food security

JFS from past to future

Garry Zlotnik, centre, received the JFS Lighting the Way Award from Brent Davis, left, and Todd Thal at the Innovators event May 26. (Rhonda Dent Photography)

‘Jewish Family Services (JFS) hosted its annual Innovators event on May 26. This year’s gathering commemorated the organization’s 90 years of service to the community and 20 years of Innovators.

Held at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, guests filled the D/6 Bar & Lounge. JFS board members Candice Stein Thal and Raechelle Paperny were the event co-chairs.

Stein Thal spoke about JFS’s “nine decades of supporting our community with dignity, compassion and care.” Innovators itself is an example, she said, of “People showing up for one another, investing in one another and making sure that no one has to navigate life’s challenges alone.”

Paperny described the wide range of services offered by JFS, “whether that’s putting food on the table, accessing mental health support or simply feeling less alone.” She said JFS’s power lies not in “what we do but how we do it. We meet people with compassion and with dignity, we respond with innovation and we continue to evolve because the needs of our community are increasing and ever-changing.” While proud of their 90-year history, Paperny said they’re even more focused on the future.

photo - JFS Innovators co-chairs Candice Stein Thal, left, and Raechelle Paperny. The event took place May 26 at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver — JFS Innovators co-chairs Candice Stein Thal, left, and Raechelle Paperny. The event took place May 26 at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver. (photo by Ray Shum)

Brent Davis and Todd Thal presented the Lighting the Way Award to Garry Zlotnik for his leadership. Davis noted that Zlotnik had “earned the respect of this community long before he started sponsoring events or making donations.” The award recognized Zlotnik’s capacity for “leadership, compassion and moving others forward.” With financial and volunteer contributions that have spanned decades, Zlotnik “has never failed to make a difference with his time, his leadership and his energy,” said Davis.

Both Thal and Davis described the positive influence Zlotnik has had on their lives, as a mentor and role model. “He showed me that success isn’t just about building a business, it’s what you do with that success, how you help people and give back to the community,” said Thal, who described Zlotnik as someone who “makes connections and helps others succeed – and he does it without wanting any recognition.”

Davis added that donations were a good way to honour a man who is “always one of the first to say yes,” when a cause or an organization needs support.

Before the award was presented, a short video was shown featuring Zlotnik speaking of his involvement with JFS. He said he was raised in a family where the attitude of “giving back was instilled in me at a very early age.” One of the greatest rewards has been, he said, meeting “so many unbelievably fantastic people.” He appreciated that donors could “share the benefits of what you’re doing on a direct basis with people” who have been in hard times. Having turned 70 in 2025, Zlotnik said this was a good time “to reflect on the legacy and the work that I’ve done for the Jewish community,” and he quoted the late Joseph Segal, who said, “the more you give, the more you get – and what you get is fulfilment.” Zlotnik hopes that this legacy of giving back will endure through his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids: “hopefully, they will do the same thing.”

In person, Zlotnik added that he’d had his birthday party in the same room last year. He reminisced about one of his proudest moments, working on the Maccabi Games, and pointed out that his brother, Marty, was a former board member. He reminded everyone that this was a great opportunity to support local people who “just need a little extra help.”

Shay (Shy) Keil, the event’s presenting sponsor, introduced a video about JFS’s 90-year history: “A powerful reminder that, behind every service, every meal, every act of care, there is a person whose life has been changed because this community chose to step forward, extend a hand and act. I encourage you to watch closely and open your hearts.”

Keil spoke about the importance of the Innovators event. “I cannot imagine any other event in our community as important as this one,” he said. “For decades, JFS has been there for people in moments of hardship, uncertainty and vulnerability … not just for support, but for dignity, compassion and hope.”

photo - Shay (Shy) Keil, presenting sponsor of the Innovators event — Shay (Shy) Keil, presenting sponsor of the Innovators event. *(Rhonda Dent Photography)*

He reminded the audience that the need in the community was still growing, and “so does the impact of JFS. From food security and counseling to seniors’ support, addiction services, they’re helping rebuild people’s lives. That is what inspires me about JFS. This organization shows up for people.”

photo - Geoff Glotman of Glotman | Simpson, which was the event’s platinum sponsor — Geoff Glotman of Glotman | Simpson, which was the event’s platinum sponsor. *(photo by Ray Shum)*

The video explained how JFS was founded 90 years ago to help vulnerable community members and newcomers, based on the value of tikkun olam, repair of the world. A main goal was to ensure that the social, physical and emotional needs of Jewish refugees were being met. JFS’s services have expanded greatly since it began – to all members of the Jewish community, as well as local non-Jews in need of care and support, including with food assistance, mental health and counseling, and advocacy and care management.

After the video, JFS chief executive officer Tanja Demajo stressed: “It’s not just about large donations. Every dollar that’s provided makes a difference.”

She explained, in the video, how JFS will continue with the value of tikkun olam as its guide: “to help each other when that help is needed, so that no one is left behind.”

As he does for so many community fundraisers, auctioneer Howard Blank asked the audience for donations. For each dollar amount, he explained what the funds raised would cover, and what kind of difference it would make. For example, a gift of $5,000 meant that families could avoid “having to choose between rent and food,” he said. Other amounts would support the JFS Kitchen, its addiction and recovery program, emergency assistance, preventing evictions, grief and trauma counseling for a year for women fleeing violence.

A digital slide show shared the details of JFS’s impacts: 176 Holocaust survivors are supported by JFS and the agency delivers 2,100 hours of one-on-one client time. It has helped 600 people navigate crises and rebuild lives, and delivers $1.8 million in emergency medical and financial aid annually. Average counseling wait times at JFS have been reduced from 12 months to three weeks, and many thousands of kosher meals have been delivered. JFS distributes 825,000 pounds of food to those in need.

The Innovators event raised more than $600,000 for JFS programs and services that benefit more than 3,000 people each year.

Both Zlotnik’s video and that about JFS’s history can be found on YouTube.

Shula Klinger is an author and journalist living in North Vancouver.

Supplying healthy food

Left to right: Larry Vinegar, Stan Shaw, Lloyd Baron, Michelle Dodek, Steve Schacter and Marcy Schwartzman. (photo from Marcy Schwartzman)

There are roughly 1,200 people who rely on Jewish Family Services food hubs in the Greater Vancouver area, and much of the fresh produce they receive is due to the efforts of Larry Vinegar and Marcy Schwartzman.

Each month, JFS delivers approximately 2,500 bags of groceries to its clients, which include families with children, seniors, new immigrants, people with disabilities and other individuals in need. In 2021, during the pandemic, JFS established the food hubs, in partnership with synagogues and other organizations. The food is collected and distributed, with the help of a team of volunteers, at a central hub in Vancouver on 3rd Avenue called the Kitchen.

photo - JFS hubs, situated in various parts of Greater Vancouver, offer fruit and vegetables — JFS hubs, situated in various parts of Greater Vancouver, offer fruit and vegetables. *(photo from Marcy Schwartzman)*

The hubs, situated in Vancouver, the North Shore, Burnaby, Surrey, the Tri-Cities and Richmond, offer fruit and vegetables. The program does not provide any meats, poultry or shellfish, and ensures that items are available for clients who follow a kosher diet.

“Most of the clients are people who are struggling to make ends meet, and your rent has to get paid. It often takes primary resources to pay your rent, and then food and other necessities come second. A lot of people are at a point where, at the end of the month, they don’t have money to put food on their tables, so they’re looking for assistance for that,” Schwartzman said.

She added that, if people do not have enough money, they choose the least expensive options, which are often not the healthiest. Thus, a community kitchen that supplies nutritious produce can be vital to a person’s well-being, she said.

The Independent caught up with Schwartzman and Vinegar on a spring afternoon. They were about to prepare the ground for planting on a Lower Mainland farm, the produce from which would be distributed by JFS.

photo - Maxwell (Moishe) Vinegar — Maxwell (Moishe) Vinegar. *(photo from Marcy Schwartzman)*

On Dec. 31, 2020, the couple suffered a tragedy, losing their 31-year-old son, Maxwell (Moishe) Vinegar, in a skiing accident. Prior to his passing, the family had had a conversation about food security, which reflected on a period when their son was young, and the family would deliver food for the food bank for Hanukkah.

“We had a lot of conversations with our kids about what it means to be a member of your community and be responsible and look out for our other community members,” Schwartzman said. “That December, around Hanukkah time, we were saying to him, ‘Hey, you should go help at the food bank.’ And he said, ‘I’m busy working, Dad, you’re retired, you should go do it.’”

In trying to come out of their grief, Vinegar and Schwartzman started their food efforts with donations people made after Max’s death, which they requested be directed to JFS. A friend of theirs who owned a farm in the Okanagan planted an acre of squash – a sign notes that all the squash growing on the acre is for JFS in Moishe’s memory.

photo - A friend of Larry Vinegar and Marcy Schwartzman, who owns a farm in the Okanagan, plants an acre of squash for JFS in memory of their son, Maxwell (Moishe) Vinegar — A friend of Larry Vinegar and Marcy Schwartzman, who owns a farm in the Okanagan, plants an acre of squash for JFS in memory of their son, Maxwell (Moishe) Vinegar. (photo from Marcy Schwartzman)

“We went up to help look after that for a couple of weekends that first summer, and that sort of got us thinking that maybe we can find somewhere to grow food to provide it to Jewish Family Services,” Schwartzman said.

The next summer, Vinegar spoke to a blueberry farmer in Richmond, who put the couple in touch with a family that lets them use their half-acre backyard, at no cost, to grow vegetables for the food bank.

“We’ve grown a variety of things over the years, but what grows the best there is zucchini and squash, butternut and acorn, and we also have green beans,” Schwartzman said. “We’ve been generously supported by West Coast Seeds.”

Further efforts include growing 300 plants at Richmond Jewish Day School last year, building relationships with local farmers, and spreading the word about tax benefits for those who donate excess crops to bolster food security.

“Larry has been quite instrumental and not afraid to go talk to different farmers around the Lower Mainland, just at the end of the season, to say you didn’t sell your crop, we’ll be happy to come pick it up,” Schwartzman said.

Vinegar has also developed a relationship with Costco after he walked into one of their stores and spoke with a manager about supplying unsold goods to food banks instead of disposing of them. All Costco stores give away food that is getting close to its stale date, said Schwartzman. “They donate to a different organization each day.”

In 2024, Vinegar and Schwartzman were recipients of the inaugural JFS Lighting the Way Award. At the presentation, they were described as “embodiments of JFS’s values, demonstrating innovation in their commitment to social good.”

“We are grateful for the help of many friends and volunteers who help us plant, tend and harvest,” said Schwartzman. “We couldn’t do what we do without their help!”

For more on JFS’s food and other services, go to jfsvancouver.ca.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

RJDS and JFS grow together

The JFS Moishe Farm Project garden at Richmond Jewish Day School. (photo from RJDS)

Richmond Jewish Day School and Jewish Family Services have embarked on a new initiative, the JFS Moishe Farm Project. At the back of the school, there is now a garden, growing a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as squash, butternut squash and zucchini. The project aims to increase food security in the Lower Mainland by providing fresh produce to RJDS families and JFS clients.

Food security is an essential aspect of this initiative. It means that all people, at all times, have access to nutritious, safe and sufficient food that meets their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life. With prices of fresh food and produce increasing, food security has become an increasingly difficult goal to achieve. Ensuring access to fresh and healthy produce is a fundamental part of this project.

photo - The JFS Moishe Farm Project garden — The JFS Moishe Farm Project garden. *(photo from RJDS)*

Teaching students about proper nutrition and its effects on learning, brain function and mental health is essential. Proper nutrition is not just about having enough food, it’s about having the right kind of food that fuels bodies and minds. A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables can significantly enhance cognitive function and overall well-being. By engaging in this gardening project, RJDS is not only providing fresh produce but also educating students about the importance of nutrition, sustainability and community involvement.

Larry and Marcy Vinegar and Glenn Laufer donated the ground cover and irrigation system for the garden, Daniel Garfinkel donated the seeds and plants. Volunteers have planted, harvested and coordinated this project and helped the school use its land to produce and give back to community in sustainable and helpful ways. Through this objective, RJDS students and community can see firsthand the fruits of their labour and understand the value of hard work, patience and teamwork.

RJDS is planning various activities and workshops around the garden. Students will participate in planting, tending and harvesting. They will learn about different fruits and vegetables, their nutritional benefits, and how to prepare the produce in healthy and delicious ways. These activities will be complemented by lessons on the environmental impact of food production and the importance of sustainable farming practices.

The long-term vision for this project includes expanding the garden and increasing the variety of produce. RJDS hopes to eventually supply a significant portion of its community’s fresh produce needs and possibly even create a surplus that could be shared with other organizations.

This project is more than just a garden. It is a symbol of RJDS’s and JFS’s commitment to the community’s health, well-being and future. By working together, a sustainable, healthy and connected community can be created.

– Courtesy Richmond Jewish Day School

Garden welcomes visitors

Vancouver Talmud Torah students of all ages worked together to prepare the Vancouver Jewish Community Garden. (photo from VTT)

The first few weeks of spring have been a particularly busy time for Vancouver Talmud Torah (VTT) students. Armed with child-size wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes and plenty of enthusiasm, students spent last March preparing the soil for Vancouver Jewish Community Garden. VTT’s head of school, Emily Greenberg, said the formidable task of building up the garden, which will provide crops for a variety of food security initiatives in the community, has been a big hit with the kids.

“We had every single one of our students, including our littlest 3-year-olds, coming out to the garden and helping to move soil into the planter boxes,” Greenberg said, adding that it took about a week to fill all of the planters. “At the beginning of the week, I saw a mountain that was easily over seven feet tall of dirt and, by the end of the week, they had taken it down to the ground.”

Their work paved the way for two community days in early April, in which families from throughout Metro Vancouver turned out to help.

The Vancouver Jewish Community Garden is the brainchild of three Jewish agencies: VTT, Congregation Beth Israel (BI) and Jewish Family Services (JFS). Approximately 1,800 square feet of the 6,000-square-feet garden will be dedicated to growing food to support various BI and JFS initiatives. The property will also include an education centre, walking paths and seating areas.

BI’s Rabbi Jonathan Infeld said the synagogue has been looking for ways to grow food that could support its philanthropic programs, such as the Veggie Club, which cooks up fresh soup that’s distributed through JFS, and One Heart Dinner, which provides sit-down meals to community members experiencing homelessness or food insecurity. He said the new garden will not only supply BI’s programs with freshly grown food, but serve as an outdoor classroom for its Hebrew school and for expanding community education programs.

“We will be creating and using this opportunity for our Hebrew school students to literally learn [about] Judaism connected to the land while getting their hands dirty in the garden,” Infeld said.

According to the rabbi, the garden’s unique gift isn’t just that it can teach community members how to grow food. “This garden is truly about feeding hunger, whether we are talking about those who physically hungry or those who are spiritually and Jewishly hungry as well,” he said, noting Judaism attaches communal responsibility to the act of growing food, instructing Jews to dedicate parts of their crops to those in need, a commandment that dovetails with the garden’s very purpose.

“Judaism [also] commands us to say blessings before and after every time we eat, to recognize that we are given a gift of food from God. When we go to the supermarket and we buy our food and prepare it and make it, it’s easy to forget from where it came.”

The tasks involved in building and tending this garden, he explained, also serve to remind us that food doesn’t arrive easily. “It needs a lot of hard work, it needs our interaction and it needs divine intervention” in order to feed a family. “By being involved in the farming and producing and the growing of food, our community will be able to see in front of their eyes what the Jewish laws pertaining to eating are really all about,” Infeld said.

