B.C.-born leadership

ARASH BEN SHAUL

“A united Jewish student voice is a stronger Jewish student voice," said Rachael Segal, the newly elected president of the Canadian Federation of Jewish students (CFJS). "We can stand up for Jews and Israel on campuses much better if we speak with one voice."

Segal is the first person from a Western Canadian campus to head the newly formed federation's rapidly growing student body. "I'm honored for the chance to be the president of CFJS," said Segal, "and I'm proud to be the first Westerner to serve as president of the first organization that speaks for all Jewish students across Canada."

The CFJS was formed four years ago as the organized voice of Canadian Jewish students on matters related to Israel and Jewish life on campuses. Although the combined numbers of Jewish students enrolled in Canadian universities make them one of the largest student groups, the lack of a united front prevented them from lobbying for their interests as effectively as their numbers would allow.

"The reality is that most Jewish kids go to university, so we have a lot of Jewish students on colleges," said Segal. "Of course, we have organizations like Hillel that work for Jewish students, but they are all local and there was not one national organization that represented Jewish students everywhere in Canada. That was one of the reasons CFJS was created."

A Vancouver native, Segal is a third-year student of political science at the University of Victoria. She grew up in a family with a long history of community involvement. "My grandparents were Holocaust survivors," she said. "My grandmother was one of those women who joined every Jewish cause that was around; seriously, every one of them.... My mother is the same, and I guess I got the passion to work for the Jewish community from them. And I'm glad I did!"

Segal has been involved with various Jewish organizations, including Hillel and the Jewish Students Association, since her days in high school. At university, Segal felt that Jewish students could be more effective in lobbying for their interests if they had a united voice. At 19, she was elected to be a member of CFJS' governing body. She travelled frequently, promoting the organization's mandate, organizing activities for Jewish students on campuses and representing Jewish students in international conferences. Most recently, she attended the America Israel Political Action Committee policy conference in D.C.

Speaking of her plans as president of CFJS, Segal said her first priority is to have the organization seen by all Canadian student bodies as the legitimate voice of Canadian Jewish students.

"Right now, we're still in the organizational stage, so the next year we'll be focusing on structuring CFJS," said Segal. "The first thing to do is to get CFJS recognized by CFS [Canadian Federation of Students] and CASA [Canadian Alliance of Student Associations]. It's kind of strange that there isn't any organization representing the interests of Jewish students at Canada's student unions at all, while all other groups already have representation in them."

When, in May 2006, CUPE Ontario, the 200,000-strong workers union of Ontario, voted to boycott Israel, CFJS was one of the first organizations to condemn the boycott and rally its members to protest the move. "That's our, and my, big goal," said Segal, "to stand up for Israel on campuses, because really, that's the biggest challenge facing Jewish students now. No one directly attacks Jews on universities anymore, so they find a convenient excuse and attack Israel. When we're defending Israel, we're really defending Jews and Jewish life."

The 20-year-old Segal has big plans for her future. "I'll go into politics or journalism, and I think I might do them in the context of the Jewish community," she said. Whatever she chooses, she will always speak up for things that matter to her and the community. "My message to students is this: let your voices be heard. If you believe in something, stand up for it."

Commenting on Segal's election as CFJS president, Eyal Lichtmann, executive director of Vancouver Hillel said, "We could not be more proud of Rachael. She was an outstanding student leader in Hillel at the University of Victoria and now that enthusiasm and talent is going national.... We are truly filled with naches to have helped inspire the first Western Canadian to serve in this position of exceptional leadership."

Arash Ben Shaul is a Vancouver freelance writer.

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