VOLUME 3, #2 FEBRUARY 2016 In Our Community FROM CHAIR STEVEN SHAFIR dmonton’s Local Partner Cabinet The LPC, in con- E(LPC) of the Centre for Israel and junction with Jewish Jewish Affairs is the Advocacy Committee communities across of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton. the country, has The committee has not met frequently been bringing the over the past year, but has taken on issue of genetic dis- some very important tasks on behalf of crimination to the the Jewish community. The LPC was governments of each very busy this year in welcoming both of the provinces as the new Federal and Provincial govern- well as the Federal ments. We met, on behalf of both CIJA Government. It is and the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, our hope that we can Community Relations Chair Steve Shafir with politicians. with various government representatives move forward togeth- and introduced them to the community. er with Alberta’s government to intro- tion forward. We helped co-ordinate a wine and cheese duce legislation prohibiting insurance In addition to everything set out above, with the new Provincial Government in companies from discriminating against the LPC has been active in responding to co-ordination with the Calgary Jewish individuals on the basis of their genetics. anti-Israel sentiment in local media. We Federation, CIJA National and CJPAC. It To this extent, the committee has met have been very lucky over the past year was well attended by both government with members of various ministries and in that there has been very little activity and opposition MLAs. opposition members to shepherd legisla- in this regard. Federation President Health Minister Sarah Hoffman. Minister of Culture Ricardo Miranda, NDP Staffers and Ellery Lew. Federation CEO Debby Shoctor. Message from the March of the Living Hillel Update UJA Closing What’s President Page 4 Page 5 Page 7 inside: Page 2 2 HaKol FEBRUARY 2016 Message from the President he AGM was held on consideration, discussion and negotiation, HaKol Volume 3, #2 TDecember 2, 2015. It formulate preferred outcomes and engage was historic because the Talmud Torah in discussions on those HAKOL is a free publication of Federation and related points. The hope and expectation is to The Jewish Federation of Edmonton, organizations passed resolutions author- arrive at tentative agreement on these published three times per year and izing the amalgamation of two related bigger issues to bring back to the respect- mailed to community households. entities bringing the total number of legal ive boards of both organizations for dis- Address corrections requested. entities within the Federation umbrella cussion and hopefully approval. MAILING ADDRESS from five down to three. The Edmonton If approved, then the process will move #200, 10220-156 Street, Jewish Youth Centre, which historically to the next phase of engaging in more Edmonton, AB T5P-2R1. acted as the programming arm of the old detailed design with a view to coming to JCC, and the Edmonton Jewish Commun- a final design to submit to both organ- www.jewishedmonton.org ity Charitable Foundation and Endow- izations and, if approved by them, to the EM AIL CONTA C T ment Fund, which was no longer serving community as a whole for consideration. [email protected] any substantive function, were authorized A more robust committee will engage in EXE C UTIVE PUBLISHER to be amalgamated with the Jewish Fed- that process for Federation composed of Ellery Lew eration of Edmonton. By passing these volunteers with relevant skills and experi- resolutions, the financial administration ence. The process will involve complex PUBLISHER Debby Shoctor of the Federation will be simplified sav- issues and will take time, but progress ing accounting and book keeping costs, has been made and will continue. The Editor-in-Chief time and effort. Nothing will be lost in Federation committee is expected to meet Tal Toubiana the process. Federation will still retain shortly to begin its work. EDITOR its charitable status and number and its The strategic planning initiative is borne Elianna Lisan access to a casino. This was a project Steve out of a need to sharpen the Federation’s PRINTING AND DESIGN Shafir has been working on over many focus as to what falls within its core man- PageMaster Publication Services Inc. years, in an effort to streamline the bylaws date and what does not. We are regularly and legal functioning of the organization. engaged by stakeholders within our com- FEDERATION BOARD ME M BERS : Congratulations and thank you to Steve munity and outside of it to get involved Ellery Lew, Debby Shoctor, Stephanie for his efforts in seeing this to fruition. in new initiatives and deal with new chal- Hendin, Sarah Dolgoy, Steve Shafir, Stacey Leavitt-Wright, Cheryl Goldstein, Formalization of this should take place by lenges. Without