For the SOS – Starting Over Safely summer campaign at chwsos.ca on Aug. 22, donated funds will be matched three times. (photo by Ben Kelmer)
CHW (Canadian Hadassah-WIZO) is in the midst of its third annual SOS – Starting Over Safely – summer campaign, aimed at empowering victims of domestic violence in Canada and Israel. Building upon the success of last year’s campaign, CHW has expanded its support for Franny’s Fund, ensuring an availability of funding in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. Franny’s Fund was created to fill gaps for urgent needs like therapeutic counseling and legal support for women and their children who are navigating the criminal justice system.
In Canada, where domestic violence remains a critical issue, one woman is killed in a violent act every 48 hours. The spike in domestic violence that began during the pandemic is not diminishing and instead continues to increase. In Canada, it has increased by 27% since 2019. Similarly, Israel has experienced an escalation, with a 50% increase in femicide in 2022 – 17 women have lost their lives to domestic violence in Israel in the first six months of this year.
SOS – Starting Over Safely focuses on three campaign priorities: Franny’s Fund in Canada, WIZO programs, and the Michal Sela Forum in Israel. The campaign goals include empowering at-risk women and children to break the cycle of violence, access to critical resources, provision of essentials and opportunities for economic independence, and the establishment of a supportive network for women in similar circumstances. Additionally, the campaign aims to fund specially trained canine protection and respite summer camp experiences for at-risk youth.
“CHW firmly believes in the right of every individual to achieve their full potential while living in safety and security,” said Lisa Colt-Kotler, CHW chief executive officer. “Together, we have the power to empower.”
Established in 1917 by Jewish women, CHW (chw.ca) is a non-political, non-partisan national network of volunteers that believes in the advancement of education, healthcare and social services, transcending politics, religion and national boundaries. To support the SOS – Starting Over Safely 2023 campaign, there have been events held across the country. The CHW Montreal Walk took place on Aug. 6 and the CHW Vancouver Walk on Aug. 13, at Jericho Beach Park. The CHW Calgary Walk will take place on Aug. 20 and Montreal’s Online Bridge Tournament on Sept. 6. On Sept. 10, people can empower victims of domestic violence by supporting the CHW National Garage Sale held in cities across Canada.
Most importantly, on Tuesday, Aug. 22, CHW will host a 27-hour online crowdfunding campaign, beginning at 9 a.m. PST. The fundraising target for the campaign is $400,000, with all donated funds being matched three times by a dedicated group of donors known as the “Matching Heroes.” To contribute or learn more about CHW’s initiatives, visit chwsos.ca.
Marie Henry, left, and Barbara Halparin (photo by Barbara Halparin)
Don’t yearn to push your pedals to the max up the Sea to Sky Highway among thousands of lean, spandexed superbodies? Then do I have a fondo for you: the Grannyfondo, aka Solidarity Cycle 2023.
On Sunday, Sept. 10, Grandparents Day, a team of 30-plus grandmothers and their grand-others will conquer 100 kilometres of dike trails and farmlands in the Fraser Valley, all in the service of the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign.
Among the cyclists will be grandparents Darcy and Marty Billinkoff and Marie Henry, as well as myself. We’re all members of Tikun Olam Gogos, one of 18 Gogos groups in the Lower Mainland. Gogo is an African term for grandmother (or the oft-used “granny”), and the Hebrew phrase tikkun olam means repairing the world. We are grandmothers and grand-others aiming to alleviate the scourge of HIV/AIDS that continues to ravage Africa.
We ride in solidarity with our African partners, the millions of grandmothers in 15 sub-Saharan nations who are raising their grandchildren, orphaned by a disease that continues to overwhelm, despite the progress that has been made worldwide in the areas of treatment, prevention and education.
Inspired by these intrepid women, we ride with hearts full of the knowledge that we are a part of a life-changing movement in which aging women who feel increasingly powerful in their lives are moving the world forward.
Darcy and Marty Billinkoff (photo by Darcy Billinkoff)
Darcy Billinkoff, an avid cyclist, and Janine Reid of Royal City Gogos, conceived the idea for the Solidarity Cycle after learning of similar events in Victoria and Ottawa. Reflecting local inclinations, they envisioned an experience that would be challenging yet doable: a one-day, 100-kilometre ride with a 50-kilometre option. Cyclists are fully supported with nourishing meals and treats, insurance, route maps, GPS, first aid, a service vehicle, a photographer and, of course, a Solidarity Cycle T-shirt. To date, Solidarity Cycle, now in its seventh consecutive year, has raised more than $308,000 for the Grandmothers Campaign.
