Shalom Chaverim, 

Last Friday, my family and I joined 35 families amounting to over 130 people gathered for Shabbat dinner to celebrate 15 years of PJ Library in Ottawa. It was a meaningful evening that brought together a wonderful group of young families sharing Shabbat and building community. It was very moving to see so much energy and Jewish joy.  

This week, I began with meeting representatives from The Jerusalem Foundation to discuss ways we might collaborate with them to connect our two capital cities, and to showcase the diversity of Jerusalem to our Jewish and broader community. I am confident we will partner on some very interesting and informative programs in the future, both here and in Israel.  

The week also included a meaningful conversation with Rachael Wilson, President and CEO of United Way East Ontario, about ways she, her volunteer board, and her professional team can support our Jewish community, and how we can build the kind of Ottawa we want for the future. We had a frank discussion about antisemitism, as well as the hate and discrimination our community is feeling, and we talked about strategies to leverage the voice and credibility of United Way to combat that hate. We also discussed bigger and broader issues like access to affordable housing, food insecurity, growing social service needs, and current trends in philanthropy.  

As part of a strong and successful finish to the week, Federation’s Annual Community Campaign surpassed $5 million on Wednesday, reaching $5,013,798! This is a remarkable show of dedication and generosity from our Jewish Ottawa community and provides the resources and energy to continue to support the incredible and critical organizations and initiatives that make our community vibrant and secure. There are still a few more donors who have indicated their intentions to make their gifts, and it’s not too late if members of our community would still like to contribute. We are so grateful to all of our donors, and especially to Leila Ages and Gary Viner, Campaign co-chairs, who have recently been joined by Ian Sherman who has assumed Gary’s co-chair role for the coming Campaign year. We are also incredibly fortunate to have amazing canvassers, and a stellar development department led by VP of Development, Michael Reznick, all of whom played a significant role in the success of our Campaign. 

Before I make a few observations about this week’s Torah portion, I want to personally invite each of you to Federation’s Annual General Meeting next week. On June 24, we will conduct organizational business, share key achievements and strategic updates, and celebrate some amazing leaders from our community. Please join us. 

This Shabbat we read Parshat Korach which tells the story of Korach gathering followers to rise up against Moses and Aaron. Korach declares “For all the community are holy, all of them, and the Lord is in their midst. Why then do you raise yourselves above the congregation?” At first glance, his words sound noble since Judaism teaches that every person is created b’tzelem Elohim (in the image of G-d), and that each of us possesses inherent dignity and worth. 

In studying Korach’s rebellion, many note that it was not truly about holiness or equality. It was about ego, resentment, and ambition. The rabbis teach that Korach’s dispute was not an argument for the sake of Heaven. Rather than seeking to build up the community, he sought to tear it apart. 

Parshat Korach reminds us that communities, including Jewish Ottawa, are fragile and precious. They thrive not when everyone agrees, but when disagreement is addressed with mutual respect and shared purpose. Judaism does not fear debate. In fact, our tradition is built upon it. The Talmud is filled with arguments and differing opinions. But our sages distinguished between disputes that are constructive, and those that are destructive. The former help us grow, deepen our understanding, and strengthen our collective life. The latter leave behind division and hurt feelings. 

This message feels especially relevant in an era of polarization and uncertainty. Our community’s strength has never come from uniformity of thought. It has come from our ability to remain in relationship with one another, even when we disagree. Jewish Ottawa is diverse, and its members have many different priorities and opinions. As such, it takes special care and dedication to maintain and enhance all we have built together.  

There is another important lesson in this story. Korach was right about one thing – all the community is holy. Every individual has gifts to share and ways to contribute. The census in the wilderness, and the organization of the Israelite camp repeatedly remind us that every person counts. Our community flourishes when each of us brings our unique talents, perspectives, and energies to the collective whole. 

As we reflect on Parshat Korach, I hope we will recommit ourselves to being a community that embraces both diversity and unity, a community where every voice matters and every person counts, and a community that engages in disagreement with humility, kindness, and respect. 

Shabbat Shalom, 

Adam