Purim Carnival

Sunday, March 10, 2019 10 am to 12 noon, Jewish Community Center, 3636 Shelbourne Street — The Jewish Federation of Victoria & Vancouver Island, PJ Library, PJ Our Way & Congregation Emanu-El invite everyone to a Purim Carnival on Sunday, March 10, 2019 from 10 am to 12 pm at the Jewish Community Center of Victoria, 3636 Shelbourne Street. This is a free Family Event featuring carnival games, magician, costume parade, hamantashen, snacks and drinks. Come in costume and win a prize! For more info or to volunteer, please email PJ@jewishvancouverisland.ca

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Eco-Veggie Potluck Dinner & Musical Kabbalat Shabbat Service

Friday, March 1 2019, 5:45 pm – Doors Open: 6 pm – Shabbat Dinner: 7:00 pm Kabbalat Shabbat Service — Bring a vegetarian or dairy dish to our potluck dinner along with your own dishes & utensils for dining (that’s the “eco” part!). We’ll supply the ḥallah and wine for kiddush. The dinners are a great way to get to know each other and all are welcome. Please RSVP for the dinner at info@congregationemanuel.ca

Services will begin promptly at 7 pm, following dinner – it’s OK to come just for services if you can’t make it to the dinner. Kabbalat Shabbat is a spirited and joyful service with singing and storytelling lead by Rabbi Harry and the Shul‘s very own KabbaShabba band!  Services will conclude at 7:45 pm with a tasty oneg dessert.  Fun and meaningful for both kids and adults.

Young Adults Jews and Brews

Thursday, February 28 2019 at 7:30 pm — Are you looking for more meaningful Jewish social interactions with like-minded people in a similar stage in life? Join us on Thursday, February 28, 7:30 pm upstairs at The Bent Mast, 512 Simcoe Street for our third “Jews and Brews” event. First pint (or cider, if you’re gluten intolerant) is on us! For more information contact, Lindsey Lytle…

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Attention parents: Kafe & Kibitz

Sunday, February 24, 10:15 am to noon in lobby, 710 Pandora Avenue — Come hang out with other parents in a warm & welcoming environment: feel free to bring along any young children in tow. We look forward to engaging conversation, laughter, reflection, support, and, of course, caffeine. Everyone is welcome, including non-members. NEW LOCATION: We’ll be meeting in the lobby of 710 Pandora Street (the new building at Pandora & Douglas) beside Sherwood Cafe.

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An over-the-top Sephardic Celebración

Despite the snow, about 100 people participated in the Sephardic Celebración at Congregation Emanu-El last Sunday afternoon. Betsi Boeno led off the program with a joyful presentation about Turkey and Sephardic Jews. Kouskous followed her with their earthy, sensuous Sephardic music and the afternoon wrapped-up with a buffet of tasty Sephardic delicacies. Mazel Tov for a delightful afternoon goes out to Betsi, Amber & Gary, the volunteer cooks, Rosalind & Yaaqov and their brigade de cuisine, Betsi, Amber, Ruth, Dahlia, Frances, Ellen & Rene and the Adult Education & Communications teams.
For more photos… (Penny Tennenhouse, Frances Rosenberg)

Avodah blanket drive needs your help!

Yesterday, Avodah gave six polar fleece blankets to Rev Al (Victoria Dandelion Society). He responded by saying that these blankets save lives.
”My thanks go out to Avodah and Congregation Emanu-El for their generous gift of blankets which could not have come at a better time of year. This particular week is going to be very cold and there are still many sleeping out on our streets. If another appeal for blankets could be put out to your congregation at this time it would also be gratefully received…My deepest thanks”

Avodah asks that you help them to respond to Rev Al’s request for more blankets for our homeless neighbours. When Avodah buys the washable fleece fabric and cuts it to size, the cost per blanket is approximately $20 which means $500 will help keep 25 people warm and $1,000 will help 50 people face the cold nights. The need is great.  Please help fund our blanket drive. When you make a donation to the synagogue by cheque, please write “Avodah blanket drive” at the bottom of your cheque.

 

JFVVI announces a book program for children aged 8 to 12

Building on the success of PJ Library, which gives the gift of Jewish children’s books each month to more than 100 children in Victoria and Vancouver Island, Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island (JFVVI) announces the new program PJ Our Way (for Jewish children aged 8 to 12) which allows participants to select one of four books every month, giving them more choice on their journey toward being life-long readers while introducing them to Jewish ideas.

PJ Our Way books are provided at no cost to families because of generous contributions from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and PJ Alliance partners.

As part of the program, PJ Our Way participants can write book reviews, take quizzes and polls, and watch kid-created book trailers and author interviews. The PJ Our Way website pjourway.org provides these new avenues for discussion.

For more information or to sign-up directly, go to pjourway.org/Canada.