If you love to cycle, we would love to have you along for this fun-and-fund-raiser, whether or not you are a member of a grandmothers group. If you wish to support the team with your donation, we would love that too! To register or donate, go to solidaritycycle.weebly.com.
In Canada, one woman is killed in a violent act every 48 hours. The spike in domestic violence that began during the pandemic is not diminishing and instead continues to increase. It has increased in Canada by 27% since 2019.
In Israel, the situation is just as critical. In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, 20,140 domestic violence complaints were lodged with police, an increase of 12% from the previous year, and, in 2022, the rate of femicide in Israel increased by 50%. In the first five months of this year, 16 women have been murdered.
Join CHW (Canadian Hadassah-WIZO) Vancouver Centre for the CHW Vancouver Walk on Sunday, Aug. 13, from 10 a.m. to noon at Jericho Beach. This annual event raises funds in support of CHW’s SOS – Starting Over Safely – summer campaign to empower victims of domestic violence.
The CHW Vancouver Walk is an opportunity for the community to come together and make a difference. By participating in this event, you will not only support essential programs that empower women to break the cycle of violence, but also raise awareness about the issue of domestic abuse.
The programs supported by this cause are WIZO services for domestic abuse survivors, Michal Sela Forum in Israel and Franny’s Fund in Canada. These programs will:
provide help for parents and families in need of an urgent response,
provide women and their children with specially trained protections dogs,
provide women and their children with the basic essentials to start over safely,
provide awareness materials to help women recognize the signs of abuse,
fund respite summer camp experiences for at-risk youth,
provide access to critical resources, including legal counsel and therapeutic counseling services, and
assist with social and personal support to help break the cycle of violence.
CHW encourages everyone to come to Jericho Beach, where the event will kick off promptly at 10 a.m. To donate and to register to walk, jog or run, go to chw.ca/vancouver-walk (free for kids under 18). Strollers and dogs are welcome. No matter how you choose to participate, your presence and support will make a meaningful impact. Together, we can create a safer and more secure environment for those affected by domestic abuse.
Also, save the date: on Aug. 22, CHW will launch a 27-hour online crowdfunding campaign. Funds raised that day will be matched three more times by a loyal community of donors, the Matching Heroes, so please visit chwsos.ca sometime during those 27 hours and donate.
This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Courage to Come Back Awards – and 18 years since Lorne Segal has been chair of the event.
“The first year I attended Courage as my father’s guest, I thought it was just another event – until I saw the box of tissues on the table. That’s when I knew Courage was different,” Segal told the Independent.
“Courage is so important because of the stories,” he said. “They give us hope. The stories that are shared every year move me and the whole room to tears, they put our own lives into perspective, and remind us of what the human spirit is capable of.
“And, of course, there’s the fact that Courage raises funds for such important programs at Coast Mental Health, which simply wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for the generosity of those in the room, who are inspired to give thanks to the stories our recipients graciously share with us. Programs like peer-support training, brain training, meals, art therapy, therapeutic gardening and much more are only possible thanks to donations – and they truly make such a difference for those who are able to access them.”
This year, the awards dinner took place at the Vancouver Convention Centre on June 9, and the honourees were Jodi Gray (mental health category), Rachel Goldman (medical), John Oakley (addiction), Patricia Henman (physical rehabilitation) and Danielle Laviolette (youth). The event included a special tribute to Segal’s father, Joe Segal.
“Joe always said, ‘Give until it hurts.’ His commitment to giving back to his community was such an inspiration to me and to so many around him,” said Segal. “After he passed away last year at the age of 97, I wanted to create an opportunity to share his message one last time, and to honour his incredible work over his long life. It was really moving for me and my family to hear so many people talk about how my father had touched their lives – I continue to be inspired by him every day.”
Calling it “truly a family event,” Segal said his children Matthew and Chanelle have been coming with him since they were little, and “there’s no doubt the recipients’ stories have shaped their lives and inspired them in their own pursuits. My wonderful wife Melita’s unwavering support for Courage and Coast amazes me every day,” he continued. “She may not be officially chair but she has certainly played a big part in the success of the event – she is always talking about the event to anyone she meets and many who attend do so because of her word of mouth.”
Many other members of the family also attended on June 9, said Segal, including his brother Gary and wife Nanci. “My sisters Tracy and Sandra could not be there but were part of our family donation in Joe’s honour,” he said.
Reflecting on his 18 years as chair, Segal said, “Honestly, I didn’t realize it was going to be this long when I signed up for the job, but, every year, I am moved by the recipient’s stories and just know they need to be shared.
