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Oct. 4, 2013
Inspired and inspiring
Gilad Shalit finishes JNF tour in Vancouver.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY
It was a cold, windy and rainy night outside, but inside Temple Sholom Synagogue, more than 750 people gathered to warmly welcome Gilad Shalit.
Hosted by Jewish National Fund, Shalit was finishing up a Canadian tour that also took him to Montreal, Toronto and Calgary. The former Israel Defence Forces soldier was captured in a cross-border raid near the Gaza border and held captive by Hamas for almost 2,000 days before being released in an exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. He returned home on Oct. 18, 2011.
“To me, this event wraps together some of the key reasons I’m so proud to be Jewish,” said Bernard Pinksy, co-chair of the Vancouver gathering with Marie Doduck. The three values to which he pointed were reiterated by various speakers throughout the evening: pidyon shvuim, the mitzvah and obligation to redeem captives, kol Yisrael arevim zeh l’zeh, that each of us is responsible for each other, and pikuach nefesh, that to save one life is like saving the whole world.
Also taking to the bimah on Sept. 29 were students from Richmond Jewish Day School singing the national anthems of Canada and Israel; Josh Cooper, chief executive officer of JNF Canada; Temple Sholom president David Schwartz and Rabbi Dan Moskovitz; the Hon. Tim Uppal; Brig. Gen. Eden Attias; Schara Tzedeck Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt; a video of Jason Kimmelman’s Toronto address, in which he discussed his sister’s murder by one of the terrorists exchanged for Shalit’s release, and how he and his family, though upset about the exchange at first, came to know that “the right thing in this most difficult situation was to bring our brother home”; local JNF shaliach Ilan Pilo; Megan Emanuel, singing “V’shavu Banim Li’gvulam,” a song written especially for Shalit; Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs; CIJA board member Stockwell Day; RJDS Grade 7 students Lynne Altow and Harel Ruhr, who gave Shalit a painting from the kindergarten class; and local JNF president Ilene-Jo Bellas, who finished the evening by presenting Shalit with signed sportswear, a B.C. Lion’s jersey, which Shalit put on straight away, as well as a Whitecaps jersey, cap (which Shalit also donned) and soccer ball.
In a prepared speech that he apparently adapted slightly for each stop on the tour, Shalit said, “I am so honored to be standing here before you. I cannot believe that I have the opportunity to address over 700 of my friends and supporters here in Vancouver. I am humbled by this experience. I know that Vancouver is a fantastic Jewish community and I appreciate your coming and joining me tonight.”
According to Bellas, it was a record-breaking crowd for a JNF event in Vancouver. And, while Shalit had delivered the speech before, the emotions it generated for him still seemed near the surface, and his shyness, humility and sincerity were felt throughout the audience.
“I was never supposed to be on a bimah speaking to so many people,” said Shalit. “I had quite a normal life in northern Israel. I have loving parents and a wonderful family, as well as many friends. I entered the army at the age of 18, like so many other Israelis. I volunteered for a fighting unit ... and was accepted.... It was an honor for me to serve my country and my people in the Israel Defence Forces. I expected to do my service, travel the world, go to university, get married and start a family, like so many others. However, this was not my fate.
“As you all know, I was captured in a cross-border raid and held in captivity for more than five years. I never would have imagined that this would have happened to me during my service. When I was released, I learned about everything Jewish communities did around the world, including here in Canada and Vancouver, to secure my release and to ensure that I was not forgotten. I know that all Jews, religious and secular, right wing and left wing, old and young, gathered to call for my release and to ensure that I was not forgotten. I would like to thank you for your efforts. We all know that kol Yisrael arevim zeh l’zeh, all of Israel is responsible for one another, and you demonstrated this. It is one of the highest values in Judaism, and I am inspired by your commitment.
“I am now trying to live a normal life in Israel. However, life is no longer so normal,” he continued, eliciting knowing laughter from the audience. “People stop me on the street to take pictures with me. When I’m in the shuk, vendors come from behind their stalls to give me food. I would never have imagined that this would be my life.”
A sports columnist for Yediot Aharonot, Shalit said he is preparing to go to college to further his education. “I’ve also been traveling around the world to meet Jewish communities,” he noted. “I was recently in Australia and Latin America. It is so wonderful to connect with my brothers and sisters across the globe. Regardless of the country of geography, Jewish communities are the same around the world: they are proud, caring, Zionistic and dynamic. We all share similar values and, of course, we all share in our love of Israel.
“I am very proud to be in Canada as part of a JNF tour and I have enjoyed my travels from Montreal to the West,” he said. Commenting on the prominence of JNF projects in Israel, including the JNF Canada-funded trail in Ayalon Canada Park, he highlighted his love of the outdoors and concluded, “I am touched that the JNF is establishing a biking trail in the name of all Israeli soldiers who were held captive. As Josh Cooper mentioned, JNF is so much more than trees. JNF does so much valuable work for the land of Israel and the people of Israel. In closing, I am touched by the outpouring of support for me. I came here to say thank you and to have the opportunity to meet the Vancouver community. It’s been a wonderful experience. Everyone has been so nice. I appreciate it very much. Toda raba.”
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