There are so many of you that I have not met yet. I am Jordana, the current board president for the Vancouver Section of the National Council of Jewish Women Canada. I am new to the role and new to the organization and I am so honored to be stepping into a position that gets to continue the work of the women who have been so dedicated to Social Justice. As we step into May and begin our Annual Friends and Angels campaign it’s a great time to reflect on where we have been and where we are headed. The current board really feels like a bridge - seeing the dedicated path that has been cleared behind us, and looking at the uncertainty that lies ahead. There is always work to do in the fight for Social Justice, but the landscape changes rapidly.  With the very generous support of all the members and donors, we have had so many opportunities to support many important organizations. This past year your donations have supported initiatives that are diverse and far-reaching.

In the Jewish Community, our section supported the

Jewish Family Services Food Security Programs 
Vancouver Hebrew Academy’s Lunch Program
JCC Book Festival and the 
Richmond Jewish Day School Life Skill Dolls for the Kindergarten Class. 

BOOKS 4 Kids purchased over and distribute over 70
brand new book.  Below are some of the recipients included:

Vancouver Coastal Health Healthiest Babies Possible program 
Elizabeth Fry Society
Immigrant Services of BC
Gwa’sala Nakwaxda’wx First Nations‘ Independent School
Robert and Lily Lee Community Health Centre

The Wellness Program continues to provide funding for enrichment programs as requested by teachers and other organizations that work with vulnerable preschool and school-age children. These included programs such as weekly food prep and hygiene kits, "Eggucation" , Sexual Health and Safety workshops, and other food security programs.

Other organizations that received support were the YWCA Crabtree Corner Childcare and Early Learning Center and meal kits to the residents of Atira Women’s Resource Society’s Maxime Wright House. A  new initiative this year was our section's participation in the Annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s Memorial March

We are at a crossroads - both as a section and in the world of advocacy and Social Justice work.  We look forward to continuing to support these programs and to explore other areas where our section can make an impact, including the area of truth and reconciliation as part of an enhanced indigenous awareness, sexual health, and reproductive rights and focusing on LGBTQIA+ rights and inclusivity. We must look to the younger generations and have conversations about what matters to them as they move into this work. We need to collaborate with organizations with shared values and expertise in these areas, and we need to turn to those with lived experience to guide our efforts. The theme of our next event is L’Dor V’Dor. We will host an International tea to honor the past, take pause in the present and move with purpose into our future.  It was previously advertised for Sunday, May 21st but we have since realized that this is the long weekend and too many folks are out of town. Please stay posted for the new date. 

Thank you for your past, present and future support of NCJW. Your generosity makes every difference and I hope you will consider to renew your  Friends and Angels gift, by  clicking on this link.

Thank you to those who have already made a gift.             

Jordana Corenblum
           In a world of more than seven billion people, each of us is a drop in the bucket. But with enough drops, we can fill any bucket’’ ~ David Suzuki