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This past Tuesday, my wife Rachel and I were out for a late dinner, breaking the fast of Tisha B' Av. I commented that at times like these I almost felt as if I wanted to fast another day. Recently, the time I’ve spent mourning loss seems overwhelming, though woefully inadequate, given current events and the nature of the world we live in today. All of the turmoil and conflict around us make it difficult to find our way back to normalcy.

Here at Jewish Federation, our work doesn’t stop during a crisis, it just grows. We are still tackling the needs of the day right here in the Lower Mainland and around the globe, while being a stabilizing force for our great community organizations. This week, I focused on another positive role of Jewish Federation when I hosted Albert Lo, a leader within our Chinese community and chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Jewish Federation, through the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), has made it a priority to create meaningful, long-lasting connections with all different religious and ethnic communities and it is always a thrill for me to learn about the diverse communities with which we have the privilege of sharing this great region.

Update on Israel

Earlier this week, we received this letter from Giora Salz, Mayor of Galil Elyon, the kibbutzim in our Upper Galilee partnership region, describing the economic, social and emotional toll of the conflict. By mid-week, the despair described by Mayor Salz was briefly transformed to hope with the announcement of a 3-day truce and the withdrawal of IDF troops from Gaza.

Sadly, this morning Hamas refused to extend the humanitarian ceasefire that had been in place and resumed its rocket assault on Israel's civilian population. Israel held its fire for over two hours before responding to protect its citizens.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued this letter of thanks to Jewish communities around the world for their support of Israel during this time of crisis and need. Here in Vancouver, we can take great pride in our demonstration of solidarity with Israel.

I recently heard from a local trip organizer that many hotel rooms across Israel remain eerily empty. If you are interested in an opportunity to visit and show your support for Israel during this difficult time, please let me know. As the impacts of the conflict continue to unfold, please add your support to meeting the needs of Israel. To date, our Israel Relief Fund has raised over $124,000 which will support the on-going emergency relief efforts of our partner agencies. There are also a number of other special campaigns that you can support. Todah Rabah.

Throughout the conflict, all major Canadian political parties have expressed their condemnation of Hamas’ rocket fire. CIJA invites you to express your gratitude to our political leadership for their stands in support of Israel.

Update on Ukraine

As the conflict was temporarily put on hold in Israel, we turned our attention to Ukraine, where government troops are battling to quash an insurgency being waged by pro-Russia rebels in the country's east. The unstable political situation and challenges facing the new Ukrainian government have resulted in great hardships for its people, including the 250,000 strong Jewish population. Tensions in Israel make it easy for us and the world to forget that Ukraine is still in need of our support. Federation partners, such as the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), continue to provide humanitarian aid to vulnerable Jews in the conflict zone and to internally displaced persons. You can read a summary of the JDC’s activities in Ukraine here.

Yad B'Yad

A bright spot amidst the tragedy and conflict that has darkened our past few weeks. Last Sunday, I led the Jewish community as we marched together under the Yad b’Yad banner at the Pride Parade to celebrate LGBTQ rights, make a statement about the inclusivity of our Jewish community, and honour the role Israel plays in the lives of LGBTQ Jews worldwide. Yad b’Yad is a non-denominational, non-partisan Jewish and pro-Israel LGBTQ advocacy group based in Vancouver. In the spirit of tikkun olam – repairing the world – Yad b’Yad seeks to build relationships with the broader LGBTQ community in order to confront common challenges and move forward together. More than 500,000 showed up to watch the parade, making it one of the largest of its kind in North America.

Parshat Va'etchanan

Every week, members of Jewish Federations of North America’s National Young Leadership Cabinet take a moment to share their thoughts about the week’s parsha. I will periodically share their thoughts with you to bring you different voices and perspectives on the parsha from our community.

This week’s Shabbat message was written by Jewish Federation of North America (JFNA) National Young Leadership Cabinet member Jason Wuliger (2013) from Cleveland.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ezra S. Shanken
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver