September 30, 2022 | 5 Tishri 5783

On September 20, Calgary’s LIFE & LEGACY® partners were thrilled to celebrate in person for the first time since the program began in 2018. Donors and partner agency team members gathered to hear from our community organizations about why legacy giving is so crucial to the future of our Jewish Calgary. During the evening, a beautiful video was shared highlighting donors and the reasons ‘why’ they have chosen to remember our community in their legacy plans. Click here to view the video. To view photos from the evening, click here. To date, an estimated $17.5M has been raised to ensure our Jewish future. If you haven’t yet signed a letter of intent, contact Diana Kalef for more information.

On September 23, Alberta became the fifth province to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism through a press conference with Premier Jason Kenney and Justice Minister Tyler Shandro. We thank the provincial government for their support of this major milestone. We are also extremely grateful to our partners and champions of this move, including those at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), and The Jewish Federation of Edmonton. Click here for a full recording of the press conference. To personally thank the provincial government, click here.

Today, September 30, in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Paperny Family JCC welcomed Kylee Dawn, founder of Inner Journeys and member of the Métis community. Kylee shared stories and music of the Cree and Blackfoot tribes while educating over 40 adults and children about the importance of prayer and ceremonial earth medicines, the four elements and their connection to the people, as well as the history behind Orange Shirt Day. Thank you, Kylee, for sharing your culture, beliefs, and stories with us as we continue to learn and grow in Mohkinstsis (Calgary).

On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we commemorate the tragic history and ongoing legacy left by the Canadian residential school system, which operated between 1870 and 1997. Jewish Calgary stands in empathy and solidarity with the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children and communities impacted by these schools, honouring the children who survived and mourning those who perished. As we sit down at our Shabbat tables this evening, we hope you will consider exploring and discussing elements of Truth and Reconciliation. We are pleased to provide this Kitchen Table Dialogue Guide to assist your conversations, as well as additional links provided by our national advocacy and security partner, CIJA.