaking of Rabbi Bregman, I was honoured to speak to Hillel students at UBC as part of their Jewish Education Leadership Series. We had a lively discussion about the history of Jewish communal organizations, such as Federation, the role they play and what the future will bring.

As organizations evolve, so do the ways in which community members connect. A great example is East Side Jews, a grassroots program that hosts monthly events to connect young families on the East Side and beyond. Rachel, the boys and I were among 60 people who came to their bagel-making event at Rosemary Rocksalt on Commercial Drive last weekend, where we indulged in some post-Pesach chametz while Rabbi Brown read the children’s classic, Bagels for Benny. We support their events with a community engagement grant.

For those of you whose kids are older, download your free copy of Going Somewhere? The Canadian Guide to Jewish Campus Life, which was just released by Canadian Hillels and CIJA. You can also let your 18- to 26-year-olds know that Birthright Israel registration is open until April 30th. We had 50 people attend our orientation session this week, so now is the time for them to get their names on the list.

How appropriate that we end this week’s message with a focus on Israel, because that is where we will pick up next week. Our March of the Living students will be in Israel for Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut, and we will have just concluded our community’s celebration of Israel at 70. If you want to join us, we’d love to have you, but time is running out. At the time of publication there were only 26 tickets left, so grab them quickly and celebrate the miracle that is the modern State of Israel.

Shabbat shalom,

Ezra S. Shanken
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver