FROM THE DESK OF STACEY LEAVITTWRIGHT CEO

Let’s go back in time to January 2021. Our United Jewish Appeal (UJA) campaign has been shrinking. Gatherings are virtual. Our Federation is making hard decisions to ensure that agencies will continue to receive funds as allocated. Energy and interest are low to do any activities, but we strive that we as a community will weather through COVID. While Edmonton is not my place of birth, it is my home. One thing that I love about our community is our resilience and our dedication to ensuring a strong Jewish base, both today and for future generations.

By the end of 2021, we had surveyed the community and put a strategic plan in place. Our leadership wanted to know—what is most significant now, and how we should best concentrate our efforts as we emerge from the pandemic and in the initial phases.

Our role, as defined by our mission, is to mobilize and develop resources and strengthen relationships in order to provide leadership at home, in Israel, and around the world. After one year of implementing the strategic plan, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you what we have accomplished to date and where we are moving forward.

In no order, let me highlight a few areas.

We were told loud and clear that our communications and branding needed improvement. With an accredited public relations professional in place, we have been able to tell community stories via social media, on video, and in print. Creating a voice and increasing our followers and engagement across social media channels (Facebook,

Instagram, Twitter) has engaged new cohorts. The Jewish Federation is a trusted source and partner for local media. We modernized our logo and changed the name of our weekly e-newsletter to The Bridge in order to reflect on how we are the community connector.

With heightening concerns about antisemitism and the impact on the community, we focused our intentions on advocacy and education. While we will not eradicate antisemitism, we are here to ensure that our community voice is represented in the city and province. We make opportunities available to learn about Jewish culture and heritage. A proud moment was when I was asked to deliver words on behalf of the community when Alberta became the fifth Canadian province to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.

Most notably, we have strengthened and leveraged our Holocaust education program and used grants with the Shine a Light on Antisemitism mosaic to propel this forward.

The mosaic ensures that our community’s lived experience is considered when discussing antisemitism and its impact. This art piece has been on display in several key locations throughout Edmonton. The next step, with thanks to the City of Edmonton’s Community Safety and Well-Being grant, is to have it tour schools. Edmonton Public Schools is a committed partner in seeing this through and is celebrating Jewish Heritage Month this May.

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Recently, we met with Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, city councillors, and leadership to talk about antisemitism and its effects on the community. This was an eye opening and frank discussion. The city lit up multiple monuments for the We Remember campaign for International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It made a commitment that the High Level Bridge will be lit annually on January 27 for this occasion.

The strategic plan marked a goal of developing the capacity and knowledge of Judaism within our community. By supporting and organizing partnered educational events, we have brought in speakers such as Ben Freeman and Yaron Deckel. We also offered teen workshops on Israel advocacy and understanding antisemitism by partnering with Stand With Us.

Education goes on outside of our community as well. We have maintained relationships with junior high and high school teachers in Edmonton and northern Alberta and offered access to the Dianne and Irving Kipnes Holocaust Symposium virtually. This year the symposium will be back in-person. If principals, teachers, and parents have questions about antisemitism and the Holocaust, they know the Federation is a trusted resource.

Israel engagement and advocacy remains one of our pillars as we continue to host a pavilion at the Heritage Festival. The pavilion not only highlights Jewish culture and religion but also traces the history of our roots in the diaspora. The Federation continues as an active partner in support of the Coast to Coast partnership (P2G) in our partner region in the Galilee Panhandle. We support capacity building initiatives, connect people between our communities and we earmark our Edmonton Jewish Film Festival proceeds for partner region projects.

Our door is always open as we welcomed guests and officials from national Jewish organizations and both the consul general of Israel and the Canadian ambassador to Israel. The Federation also reaches out to have a presence at national tables and in our coast-to-coast partnership in Israel.

There has been a steady growth of the UJA campaign. In addition, supplementary sources of funding such as Shaw Birdies for Kids, which is a matching grant program, help enhance our bursaries. We are continually applying for and securing more grants to better leverage your donations. Not only does the Federation raise money for local needs, but there was also an establishment of successful additional campaigns for people of Ukraine and now Turkey.

Another strategic priority is leadership development. We have hired a staff member to focus on this. There is a plan to roll out a community approach program this fall that serves volunteers/boards of all registered organizations. This same staff is focusing on developing the leadership of our young Jewish adults through our new Genesis program.

By the end of the strategic plan, a facility proposal should be in place. The board has formed a committee to address our facility and space needs. The committee is meeting for the first time this month.

A strategic plan is vital for an organization, but the plan’s concepts can’t come to fruition without people. I am most proud of the dedicated staff team who are working hand in hand with passionate and committed volunteers as we set building blocks in place.

To read the strategic plan, visit jewishedmonton.org.

Editor: Tammy Vineberg