Whether you consume news through social media, television, or print, many of you have no doubt seen the actions and statements Jewish Federation has issued in response to both Councillor Michael Janz and Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi. 

The statements speak for themselves. I want to thank many of you who have amplified, commented, shared, and contacted elected officials without prompting. This includes our donors, our community members, and our non-Jewish friends who are reaching out in support. 

I am so proud of the meaningful connections we have with our partners in Israel—long-standing relationships that help us better understand the struggles within Israeli society and the unique challenges we can address together through strategic philanthropy, education, and social services. 

I recall a visit five years ago to a new school in Metullah, now shuttered from shrapnel damage. I remember marveling at the infrastructure while looking out the back window into southern Lebanon. We were told about Hezbollah just metres away, about alarming sounds overnight of what sounded like digging underground, and about the discovery of a tunnel whose entry point was in a nearby neighbourhood. The impact of ongoing ballistic missiles and rocket attacks on the region has been devastating, rippling into areas we cannot begin to fully understand. 

This past week, Chloe was visiting Israel for a Jewish Agency for Israel conference and getting to know our incoming Shinshinim. In the year ahead, they will help us understand what living through this time has been like for them and their communities through informal conversation and formal programming. These remarkable young women will bring cultural programming to our youth and teens, and we hope you will help welcome them for a true gesher chai experience—a living bridge between our communities. 

This is what Jewish Federation does: connects us with Israel, provides ongoing support to local agencies and community needs, and represents us on the issues that matter most. 

I want to take a moment to give a shout-out to the Jewish Federation staff, each fulfilling a unique role in bringing forward programs and events that connect us to one another and to the future of our community. The breadth of work underway right now is remarkable. As the L’Chaim campaign continues, we look forward to welcoming families and friends to our PJ JCC Family Fest this Sunday—and there is still time to register if you have not yet done so—on the heels of a recent PJ Library connection event. 

At the same time, preparations are underway for a safe and joyful Heritage Festival, with our tent now being erected near the footbridge to Buena Vista and some exciting surprises planned for the culture pavilion. Behind the scenes, work continues to advance the Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Centre, support and collaborate with our beneficiary agencies, and explore strategic philanthropic opportunities that will strengthen our community for generations to come. We also continue to field regular inquiries from Jewish and non-Jewish community members alike as a hub of connection and information. Much of this work is unsung, but it continues every day through the dedication of a team that cares deeply about the future of Jewish Edmonton. 

Someone remarked to me today how this community comes together and rallies around issues that are fundamental to who we are and what matters most. There is an understanding that if “I” don’t do it, it won’t happen. To me, this is the special sauce of a Jewish Federation and a small community: we step up, we collaborate, we lead, and we support one another on the issues that matter. 

As Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks noted, “…once the Israelites crossed the Jordan, they would have to become a nation, not just a family. They would have to learn to function collectively. They were about to create a society. They would have to fight wars, defend themselves, institute systems of justice and welfare, and learn the necessity for as well as the limits of politics…The nation would be defined by the covenant their parents had made at Mount Sinai. It would be their constitution, their task, their destiny. They were about to become, not just individual, but a people.” 

We are descendants of that covenant, and it is a privilege to uphold it both personally and publicly. We are part of a people, and it is my honour to help ensure that, even as a small community that can sometimes feel far from others, we remember our place within Am Yisrael—and participate fully in its shared destiny. 

If you are in town this weekend you can check out Hawrelak Park and cheer on the Israeli team that is participating in the World Cup Triathlon. This event will influence the list of athletes heading to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.. The races on Saturday at 2 and 4 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. promise to be exciting to watch. Bring a flag and cheer them on! 

Shabbat Shalom,

Stacey