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Here on the edge of the continent we can feel a little isolated from the centres of the Jewish world. But this week we had two very strong reminders of what it means to be a part of both a continental and a global community: the earthquake in Nepal, and the visit we received from Mark Gurvis.

First and foremost, Nepal. People have been asking me what the situation is like there, and quite simply it’s the same thing we saw in Haiti – those who were already vulnerable have become much more so. When disaster strikes a developing country lax building codes mean more innocent people trapped in rubble. Poor infrastructure means roads remain impassable longer and people are cut off from help. And it means they lack the basic elements necessary for effective large-scale rescue and relief operations, such as heavy equipment, trained personnel, helicopters for evacuation, and food, medical and sanitation supplies.

We know that many of you want to help, and that you want to give Jewishly and through an organization you can trust to respond effectively. Our community’s response to our Nepal Relief Fund was tremendous, with over $24,299 raised so far, including a transfer of $7,500 that was approved by our Board. The Canadian government will match donations from individuals dollar for dollar. If you haven’t yet had a chance to give, you can donate here. Funds support the work of our trusted partner in rescue and relief, the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), and will fund immediate and long-term needs in Nepal. Want to see how we’re helping already? Watch this video of a newborn Nepalese boy and you’ll see the incubators we helped fund through the JDC.

How are we able to help around the world? Simple: our involvement in the Federated community, both through Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and Jewish Federations of Canada-United Israel Appeal (JFC-UIA). It is the fact that we are part of the Federation system, both nationally and continentally, that makes it possible for us to react and respond in meaningful ways when disaster strikes. It is through our relationships with organizations like the JDC that we demonstrate our ability to build bridges and be part of the global community.

We were reminded of the significance of these relationships with the return to our community this week of Mark Gurvis, former CEO of our Jewish Federation and now the executive vice president of JFNA in New York. He was here as part of Congregation Beth Israel’s adult education series: Jewish Vancouver Past, Present & Future, and he also met with our volunteer leaders and our staff. What did he talk about? How our shared Jewish values inform our work.

His comments couldn’t have been more timely, since on Monday our Board approved our updated mission statement, which we are proud to share with you:

Inspired by our Jewish values, we strengthen the quality of Jewish life locally, in Israel and around the world. Together, we create a vibrant, caring and inclusive community.

Our work is inspired by the Jewish values of:
Tikkum Olam - repairing the world
Tzedakah - justice, charity
Klal Israel - the unity of all the Jewish people
Chesed - loving kindness

Mark used Jewish values as a jumping off point to talk about, among other things, the situation in Ukraine. Unlike the immediacy of a natural disaster, he characterized the situation in Ukraine as “a slow boil.” But the needs there are no less important. After all, he said, “for the first time since WWII there are Jewish refugees in Europe.” So, while we are helping in Nepal, we are also providing food, shelter and medicine to thousands of Jews in Ukraine, many of whom are elderly, infirm and destitute. Not only do our partnerships with JFNA, JFC-UIA and the JDC make it possible to help around the world, knowing that we can rely on them enables us to stay focused on addressing local needs here at home.

As someone who’s active on Facebook and Twitter I like to think of myself as a pretty savvy guy when it comes to social networks. The truth is, Jewish Federations are the original social network. Our Federation, along with 150 others and 300 network communities, come together through JFNA and in Canada through JFC-UIA to maximize our impact locally and in communities in need around the world.

The events of this week were a reminder that we’re a part of a community that extends beyond what we see around us. Through our network and partnerships, we realize that we’re not alone – and neither are those who so desperately need our help, wherever they may live.

Shabbat Shalom,

Ezra S. Shanken
CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver