Clyde Hurtig and Karen Farkas credit their decades of volunteer service in the Jewish community to the many mentors who inspired them with their leadership and generosity. As recipients of this year’s Dianne and Irving Kipnes United Jewish Appeal (UJA)/Kavod Award, they humbly share the honour with all those who have shaped their journey. 

“We have some amazing people in the community. People do so much. I feel humbled to accept this award because I know there are many who work as hard or harder than we do—volunteering in synagogues, for Federation, and throughout the community,” says Clyde. 

Established by Jewish Federation of Edmonton in 2019, the Kavod Award recognizes donors for their exceptional generosity and commitment to the Edmonton Jewish community. Clyde and Karen will be presented with the award at the UJA Launch on Thursday, September 11. Their support of the community through the UJA campaign spans over 30 years, and their endowment with the Edmonton Jewish Charitable Community Foundation continues to benefit numerous local Jewish organizations. 

Join us in celebrating Clyde and Karen’s remarkable legacy at the UJA Launch. Purchase your tickets today and be part of this inspiring evening. 

Clyde grew up in Winnipeg in a strong Jewish environment. Though not an active volunteer at the time, he was involved with the YMHA, attended synagogue, and had a close-knit circle of Jewish friends. Moving to Edmonton was a cultural shift. “I went to a few Jewish community events, but there wasn’t much happening. I made some Jewish friends, and when I got married, Karen’s deep commitment to volunteering inspired me to get more involved,” he says. 

Karen was raised in Beaver, Pennsylvania, where the Jewish population was small. Her parents were active both within and beyond the Jewish community, and she followed their example early on—volunteering with BBYO, Girl Scouts, hospitals, and a school for the blind. “I learned from a very young age that it was important to volunteer,” she says. 

A formative moment came when she learned that her Sunday school teacher had been asked to leave a subdivision because they were Jewish. “That was an eye-opener. I realized that being Jewish could make people dislike you,” Karen recalls. 

After moving to Edmonton, Karen continued her volunteer work, and worked on a hotline for Edmonton Working Women, supporting those facing workplace discrimination. She also co-authored the booklet Women, Know Your Rights, which was widely distributed, particularly within the immigrant community. Her involvement in the Jewish community deepened after her mother gifted her a Canadian Hadassah-WIZO life membership. “There were so many role models for volunteering in Edmonton’s Jewish community—it was mind-boggling. I had never lived somewhere with that kind of exposure,” she says. 

Over the years, both Karen and Clyde have taken on many roles. Clyde served as president of Jewish Federation of Edmonton for six years. Karen has served as council president for Edmonton Hadassah-WIZO, volunteered at fundraising casinos, served as treasurer for Beth Israel Synagogue, been active with Hadassah, and contributed to the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival and the Jewish Archives and Historical Society of Edmonton and Northern Alberta. Together, they’ve enjoyed volunteering at the Israel Pavilion at Heritage Festival. As snowbirds for the past 11 years, they also became active in a small conservative shul in Scottsdale, Arizona, before it shut down due to low attendance. 

Clyde emphasizes the importance of supporting the community through the UJA campaign: “If you don’t support your community, you won’t have a community. That’s the bottom line. There would be no Federation without the UJA, and no active Jewish community without the campaign.”