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We’re still feeling excited from last Friday night when 150 LGBTQ community members, family and allies came together at the sold-out Shabbat with Pride Colours dinner at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Kol hakavod to our advocacy partner, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, and their Yad b’Yad program, for organizing this event. It was truly a milestone for our community.

Thirty-one Jewish organizations came together to make this event possible, including schools, universities, synagogues, youth and community services, and more. We are proud to be counted among them. Diversity and inclusion are important, and the breadth of support was wonderful to see.

It was an incredible privilege to have BC’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Janet Austin, in attendance at the event. She was joined by Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and MLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville, who delivered greetings from Premier John Horgan and spoke from the heart about being the mother of a gay son. Her comments brought tears to the eyes of many in attendance.

Karen James, our Board chair, represented Jewish Federation and spoke about our commitment to making our community a welcoming place for LGBTQ Jews, and about the series of events we initiated last fall that were facilitated by Keshet.

Keshet is one of the preeminent organizations providing training and support for Jewish clergy, educators, youth workers, counsellors, allies and lay leaders to ensure that LGBTQ Jews are affirmed, celebrated and included in all Jewish educational and community settings.

Karen took part in the training that was offered to Board members last year, and remarked that while there are some things organizations are doing well, there is more work to be done. She was impressed with how open the volunteer leadership of participating organizations was to making changes to promote inclusion. As Karen said last week, “Whether you are new to the city or you grew up here, whether you are just coming out or you've been out for years, whether you are immersed in Judaism or just beginning to explore it, there is a place for you in our community.”

Come visit the Jewish community’s booth at the Sunset Beach Festival on Sunday as we again come together to celebrate Pride. I'll see you there with my family.

As Pride Week builds this weekend and then comes to a close, there’s no mistaking that back to school is right around the corner. For many university students the timing of the High Holidays this year, just days after the start of the new academic year, is so tight that they won’t be flying back home to celebrate with their families. For Jewish organizations on campus, including Chabad and our partner Hillel, that provides a variety of opportunities to connect.

Sam Heller, Hillel’s new executive director, tells us that they “are keenly aware that the beginning of the school year can be difficult for students.” So, they have planned holiday meals and services, a Rosh Hashanah festival, sukkah decorating, and more to help students feel like they have a home away from home at Hillel. Activities, dates and times will be posted on Facebook and their website soon. If you know any students at UBC, SFU, UVic or any other university or college, please let them know. And let them know, too, that synagogues are offering tickets for students. Hillel is also looking for community members who will invite a student or two to their homes for the High Holidays. If you have extra space at your table, give Sam a call (and be sure to send those students home with some leftovers).

Now, we know there are probably some parents reading this who are thinking, “Back to school? I’m still doing my kids’ camp laundry!” We hear you. Shelley Rivkin, our vice president planning, allocations, and community affairs, and I visited Camp Solomon-Schechter on Tuesday to meet with staff, including Rabbi Infeld and Rabbi Bluman, and learn more about the capital projects they have either recently completed or have coming down the line.

Our camp visits always provide a great opportunity to see your Annual Campaign donations in action, because they affect every single camper. Your campaign gifts provide camperships for over 100 children to attend Jewish overnight summer camps and have one of the most immersive and lasting Jewish experiences a community can offer.

And the impact extends far beyond the recipient. The child who received a campership became someone’s best friend this summer, enriching both their lives and bringing an extra bit of fun to their cabin. Down the road, studies show that people are more likely to be connected to community and to Jewish life after having had a Jewish overnight camp experience. Everyone wins when we help children go to camp.

Shabbat shalom and happy Pride,

Ezra S. Shanken
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver