We hope you can join us for what promises to be a very dynamic weekend!
Category: General
Did you know?
Jewish Federation has hired a new Okanagan Community Connector! Abbey Westbury has recently accepted this role, helping to coordinate and bolster Jewish programming across the region.
She’s seeking your (yes, you!) input into cultural and social Jewish programming in our region.
Please take a moment to answer a few questions so that we can tailor Jewish community activities to your needs and interests.
You do not need to be an OJC member to answer this survey!
We are hoping to improve supplementary, secular programming for all of the Okanagan’s Jews.
Thank you for taking part!
On Saturday evening, October 21, OJC hosted a poetry reading with Fern Carr. It was a delight listening to Fern’s own works, many of which come from her book, “Shards of Crystal.” Signed copies of the book were available for purchase by those in attendance. Thanks go out to Fern for her very meaningful rendition of her creations and how surprised we were to hear many on a Jewish theme, and two poems written in Yiddish!
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OJC was pleased to host our 3rd Monthly Shabbaton weekend for our congregation. This week-end we enjoyed having out again to Kelowna, Rabbi Schachar Orenstein from Montreal. It was a lovely and well-attended Friday night dinner and service, similarly matched by the Saturday morning service. Thanks go out to all who assisted in making it possible, including Ted Wenner and Zoe Wise for hosting Rabbi in their home.
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War has a tragic and devastating toll on life and society. In Israel this week, the atrocities of the coordinated attacks by Hamas are profoundly distressing. Civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence, their families and communities torn apart. The immediate human cost of war: the loss of innocent lives, displacement, and psychological trauma, will have a rippling and long-lasting effect.
Here in the relative safety of Canada, we can have a discourse about peaceful resolution and urgent dialogue, but families here have been directly affected by this war. At this moment, the ability to provide emotional and physical relief is paramount.
Israel has a rich and multifaceted story of resilience and determination, and Jewish resistance there has deep historical roots. Diverse perspectives and narratives, and the unwavering commitment of the Jewish people to our identity and the preservation of our culture, means that we can and should come together to provide one another with support and solidarity.
The OJC condemns violence in all of its forms. We mourn all of the victims of this horrific war. Our friends at the Okanagan Chabad House have made themselves available to anyone needing spiritual or emotional assistance at this time. The Jewish Federation has opened an Israel Emergency Campaign to aid those affected by the devastation. They have also curated resources to help young families explain this difficult topic to their children.
Throughout this nightmarish time, let’s take solace in the knowledge that we as a collective Jewish community are–always and ever–strongest together.
After a brief tribute to Israel, its victims, its wounded and its hostage-taking crisis during the terrible terrorist attack of Shabbat, October 7th, our member, Maya Pilin, introduced our speaker Dr. Barbara Kishenblatt-Gimblett. Dr. Barbara was the curator of the main exhibit of the newly created POLIN museum in Warsaw which tells the 1000 year history of Polish Jewry on the Pale of settlements, from which the majority of Ashkenazic Jewry originate from. The presentation was excellent, combining a very intriguing visual presentation with excellent discussion about the history and the content by Dr. Barbara, the curator of this phenomenal museum. Thanks go out to Dr. Barbara and to Maya Pilin for presenting this event for us.
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What a great program and what super attendance. It was a pleasure to meet and greet everyone present, especially those who were new to OJC programs. Special thanks to Jody Gruber for arranging the program, so special with the sukkah decoration, the explanations, the shaking of the lulav and etrog, and the pizza and treats. Thanks to Joan Ironstand for growing 15 baby etrog plants which were given out to the children and parents. Joan, we have more seeds for you to plant this year!
High Holiday services for 5784 were very well attended and enjoyed by all. The community came together with good spirit and participation as one ushered in the New Year. Special thanks to Evan Orloff for his superb leadership of all the services. The attached photo shows the participation at the Tashlich service at Mill Creek by the Parkinson Rec Centre, where one was able to again throw in our sins from the previous year and hope for a very happy and healthy upcoming New Year!
What a perfect day for OJC’s Annual Round-the-Lake cycle at Woods lake. Perfect weather, not too hot, no smoke, no wind. Who could ask for anything more? The event wraps up the Summer Social programming as we try to give our members different types of programming to satisfy everyone’s needs. Hope to see you out again next year for this annual event.
Our Shabbaton week-end with Rabbi/Cantor Russ was wonderful. It was great to have him back at OJC, and we know that his feelings were exactly the same on being back with us. Friday Shabbat dinner and evening service was very well attended. As expected, there were less in attendance for Saturday morning. His cantorial and now rabbinic skills were very much enjoyed and appreciated. The Saturday evening social event with regards to his career and training as a Hazan was a delight with numerous operatic arias which were somewhat unexpected but thoroughly enjoyed. Wow! What an eventful week-end for those who attended.