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May 27, 2011
Generations of philanthropy
This year’s JNF Negev Dinner will honor the Cohen family.
BASYA LAYE
When Sam Cohen arrived in Vancouver and opened the now-iconic Army and Navy discount department store on West Hastings, he couldn’t have known that his granddaughter, Jacqui, would follow in his footsteps, expanding Army and Navy into an even more successful venture. And not only has his business legacy flourished, the Cohen name remains firmly associated with high-profile philanthropy as well.
“The Cohen family has been an integral part of the Vancouver community since the early 1900s,” Jewish National Fund shaliach (emissary) Micky Goldwein told the Jewish Independent, as JNF prepares to honor Sam Cohen, Jack Cohen and Marlene, Jacqui and Kasondra Cohen at its upcoming Negev Dinner.
“Sam, z”l, helped many Jewish immigrants to Canada by giving them jobs when they came here from Europe,” explained Goldwein. “The Army and Navy store has been a landmark here that has been highly respected. The Cohen family has been involved in philanthropy throughout the city, both Jewish and non-Jewish causes, and JNF takes great pride in honoring such people who are the pillars of society.
“The family legacy of philanthropy has been passed down to Jacqui, in her Face the World Foundation, and to her daughter, Kasondra, who has her own philanthropic foundation, Face of Today,” he continued. “It is the pleasure of JNF to recognize the Cohen family and its three generations of women: Marlene, Jacqui and Kasondra.”
The first Negev Dinner in Canada was held in 1948, in celebration of the newly formed state of Israel and was sponsored by Jewish National Fund of Toronto. Proceeds from early Negev Dinners were directed towards the Negev, however, as needs in Israel grew, other priorities were added and, now, proceeds are devoted to major projects throughout Israel
“The Negev Dinner is the most important and significant event in our campaign year,” explained Goldwein. “Through the dinner and all the preparations, we manage to get the involvement of many people in our community, as well as our board members. All the efforts and resources are being channeled towards one evening.
“Apart from being the main fundraising tool, the Negev Dinner serves as a very efficient and crucial vehicle for raising and highlighting JNF’s profile in our community.”
While the dinners started 63 years ago, JNF itself was founded 110 years ago.
“JNF, Israel and our Jewish community are one entity,” said Goldwein. “By participating and donating to one of JNF’s projects ... people are not only showing their solidarity, they also are strengthening their bonds with the only Jewish state. Another aspect, which is even more important, is that those who participate show the way to the next generation to follow them.
“Facing the reality of a growing percentage of assimilation, while the generation who witnessed the establishment of Israel is slowly disappearing, we all need to work hard to maintain and reinforce the relationship between the Greater Vancouver Jewish community and Israel.”
Marlene Cohen got her philanthropic start with another important Israel-focused organization.
“What inspired me, I think, was, G-d, I came here when I was 17 and belonged to a chapter of Hadassah and, through Hadassah, I learned what charity was,” explained Cohen to the Independent in a phone interview from her home in Vancouver. “I was just out of school. We had a Keren Ami [tzedakah] box at home, but that wasn’t like charity ... you put in the extra change, but it wasn’t like you were participating, it wasn’t like you’re involved in a project like you are when you’re a member of Hadassah.”
The Hadassah Bazaar was Cohen’s first major charity project and it wasn’t long before she was hooked on giving back. “When the leaders of Hadassah come a-calling, like Marjorie Groberman and Bea Goldberg, and ask you if you will do the bazaar – and they promise that they will help you,” it’s impossible to say no, she said cheerfully. “They were just so pleasant and I respected them because they were the stalwarts of Hadassah-WIZO. That’s how I got involved, by their asking and their helping me, and I got all the kavod [honor] – and they helped!” Cohen credits her time with Hadassah as giving her some of her most enduring friendships in the community.
JNF has also long been an important part of Cohen’s life. “JNF has always been part of my giving because I believed in planting a seed and watching something grow,” she said. “It didn’t matter if I was gardening or if I was in Israel, and saw from the sand what grew, and forests that started with a seed. It was like show and tell.”
Visiting Israel for the first time in 1972 on a leadership mission, Cohen described what she witnessed. “I couldn’t get over looking [north] near the Golan Heights and seeing what doing nothing with sand does – it remains sand – and, on the Israeli side, the irrigation and planting and cultivating, watching that grow.”
Leadership is a big part of philanthropy, and Cohen has taken a position of prominence and guidance in many of her endeavors. Over the years, she has noticed changes in how the community operates and shifts in leadership style, particularly as younger generations pick up the mantle of responsibility.
“The young women in the wings, who were minding their kids or babies, are all the leaders in the community today. It was a very interesting transition because I only knew them as young women ... and they’re the ones that have taken over and are so very capable. They attract people of their own age and our age group has deservedly retired.”