For JFS, it made sense to support a program that produces food for community sustainability initiatives and also serves as a classroom for youth education, said JFS chief executive officer Tanja Demajo.

“The garden is a very important part of the food justice and inclusion and community engagement [programs] that we are trying to build through the Kitchen and our food initiatives,” she said. “So, it really wasn’t hard for us to lend our support and voice. It was very meaningful, and what’s even more meaningful is this opportunity to build partnerships between VTT and BI. That’s quite unique and amazing.

“It is really neat to see how we can all think through different lenses of the ways to build a community; how to put education … and community engagement and food production together and create this accessible space for everyone to participate in.”

photo - Vancouver Talmud Torah students filling planters at the Vancouver Jewish Community Garden — Vancouver Talmud Torah students filling planters at the Vancouver Jewish Community Garden. *(photo from VTT)*

Greenberg said this may be the first project of its kind – several Jewish agencies with differing mandates partnering to create a community garden.

“That is something that we are really proud of and we hope it sets a standard for collaboration, because we are always stronger together, and we know that this is something that was only achievable because we were able to work together to accomplish it,” she said.

According to Greenberg, several founding donors played an important role in making the garden possible.

“The Diamond Foundation secured a long-term lease of this land for future development,” she said. “We would like to thank the Diamond Foundation for allowing us the opportunity to use this land for a Jewish community garden on a temporary basis.”

Greenberg said they are also grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, in partnership with the Jewish Community Foundation and the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, for their significant financial seed gifts.

photo - Left to right: Tanja Demajo (Jewish Family Services), Emily Greenberg (Vancouver Talmud Torah) and Rabbi Jonathan Infeld (Congregation Beth Israel) contributed leadership and labour to the new Vancouver Jewish Community Garden, a joint initiative of their respective organizations. The community is invited to an open house May 28 — Left to right: Tanja Demajo (Jewish Family Services), Emily Greenberg (Vancouver Talmud Torah) and Rabbi Jonathan Infeld (Congregation Beth Israel) contributed leadership and labour to the new Vancouver Jewish Community Garden, a joint initiative of their respective organizations. The community is invited to an open house May 28. *(photo from VTT)*

With the planters filled and seeded, the garden is now well on its way. Community members spent April planting a cornucopia of flowering plants like black-eyed Susans, purple coneflowers, sweet peas and sunflowers. Fruit trees, including apple and plum, already had been planted, along with grapes, raspberries, strawberries, and lettuces.

“Once we begin having students regularly in the garden, we will be holding lessons for all students, from rishonim (3-year-olds) to Grade 7,” Greenberg said, noting that the new classroom melds well with the school’s iSTEAM (Israel innovation, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) program. “The garden gives us an opportunity to dive deep into iSTEAM and look at, for example, drip irrigation,” an Israeli invention that the community garden will be using and which is now used globally. “It’s completely transformed the agricultural sector,” Greenberg said. “So, for kids to see how innovation has come out of Israel and is then being transplanted all over the world … [it is] a very meaningful way for them to engage in learning about Israel as well.”

Finding ways to build connections to Israel is also a priority for BI. “We are always looking for opportunities to meet our goals of bringing Jews closer to God, Torah and Israel,” Infeld said. Michelle Dodek has been hired to help teach the Hebrew school students about the ancient and enduring connection between Judaism and the land.

Demajo said work in the garden doesn’t stop now that the plants are in the ground. There will still be room for more volunteers to get their hands dirty and participate in its maintenance.

“There will be a place to engage, whether it is with growing food, whether it is with programs that are more social or it’s more related to education,” Demajo said. Individuals who didn’t have an opportunity to volunteer for the build-up of the garden can reach out to Maggie Wilson at [email protected] for more information and to register as a volunteer.

On May 28, 3-5 p.m., the garden, which is located adjacent to the synagogue, will open its doors to visitors for the first time. Organizers are asking those who would like to attend the open house and fundraiser to register using the link at talmudtorah.com/vjcg, so they have an idea of how many people will be attending.

Jan Lee is an award-winning editorial writer whose articles and op-eds have been published in B’nai B’rith Magazine, Voices of Conservative and Masorti Judaism and Baltimore Jewish Times, as well as a number of business, environmental and travel publications. Her blog can be found at multiculturaljew.polestarpassages.com.

Food insecurity at UBC affects Jewish students, too

Food insecurity is a growing problem on the University of British Columbia campus. The Alma Mater Society (AMS) Food Bank saw a 600-visit spike in the past year. Around “40% of undergraduate students and 50% of graduate students said they were worried about running out of food at least once in the past 12 months,” according to the 2022 AMS Academic Experience Survey.

In an open letter to the UBC board of governors, UBC Sprouts highlighted how “[d]espite UBC’s self-proclaimed dedication to reconciliation and equity, they perpetuate food insecurity which disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous, racialized, immigrant, low-income, houseless and/or disabled UBC community members.”

However, Jewish students are also an underrepresented minority group that is subject to this inequity.

Keeping kosher has been one of my greatest personal, physical and spiritual challenges so far in my life. Finding meals on campus that nourish myself and that are within the dietary restrictions of kashrut, all while staying true to my faith and not compromising my values, has been an uphill battle.

As one representing hundreds of Jewish UBC students, I believe there needs to be more access to kosher food on campus.