“Twenty-five years ago, people were not talking about mental health,” he added. “It wasn’t a ‘sexy’ cause, as my father would have said, and the Courage to Come Back Awards have helped to create a lot of awareness and conversation. It’s my hope that these awards continue to help make us all more understanding…. It’s hard to believe we had 1,700 in the ballroom this year after four years without an in-person event, when it wasn’t that long ago we were barely allowed 10 people in one room! But we have continued to innovate and find ways to share our recipient’s stories and raise funds for Coast Mental Health Foundation.”
Hanging out at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver – a tradition for more than 90 years. (photo from JCCGV)
For more than 90 years, the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver (JCC) has been a centre of communal life, working to foster positive identification with Jewish culture, embracing diversity with the evolving demographics of the neighbourhood and beyond, and providing programs and services for individuals and families of all ages. The JCC welcomes more than 300,000 visitors a year.
As you step into the JCC’s lobby, you enter a microcosm of the Jewish community itself. From infants to seniors, secular to ultra-Orthodox, and everyone in between, the centre embodies the essence of community. However, the JCC’s commitment to accessibility, excellence and inclusivity requires support beyond membership fees and program registrations. Fortunately, community members, through initiatives like the JCC annual campaign, fill this gap by supporting the JCC’s mission and the work it does.
At the core of the JCC’s mission lies the commitment to provide high-quality programs and services that empower individuals, children and families. Yet, it is often described as a best kept secret. Perhaps the way to learn about the JCC is to learn about what happens during a typical weekday or weekend there.
The JCC comes to life in the morning with group fitness classes or friendly matches of racquetball. Meanwhile, parents drop off their little ones at the licensed daycare. As the day progresses, the JCC transforms into a bubbling mix of families, children and individuals seeking connection, knowledge, fun and exercise. Seniors gather to engage in games of mahjong, bridge or poker, sharing stories. At the same time, people with diverse needs participate in art and cooking programs specially designed to promote inclusivity and empowerment. The sound of snapping flip-flops follows children and adults on their way to the aquatics centre to take swim classes or do laps. Lunchtime brings students from King David High School streaming into Nava Kosher Café.
On special occasions and some Fridays for Shabbat, the JCC atrium echoes with songs and dances, as toddlers from the daycare and preschool come together to celebrate. Families with children of all ages come in to visit the Isaac Waldman Jewish Public Library, to swim, to attend kids programs or to head to the gym for playtime. Holidays such as Hanukkah, Purim and Family Day are filled with activities and laughter.
The JCC’s Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery and Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre serve as cultural havens, showcasing music, theatre and art from both Jewish and non-Jewish artists. These spaces promote dialogue, understanding and appreciation of diverse artistic expressions, enriching the community as a whole.
From early childhood education and day camps to diverse needs and seniors programs to fitness initiatives, the JCC tries to meet the needs and interests of every generation. While membership and program fees partially cover operational costs, inflationary pressures, compounded by the challenges of the past three years of the pandemic, necessitate additional financial resources. These funds are crucial for maintaining a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment at the JCC. They support staffing, security, maintenance, and allow for the provision of scholarships and subsidies to ensure that no one is left behind due to financial constraints.
The JCC’s annual campaign serves as a lifeline for the organization. It aims to raise $100,000 to meet the growing financial demands and maintain the JCC’s programming standards. Donations from community members, along with a $20,000 matching funds program generously donated by Barry and Lauri Glotman, bring the centre closer to that goal.
Donations can be made online at jccgv.com/donate, at the JCC (950 West 41st Ave.) or by calling 604-257-5111. For further information, email Betty Hum, director of development, at [email protected].
– Courtesy Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver
Left to right: Jeff Ross and Stephen Kaye, King David High School co-presidents in 2006, and Diane Friedman and Alain Guez, this year’s co-presidents. (photo from KDHS)
“At King David, Jewish memory and education intersect, creating a unique and powerful learning experience that prepares our students for a lifetime of meaning and purpose,” said King David High School board co-president Alain Guez in his closing remarks at the school’s Golden Thread Gala May 18.
The gala is KDHS’s primary fundraising event of the year, and more than 300 people filled the ballroom at Congregation Beth Israel, including some 50 King David alumni, to celebrate the school’s 18 years in its current building, at Willow Street and 41st Avenue. The school itself is double chai (36) years old, its origins being found in Maimonides Secondary School, which opened in September 1987.
“We would not be here today if Maimonides … had not started us on our path, our derech, to where we are now,” said head of school Russ Klein in his opening remarks.
“This evening is to celebrate what our community has built together,” he said. “The Diamond Foundation, who support so many of our community efforts, made King David possible with their generous support, belief in our importance, and their strong Jewish values.”
