CIJA

Festive candlelighting

Left to right, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart, MP Taleeb Noormohamed and MLA George Heyman light the chanukiyah. (photo by Jocelyne Hallé)

The Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver (JCCGV), the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), and the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC) welcomed elected officials representing all levels of government and political parties, as well as other distinguished guests, to light a candle on the first night of Chanukah, Nov. 28.

Member of Parliament Taleeb Noormohamed (Vancouver-Granville) spoke on behalf of the Government of Canada. Member of the Legislative Assembly George Heyman (Vancouver-Fairview) and MLA Melanie Mark (Vancouver-Mount Pleasant) were joined by MLA David Eby (Vancouver-Point Grey), and they presented remarks from the government of British Columbia, while MLA Michael Lee (Vancouver-Langara) spoke on behalf of the Official Opposition. Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart also said a few words.

photo - Left to right: MLA George Heyman, Jewish Federation CEO Ezra Shanken, MLA David Eby and MLA Melanie Mark — Left to right: MLA George Heyman, Jewish Federation CEO Ezra Shanken, MLA David Eby and MLA Melanie Mark. *(photo by Jocelyne Hallé)*

JCCGV board chair Alvin Wasserman led the ceremony, with Rabbi Stephen Berger and two students from King David High School guiding the candlelighting. Vancouver klezmer band Tzimmes performed classic Chanukah music, with people of all ages singing and clapping along.

The celebration took place under one of the tents of the JCCGV Chanukah Market. A highlight was singing the blessings with each of the guests, many of whom were lighting a chanukiyah for the first time.

photo - Vancouver Park Board commissioner Tricia Barker, left, CIJA Pacific Region chair Geoffrey Druker and Vancouver city councilor Sarah Kirby-Yung — Vancouver Park Board commissioner Tricia Barker, left, CIJA Pacific Region chair Geoffrey Druker and Vancouver city councilor Sarah Kirby-Yung. *(photo by Jocelyne Hallé)*

The evening was geared around sharing the Chanukah experience with neighbours, bringing light to darkness and sharing Jewish customs. It was also a way to join together with others at the JCCGV, as it continues to plan for its redevelopment. Many of the leaders lighting candles with the Jewish community on Nov. 28 – both at the JCCGV and at the Lubavitch BC chanukiyah lighting in downtown Vancouver – share in the work and support of this community project.

Debbie Setton Tabenkin and the JCCGV programming and leadership teams created the Chanukah Market’s festive space and the JCCGV’s Chanukah programs were financially supported by a Canada Heritage grant. Many volunteers helped CIJA and CJPAC organize the candlelighting ceremony.

For more information, visit cija.ca, cjpac.ca and jccgv.com.

– Courtesy CIJA, CJPAC and JCCGV

Guide to Jewish campus life

On May 8, Canadian Hillels in partnership with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) released Going Somewhere? The Canadian Guide to Jewish Campus Life. Inspired by Maclean’s annual university guide, Going Somewhere? Provides students with information about Jewish life on campuses across Canada, as well as tips on how Jewish students can make the most of their first-year experience.

Going Somewhere? includes campus-by-campus details on everything from Jewish student population numbers, access to kosher food, Jewish studies programs, academic exchanges with Israeli schools and popular housing locations for Jewish students, as well as Jewish social opportunities, such as holiday parties hosted by Hillel. Going Somewhere? also provides information about Jewish and pro-Israel campus advocacy opportunities, and paid internships offered by Hillel.

“We are proud to publish the first coast-to-coast Canadian guide to Jewish life on campus,” said Marc Newburgh, chief executive officer of Hillel Ontario, in a statement. “For Jewish students, the university experience provides a unique opportunity to connect with their community, shape their Jewish identity for the long-term and develop skills by engaging in Jewish and pro-Israel advocacy. Our hope is that Going Somewhere? will prove a valuable resource for students and their families.”

Judy Zelikovitz, vice-president of university and local partner services at CIJA, added, “CIJA is pleased to have contributed to Going Somewhere?… As the only Jewish student organization with staff on the ground at schools across the country, Hillel offers an unparalleled window into everything Jewish on campus. The practical advice and campus-by-campus details in Going Somewhere? make for required reading for every Jewish student as they consider their options for the fall.”