In Hebrew, the word kosher means “fit” or “acceptable,” according to halakhah, which is Jewish law. Any food grown from the earth is naturally kosher. However, any food that has been processed and prepared by humans must be carefully supervised by an Orthodox rabbi.

You can think of keeping kosher as a form of hygiene. The facility, the kitchen and production line in which a product is manufactured, processed and prepared must be kept very clean – undergoing frequent checks by an Orthodox rabbi – and must avoid cross-contamination with non-kosher food (like pork and shellfish), all with zero signs of any animal infestations (like rats).

In Jewish tradition, mixing milk (representing life) with meat (representing death) is another big no-no. For example, I cannot eat a cheeseburger or order a meal at a café that cross-contaminates dairy utensils with meat utensils. So, even a restaurant that advertises as 100% vegetarian or vegan is not officially kosher until it strictly meets the dietary, hygienic and/or rabbinical supervision requirements above.

Many vendors throughout campus incidentally sell kosher, pre-packaged snacks with a hekhsher, an official certification by an Orthodox organization approving a product as kosher. Although pre-packaged snacks are available, they do not constitute a sufficient meal on their own. There needs to be fresh kosher meals that are healthy, ready-made and affordable.

Since last summer, I have been doggedly persistent at trying to improve vendor availability of kosher food at UBC. I had been in correspondence with UBC Hillel BC, Chabad Jewish Student Centre, UBC Food Services and UBC’s VP Finance and Operations team to arrange a supplier setup and establish “requestor” contact on campus, along with a potential supplier such as the vegan Kosher Experience food truck. But UBC’s bureaucratic system has delayed this process indefinitely.

Kosher food has the potential not only to serve Jewish students, but vegan, vegetarian and Muslim students as well.

While UBC food security initiatives like the UBC Meal Share program, AMS Food Bank, Sprouts, Acadia Food Hub, Agora Café, and the residence meal plan (which has provided some kosher meals since 2020 and kosher meals can be requested in advance, but are only available at designated times for students living in select residences) offer nutritional support for students facing food insecurity, none of them provides kosher-certified meals from a kosher-certified kitchen. For example, the dining halls collaborate with UBC Chabad “to provide support and consultation on kosher food availability at UBC,” but they do not provide kosher-certified meals from a kosher-certified kitchen, according to a statement.

Regarding the plethora of options above tackling food insecurity, one UBC student remarked, “I really like the diversity that the market offers. When I was walking by, you can see a lot of different ethnic foods, a lot of foods that people would enjoy.” Yet, the diversity of food options (such as halal) and the accommodation of dietary needs (such as gluten-free foods) at UBC happens to include everything except kosher-certified meals. Or, namely, it excludes Jewish students.

For many Jewish students applying to university, kosher food is the deciding factor in their enrolment. If other top Canadian universities, such as the University of Toronto or McGill University, offer access to kosher food, then why can’t UBC?

In my personal experience living off campus, there are some days where I wake up late, rush out the door with no meal and, with no access to kosher-certified meals on campus, go hungry throughout the day. I am tired of it.

With UBC’s recent approval of allocating $500,000 toward food security programs and the AMS’s recent launch of their food security initiative, the AMS Food Bank can establish a contract with the leading Orthodox kosher certification organization in British Columbia – Kosher Check – to supervise the preparation of kosher meals (such as falafel and sandwich wraps) in the facilities of the AMS Food Bank.

While establishing and maintaining a kosher kitchen may not be feasible, having access in the Nest to a microwave, refrigerator and a dry goods rack designated only for kosher-certified meals would be the first most practical action to take.

I stand tall and proud to share my identity with others on campus. But, if there is not even any access to kosher-certified meals on campus, it furthers the marginalization of Jewish students like myself.

If the AMS and the UBC are committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, then they must commit to making kosher-certified meals accessible on campus.

Eitan Feiger is a third-year history student at UBC

Editor’s note: The original version of this letter to the editor was published in the Ubyssey.

Concerns over inflation

Last fall, the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver surveyed the impact of inflation on its community partner organizations. As with many recent reports on the effects of rising prices, the feedback was sobering, said Shelley Rivkin, vice-president of global and local engagement at Federation, which conducted the survey.

When asked about how the rise in food and fuel will affect their ability to provide the same level of service, 95% of the organizations that responded said they were either concerned or very concerned about inflation. A similar response was returned when community members were asked about paying school, camp, synagogue or Jewish community centre membership fees.

For social service and housing providers, the main concerns were the level of care, due to reduced staffing; the number of affordable housing units available; food programs for students and families in need; and low-cost (or free) social and recreational programs for seniors. Other organizations cited concerns about the future of kiddush and seniors lunches, volunteer appreciation, building maintenance and upkeep, prepared meals for food bank recipients, and membership subsidies.

The survey notes that rising costs are affecting, to varying degrees, the ability of agencies to maintain their current level of service, recruit and retain staff, raise funds and balance budgets. Some organizations have been unable to provide staff with a cost-of-living-adjustment raise, thereby threatening their capacity to retain staff and deliver programming, and higher salary expectations mean that positions are vacant for longer, limiting the ability to grow programs. Food costs for hot lunches are up 20% and there has been a 25% increase in salaries for kitchen staff.

Rivkin stressed that, in the four months since the survey was conducted, costs have come down for some items, but the price of food continues to rise.

