In my youth in Quebec, I fondly remember my summers at camp. The camp was a magical place of connection, spirituality, and fun. When hundreds convened on Friday night, all in white, to welcome Shabbat, it was transformative. Camp was where I formed friendships with fellow Jewish peers, and in between crafting wax candles and paddling canoes, I learned birkat hamazon, sang Hatikvah daily, and anchored my Jewish identity and deep connection to Israel.
Our own children spent many formative years at Camp BB Riback, where they had their own camp journeys and could contribute to leading that of the campers in their midst. Camp BB is another point of connection for Jewish Alberta youth, serving the youth in both Calgary and Edmonton (and beyond!). We wish all the campers and staff a glorious summer and were pleased to provide bursaries to Edmonton campers through the United Jewish Appeal (UJA) campaign and support for Israeli staff.
These formative Jewish experiences that foster a connection to Israel continue in the many programs and events of the Jewish Federation. Participation in a Jewish summer camp shapes individuals in profound ways, influencing their values and engagement within the community.
Studies show:
- 7 out of 10 young Jewish leaders were once campers.
- Former campers are 55% more likely to feel emotionally connected to Israel as adults.
- 21% are more likely to consider being Jewish an important part of their identity.
In a microcosm of my week, I have seen examples of Jewish leadership from attending the Israel Embassy ‘shuktech’ event at Calgary Stampede, along with community relations committee co-chair Adam Zepp and Hillel Director Nathan Campbell. Both Adam and Nathan attended Camp BB and have continued their leadership journeys in our community.
Another Camp BB experience affected former counsellor Jay Cairns, who is contracted as coordinator for our Israel Pavilion again this year. As the Heritage Festival approaches, we will host the Israel Pavilion, ensuring a strong and vibrant presentation of Israeli culture, food, and history. Not only do we have youth and teens dancing with the Aviv Israeli Folk Dance Association, but many of you have also already signed up to take volunteer shifts to ensure the success of this event, the largest public facing exhibition of Israel in Western Canada. You can read about our strength and pride in this article thanks to the Edmonton Journal.
Today I met with Hillel's leadership and a community volunteer to plan an exciting speaker event on campus (stay tuned!) for this fall. Their resilience and commitment to education and solidarity gives me hope for the future as we carry on fostering and developing these leaders. Ultimately, our community’s connection to Israel stems from our identity as Am Yisrael, and we take the lead in mobilizing resources both domestically and internationally.
As the CEO chair of the Israel emergency forum (oversight to the monies raised for Israel post October 7 by the coast to coast communities of Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Hamilton, Windsor, Atlantic Canada and Vancouver), it was an honour to approve allocations to support the most recent needs because of the Iranian missile attacks on Israel.
Please see the message below shared by Sarah Mali, director general of Jewish Federations of Canada - United Israel Appeal in Israel, who visited these cities on our behalf, and outlines these allocations.
What we witnessed during our site visits on the ground was both sobering and inspiring: destruction and trauma alongside courage, resilience, and a fierce determination to rebuild. In Bat Yam, a coastal municipality with over 160,000 residents, the devastation was staggering. A direct missile strike collapsed entire sides of apartment buildings; it threw cars to the other side of the street, and we watched residents return to salvage what few belongings remained. This city is home to some of Israel’s most vulnerable populations—including Russian-speaking immigrants, single mothers, people with disabilities and Holocaust survivors. Its social periphery status makes moments like these even more devastating, as many lack safety nets to recover quickly.
As of today, one percent of Bat Yam’s residents is still without homes and living in temporary accommodations. Despite this, Mayor Tzvika Brot and his outstanding professional municipal team radiated strength and hope. They spoke of their community’s resilience and their determination not just to rebuild, but to emerge stronger, more connected, and better prepared for future challenges.
You can see scenes from our visit to Bat Yam.
In Be’er Sheva, the missile attacks took a heavy toll on several neighbourhoods and left lasting psychological trauma. A central part of our visit was to Soroka Medical Centre—the only hospital in Israel’s south and a critical lifeline for over one million people in the Negev region. From routine medical care to crisis response during emergencies and conflicts, Soroka’s role is irreplaceable.
We met with the hospital’s leadership and staff, saw the damage firsthand, and met with municipal leaders navigating the psychological fallout from the direct hit of a missile that killed three residents and injured many more in the heart of the city.
Watch our visit to Soroka and see how the people of Be'er Sheva are resilient in the face of adversity.
Thanks to the strength of your support through our emergency campaign, we responded immediately. Based upon the advice of Federation representatives in Israel, who had gleaned the most important needs from the field in consultation with community leaders and professional teams, Coast-to-Coast/Emergency Forum approved an urgent allocation of $400,000 CAD to help these communities recover:
Bat Yam
- $200,000 CAD to expand psychological services for children, parents, and older adults—with a focus on early childhood prevention, mental health support tailored to marginalized communities, and rights advocacy services.
Be’er Sheva
- $200,000 CAD for HealthyMind, a vital emergency mental health platform that has delivered tens of thousands of psychiatric sessions across Israel, allowing access to mental health treatment for those who need it most. This proven, scalable model—originally supported by Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver Federations—is now being reinforced to meet Be’er Sheva’s growing post-attack mental health needs.
This is the strength of our Federation system and Canadian Jewish philanthropy: when one part of our family is hurting, we show up—immediately, meaningfully, and together.
We look forward to returning to these communities later this year—when the physical damage is repaired, but the deeper, personal rebuilding continues—to stand with them and help them restore their strength.
Shabbat Shalon and Am Yisrael Chai,
Stacey