What do Zach Hyman, BBYO, and our AGM have in common?

Last night, I had the chance to attend an Edmonton Oilers game. I felt a sense of shared pride when Zach Hyman returned to the ice and scored a goal. Fans celebrated enthusiastically, and several people nearby were sporting his jersey. It reminded me of his perseverance and strong values—bouncing back from injury and returning with strength. After nine goals, the crowd was chanting, “We want 10”—a cry for a minyan that many synagogue presidents would appreciate! All jokes aside, there was another big moment I want to share with you.

Beyond his work ethic and incredible mensch personality, Zach has proudly maintained his heritage and continues to embrace it publicly. A few rows behind me were two BBYO young leaders watching a local hero and drawing strength from their Jewish identity. Northwest Canada BBYO Aleph Gadol Asher Singer was hosting the visiting Grand Aleph Gadol (an international leadership position), Logan Reich. Logan is traveling to Jewish communities worldwide, connecting with teen leaders and youth movements in Europe and now North America. He is here for the BBYO convention this weekend. Strengthening Jewish identity and connecting Jewish teens to Jewish peoplehood happens in these special moments—and I am so proud that our United Jewish Appeal (UJA) campaign supports BBYO and its ability to link our local teens to the global Jewish community.

This past week, we also held the AGM for the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, the Jewish Community Centre (JCC), and the Edmonton Jewish Community Charitable Foundation (EJCCF). We heard from our co-presidents, the vice chair of Jewish Federations of Canada–United Israel Appeal, the EJCCF president, committee chairs, and me. To summarize: your gifts to the UJA campaign support the programs and moments that strengthen our community and keep Jewish identity anchored year after year. Endowments to the foundation ensure this support continues in perpetuity. We also discussed how we connect our “shtetl of the north” to Canadian and international bodies, with local leaders stepping up to national tables. I was inspired when Geoff spoke about the post–October 7 surge and how people like him are finding their place in the community again. Thank you and kol hakavod to our board and leaders across the community who dedicate countless hours to fortifying our future. We look forward to profiling new and continuing board members in the near future and sharing our soon-to-be-published impact report.

In case you missed it—the big JCC announcement: we received the demolition permit, and work has begun on our new building! The project is fully funded, and this is a transformative initiative for our community. Keep an eye on our website and The Bridge for ongoing updates.

We are in the final weeks to contribute to the UJA campaign in time for a 2025 tax receipt. Our Giving Tuesday raised an additional matched $2,000 thanks to two generous donors. Let’s sustain this momentum and “answer the call.” If a BBYO teen reached out to you this past week and left a message, you can make your gift now.

Shabbat Shalom,

Stacey