Unfair condemnation
Editor:
In "Growth brings new challenge" (June 13), Mark Winston states that no activities sponsored by Vancouver's Jewish organizations have ever found their way into his community. "They've never had a speaker, no meetings, no programs, absolutely nothing in our area," he is quoted as saying. Tlie remarks made by Mr. Winston, who is president of the Burquest Jevwsh Commimi-ty Association, need to be clarified.
In January, 1997, representatives of the Jewish Family Service Agency (JFSA) met with members of the Burquest Jewish community to discuss ways in which JFSA might respond to the commimitys needs. Following that meeting, on two separate occasions, Marilee Sigal, who is head of JFSA counselling services, met with individuals and subsequently delivered a two-part family life program called "Raising a Child Jewish." Plans are in the works for other programs in the coming year.
In February, 1997, one of otir w^orkers from the seniors department met with a group of Burquest seniors to discuss services and resources that were available to them. Since then she has followed up in an effort to further assist them.
In the last 12 months, JFSA has provided services to 187 clients (325 family members) who live in the Burquest area, most of whom receive more than one service from JFSA. Of those, 143 have received financial support services, 25 have received counselling services, 149 have received help from our resettlement and vocational department and 13 have received services from our seniors department.
Despite reduced resoiux«s and increasing demands, JFSA remains committed to meeting the requirements of the Jewish community throughout the Lower Mainland, including not only Burquest, but also White Rock, North Shore and other places far from the comer of 41st Avenue and Oak Street. JFSA has even brought programs to Vancouver Island.
Mr. Winston's blanket condemnation is incorrect and unfair.
Barry Corrin
Executive director
Jewish Family Service Agency
Absence is noted
Editor:
My comments in "Growth brings new challenge" (June 13) referred to Federation, and certainly not to the Jewish Family Service Agency. A number of Vancouver organizations, including JFSA, Beth Israel synagogue, members of the Rabbinical Association of Vancouver, and others have provided some excellent programs and advice to our community, which makes Federation's absence in outlying commimities even more difficult to understand.
Mark Winston Bumaby
Support for Congress
Editor:
Whatever the outcome (of the Doug Collins human rights tri-bimal), the CJC deserves admiration and support. They had little option but to remain steadfast in their persuasion that the Holocaust, one of the darkest periods in human history, is not to be debated, is not to be diminished, and above all, is not to be blatantly misrepresented.
Rhona Karbusicliy North Vancouver
No —thanlcyof/!
Editor:
I am writing this letter in response to a letter that was published in the July 4 edition of the Bulletin ("Thanks to all"). In the letter. Ken Kaufinan, the former executive director of Hillcl House at UBC, thanked the community for turning out in such great numbers at the Lag B'Omer event that he helped to co-ordinate on Sunday, May 23.
Now I think it is time for the Vancouver Jewish community to thank Ken and his wife Devorah for all of the wonderful work that they have done on behalf of this community since their arrival in Vancouver two years ago.
The Lag B'Omer event was only one example of how Ken and Devorah Kaufman expressed their unconditional love for all Jews in this community, regardless of their religious affiliation. Kenny and Devorah Kaufman have opened up their home time and time again not just to students, but to the entire Vancouver Jewish community for Shabbat Dinners, holidays and wonderful post-Shabbat gatherings.
But unfortunately, despite the wonderful work that Ken has done in the community and despite helping a lot of university students connect with their heritage and Jewish roots, by providing some fine programming and creating an open and welcoming environment at Hillel House, to the dismay of many community members, Hillel has chosen not to renew his contract as executive director.
So, on behalf of those of us who were lucky enough to have had the opportunity to spend time with Ken and Devorah either at Hillel or at their home and whose lives have been touched by the Kaufmans, we would like to express our gratitude for the light that they brought not only to Hillel but to the entire Vancouver Jewish com-mimity. Thank you Ken and Devorah.
David Litvak Vancouver
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Tlianlcsonce again
Editor:
Thank you for the high-profile coverage you gave Vancouver B'-nai Brith Hillel's 50th anniversary gala celebration, as well as the assistance you provided in promoting the event. Thank you, {Bulletin publisher) Rick Wolk, for your advice and support during the matching donation endowment fund campaign we are still conducting to help guarantee continued quality services for the college campus community.
Thanks also to the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver for its ongoing support of Jewish campus life through its substantial allocations to Hillel. Thanks immeasurably to its executive director, Drew Staffenberg, for his constant caring friendship, guidance and support.
I would like to supplement your coverage with a few important points which got lost in the festivities.
During my two years here as Hillel rabbi and executive director, I have seen student involvement in Jewish life at Greater Vancouver college campuses skyrocket to levels unprecedented in Vancouver HiUel's 50-year history.
We experienced a huge increase in the number of student participants and the degree of student leadership at the University of British Columbia. Building on an existing adjunct program of selected activities at Simon Fraser University, we provided, for the first time, a full set of programs and services, and developed a serious, independent Jewish student organization, with its own leadership, at that campus. We also reached more students than ever at the community colleges. We expanded the variety of activities and locations, serving a greater variety of students.
Whereas Hillel certainly owes much gratitude to the many people who received and who doled out the accolades at the gala, the event and the publicity preceding it overlooked those who consistently put their entire heart and soul into ensuring that we are indeed serving the students for whom we exist — namely, the program staff.
The program staff I have known at Hillel over the past two years, Rene Ragetli, Karyn Merry, Michelle Gumprich and Tobi Sniderman, have all donated tire-
less efforts and countless unpaid overtime hours, far beyond any reasonable expectations commensurate with their salaries.
Our Vancouver B'nai Brith Hillel board of directors has elected to proceed at this time without securing the return of any of its current staff. This presents a tremendous challenge to the maintenance of continuity of services and connections to the student population. I wish them the greatest success at meeting this challenge. I remind them to always consider the students first, even above the organization itself I invite all who care about our Jewish community, and Hillel's role in it, to vigilantly assist in ensuring the continued thriving of Jewish life on campus in the Greater Vancouver area.
Rabbi Ken Kaufman Executive director Vancouver B'nai Brith Hillcl Foundation