“Our agencies and synagogues survived COVID, and we thought we were past the difficult times,” she said. “However, we are now seeing the impact of inflation on them. When we decided to undertake the survey, we had no idea about the depth and breadth of the impact of inflation or that these pressures would affect everything from staff salaries to the cost of paper supplies. We are now working with our community agencies to explore ways to reduce costs. We recently hosted a lunch-and-learn featuring speakers from the Buying Networks Canada.”

The Buying Networks Canada is a Toronto-based organization that helps nonprofit, charitable and faith-based organizations across Canada save money on such things as food and beverages, office supplies and equipment, maintenance, and numerous other products and services.

In the summer of 2022, Jewish Family Services (JFS), one of Federation’s community partners, released information on the impact of inflation. Among the points in the JFS report were an increase in the number of clients asking for food voucher assistance, a record number of intakes for home support and the challenges Ukrainian newcomers on a limited income face with rents and food costs.

Food insecurity, according to JFS, has grown in recent months and the organization expects an increase of 150 new clients, if trends continue. Higher prices at the gas pump have resulted in fewer volunteer drivers. The greater need for services has translated into a higher workload for JFS staff.

“Community that JFS serves is on fixed income, and those individuals are the ones who suffer tremendously during this time,” said Tanja Demajo, chief executive officer of JFS. “What that means for JFS is that the number of people reaching out for help is on constant rise. Between the rise in prices, number of clients and cost of staffing, we as an agency have to ask ourselves what is our priority. This is the time when we get clarity, more than ever, who we are and what we need to do. Our goal has always been not to leave anyone behind. We hope that, even during the challenging times such as these, we can remain true to that.

“Since COVID,” she added, “staffing has been a significant challenge. It is very uncomfortable for many agencies to speak about issues of salaries, but the reality is that the professional staff has always been underpaid in the nonprofit world. With inflation, this issue has further grown and, unless taken seriously, it may impact the whole social sector in irreversible ways. Providing social support is based on relationships, and with constant changes those relationships get eroded.”

Anat Gogo, executive director of Tikva Housing Society, another Federation partner agency, is also concerned. “Inflation significantly impacts the delivery of housing programs due to increased costs and reduced availability of resources,” she said. “It can also make it more difficult for low-income households to afford adequate housing, so we are reaching out to our donors to assist us in ‘gapping’ the additional … funding needed to meet our commitment to the delivery of affordable housing and rent subsidies.”

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

Helping feed community

Dr. Randall and Shalene Trester, who run West 1st Chiropractic Wellness Centre. Last year, their food drive collected more than 400 pounds of food for the Jewish Food Bank. (photo by Allison Kuhl)

Since 2016, patients at West 1st Chiropractic Wellness Centre have been bringing in non-perishable food items destined for the Jewish Food Bank. These donations are collected and, in turn, provided to those in the community who face food insecurity.

The Jewish Food Bank struck a particular chord with chiropractor Dr. Randall Trester and his wife Shalene, who run the centre, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary this September.

“I had a few friends that had been helping with the food bank and they told me how difficult the situation is for some people. I felt we just had to get involved,” Shalene Trester told the Independent.

The Tresters hold the food drive every December, reminding clients ahead of time by posting information throughout the centre and via email correspondence.

“Our patients are really the ones who should get all the credit. We organize it every year and it’s amazing to see the generosity of our patients,” said Shalene Trester, who manages the office. “Our patients look forward to participating. It’s awesome to see the overflowing boxes at the end of the food drive. It’s such an awesome feeling to give back to our community every year.”

The most recent drive saw an increase in the amount of food donated. “There was a greater need,” she said.

“The Tresters have been supporting us for many years through their annual food drive and donating all the food to us,” said Carol Hopkins, the coordinator of the Jewish Food Bank. “Last year, they donated 410 pounds of food. We really appreciate their support.”

Distribution for the JFS Grocery Program is held weekly at JFS’s the Kitchen, located at 54 East 3rd Avenue in Vancouver, and at hubs throughout the Lower Mainland. For those unable to pick up their grocery order at one of the hubs, JFS offers a delivery service.

“We currently serve approximately 900 people and provide more than 12,000 kilograms of healthy food every month,” said Hopkins. “The JFS Grocery Program does not offer any meats, poultry or shellfish. We ensure that kosher items are available for clients who do keep kosher.”

The majority of supplies at the Jewish Food Bank are bought, and the team relies heavily on donations – non-perishable food or money. Among the benefits of hosting a food drive, the Jewish Food Bank notes on its web page, are “engaging your community members and helping to spread the word on the issue of hunger, [while] also providing an incredible service to your neighbours in need.”

Some of the best items to donate are rice; canned or dried beans, lentils and legumes; whole grains (oats, barley, millet, bulgur, quinoa, couscous); canned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines); canned tomatoes and tomato sauce; and pasta. According to the Jewish Food Bank, a $10 donation can buy $30 of food at wholesale prices or provide four days of healthy snacks for five children.

Soap, shampoo, toilet paper and diapers are greatly appreciated and needed as well.

The Jewish Food Bank funders include Jewish Women International-B.C. and many community members. Any person or organization wanting to organize a food drive should call 604-558-5698 or visit jfsvancouver.ca/food-drive.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

Students are learning to cook

In Richmond Jewish Day School’s Food Lab Program, students help prepare meals once a month. (photo from RJDS)

One by one, students at Richmond Jewish Day School filter down the hallways following the smells of a delicious and nutritious meal. Waiting for them in the gym is lasagna, Caesar salad and a pesto prepared by RJDS students with the help of Jewish Family Services culinary master, Chef Zoe Sorokin.