Cohen sees leading by example and gentle suggestion as the best ways to inspire children to emulate and even improve upon a parent’s charitable model.
“Sometimes, you set an example and it works,” she explained. “I think that when kids are young and you’re taking on responsibility ... they don’t really apply what you’re doing to being meaningful ... but, you know, somewhere down the road, the dye is set.”
Nothing can replace the feeling of being connected, she said. “If the heart isn’t in giving, you can’t teach people. You have to have the emotional part of looking at people that are less fortunate and decide, because you’ve got a big heart, to try and help. It starts, really, with an emotion, with a conscience and, seeing it in your house, that pays off.”
Further motivation can come from effective and consistent communication, Cohen added. “I think that, today, communication is quite different than communication was when I had my children. We sat down and we talked. Today, there’s a brevity of conversation to make the point ... nobody sits down to have long conversations.”
She also noted the power of suggestion: “You know, you can suggest to people, but you can’t order or tell them to [be charitable]. So, when you’ve got a young girl or a young boy, you can say, ‘I would suggest, why don’t you try’ instead of ‘I want you to give to’ or ‘I want you to be part of....’ It’s all a matter of getting through to people’s emotions.”
However, there are times, of course, when children may not follow in their parent’s footsteps. “Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you try your very, very best and it falls upon deaf ears,” said Cohen, who has, obviously, been on the luckier side.
“I’m so proud. They’ve got a passion!” said Cohen of her daughter, Jacqui, and her granddaughter, Kasondra. “I don’t care if you’re a bricklayer or whatever you do, if you don’t have the passion to do it, then it’s just a job. When it’s done through the heart and you want to be the best at what you’re doing, I think that’s where you get through to people, because you’re passionate and you can communicate. If you can communicate in a proper way, you can get other people involved.”
And Marlene Cohen is an accomplished communicator. Arriving in Vancouver from Montreal soon after she got married – at the age of 17 to Jack Cohen, in 1949 – she was a refreshing welcome to the small Jewish community, said Goldwein. “Hadassah members remember that she was a breath of fresh air, always friendly to everyone, enthusiastic, an absolute gem,” he explained.
About Cohen, who was the first chair of the Hadassah Bazaar, headed the women’s division of Israel Bonds in the 1960s and strongly supported several other worthy endeavors, such as Camp Miriam, Goldwein added, “Marlene’s JNF friends from many years ago and today describe her [as] ‘work[ing] tirelessly and effortlessly,’ ‘just loves her community,’ ‘a true friend,’ ‘always there to listen,’ ‘upbeat,’ ‘loves life,’ ‘interested in others’ and ‘the glass is always very, very full.’”
The Negev Dinner is organized mainly by JNF board members and supporters, explained Goldwein. The co-chairs for this year’s event are Ilene-Jo Bellas and Josephine Nadel; conveners are Kathi Fugman and Liz Zlotnik; and Sue Hector, JNF president, is in charge of the dinner booklet.
“Though we didn’t have a Negev Dinner last year, we managed to run a very intensive and most successful campaign for the Restorer of Jerusalem project,” said Goldwein. “The project involves the development of the ancient Old City wall of Jerusalem, between Jaffa gate and Zion gate. Being a ‘stranger’ in the city [at the time] and not having a dinner gave me an unprecedented opportunity to meet with our supporters and to provide them with firsthand information [about the] project.
“The Tu b’Shevat Telethon, which, unfortunately, coincided with the Carmel Forest fire, led us to launch an emergency campaign. The main idea was to make our community aware of the big tragedy, [in which we lost] 43 young people, as well as the huge damage to the nature.... [W]e reached our goal of purchasing a new JNF fire truck. Over and above that though, I felt the warmth, deep feelings and a sincere and strong desire to help and support Israel. The Tu b’Shevat campaign engaged more than 60 volunteers from our community.”
Some other local JNF initiatives focus on education and younger community members.
“Together with Mira Samet, our coordinator in schools, we have launched a special program for JNF’s 110th anniversary, where we outline our history, achievements and hundreds of projects done in Israel,” said Goldwein. “By doing this, we maintain, create and strengthen our children’s bonds with Israel.”
And, also strengthening the bonds with Israel is JNF’s Young Professionals Network (YPN), which Goldwein describes as JNF’s “jewel in the crown.” He said, “The group, which was founded soon after I’ve arrived, will take part in the next generation of community leadership. Our group fits in the triangle that is based on Vancouver Jewish community, JNF with all that it represents and Israel.”
He concluded, “I can envisage the YPN chevre [community] playing a very significant role in our community life. I can see it happening in the next few years.”
The JNF Negev Dinner honoring the Cohen family, with special guest Miriam Ziv, Israeli ambassador to Canada, will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver on Thursday, June 16, starting with cocktails at 5:15 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. For information and tickets, call 604-257-5155.
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