{"id":46736,"date":"2025-05-30T01:55:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T08:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/?p=46736"},"modified":"2025-05-28T14:03:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T21:03:35","slug":"sharing-a-special-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/2025\/05\/30\/sharing-a-special-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharing a special anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"

When does something begin? I\u2019ve been thinking about that as I go through 95 years\u2019 worth of Jewish Independents<\/i>. Well, 20 years of JI<\/i>s and 75 years of its predecessor, the Jewish Western Bulletin<\/i>. The JWB<\/i> also had its predecessors \u2013 mimeos and letter-sized versions. The paper\u2019s founders started counting on Oct. 9, 1930, the official first tabloid edition, when they could have started July 15, 1925, \u201cthe natal issue of the Vancouver Jewish Bulletin<\/i>.\u201d Or maybe earlier. Who knows when the idea that brought into existence what would become, through thousands of issues, the paper you today hold in your hands or read on your computer.<\/p>\n

\"image<\/a>
Making the cover of this special issue, where six stories jump to the inside and the rest of the stories are blurbs that direct readers to pages on the inside, was an organizational challenge. There was no way I could replicate the brevity of the 1930s articles, but I could mimic the style.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I know I\u2019ve mentioned this fact in previous anniversary issues, that the JI <\/i>could be considered five years older than the age we have deemed it to be. In looking through so many beginnings \u2013 and endings \u2013 throughout the years, it struck me again. So many organizations have multiple possibilities for the equivalent of their first edition. For example, the Louis Brier Home and Hospital was organized in 1945, but the idea for it probably came even earlier and the home didn\u2019t open until 1946.<\/p>\n

I share this as a caveat because, as I went through the paper\u2019s archives, looking for other community organizations that are celebrating a significant anniversary this year, I no doubt have missed some. But my intent was good \u2013 I wanted to share the JI<\/i>\u2019s \u201cspecial day\u201d with others.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, I was hampered in my goal because the search function of the online Jewish Western Bulletin<\/i> archives (newspapers.lib.sfu.ca\/jwb-collection<\/a>) is basically dysfunctional. If I had a 95th birthday wish, it would be to have the funding to have all the newspapers back to 1925 re-digitized and re-indexed, so that this priceless resource could be more accessible. In the meantime, I hope readers can embrace the random smattering of \u201cclippings\u201d that represent my attempt to show how the newspaper has grown with the community \u2013 our success being directly attributable to our collective success.<\/p>\n

\"image<\/a>
I continue to wish that the founders of the newspaper had started counting in 1925, when the \u201cnatal issue of the Vancouver Jewish Bulletin\u201d was published.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Going through the pages of the newspaper over 95 years is both an inspiring experience and a sobering one. Countless people, organizations, businesses and events no longer exist, but there are always new people coming into the world, coming into the community; new groups being created, new businesses popping up, new ideas being discussed, new events being organized. If the size of the Community Calendar is any indication, there is more happening in the community today than there has ever been.<\/p>\n

During my 26 years as publisher \u2013 or, one of my other beginnings, 27 years since I was hired by the paper \u2013 there have been recessions, wars, a global pandemic, and seemingly inexhaustible antisemitism, which has increased greatly since Hamas\u2019s terror attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. I am still processing that massacre, the ensuing war and all the other violent conflicts happening in the world, the hate and the anger that threaten to overwhelm. It never ceases to amaze and sadden me, humanity\u2019s ability to be as destructive and cruel as we can be creative and compassionate. I won\u2019t dwell on the negative here.<\/p>\n

In running the newspaper, I have tried to maintain a middle ground, to be inclusive but also respect my own boundaries. I think there are concerns that should be played out in public, and others that should be dealt with privately. The JI<\/i> is not a gossip rag, it is not sensationalist or alarmist. That is a decision I have made, and that our editorial board (Pat Johnson, Basya Laye and me) considers every issue.<\/p>\n

While not ignoring the hurtful, the divisions, the controversies in our community or the larger universe, we try to cover stories in a way that doesn\u2019t depress and paralyze action, but rather opens the door for solutions or at least positive attempts at change. We don\u2019t want readers to put down the newspaper in despair, but rather to think about what they can do to contribute to a better world, whatever that means to them. One ad in this paper heralds the JI<\/i> for being the bearer of good news \u2013 it makes me happy that people think that, even as we report the news that\u2019s not so good.<\/p>\n

\"image<\/a>The Jewish Independent <\/i>has survived so long because of one thing: community support.<\/p>\n

In 95 years, there has been much to mourn, that is true, but there also has been so much to celebrate. Personally, during my tenure as publisher, I have benefited from many kindnesses, from generous landlords and donors to loyal subscribers and the people who support the paper through purchasing ads.<\/p>\n

I have met, worked with and\/or become friends with some truly amazing people. I consider myself lucky to have joined the paper early enough to have met in person several of the visionaries who built the organizational foundations of this community, not to mention those of the province, even of Canada, in some instances. There are afternoon teas, lunches and gala dinners I\u2019ll remember forever, if the mind stays healthy.<\/p>\n

\"images<\/a>The people I work with are smart, talented, dedicated and should be earning a lot more than they are. I might own the paper, but by no means do I run it alone. The people whose names you see on the masthead every issue are integral to publishing the paper. And all the people who have been on that masthead over the years \u2013 and the many more who have not been recognized in print \u2013 have helped keep the paper going, from its first days to today. I thank you all.<\/p>\n

I am not a journalist per se, nor an entrepreneur. I\u2019m trained as an economist, and still make myself chuckle when I think of the most uneconomical choice I have made in my life \u2013 to buy this newspaper. But it has kept me clothed and fed, with a roof above my head. It has taught me so many things and, though I\u2019ve not always been a willing student, I am better for the lessons.<\/p>\n

\"images<\/a>Most importantly, I am better for all the people I have encountered on this journey. I have made many friends and acquaintances. Not all my encounters have been pleasant or easy, but I have come to appreciate more as I\u2019ve gotten older that, behind the organizations serving the community are simply people. Maybe people I don\u2019t always agree with, but people who are undeniably committed. They are people who believe in community so much that they give of their time, either as volunteers or staff or both, working in one place, volunteering in others. Or they give of their financial\u00a0<\/span>resources, funding causes in which they believe, choosing to give away some of their money rather than letting it sit in the bank or using it for personal wants and needs.<\/p>\n

It is a privilege to do what I do for a living. I am proud to be part of this extraordinary community. Kol hakavod to us all. May we go from strength to strength\u2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s party. Happy anniversary to all the other Jewish organizations celebrating a milestone this year!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"image<\/a>\"images<\/a>\"images<\/a>\"images<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When does something begin? I\u2019ve been thinking about that as I go through 95 years\u2019 worth of Jewish Independents. Well, 20 years of JIs and 75 years of its predecessor, the Jewish Western Bulletin. The JWB also had its predecessors \u2013 mimeos and letter-sized versions. The paper\u2019s founders started counting on Oct. 9, 1930, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":46744,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[5555,4242,1276,19687,129,4526,20546],"class_list":["post-46736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-op-ed","tag-archives","tag-history","tag-jewish-independent","tag-jewish-journalism","tag-jewish-western-bulletin","tag-memoir","tag-reflections"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}