RJDS’s Food Lab Program is the first of its kind in a Jewish day school in Metro Vancouver. It is just one of the current programs running in RJDS to enhance students’ access to healthy and nutritious food in a way that promotes community and inclusiveness. Every week, JFS makes and delivers hot meals at no cost to the students or their families. Once a month, students in grades 4 through 7 take an active part in this, helping with the preparation of the meals, including chopping, grating and cooking the plant-based ingredients.

photo - Once a month, students in grades 4 through 7 take an active part in this, helping with the preparation of the meals, including chopping, grating and cooking the plant-based ingredients — Once a month, students in grades 4 through 7 take an active part in this, helping with the preparation of the meals, including chopping, grating and cooking the plant-based ingredients. *(photo from RJDS)*

“I enjoy learning new cooking skills,” said Naomi, a Grade 4 student. “My favourite dish was the bean soup.”

“I love that we use all our senses when cooking,” said Ella, who is in Grade 5.

With demand at food banks growing over the course of the pandemic and rising inflation, food insecurity has become a reality for more families. RJDS students and school staff have led several efforts, with the support of social service partners, to help families feeling the pinch. Last year, with the assistance of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, Kehila Society and JFS, RJDS began a community fridge and pantry program. The partner agencies, plus the Richmond Food Bank, keep the fridge and pantry stocked and RJDS families can access free healthy snacks, dry goods, fresh produce and meals during school hours. The Food Lab represents an expansion of the school’s food programs.

photo - The Food Lab represents an expansion of the school’s food programs — The Food Lab represents an expansion of the school’s food programs. (photo from RJDS)

“The students at Richmond Jewish Day School have absolutely loved the weekly hot lunches,” said principal Sabrina Bhojani. “Our parents have also expressed their delight with this program, knowing that their children are receiving a warm, healthy and nutritious meal at school. The research is clear – good nutrition helps our children to focus, concentrate and self-regulate, which, in turn, results in improved learning and student performance.”

She added, “Not only are the students helping in preparing food to be enjoyed by the school, they are also learning about making informed decisions about food choices, food safety, the importance of food supply and healthy nutrition.”

photo - Students helping preparing food to be enjoyed by the school — Students helping preparing food to be enjoyed by the school. *(photo from RJDS)*

“I love participating in the Food Lab program,” said Yahel, who is in Grade 5. “It is a fun experience and I get to learn new skills that I can use at home.”

Vienna, also in Grade 5, agrees, saying: “I enjoy learning new cooking skills that I can share with my family.”

The RJDS kitchen has become a place for children to learn new and valuable life skills, to enjoy good food with friends and, most importantly, a place in which they can contribute and build strong relationships.

– Courtesy Richmond Jewish Day School

Feeding those in need

Mazon Canada’s Izzy Waxman, left, and Kathleen Novelia at Valley Community Learning Association in Nova Scotia. (photo from Mazon Canada)

Mazon Canada, a grassroots community foundation that helps feed Canadians of all ages, abilities, beliefs and ethnicities on behalf of the Jewish community, is making some big shifts entering the new year, as households across the country face mounting challenges involving food security. In addition to providing grants for food and equipment, and educating and advocating toward an end to hunger in Canada, Mazon says it will also be “harnessing the wisdom and power of communities.”

“We’re deepening relationships with our grantees, asking about how we can support them better, and making big changes based on that feedback,” said Izzy Waxman, Mazon’s executive director. “We realized we can have bigger impacts if we lift the restriction that our grants should only be spent on food.”

As an example, Waxman compared investing $2,000 on food with spending the same amount on a freezer. “The former will get you 2,000 meals at even our most efficient food bank partner, but spending $2,000 on a freezer to store rescued or donated food can rescue 1,000 pounds of food a month for at least 10 years. That’s 12,000 meals annually or 120,000 meals. This is something we might not have explored if we didn’t take time to listen to our partners and ask how we can support them better, treating them as the experts that we can learn from.”

Additionally, according to Waxman, Mazon is bringing a social justice perspective to hunger, which recognizes that more vulnerable groups need greater attention. By supporting and prioritizing marginalized communities, Mazon hopes to strengthen interfaith and intercultural alliances.

Further, Mazon is taking an active role in advocacy work. “While providing food is always our biggest expense by far, we can’t solve hunger by only treating the symptom. We have to address the root cause as well: poverty. That means starting a conversation in the Jewish community about addressing the cost of living, employment and our social safety net – including the housing crisis, disability supports, minimum wage and other issues affecting the poorest people in our communities,” Waxman said.

Helping low-income individuals in British Columbia since its founding in 1986, Mazon currently supports more than 25 organizations across the province, including hot meals for the homeless in the Downtown Eastside, community gardens at Indigenous elementary schools, hampers for Jewish seniors, food rescue operations to save edible food from landfills, and drop-in meals for people with AIDS and those experiencing addictions.

In 2021, Mazon, on behalf of the Jewish community, provided more than 300,000 meals through 205 partner programs in 92 Canadian towns and cities. Its reach extends from Victoria to Iqaluit to St. John’s.

