Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver Leader Honoured in Israel

This past month, women’s philanthropy chair, Karen James, travelled on a mission to Israel, where participants learned first-hand how our overseas partners, the Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency for Israel deliver critical services in local communities, and gained a greater understanding of the needs of these communities.

While in Israel seeing first-hand how our Federation dollars are at work addressing the ongoing humanitarian and social services programs that Jewish Federation supports, Karen was invited to recite the shehechiyanu prayer with President Shimon Peres, and asked to share her moving story of her experience an athlete at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Whether you’re familiar with her story or not, we invite you to view a video of this particularly moving account and incredible honour, click here.

As part of this the mission, Karen and other participants from across North America experienced first-hand Jewish Agency for Israel’s Youth Futures program. One of the life-saving programs that Jewish Federation supports, the program is designed to empower disadvantaged Israeli youth, and provide at-risk-youth equal opportunities to develop academic and social skills. The program works by pairing nearly 10,000 children with young adult social pioneers, who work with the children and their families for three years, developing personalized approaches to bridge critical gaps – educational, social and extracurricular.

Jewish Federation funds programs like these as part of its commitment to building a strong, vibrant and enduring Jewish community in the Lower Mainland, in Israel and throughout the world. Whether it’s providing funding for education and social services projects in our partnership region of the Upper Galilee Panhandle, the training and resettlement of new immigrants, or emerging needs, Federation is our community’s link to Israel and Jewish communities overseas.