|
|
January 24, 2003
Saying goodbye to CFHU
Dvori Balshine moves on to new role after 17 years.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
"As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end,"
Dvori Balshine told more than 200 friends, family and co-workers
who filled the Wosk Auditorium of the Jewish Community Centre of
Greater Vancouver Jan. 16.
The end Balshine was speaking of was a 17-year career as the executive
director of the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem,
Pacific Region.
"The organization will always be in my heart," she said
the day of the event. "The people, the organization and the
institution that I am an alumni of will always be a very big part
of my life.
"It is a superb organization and a very important institution
for the state of Israel and for Jewish people all over the world,"
she continued. "I really believe that Hebrew University is
a very central organization that influences Jewish life everywhere."
Balshine said that more than anything else that she gained from
17 years with the same organization was a varied education.
"From the academic people that I was in contact with, to the
people in the community, I think I learned a lot," she said.
"I also learned how important the connection between the state
of Israel, her institutions and the communities in the Diaspora
are. I really feel it is a full partnership."
Balshine also said that she hopes that the reception held to honor
her years of service sends a message to other Jewish professionals
about the value of their jobs.
"It's a message that if we do our jobs well and we serve our
organizations with dedication, that people will recognize it and
want to show appreciation for it," she said. "I share
it with everyone else that is a Jewish professional."
Though the CFHU, Pacific Region, has grown considerably since she
took the reins in 1986, Balshine felt it was time for a change when
she accepted the position of director of development for the Louis
Brier Foundation. She began her new role this month.
Balshine, who described the idea of leaving CFHU as "very hard
and very strange," said that she has received many other job
offers over the past 17 years. However, only the attraction of the
foundation was enough for her to even consider the move.
"I had a lot of chances during the time I was [with the CFHU]
to go to other places but it never felt right," she said. "I
decided that if I can help an organization that I believe needs
my help, and they indicated that they felt I could do the job, I
wanted to give it a try.
"I also believe that the population is growing older and we
need to secure more and more really good facilities," she added.
"If I can be a part of preparing for the future, I think that
would give me terrific satisfaction."
As to her own future, Balshine acknowledged that it would be healthy
for her to break away from the CFHU for a little while in order
to develop her own identity with the Louis Brier. However, she expects
that her involvement with her former organization will soon continue.
"I want to stay involved if they will ask for my help,"
she said. "I care for the Hebrew University and it is a part
of my life."
^TOP
|
|