a clearly defined mandate Clive Oshry, Rotem Lavy, Mor Barzel, about April of this year. as to what Federation’s goals are, analysis Gary Goldsand, Sharon Marcus, Suzanne For the coming year we will be under- of these initiatives is largely ad hoc. This Davis, Eytan Wine, Adam Zepp, Rachel taking two substantial tasks: 1) entering is not ideal for the staff and volunteers Miller, Shane Asbell, Chloe Soibelman, into negotiations with the Talmud Torah and is not ideal for our stakeholders and David Eisenstat, Marni Baram-Kondor, Society with a view to coming to an donors. This process will also require Ben Ragosin, Erin Isman, Lisa Miller, agreement on the terms of locating a new time, thought and effort. The goal is to Ivan Steiner, Angela Zwaigenbaum, Matt JCC building on the Talmud Torah lands, create more certainty for all concerned Singer, Alan Richter, Faren Hochman. and 2) engaging in a strategic planning and to simplify decision-making when We have attempted to be as correct initiative. In addition, we will continue faced with new challenges and initiatives. and current as possible in our content, to plan and organize the events which I am looking forward to working on this however please excuse any errors or our community has come to expect from initiative with Matt Singer chair of the unintended omissions. Federation. Strategic Planning Committee. No information contained herein may A committee has been struck for the We have our work cut out for us this be copied or re-distributed, in whole or purpose of engaging in discussions and year, as I know it will be a challenging one in part, without the prior written ap- negotiations with TT. That committee at in many ways, but I am looking forward to proval of the Publisher. this point includes Clive Oshry as chair, meeting those challenges. © Copyright Edmonton, AB, 2015 Howard Anson and me. I expect we will add one or two more to this committee Ellery Lew If you would like to receive your HaKol to round it out. The committee’s mandate President electronically, please send an email to will be to identify the issues that require [email protected]. FOR CURRENT EVENTS AND NEWS , CHECK OUT THE JFED E-WE E K LY AT WWW .J EWISHEDMONTON .ORG FEBRUARY 2016 HaKol 3 Save the date: Integrated Edmonton Jewish Film Festival Bursary BY ORNA RICHTER Program Anonymity Dignity Equity he Integrated Bursary Program of TJewish Federation of Edmonton has been modeled after a pilot project of the Calgary Jewish Federation based on the principals of equity, anonymity, and dig- nity. This “one-stop shopping” program minimizes embarrassment and humilia- tion for applicants to programs funded by JFE, as they only have to tell their story once. Every application is measured by the same standards, making the process as fair as possible, and confidential. It is clear that IBP maximizes the opportunity for the most vulnerable in ow entering its 14th year, the Edmon- Albertan Jewish Filmakers and/or films our community to fully participate in Nton Jewish Film Festival (EJFF) is that deal with Jewish content, or as Jewish life. By improving access to bur- gearing up for its annual event. EJFF will a scholarship for amateur Jewish film- sary funding through a trusted and effi- hit screens at the Landmark City Centre makers to take classes and workshops cient process, more families and children Cinemas in downtown Edmonton from in film studies, cinematography, and who might otherwise not be able to par- May 15th through18th and May 22nd the like. Specific criteria and application ticipate in Jewish life are able to do so, through 24th, with a slate of 10 films information will come out shortly in the and do so proudly. from around the world covering in a var- JFED. iety of genres. The EJFF relies on the support of our History EJFF Chair, Sam Koplowicz, along sponsors! With their generous support, IBP emerged from the Poverty Project with his dedicated committee members along with that of the advertiser’s support of Calgary Jewish Community Council are working very hard to rate and review they make the magic happen. In exchange (now Calgary Jewish Federation,) which films. Check out the blog by Esther Viragh for your generous support and promo- identified difficulties in accessing subsidy http://ejff2016.tumblr.com for a sneak peak tional consideration, the EJFF provides as a barrier to participation in Jewish at some of the films that are currently perks such as: invitation-only reception life. IBP was created to make the process being reviewed. Don’t worry-no spoilers. for sponsors on opening night, all-access of applying for a bursary more digni- The final line-up will be determined by festival passes, distinctive EJFF swag, fied, anonymous, effective, and fair. The our committee of crack film reviewers at and charitable tax receipts for a portion Jewish Federation of Edmonton has the end of this month.