At the end of Deuteronomy, Moses doesn't get to the promised land. We don't get a perfect ending but with the start of the Torah, we get a fresh start, another opportunity to create the world we want to see. This perspective is from Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of Central Synagogue during a podcast with Jonah Platt.

I hope that the hostages who have returned to their families will somehow get a fresh start and the families who finally can bury those murdered by Hamas will find resolution. It’s been an emotional week as we watched family reunions in Israel and waiting to see how long it will take for the remaining deceased hostages will have a proper burial.

All this made me pause and ask this question: what Jewish world to do we want to see in Edmonton?

Through our United Jewish Appeal (UJA) campaign, we are focusing on strengthening our community through the following:

As one, we extend a helping hand: Your gift funds bursaries so that families can send their children to Jewish day school and summer camp—experiences that are core to the development of their Jewish identity and are two of the strongest predictors of future community engagement.

As one, we counter antisemitism: We continue to partner with local authorities and organizations to ensure our synagogues, schools, and community centres remain safe spaces for all. We also must build bridges with our neighbours by hosting community events and creating spaces for respectful dialogue.

As one, we stand with Israel: We hold commemorative events such as the recent October 7 anniversary so we can be together as a community to share these experiences. It was so refreshing to see Simchat Torah celebrations in Kiryat Shmona, a community in our partnership region, who has recently returned after having been evacuated on October 7. For over 30 years, residents of our partnership region of the Upper Galilee have been an extension of our local community and our extended family. We are making strategic investments to strengthen the region, looking ahead to the next 10, 20, even 50 years and beyond.

As one, we enhance Jewish life: Hillel Edmonton is one example where post-secondary students can gather and share the same values. Hillel will be hosting a potluck Shabbat dinner on October 24 for all students. JCC Maccabi is seeking interest in next year’s games in Toronto, and you can reach out to Chloe for more information at jccmaccabi@edjfed.org. Our Federation also supports the annual community Challah Bake that is happening on Tuesday, November 4 this year. Through UJA, we build community connections.

On Tuesday, you have another opportunity to connect with our community. Thanks to anonymous donors and the support of UJA, Jonny Daniels is bringing a special Torah that was rescued and hidden from the Holocaust so Holocaust survivors and descendants of Holocaust survivors can take a turn to script a letter in the Torah. Jonny is the founder of the Survivor Torah Project. In 1939, the rabbi of the Filipów, Poland hid a Torah scroll with his non-Jewish neighbours before being deported to Treblinka. For 70 years, the partially destroyed scroll remained hidden until Jonny and his foundation, From the Depths, rescued the scroll. Jonny and his team are now restoring the Torah ensuring that it is being rewritten, letter by letter, by Holocaust survivors around the world. Once completed, it will find a new home in the synagogue of the President of Israel’s residence. You are welcome to bear witness of the scripting at Talmud Torah starting at 1:30 p.m.

Jonny is also a prominent speaker on Israel and international Jewish affairs. His talk at Beth Israel Synagogue at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday is very timely and he will provide his perspective on the latest news of Israel and Hamas peace talks. You can register now.

Speaking of timely events, I am very honoured to be speaking in front of the Senate of Canada’s Standing Committee on Human Rights Panel on Antisemitism on Monday in Ottawa on behalf of our community. You can watch the proceedings starting at 2 p.m. MST online. I will be one of three speakers at this time addressing antisemitism in Canada.

I know Sukkot is long past, but the period of Zman Simchatenu of Sukkot is where we are commanded to feel joy. Rabbi Buchdahl also had this message: “let's find a way to find the joy. It's the kind of joy that comes from being in community, remembering that there's beauty and wonder in the world and you get out there and experience it.”

Let’s experience this joy and look forward to strengthening our Jewish Edmonton together.

Shabbat shalom,

Stacey