Good governance underpins every strong community organization: asking the right questions, setting clear priorities, and ensuring decisions reflect both mission and responsibility. These principles matter most when conversations are difficult or when community members hold differing views. In that spirit, I want to acknowledge the recent annual general meeting of the Talmud Torah Society and commend the board for its careful handling of challenging issues. These are complex and emotional times for Jewish communities, as we grapple with security, advocacy, and finite resources.

I saw a room full of people who care—about our community, our children, and the quality of education and experience at Talmud Torah. The board has delivered on its strategic plan and, as we approach the end of the school year, there is much to be proud of. I want to congratulate those newly elected to the board, including Professor Alexander Warren Marcus, Dr. Sarah Troster, Dr. Adam Romanovsky, Mitchell Goldford, and Shayne Abrams.

Last night, many were present to hear from Vladi, the new regional security director for Alberta. Vladi is playing an important role in strengthening security across the province as part of a comprehensive, coordinated national approach. As the central communal organization, we lead the response to urgent needs, such as security, while investing strategically in initiatives that will strengthen these efforts for years to come. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Vladi when you see him at one of our agencies or events.

Hand in hand with security is the role that advocacy plays in protecting and advancing our community’s interests in the current climate. I want to commend the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) for showing how a united voice can achieve results. Standing together with other groups has had a meaningful impact on outcomes that matter to Jewish Edmonton and to all Canadians. This coordinated approach to advocacy, combined with the efforts of community members who sent thousands of messages to Members of Parliament, has contributed to the federal government passing the Combatting Hate Act this week.

This important legislation provides law enforcement and prosecutors with additional tools to protect targeted communities and hold offenders accountable. This includes:

• New intimidation and obstruction offences to protect access to places of worship and community institutions
• A new hate crime offence that imposes stronger penalties when crimes are motivated by hatred
• A new offence targeting the wilful promotion of hatred through the public display of hate symbols and symbols associated with listed terrorist entities

Read the full joint statement from seven community organizations, including what else is needed to confront Canada's antisemitism crisis.

While we are a small Federation, we are fortunate to have exceptional leaders who continue to step up locally and nationally. Please join me in thanking Steve Shafir, KC, for taking on the role of vice-chair of the CIJA board. Steve has helped shape advocacy efforts as our representative, and I am confident the board will benefit further from his expertise and commitment.

Congratulations to all June graduates. May we all continue to go from strength to strength as a community.

Shabbat Shalom,

Stacey