Rabbi Stephen Berger, head of Judaic studies at KDHS, noted that the event was taking place on erev Yom Yerushalayim. He compared Yerushalayim – “a holy place for all people, all people can worship G-d in this one place” – to KDHS, in that there are many different Jewish schools in Metro Vancouver but only one high school, and this one high school has to serve everybody across the religious and cultural spectrum. “We don’t always get it right, but it is a place where we can try, and respect and show love to everybody,” he said.
Event co-chairs Heidi Seidman and Sherri Wise said a few words about the school, as well. “It is important to note,” said Seidman, “that not one student is left behind and, when you look around the room tonight, you are all part of the village that makes that possible.”
As auctioneer, Fred Lee – who is a regular contributor to CBC, the Province, Boulevard and Vancouver Magazine – stressed this idea. He spoke about the Jewish community and the importance of the high school. He also helped raise funds that will go towards the school’s programs and students. There was a silent auction, a 50/50 draw and other opportunities to donate.
Throughout the Golden Thread Gala, there were musical performances. (photo from KDHS)
The gala featured panelists Stephen Kaye, and Jeff Ross and Reisa Schwartzman, who were integral to the transition of the school from Maimonides to King David, and for taking the school from the portables it occupied on Baillie Street to having its own building on Willow. They were introduced in a video by their respective children, David Kaye and Zachary Ross, graduates of the inaugural KDHS Class of 2006.
Stephen Kaye came to Canada from South Africa, where there is a network of Jewish day schools called King David Schools. He described himself as “very passionate about Jewish education” and said, “The feedback we got from the community was that, if we could show enough commitment from parents to send their kids to a Jewish high school, there would be support from the community.” It was a hard sell, he said, but then the Diamonds bought the land at Willow and 41st.
Stephen and Sandy Kaye shlepped three kids from North Vancouver to King David in Vancouver, noted Klein, who emceed the panel discussion.
Ross spoke of studies showing that kids who have gone to a Jewish high school are more Jewishly knowledgeable and involved. And yet, he said that, in the beginning, there was almost a feeling that you were sacrificing your children to the experiment of a new high school, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Ross gave Rabbi Mordechai Feuerstein, a co-founder of Maimonides, kudos for his efforts to keep the school going.
When the school was in “the shack” (portables) on Baillie Street, said Schwartzman, there were fewer than 60 kids and now there are more than 270. Back when she was helping bring KDHS into existence, she said she was confident this growth would happen, based on a survey that was conducted at Vancouver Talmud Torah, which would be the main feeder school into the high school. She was president of VTT at the time, and the survey of parents showed that about 50% of the kids from VTT would go to a Jewish high school if there were one.
Quality education was important to everyone, said Schwartzman, and one of the things the group behind KDHS did to ensure quality was to bring Perry Seidelman in as principal. Seidelman, who had some 30 years’ experience in teaching and administration at the time, had been contemplating retirement, but took on the principalship and held the position until 2008; he was succeeded by Klein.
In a video that featured Gordon and Leslie Diamond and their daughter Jill Diamond, as well as Class of 2023 students talking about how the school has positively impacted them, the Diamonds spoke of how proud they were of KDHS, its students, staff, and all the people who have given it its “personality” and contributed to its success. Calling the school “a labour of love for the Diamond Foundation,” Jill Diamond said, “And the most wonderful thing about King David is that it is teaching the Jewish values of tikkun olam, of chesed, of mitzvot and of tzedakah to the next generation of leaders of our community.”
Such has been the growth of the school that it added a modular unit last year, the building of which was funded by the Diamond Foundation. In her remarks with Guez, KDHS board co-president Diane Friedman spoke about how the addition is affectionately called the school’s “East Campus,” and thanked the foundation, as well as the donors who filled the modular with state-of-the art equipment, furniture and technology.
The evening came to a close with Klein and Seidelman. The former principal said he had worked at many schools before King David, and that he liked all of them – but he “loved King David.” He said he felt very proud as he looked around the room.
The gala also featured, under the direction of music teacher Johnny Seguin, the KDHS jazz band, who played at the cocktail reception – Luca Jeffery, Max Kimel, Jesse Millman and Nikki Wiseman – and performances throughout the night by singers Ella Ankenman, Kailey Bressler, Rachel Gerber, Mhairi Hemingson and Nikki Wiseman, with choreography credit given to Shai Rubin.
Gala committee members were Cyndi Ankenman, Dalia Bressler, Laura Feldman, Andrea Foxman, Nicole Ginsberg, Margaret Hemingson, Anna Herman, Ruth Jankelowitz, Joelly Simkin and Annie Simpson. Other volunteers were Lina Chernov, Kim Fisher, Jessica Forman, Simon Karsyente, Matilda Rosman Levsky, Melina Baum Singer, Gaenor Vaida, Jacqueline Wener and King David students Danielle Agulyansky, Eden Almog, Ali Fadida, Tamir Gini and Yuli Kabazo.
