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2012 Campaign Raises $7.64 Million
A big todah rabah – thank you – to everyone who supported our community through the Annual Campaign this year. I’m very pleased to let you know that the 2012 Federation Annual Campaign has closed with a final achievement of $7.64 million, an increase of $34,000 over last year’s total. An additional $200,000 in restricted gifts for specific projects was also generated. We believe this is good news given the continuing challenging economic environment and the major capital campaigns underway in our community. It is a testament to the commitment that individuals and families in our community have to tzedakah. An important factor in our success is our strong campaign leadership and volunteers. As a community we have a lot to be proud of, and this campaign result will help ensure that the important work being done in our community can continue.

Earlier this year, Jewish Federation was named one of the top 20 charities in BC by The Vancouver Sun. Jewish Federation ranked particularly well with respect to its low administrative and fundraising costs – a commitment we continued to focus on throughout the 2012 campaign. Canada Revenue Agency guidelines indicate the cost of fundraising should be below 35%, but Jewish Federation’s is far below this. The net cost of fundraising for the 2012 Annual Campaign was just 12.4%. We always strive to maximize the amount of each donation that is directed to charitable work, and we continued to do so during this recent campaign, increasing our corporate sponsorship revenue from $45,000 to $107,000.

It takes the whole community coming together for the campaign to be a success. Whether you made a donation, canvassed your fellow community members, or volunteered at an event, your contributions make it possible for us and our partner agencies to continue to provide the programs and services on which thousands of community members rely.

Focusing on Youth Issues
As part of the ongoing work emanating from the professional coordinating committee we facilitate on youth-at-risk issues, there are several important programs that have been taking place in our community or which are about to happen.

Last week, the JCC’s youth outreach worker, Stephanie Rabin, coordinated two programs featuring the film Bullying. Students from NCSY’s Torah High and Beth Israel’s Chai School joined together to view the film and engage in discussion. Also, a separate program held at the JCC brought together representatives from various community agencies that work with youth and members of our community. Included in the panel discussion was Carol Todd, mother of Amanda, who recently committed suicide after her traumatic experience with online bullying.

This coming Tuesday, March 19, Vancouver Hillel is sponsoring a program for young adults called “The New Normal: Stress, Anxiety and Other Stuff”, which features a panel of professionals from our community.

In June we will be co-sponsoring a Philosopher’s Café with the Jewish Historical Society and the JCC on the topic of bullying. Panelists will include a rabbi, a teen and a policy expert.

Canada Israel Experience Recognized for Excellence by Birthright Israel
Canada Israel Experience (CIE) serves as the country's central resource for organizing and promoting Israel experiences for youth and young adults, and is funded collectively by the Jewish Federations across Canada. Almost all teens and young adults who travel from Canada to Israel as part of a Canadian-sponsored or organized program are benefiting from CIE’s organizational and programmatic expertise. This is particularly true of Birthright Israel programs, as the Canadian Federations have collectively send over 26,000 young adults.

Around the world, young Jews participate in a wide range of Birthright options, and different organizations serve as vendors, providing different program offerings. In Canada, we have banded together to operate a common platform through CIE, which has ensured our ability to deliver some of the highest quality experiences among the Birthright program vendors. This week, at the recent Birthright Annual Trip Organizer Meeting in Israel, CIE was given the award for “Overall Educational Excellence." We are very proud that our Federation makes it possible for about 100 local young people to participate in Birthright each year. We are particularly pleased to know that we are sending them on the best quality Birthright programs that are out there.

"Like" President Shimon Peres on Facebook
Israeli President Shimon Peres has launched a new initiative to communicate with Jews and friends of Israel around the world via Facebook. His Facebook page will be updated daily with his reflections on various issues and updates about his work and activities. You can stay connected with one of the major personalities and leaders in Israel by going to his Facebook page and clicking the "Like" button.

Local Event Supports Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts
Rabbi Michael Nadata of Congregation Schara Tzedeck initiated a night of music and comedy that took place last night at the Media Club in downtown Vancouver. Moved by the continuing stories of hardship coming out of the areas in the Northeast US that are still recovering from Hurricane Sandy, Rabbi Nadata provided an opportunity for local community members to help. Funds committed to Federation’s Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund are being distributed by Jewish Federations of North America to agencies helping victims in both the Jewish and general communities.

Parashat Viyikrah
With this week's parasha we begin reading the Book of Leviticus, which is largely involved with detailed description of sacrificial rites that are no longer in practice, and matters of ritual impurity. To the modern eye and ear the Torah in this section can seem remote and alien, and hard for us to access.

As noted in the Etz Chayim Torah Commentary there is a belief among some scholars that this book was an instruction manual for the priests officiating at The Temple. It became codified as part of the five books of the Torah as a means of demonstrating the ultimate accessibility of Judaism. There might be rituals that priests were charged with conducting, but it wasn't a secret cult. The rules and procedures were right out there for everyone to know. Including all the detail in a text the whole community would read and study on a regular cycle means everyone is part of the "kingdom of priests."

While we no longer maintain the sacrificial rites, it is still true today that our ritual practices are accessible to all. Any member of the community can learn to lead the community in prayer, and many of our most important rituals take place in our homes. We may not all have the knowledge, but that isn't because it is hidden or kept to a small class of religious leaders. We are limited only by our will to learn and engage with our tradition.

Shabbat shalom!