To download a free copy of Going Somewhere?, visit gettheguide.ca.

New LGBTQ+ council

Earlier this month, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) announced the establishment of an LGBTQ Advisory Council. “Our LGBTQ+ family and friends are an integral part of the Jewish people and Canadian society as a whole,” said CIJA chair David J. Cape in a statement. “We are excited to launch this vital initiative, which brings together a talented and diverse group of leaders and young professionals for the goal of strengthening our ties with the LGBTQ+ community. We look forward to working with the LGBTQ+ Advisory Council, which will play a crucial role in providing CIJA with guidance on policies and issues, while expanding our capacity to connect with the broader LGBTQ+ community on matters of common cause.”

Tom Chervinsky, chair of CIJA’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Council, said, “As someone who is Jewish and gay, I am heartened to see both the support and importance that the organized Jewish community is placing on building strong bridges of friendship and cooperation with the LGBTQ+ community. Our Jewish and sexual/gender identities are fundamental to who we are. Being able to integrate our whole selves into the fabric of both these communities makes each community, and all of Canada, stronger. It is an honour to get to work with so many dedicated Canadian volunteers to help make that possible.”

The council consists of 14 members from seven provinces. It includes both Jewish and non-Jewish members with a diverse range of professional and political backgrounds, including experience in law, academia, business, politics, advocacy and Jewish community work. A full list of members, including biographies, may be found at cija.ca/lgbtq.

CIJA has been involved in various LGBTQ+ advocacy activities, even before the creation of the council. This involvement includes sponsoring outreach events at various Pride festivals across Canada and serving as one of several organizations on the executive of Trans Equality Canada, a coalition urging Parliament to pass Bill C-16 to strengthen human rights and hate crimes protections for the transgender community.

Take Action campaign

A screenshot of the CIJA video What Would We Do?

The continuing terrorist attacks in Israel against Jewish Israelis are becoming more frequent and more deadly. Palestinian political leaders, religious officials and media have applauded the attackers as “martyrs,” spread anti-Jewish conspiracy theories and called for more attacks against Jews. In response, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) has launched a campaign to mobilize community members to take action.

The objective of the campaign is to raise awareness among Canadians about the ongoing threat of Palestinian terrorism and the incitement that fuels it. CIJA is asking the community to take a number of actions, including sharing content in social media, signing a petition that will be presented to Canada’s leaders when Parliament returns and writing Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion asking him to speak out against Palestinian terrorism.

“Like many around the world, we are extremely concerned about the rising tide of violence against Jews in Israel, perpetrated by terrorists who are incited to violence by the Palestinian leadership,” said Shimon Koffler Fogel, CIJA chief executive officer. “We want to provide our community with a meaningful way to stand up for our extended Jewish family in Israel who are living under constant threat.

“The Take Action campaign is designed to raise awareness about the violence and what drives it,” continued Fogel. “Questions we are asking Canadians to consider include ‘What would we do if this were happening in Canada?’ and ‘What would we expect our allies to do if Canadians were being run down, stabbed and shot in the streets?”

Campaign components include the video at youtube.com/watch?v=cMYS1qSKQTs called What Would We Do? The video is a series of news clips that take real events that have happened in Israel, such as stabbings and car bombs, and put them into a Canadian context, as having happened in Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg.

At takeactionisrael.ca, there is the petition to sign, which condemns Palestinian terrorism and incitement. As well, there is a link to a template email that can be personalized and sent to Dion that reflects the person’s concerns and asks Dion to speak out against Palestinian terrorism.

As well, people can donate to help spread the word: 100% of donations will be used to educate Canadians about the reality of the situation in Israel, the dangers posed by Palestinian terrorism and incitement, and the real obstacles to peace.

The fourth component of the campaign is a request that people forward the call to action to a friend, share it on Facebook, Twitter or other social media, and encourage friends and family to visit the website takeactionisrael.ca, as well as to learn more about the situation in Israel at learnmoreisrael.ca.

The campaign will run as long as the current wave of terror continues.