Helen Schneiderman headlines and David Granirer emcees the Stand Up for Mental Health show at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver on June 1. (photos from JCC)
“There are many comedy shows out there, but not many like this one,” Kyle Berger told the Independent. “I keep saying that this will be the ‘feel-good comedy of the year,’ but it really will be. These comics will show us that we can laugh at just about anything and feel inspired at the same time – with all proceeds going to incredible causes. I can’t wait!”
Berger is the sports coordinator at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver and the delegation head of JCC Maccabi. He is also a stand-up comic and a producer with Rise of the Comics. It is in all these capacities that he is participating in the Stand Up for Mental Health comedy show at the JCC on June 1, 7:30 p.m.
A joint fundraiser for the Stand Up for Mental Health (SMH) Comedy Society and JCC Maccabi Vancouver, Berger is producing the event, with the support of Stand Up for Mental Health, and will be performing a set himself. “It will be a huge honour for me to share the stage with this crew,” he said.
“This crew” includes SMH founder, counselor and comedian David Granirer.
“Stand Up for Mental Health is my program teaching stand-up comedy to people like myself with mental illnesses as a way of building confidence and fighting public stigma,” Granirer explained. “We have been around since 2004 and have trained approximately 300 comics and done hundreds of shows for government, corporations, the military, correctional facilities, medical schools, etc.”
Kyle Berger (photo from JCC)
Berger attended one of those performances last year, in which SMH Comedy Society showcased “their students’ incredible talents, and I absolutely loved it,” he said. “I knew some of the SMH Comedy board members from working together in the comedy scene and made the connection right away. They are always looking for venues and new audiences and I knew I wanted to do something with comedy as a JCC Maccabi Games fundraiser, so inviting them to team up seemed like a no-brainer to me.”
Also performing next week will be Helen Schneiderman, who headlines the show.
Schneiderman’s comic career began in 2018, when she took a comedy course at Langara College that was taught by Granirer. She said she did it, “mainly to get off the couch. I didn’t expect to love it so much, nor to continue doing it after the class. But, once I got my first few laughs, I was hooked. Over the past couple of years, I’ve gotten more comfortable sharing my experiences and perspectives, and I try to remember to always have fun up there.”
Being able to do stand-up comedy has influenced how Schneiderman navigates through life.
“I now see the world through ‘funny glasses,’” she said. “Every interaction and experience has the potential to be a joke – not always a good joke, but a joke nonetheless. My day job is delivering leadership training and so I get to have a captive audience, even at work.”
In addition to her day job and other involvements, Schneiderman has been on the board of SMH Comedy Society for four years, and board president for the past two years.
“I’m involved with the organization because it’s doing really important work to tackle the stigma of mental health,” she said. “It’s a fantastic program, and I am in awe of the comics who share their stories with so much vulnerability and smart humour.”
People can find out more about SMH at smhsociety.org. Post-pandemic, the society is once again holding live classes and shows, as well as continuing to put on Zoom shows. The pandemic, said Granirer, “made me realize that, by being creative on Zoom, we could reach people all over the English-speaking world. It also made me realize how much people need to have in-person contact in order to maintain their mental health.”
One of the reasons SMH is teaming up with JCC Maccabi Vancouver for this show, he said, is “because they’re a great organization and exercise is crucial to maintaining good mental health.”
The decision to partner was easy for Berger.
“As the delegation head for Vancouver’s JCC Maccabi squad, I am always looking for ways to raise money for scholarships so that anyone who wants to participate in the JCC Maccabi Games experience can do so,” he said. “At the same time, producing and performing stand-up is another hobby and passion of mine, so it always makes sense to me to raise money through laughter. I always love the opportunity to work with other causes or charities, and this one was a match made in heaven.”
The June 1 Stand Up for Mental Health show is being presented by JCC Maccabi Vancouver and Life is Still Funny, which Berger described as “a group of local comedians who might be considered, well, not particularly young, but still quite young at heart! Made up of locals like Helen, Ray [Morrison], as well as recent Canada’s Got Talent contestant Syd Bosel. They are all involved with SMH Comedy Society.”
In addition to Schneiderman, Berger and Granirer, Morrison will perform, as will a few SMH students. Tickets are $20 (plus fees) and are available at eventbrite.ca. There will be a cash bar and a raffle draw at the show. Berger said half of the proceeds will go to SMH Comedy Society and half to JCC Maccabi Vancouver.
Emcee Michael Newman, left, and keynote speaker Anders Sörman-Nilsson at the Jewish Family Services Innovators Lunch. (photo by Josh Bowie)
“I believe that the next trend is not necessarily digital transformation, but it is the alignment of two of these trends: sustainability and digitalization,” Swedish-Australian futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson told guests at the 17th Annual Jewish Family Services Innovators Lunch on May 10. Organizations that align digital transformation and sustainability have a 2.5 times better chance of being top performers, he said.
Sörman-Nilsson was the keynote speaker at the lunch, which took place at the Hyatt Regency, the first in-person Innovators since the beginning of the pandemic.
As the founder of Thinque, a think tank and trend analysis firm that reaches global brands across four continents, Sörman-Nilsson is responsible for data-based research and foresight regarding future trends. Beyond his research, he is known for co-creating the Adobe Creative Intelligence test for B2B (business-to-business) marketing. He currently hosts two social innovation podcasts, the 2nd Renaissance Podcast and Entrepreneurs Organization’s Scaling Impact Podcast, and is the author of three books, Aftershock (2020), Seamless (2017) and Digilogue (2013). Sörman-Nilsson’s approach to futurism involves seeking out what he calls “avant-garde ideas” that can drive meaningful change.
Sörman-Nilsson aims to challenge the misconception that integrating technology into an organization’s operations impedes human connection. He gave the example of his family’s business, a clothing store, which thrived on personal interaction out of a brick-and-mortar building in a “highly analogue fashion,” using a pen and paper. He said such an approach is suited “for a world that no longer exists” and that the eventual bankruptcy of the store after 104 years of business was due to the failure to adopt new technologies. He dedicated Digilogue to his parents, exploring in it “how to win the digital minds and analogue hearts of tomorrow’s customers.” He emphasized that technological tools and personable business principles can not only coexist, but enhance one another.
Sörman-Nilsson urged businesses to conduct “pre-mortem” analyses to identify changes that could prevent obsolescence or bankruptcy. He asked people to imagine that it is 2030 and your company has gone under – what were the trends you missed, what were the signs you ignored and what were the investment decisions you delayed that contributed to your company’s failure? To avoid such an outcome, he encouraged organizations to focus on “mega trends” based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as prioritizing affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption, and improving global health and well-being. These goals are “a good indicator of where the world and smart capital is moving,” he said, and reflecting one or more of them in the product or service you provide and in your day-to-day operations and external marketing efforts is key for long-term success. “Mega trends are powerful,” he said, “but they’re particularly exponential when you sit at the intersection of two overarching aligning trends, like digitalization and sustainability.”
Sörman-Nilsson uses the UN Brundtland Commission definition of sustainability, which he described as “meeting the needs of the present without hindering future generations from meeting theirs.” He spoke about the concept of “conscious capitalism,” where an organization is purpose-driven and prioritizes stakeholder well-being. Building a sustainable “ecosystem of impact” – otherwise known as a supply chain – is crucial in winning over today’s consumers, he argued, adding that technology is the most efficient way to achieve this. Better data collection, for example, can lead to less waste, or to gauging more accurately consumer needs. In his Innovators Lunch talk, he compared such technological integration to tikkun olam, as it reflects one’s responsibility to repair the world. He also advocated for the practice of “effective altruism,” which, he said, means that “the investment of your dollar in philanthropy should go the furthest,” giving the example of investing in mosquito nets in Africa. He connected this idea – helping the most people as possible – to tzedakah, justice and charity, as well as to tikkun olam.
Sörman-Nilsson reminded the audience that major tech players are raising the bar with predictive technologies that have the power to solve problems before they arise. He challenged businesses to use technology to streamline mundane tasks, which would allow workers to focus on more meaningful and humanistic responsibilities. He emphasized the importance of merging humanism and technology to leverage the best of human intelligence and artificial intelligence. He stressed the need to “ask the right questions” and incorporate human creativity and ethical decision-making when engaging with technological tools. By doing so, he said, brands can enhance their ability to cultivate community.
Headlining this year’s JFS Innovators Lunch, Sörman-Nilsson shared his insights with more than 500 guests. Over the past 16 years, the Innovator’s Lunch has raised more than $5 million for JFS, supporting services such as food, counseling, housing and comprehensive care for children, youth, adults and seniors. Event committee chair Candice Thal said, “I believe that giving back to the community is not only a responsibility but a privilege.” This event, she said, is “our way of caring for others,” the funds raised helping JFS provide services for more than 3,000 community members.
