This message has 843 words, and will take about four to five minutes to read.

Jewish-Aboriginal Dialogue Group Meets
Earlier this week, a group of 36 members representing a broad cross-section of local Jewish and Aboriginal communities met together for a dialogue hosted by Reconciliation Canada, with support from Jewish Federation and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. I’ve had a chance to see some of the comments from both Aboriginal and Jewish participants and they speak to the powerful, inspiring, difficult and painful nature of the discussions.

The Reconciliation Dialogue workshops across BC seek to engage Canadians in dialogue to revitalize relationships, raise awareness, and provide a safe environment to explore reconciliation. The workshops will culminate in a city-wide ‘Walk for Reconciliation’ on Sunday, September 22nd. This workshop was specifically designed for Jewish and Aboriginal communities to focus together on the strengths and commonalities our respective communities share. Participants included chiefs, rabbis, educators, community activists, lawyers, elders, therapists, grandparents and poets.

Facilitators led the group through a series of large and small group discussions, building understanding about each other’s histories, traumas, values and traditions. The conversations were not always easy. There were tears, anger and frustration at not being understood, but also amazing moments of understanding, humour and respect. By the closing circle, it was clear that everyone who had participated had gained something important, and that the bonds that were created during this dialogue would be maintained over time. For more information about Reconciliation Canada, visit their website at reconciliationcanada.ca.

Stem Cell Donor Needed
This past February, Jayden Roll, the four-year-old daughter of a Jewish couple in Montreal, was diagnosed with MDS, a rare form of AML Leukemia. In order to survive, Jayden will need to find a stem cell donor in the coming weeks. This Wednesday, April 17th, there will be a stem cell donor drive here in Vancouver at the JCC. Please help spread the word through your personal networks, particularly within the Jewish community. Because Jayden is Jewish, there is a greater chance that her match will be found from within the Jewish community.

The drive is seeking potential donors between 17-50 years old. Potential donors will be required to have a swab of their inner cheeks. No blood tests are required at this stage. The information will be put into a central registry at Canadian Blood Services, and it will be shared with Jayden’s physicians.

Swab Test Details
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Jewish Community Centre
950 W. 41st Avenue, Vancouver

Click here for more information about Jayden, the event and the process for donation.

Reflecting on 65 Years of Israeli Statehood
In a few days, we will commemorate the twin events that mark the anniversary of the creation of the modern State of Israel. On Sunday evening, we observe Yom HaZikaron, a day of remembrance for those who have fallen in defense of Israel, and Israeli victims of terror.

One day later, we transition from mourning to joy, as we close out Yom HaZikaron, and begin celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut, which we will do as a community at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 15th at the Centre for Performing Arts in Vancouver, with a concert featuring Israeli star, Nurit Galron.

It is easy to get caught up in the sweep of daily news, the ups and downs of the Middle East peace process, and the tumult of internal Israeli politics, and to lose sight of the truly miraculous nature of what it means to have a Jewish national homeland as part of our collective Jewish lives. One of the most compelling characterizations of the relationship between Israel and Jews who live elsewhere that I’ve heard is from Rabbi Avraham Infeld, who places the relationship in the realm of immediate family. To paraphrase Rabbi Infeld, we don’t get to choose our families – we are born into those relationships, and they remain with us, in one form or another, our whole lives. If we understand our relationship with Israel in that way, their ups are our ups, their downs are our downs. We may not always agree or like our family, but we are bound together in bonds of love and loyalty that transcend any particular moment.

Jewish Federation’s work in Israel has very much shifted to embrace that family relationship, through our extensive efforts to provide young members of our community with personal travel experiences in Israel, and through our connection with our partnership region in the Upper Galilee. Our goal has been to bring our connection with that community to the point where young people in each community know that they have family in the other. Our intensive exchange programs have created exactly that kind of dynamic, and we are proud that 37 King David High School students will be joining their family at Har Vagai High School for this week’s Yom Ha'atzmaut celebration.

In this spirit, I encourage you to join us Monday night at the Centre for Performing Arts to celebrate 65 extraordinary years with your community family.

Shabbat shalom!