A successful partnership program Mazon points to regionally is School District 50 (SD50), consisting of six schools on Haida Gwaii. As an archipelago, Haida Gwaii is especially vulnerable to disruptions in food supplies and the economy; because food must be shipped in from the mainland, basic nutritional staples can be very expensive.

To keep students fed, SD50 has used a strategy, called Local Foods 2 School, in which cafeteria food is sourced from nearby farms or local woods and waterfronts. Students visit the sources of the food to learn about how it is grown, gathered, hunted, preserved and prepared. Meals served at the schools are often cooked by students so they learn kitchen skills.

A significant number of SD50 students are Indigenous, thus community elders are involved in teaching traditional food and land skills. This approach, Mazon believes, supports the local economy and encourages resilience and food independence.

Looking for B.C. members

Believing it is important to have Jews from all over Canada who have on-the-ground knowledge of their communities and cities, Mazon is hoping to fill two vacant board positions with residents of British Columbia.

“That same grassroots ‘community-knows-best’ perspective we take to supporting frontline food programs matters in our leadership, too,” Waxman said. “We’re about to head into strategic planning and we need participation from Jews across the country to make sure it’s in touch with local priorities.

“I worry that the B.C. Jewish community doesn’t know about the work we’re doing in their name right in their backyards, and we need local leadership to help us raise awareness of how the Jewish community is responding to West Coast hunger. I know people would be so excited if they knew the Jewish community was helping people in their neighbourhoods,” she added.

Besides seeking a B.C. presence on its board, Mazon is looking for people to serve on its advocacy, fundraising, allocation and education committees.

In 2019, there were 4.4 million Canadians confronting food insecurity, according to Mazon. In 2021, the number jumped to 5.8 million and, by the end of 2022, it is expected to be even higher as a result of inflation. Inflation also makes it more difficult for food banks to serve people in need.

Mazon is distributing 100% of donations to its current Rosh Hashanah campaign to frontline food projects without overhead.

For more information, visit mazoncanada.ca.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

JFS reflects on Segal’s impact

The Jewish Food Bank operates out of Jewish Family Services’ the Kitchen, on East 3rd Avenue. (photo from JFS)

Like so many other individuals and organizations since Joseph Segal’s death on May 31, Jewish Family Services Vancouver has been reflecting on the impact he has had.

“Joseph Segal was a very generous supporter of the program,” said Carol Hopkins, coordinator of the Jewish Food Bank, which was one of the two organizations people were asked, at Segal’s funeral, to donate to in his memory; the other being Yaffa House.

“He touched the lives of many people through our Seniors Home Support program and annual Passover holiday campaign. However, food security and food access was his passion and a clear priority,” said JFS in a statement. “His dedication to help underwrite our food voucher program was notable. This was a special program for many, especially in the early days, before we had satellite food hubs across the Lower Mainland.”

Those vouchers allowed people to purchase groceries near where they lived. Further, the program presented recipients the opportunity to maintain anonymity and a sense of dignity – by not having to line up at a local food bank or use discount coupons at a till. Segal placed great value on a dignified means of accessing support.

More recently, JFS has directed its efforts towards mitigating food insecurity in the community to the food bank, of which Segal was an ardent and magnanimous backer. Currently, the food bank, which operates from JFS’s the Kitchen, at 54 East 3rd Ave., serves more than 800 clients regularly and delivers more than 10,000 kilograms of healthy food every month.

On its website, JFS notes, “While not a kosher food bank, the Jewish Food Bank does not offer any meats, poultry or shellfish. In addition, for those clients who do keep kosher, it ensures that kosher items are available to them.”

Since its inception, the food bank has been operated in partnership with Jewish Women International-BC. It started with a few volunteers and has operated from various locations since the mid-2000s. It first served clients from the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. Later, it switched to the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, where it was based until COVID-19 hit.

At the beginning, the food bank was mostly a walk-in model. Clients would come in and people would select the items they needed. This changed to an all-delivery model during the pandemic: bags were packed and then dropped off to clients who needed support.

The number of clients has grown since March 2020, with deliveries going across the region, including the North Shore, Surrey, Coquitlam and Burnaby. In April 2021, the food bank made its move to the Kitchen, where it maintains a warehouse facility with refrigerators and freezers, allowing JFS to keep perishable donations until they are ready to be used.

In addition to providing people the chance to pick up food at the Kitchen, JFS can distribute directly to clients and to its hubs across the Lower Mainland. Food is brought into the Kitchen on Mondays and sent out to different locations from Tuesday to Thursday. In an average week, more than 40 volunteers help the program.

“We are seeing more and more the challenge of food prices going up in conjunction with expensive housing, not to mention seniors on a fixed income,” said Hopkins. “People are having trouble supplying food. Our grocery service allows people to get support and the nutritious food that they need. We really pride ourselves on that.

“JFS is fortunate,” she said. “Distributors supply us with the best pricing that they can. This allows JFS to stretch the financial contributions it receives and buy in bulk.”

JFS depends largely on donations, both monetary – to buy supplies – and of items such as food, soap, shampoo, toilet paper and diapers.

JFS estimates there will be 150 new families accessing the food bank in the coming year, given economic trends; costs are increasing and needs are growing. Rising food prices are changing the perception and the reality of who needs the help of the food bank.

To donate to JFS’s Food Security program in Segal’s memory, visit jfsvancouver.ca/joe_segal.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.