Left to right: Tanja Demajo, chief executive officer of Jewish Family Services, and Innovators committee chair Candice Thal. (photo by MJ Dimapilis)
The event was emceed by Michael Newman of Global BC News. Following a land acknowledgement from Elder Rose Guerin of the Musqueam First Nation and welcoming remarks from Thal and Tanja Demajo, chief executive officer of JFS, there was a video entitled Building Future, Today, which showcased how JFS not only helps individuals, but their families, creating a ripple effect on the entire community and future generations. Rabbi Dan Moskovitz of Temple Sholom, who did the blessing over the meal, underscored JFS’s mission with the story of “Sam,” a man who sought the rabbi’s help after falling on hard times. “We know many people like Sam,” said Moskovitz. While change is constant, he said, some things never change: “People still get sick, they are hungry, inadequately housed, lonely and vulnerable.” He concluded, “The work of JFS, your support of Jewish Family Services, has never been more important or more necessary.”
Moskovitz’s sentiment was shared by Jody Dales, chair of the JFS board of directors, who shared how the Jewish community helped her after she tried to take her own life when she was 19 years old, living on her own and barely making ends meet at a minimum-wage job. “The blade didn’t cut deep enough to do any real damage but it penetrated enough to scare the hell out of me,” she said. “In the darkest moment of my life, the faintest ray of hope appeared, and I called my mom. And because she was part of the community, thiscommunity, her well-placed phone call set off a chain of events that tracked me into the office of a professional who saved my life. It took me years to ask for help, only days to receive it, but a lifetime to heal.”
In a very different place today, Dales said she shared her story so that people could “understand the complexities of despair, dread and depression. I doubt that there’s a person in this room for whom at least parts of this conversation don’t resonate.”
Among the tools that continue to help her, she said, “is dedicating my life to a life of service. It’s hard to feel bad about yourself when you’re making other people feel good about themselves. And there’s no agency that I know of that makes people feel good about themselves better than Jewish Family Services.”
For Dales, JFS can make such an impact because of the “intangibles” they offer – making all people feel seen and valued. “JFS is overwhelmed with need,” she said, and the only thing holding the organization back from helping more is money. She highlighted the event’s gift-matching sponsor, the Paul and Edwina Heller Memorial Fund, and encouraged people to donate. To do so, visit jfsinnovators.ca/donate.
Alisa Bressleris a fourth-year student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. She is an avid reader and writer, and the online director of the arts and culture publication MUSE Magazine. Bressler is a member of the Vancouver Jewish community, and the inaugural Baila Lazarus Jewish Journalism Intern.
Okanagan Chabad House’s Rabbi Shmuly and Fraidy Hecht with their family. (photo from Okanagan Chabad)
For almost three months now, residents of Kelowna have had the opportunity to participate in the mitzvah of mikvah, following the completion at the Okanagan Chabad House of the ritual bath, the first to be built in the British Columbia Interior.
“Just having the physical edifice implanted in the earth of the city of Kelowna already emits holy energy and divine blessing to all the inhabitants of this city,” Rabbi Shmuly Hecht said following the Feb. 21 (Rosh Chodesh Adar 5783) opening of Mikvah Chaya Mushka.
“In addition to that, families – by bringing this age-old unifying and beautiful part of our heritage into their home – enhance the home. They bring the light and the warmth of Judaism and its impact into the home, into the marriage and the relationship between children and parents,” he said. “Many beautiful stories concerning our mikvah have already happened.”
Before this year, women in Kelowna needed to travel hundreds of kilometres to larger cities, such as Vancouver or Calgary, to participate in the mikvah ritual. The costs for some were substantial, both in money and time.
The story of the new Kelowna mikvah goes back to 2019, when Hecht started considering means to raise funds – together with rabbis at other Chabad centres in smaller-sized cities throughout North America, who also wanted to build mikvahs for their communities.
With the other rabbis – who were based in Regina and Saskatoon, Sask.; Fargo, N.D.; Mobile, Ala.; Salem, Ore.; and Arcata, Calif. – Hecht hoped to collect about $1.5 million US for the seven mikvahs.
Initially, their efforts to find donors and philanthropists did not yield the results they sought. After a few months, the group decided to announce their goals more publicly, and therein was launched the Bring Mikvah Home campaign.
More than a thousand people in Jewish communities from New York to Sydney, and scores of places in between, contributed to the cause, in sums, according to Hecht, ranging from $5 to $5,000.
“They were people from all corners of the world who had never heard of us and never met us, yet they are Jewish and they know every community needs a mikvah, so they were willing to give their funds to support us. And that is one of the most inspiring things in this campaign,” he said.
When the donations were finally tabulated, the seven rabbis had reached their goal. Yet, there would be another hurdle for Hecht in the effort to complete the Kelowna mikvah. At the height of COVID, as they were ready to build, the contractor increased the cost estimate of the project.
