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On behalf of the board, staff and volunteers of our Jewish Federation, I would like to extend our deepest sympathy and prayers to the families of the victims, the Jewish community of Paris, and the people of France in light of this week’s tragedies. Today, as the Parisian Jewish community was preparing for Shabbat, a gunman took hostages at a Jewish kosher supermarket in Paris, killing four. This, of course, follows on the heels of Wednesday’s tragic attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine. Jewish Federation condemns these attacks in the strongest terms, and issued a statement earlier this afternoon.

There is no information to suggest that there are any specific threats to our local Jewish institutions. However, during times like this we work even more closely than usual with our advocacy partner, CIJA.  We also work closely with law enforcement, both on a regular basis throughout the year and in times of heightened tensions, to ensure our community institutions remain safe, and we appreciate the proactive response we have received from them today. Together with CIJA, we will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.

In times like this we often ask ourselves what we can do to make a difference, or whether one individual’s actions can make much of a difference at all. But, every action we take, regardless of how insignificant it may seem at the time, has a ripple effect.

One ripple can change a people’s trajectory. Like many of you, I will be entering Shabbat feeling deeply conflicted following the unfolding crisis happening in France. On one hand, I feel emboldened to continue our journey to create a community steeped in meaning and purpose, and driving toward an uncertain future filled with possibility; and on the other hand, deeply powerless to predict what the future may hold. The latter can become for many of us all consuming, and can derail even the most emboldened. Thankfully, our Torah portion this week, Shemot, reminds us that while feelings of powerlessness are as old as our people, individual actions can create lasting positive change. Shemot contains the story of one such ripple in a dark time that changed our trajectory. That ripple was made by the basket containing baby Moses as it was placed in the river in defiance an Egyptian order that all male Israelite babies be drowned.

There were many ripples emanating from our Federation this week, as we engaged in our first full work week of 2015. We explored the continued success of peer-based support within our growing seniors community. We met with Mayor Greg Moore of Port Coquitlam to discuss the evolving needs of the emerging Jewish communities in the suburbs, as affordability issues drive more young families further away from the centres of Jewish life. Mayor Moore is also the chair of Metro Vancouver Regional District. This week also saw us meet with the team at The Vancouver Foundation to develop strategies to combat loneliness through community building activities.

We are also pleased to announce a new partnership with the Kehila Society of Richmond, as the Richmond Jewish Community Service Hub (JHub Richmond) completes its first year of operation. We have contracted with Kehila to take on the overall management of JHub and work with the steering committee to expand the scope of programs and services offered to better serve the Richmond Jewish community. Kehila brings many years of community development andstrong Richmond community connections to the partnership, and we are looking forward to continued growth and success.

Federation Annual Campaign
Having turned the corner on 2015, we are close to wrapping up our 2014 Federation Annual Campaign, and at this point have reached 96.8% of our historic $8 million goal. But, with several hundred consistent donors who we haven’t yet reached, we are making the final push!

Our message this year has been “Your heart’s in the right place”. Your generous gifts demonstrate our shared commitment to providing a safety net for our most vulnerable and building a strong, enduring community at home, in Israel and throughout the world. Many of you have already made your gift, and we are so grateful. If you have not yet had a chance to do so, it’s not too late to be counted in for this year’s campaign effort. Please make your gift now.

Parshat Shemot
We continue to share reflections onthe week’s parsha by young professionals from across North America. This week's Shabbat Message was written by Jewish Federations of North America National Young Leadership Cabinet Member Kristen Keller from Pittsburgh.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ezra S. Shanken
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver