March 18, 2022 | 15 Adar ll 5782

While Russian aggression in Ukraine continues unabated, a major humanitarian crisis is unfolding. Jewish Federations including Calgary Jewish Federation, our partners, the Israeli government, philanthropic foundations, and other organizations are working around the clock to deliver critical assistance, including helping the tens of thousands of Jews attempting to leave the country.

Please see this latest update on our collective efforts to help the Jewish community of Ukraine. It includes breaking news, including the fact that Israel is about to open a field hospital in western Ukraine.

Since the crisis began three weeks ago, Jewish Federations have collectively raised more than $27 million for Ukrainian Relief efforts. If you would like to assist financially in mobilizing services on the ground and supporting our Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and The American Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) partners, please donate online now.

Here to Tell: Faces of Holocaust Survivors books have arrived and pre-sale is on now! Each book is $65 (includes GST) and comprises living and deceased survivor portraits with a Calgary connection. Each photograph is accompanied by a brief personal account of the survivor's Holocaust experience and life after the war. For more information about this Calgary Jewish Federation initiative and to purchase, please visit the Here to Tell website.

The Calgary Jewish Federation is committed to the ideal that no member of the Jewish community be denied a Jewish educational, social, or cultural experience. Those families that do not have the financial resources to pay full fees can apply to our Integrated Bursary Program. All the schools, programs, and services covered by bursaries are on one application form, meaning the process is done one time for the entire year for all family members. The deadline to apply for the 2022/2023 program is April 8, 2022. To learn more, visit our website. If you have specific questions, please contact us.

Thanks to our Calgary donors, along with our Canadian Coast-to-Coast partners, significant funds have been raised to support the Youth Mental Health Clinic in Kiryat Shmona, which is a branch of the Ziv Medical Centre in Tzfat. During the pandemic, the clinic saw a 50% increase in cases, many of which were in patients from 12 to 15 years old. The clinic is in desperate need of repair including refurbishing and equipping the existing facility. Given the increase in suicidal behaviours, it also needs funding to train professional staff to provide guidance for parents, as well as a dietician to deal with an unprecedented increase in eating disorders in the region.