Thus, the Kelowna contingent started a second campaign, called Finish the Mikvah, and raised $46,000 in that process. Hecht credits his wife, Fraidy, as instrumental in guiding the project through this last phase and towards fruition.
“My wife took it upon herself to be the contractor of the project, while juggling being the mother of seven children, who are home-schooled, and all the responsibilities, including being the program director and everything else she does at the centre,” the rabbi said. “She was working tirelessly as the contractor for hiring all the trades. She was on the ground every day, dealing with the city and the tradespeople on a daily basis. I don’t know how she did it. She saved us thousands.”
The new mikvah at Okanagan Chabad House opened Feb. 21. (photos from Okanagan Chabad)
To Hecht, the importance of the Kelowna mikvah cannot be overstated. He explained that the mikvah, it is believed, connects each woman and her family to their innate spirituality, bringing blessings to themselves and those around them; water has the power to purify, restore and replenish life.
“In Jewish law, a community has to build a mikvah before a shul. The future is dependent on mikvah,” Hecht said.
Hecht, too, seeks to dispel the notion that a mikvah is something to be used only by religious Jews.
“There are people who are not observant who have used the mikvah. It is for every Jew,” he said. “There is no label. There are many families in Kelowna learning about mikvah who have used it. It is not religious. It is a foundation of Judaism. It is something that every Jew should have – the opportunity to bring this holiness and beauty to their life.”
Hecht compared the challenges of building the mikvah to settling in the B.C. Interior more than 12 years ago and starting a Chabad centre. At that time as well, he said, he needed determination, vision and a belief that his goals would be achieved – and he needed the assistance of others.
“I learned from my father that, whenever you do something good, try to bring in someone else to bring in more blessing,” he said. “Our whole life is how can we go and service Jewish people … that don’t have the availability, the resources or the opportunities to have a Jewish education at their doorstep, such as having a rabbi to speak to locally, and a feeling of closeness and support within a Jewish community.”
Sam Margolishas written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.
Standup comedian Cory Lupovic will perform at Congregation Beth Israel’s gala next month. (photo by Joan Ullyett)
Congregation Beth Israel’s Be the Light Gala Presented by Gerry & Ruby Gales & Family takes place June 4.
The fundraising event features the Candlelight Experience – the synagogue will be lit by hundreds of candles and a string quartet will perform songs by ABBA and Queen. The night’s emcee will be Dr. Erik Swartz, comedian Cory Lupovici will perform and Howard Blank will serve as auctioneer.
The “Be the Light” theme was inspired by the concept of people either being a light to Beth Israel and the Jewish community or how the synagogue has been a light to those in need.
“It gives us light and hope,” said Gerry Gales about why the family donated to the synagogue. “The work the Beth Israel does for the community is essential and must be supported,” he said.
Formerly known as Friends of Beth Israel, the newly redesigned and revamped event will include a mix-and-mingle cocktail reception for major donors followed by the concert (compliments of Beth Israel), dinner and entertainment. It is being planned under the leadership of Beth Israel’s new director of development, Jacci Sandler.
Swartz, the emcee, is head of pediatrics for Richmond Hospital, Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care, and is a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. Born and raised here, Swartz graduated from Vancouver Talmud Torah and attended medical school at UBC. After years studying and practising elsewhere in Canada and abroad, he and his family returned to the city in 2008, and have been members of BI ever since.
Lupovici is a Chinese-Jewish comedian based in Vancouver – he spent his childhood summers at Camp Hatikvah and is a King David High School alumnus. Lupovici describes himself as an observational comic, in that he observes his parents and makes fun of them to strangers. His jokes mainly stem from his unique background and are a mix of personal anecdotes and silly everyday observations. With a Montreal Jewish father and a Hong Kong Chinese mother, the well of humour and rare perspectives is deep.
Rounding out the event’s main performers is Blank, chief executive officer of Point Blank Entertainment Ltd. Over the past 25 years, Blank has helped raise more than one billion dollars for organizations across North America, and his auctioneering is something to behold. He has received many accolades and awards and is recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the British Columbia Community Achievement Medal and the Order of Canada Sovereign’s Medal for volunteerism. In 2021, he was featured in Business in Vancouver’s BIV 500 as one of the top executives in the province.
Funds raised from the gala will help ensure that the synagogue continues providing programming and services to the community. Attendance at BI for morning and evening minyan, as well as for various programs, is back to pre-pandemic numbers – this isn’t the case at most Conservative synagogues in North America. Most recently, BI had more than 800 people in attendance for its Purim programs and well over 350 people for its Passover seders.
Tickets for the June 4 gala can be purchased until May 19 at bethelightgala.com.
