Our growing neighborhood
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11 rowing. New shul being built. Tremendous expansion. Over-I crowded buildings." Those were the notes I passed along to the artist for this week's centre-spread illustration. The accompanying story kicks off a series of features that detail the growth and movement of the Jewish community throughout the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
I have had the privilege of visiting many Jewish communities throughout North America. Un-fortimately, many of those are in decline; the Jewish populations are leaving what were once strong Jewish centres for greener pastures. However, there are not many places greener than British Columbia.
Certainly, Greater Vancouver is not without its problems — chief among them a high assimilation rate and low per capita donations to the Federation, which result in a strain on local agencies.
But, we have much to celebrate too: an expanding JCC, new synagogues being built, new Jewish day schools fiUing their
classrooms.
The story is in response to our many calls for coverage of the impressive work in the growing outlying areas. Over the next several months, we will bring you more examples.
There are many reasons for the shifting demographics, but most have to do with economics. The average price of a home in the city of Vancouver is in excess of a half million dollars. This drives families to more affordable housing — in Coquitlam, White Rock, and even Squamish.
But where does that drive us as a Jewish community? If we do not manage our growth, we will become large, scattered pockets of Jewish populations without a sense of Jewish community.
In the worst-case scenario, I envision five different annual campaigns. I see a community that gathers only rarely for memorial services and gala dinners.
Think how much better it
could be for community leaders to gather periodically just to communicate and plan how we can work together to share our precious resources. And imagine how exciting it would be if a local organization would sponsor one joyous festival, one celebration of our rich culture and heritage with the power to draw every Jewish person in B.C. A Jewish festival could entice families from hundreds of miles away to listen to Israeli music, sample Jewish crafts and foods, and learn about local organizations.
Through such celebrations, our Greater Vancouver Jewish community could acknowledge its outward growth and prosperity while stiU appreciating the wonderful old neighborhood feel of the past.
Andrew A. Buerger, (j Publisher ^
Quotes from media around the world and at home.
It's too early to speculate the motivation behind such a cowardly act."
- Joel Miller, executive director oft the Calgaiy Jewish Centre,
after a parcel bomb detonated at the Jewish National Fund offtce in Calgary.
Ohort Jewish guy against Darth Vader? I don't think so."
- Jerry Seinfeld's TV alter ego, on the erroneous impression that Dustin Hoffman appeared in the movie Star Wars.
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It's so nice that homosexuals, Jews jmd terrorists have a newspaper to read."
- Village Voice advertisement depicting a conversation between a pair of elderly women about the New Yoj'k weekly publication.
I\flany people feel that Israel is a cancer on the Middle East. I have 30 years of experience with cancer."
-Arab-American oncologist Philip Salem, speaking at an American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
dinner sponsored by AT&T.
I wouldn't sell it for twice what I paid for it."
-New York investor Andrew Benerofe, on buying a book autographed by David Ben-Gurion at Sotheby's auction of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' possessions.
The giow of promise
Smell the air, look outside. Everything is blooming with the scent of spring and the glow of promise. So too is our Jewish community. The Lower Mainland is blooming with growth and life, as evidenced by a recent demographics study which showed that, statistically, the Lower Mainland is now Canada's third largest Jewish community, behind Toronto and Montreal. We've come a long way since 1961 when the census reported that Greater Vancouver's Jewish population numbered 6,000.
Our growth in numbers has also meant that we have branched out from the once central Vancouver core. When we talk about "home," we're talking about Richmond, White Rock,
Surrey, the North Shore, Burquest, Victoria and, yes, Vancouver still. There's even a growing Jewish community in the Okana-gan, centred in Kelowna, and with some mazel, a dedicated group is hoping to organize Jewish life in the Squamish/Whistler area.
This issue kicks off a special look at the growth of our community. If you turn to page 22, there's a beautiful, color map illustrating who we are and where we live. And over the next few weeks and months, we will offer an in-depth report on each outlying Jewish area, showing the vision for the future.
And like the community, we're growing as a newspaper. With this issue, we begin a special month-long look at Jerusalem 3000, focusing on our community in particular, and how we're participating in world history. It all begins with contributing writer Jannette Edmonds' look at what local groups and agencies have done to celebrate Jerusalem 3000 and what exciting events are being planned ahead. Just turn to page 16.
In the next few weeks, we'll also take a look at what Jerusalem 3000 means, and offer a perspective from our local
youth. We also want to hear your views on Jerusalem 3000, so don't be shy. Send us your letters to the editor or opinion pieces.
And there's more. May begins the introduction of a few new monthly features the Bulletin will be carrying in addition to our regular columns such as Loose Talk, Menschenings, Internet Traveller and Sports. We're introducing Israel Beat by former Israeli, Boaz Dvir. Boaz will offer tidbits scanned from Israeli papers — but ones that have an unusual twist or a quirky side, guaranteed not to make the daihes here.
As well, joining our monthly columns will be Tell Me Why, which we've already run on occasion. Want to know why the biblical patriarchs didn't have last names? Were any of Elizabeth
Taylor's husbands Jewish? Elizabeth Applebaum has the answers to your questions on any Jewish topic — no holds ban-ed. Elizabeth would love to hear fiiom our readers, so please send her any Tell Me Wliy questions, care of this paper.
And we're also introducing Look Who's Talking, a feature; to run the first issue oi"each month letting you know which speakers are coming to town and what their topics are all about.
So settle down in your favorite armchair, Bulletin in hand, and come spring forward with us.
Ariela Friedmann, Editor
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