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Yesterday was a busy day in the first Shanken Sukkah to be built on foreign soil in four generations. Rachel and I were thrilled to see the sky clear as we hosted the Federation staff at lunch and then members of the Council of Presidents for wine and cheese after work. This Sukkot, I had the interesting experience of explaining to our non-Jewish neighbours downstairs that we would be erecting a hut in the backyard. I remember my father hammering wood to build our Sukkah as a child and marveling that such a rickety structure could stay standing. This year, our builders were young men from Pacific Torah Institute and the structure was a bit more solid, but I still find myself in awe. I think about what it must have been like when huts like these provided shelter for prolonged periods of time on the windy hills of Jerusalem, and the makeshift structures that some of Vancouver’s most vulnerable sleep in every night across the city. I hope that your experience this Sukkot reminds you of our duty as a community to maintain a deep connection to the values of our past, while addressing the needs of those living in poverty today.

PJ Library celebrates Sukkot on the farm
Overcast skies did not scare families away from Temple Sholom’s “Sukkot on Location” at Glorious Organics in Aldergrove on Monday. Co-sponsored by PJ Library, this event brought together Jewish families from all over the Lower Mainland to celebrate Sukkot. Families had the opportunity to eat in a Sukkah and shake a lulav and etrog, while imagining that they were ancient Israelites taking a break from their fall harvesting. They picked beets and carrots to take home; harvested salad greens for a large communal salad; made corn husk dolls; took a close up look at both mason and honey bees; and of course, they all enjoyed story time in the hut run by PJ Library. This is the third year that Temple Sholom has hosted this event which provides children with a hands-on experience of the harvest holiday and reinforces their connection to the earth.

National Statement on Poverty in the Jewish community
For the past year, Jewish Federations and Jewish Family Service agencies across Canada have been participating in a Jewish poverty think tank. One of the outcomes has been the development of a national statement on poverty in Canadian Jewish communities, which is being issued to synagogues and other Jewish communal organizations for distribution on the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The National Household Survey released in 2011 suggests that the poverty rate in the Greater Vancouver Jewish community has grown over the past ten years, from 1 in 7 to 1 in 6 community members living in poverty. Review highlights from the survey and a statement issued by Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and Jewish Family Service Agency. Over the next few months, both organizations will be working with others to focus on new solutions.

Federation Annual Campaign
In the face of increasing levels of poverty, the Federation Annual Campaign is your opportunity to help the most vulnerable in our community. Your gift helps families in need meet basic day-to-day requirements like food and rent, as well as stay engaged with their Jewish community. Make your gift online today.

This week, we passed the halfway mark of our $8 million campaign goal. Thanks to all of you who have already given so generously in support of our community.

Israel Consular Representative visit to Vancouver, November 16-17, 2014
Jewish Federation, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Israel in Toronto, has arranged the visit of a consular representative to Vancouver, to deal with consular service requests that now require an in-person meeting. Details are available here.

Parshat Bereishit

This week’s Shabbat message, written by Jewish Federations of North America National Young Leadership General Assembly Planning Consultant Rachel Wright from Houston, is being sent today because Jewish Federation’s office is closed for the rest of the week in observance of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.

Chag Sameach,

Ezra S. Shanken
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver