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Rabbi Bregman Newsmaker of the Week
Last Sunday evening, Temple Sholom held an extraordinary evening celebrating the many contributions that Rabbi Philip and Cathy Bregman have made to the synagogue and our community. Rabbi Bregman has served as Temple Sholom’s senior Rabbi for the past 33 years, and his wife, Cathy, has also provided extraordinary service to the synagogue community. The program was epic in scope and fully captured the passion, the commitment and humour this couple has demonstrated over so many years, as well as the impact of their work within the congregation and beyond.

Later in the week, the Vancouver Hillel Foundation announced that Rabbi Bregman will be serving as their interim director, effective August 1. Rabbi Bregman will be replacing Rabbi Michael Silbert, who recently resigned from the position. Having someone of Rabbi Bregman’s skill, energy and passion available to step into the professional leadership role at Hillel will be a great benefit to the agency.

Festival HaRikud Celebrates 10 Years
This past Sunday and Monday, the JCC was filled with Israeli dance as the annual Festival HaRikud took place. I caught the youth performance on Sunday and got to see hundreds of kids from across our community take to the stage, including students from Congregation Beth Israel, Richmond Jewish Day School, and Vancouver Talmud Torah, along with the many JCC youth dance groups. Visiting troupes from Miami and Mexico City were back for this year’s festival as well.

From its small start 10 years ago, the JCC has built Festival HaRikud into an outstanding annual cultural event in our community, and reenergized our community’s participation and appreciation of this slice of Israeli culture. The addition of displays, family activities and vendors, and this year’s Global Walk For Israel, rounded out the day to be more engaging for the hundreds of people who participated in one aspect or another.

Youth Groups Collaborate on Social Action Project
Teens from NCSY, JCC, PTI, Torah High and Chai School worked together this past Sunday to collect and sort donations of used clothing. Students from Beth Israel’s Chai School program delivered the clothing to the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre. Working together, they performed an incredible mitzvah for the women of the Downtown Eastside. Thanks to JCC youth coordinator, Stephanie Rabin, for her work in coordinating the collaborative project

Parashat Behar/Behukkotai
This week’s double parasha begins with the laws related to the observance of the Sabbatical year every seven years, and the Jubilee every 50 years. The sabbatical year relates to an agricultural cycle, in which our people’s spiritual connection to the land was connected to the steps necessary to allow the land to refresh and rejuvenate itself and its productive properties, much like how the weekly Sabbath is intended to do that for us. The Jubilee serves a different, non-agricultural purpose, to remind us that any human ownership of land is, in the end, only a temporary thing.

We are headed into a truly glorious weekend – one of those warm and sparkling Lower Mainland spring weekends that drives everyone outdoors. Some will undoubtedly be gardening, others heading for the beach, the mountains or other natural settings. It will be a magnificent time to remind ourselves of the immense natural beauty that surrounds us, and our roles and responsibilities as temporary tenants and stewards. As we nourish and replenish our souls, may we also remember our part in taking care of this precious gift.

Shabbat shalom!