A Message from our President

By the Jewish Calendar, we are now in the month of Elul – the month leading up to the New Year.  The Hebrew letters for Elul, our sages tell us, can be interpreted as an acronym for many Jewish themes, but the “Law of the Cities of Refuge” is one of them.  We are told in the Torah that G-d commanded Moses to establish cities of refuge throughout the land.  In that time the purpose of these cities was to provide refuge and an opportunity for repentance for any person who had killed another accidentally. 

But the principle of refuge remains with us to this day – the need to provide sanctuary for those who, for whatever reasons, decide to flee from their place of residence.  As Jews from around the world choose Canada as their sanctuary - whether they come to escape discrimination, anti-Semitism, imminent danger, financial hardship, or simply to join other family members who have already relocated - we must be sensitive and responsive to their needs.  JIAS Canada understands what refugees and immigrants go through when they arrive here and the hardships they endure as they begin their new lives.  With our service providers, we help them overcome their struggles with migration, settlement and integration into their new communities.

As we approach the Yamim Nora’im – the Days of Awe – it is argued that we can also think about the month of Elul as a period in time that is the equivalent of the Cities of Refuge in space.  It is the time when we need to reflect on and repent our sins, think about what we should not have done to others and what we have yet to accomplish for ourselves.  It is also a time when the organization must reflect – what have we done right, what have we done wrong, what have we achieved and what must we do in the coming year to improve upon the past.  This year, as we celebrate 85 years of service to the Jewish community, we look forward with renewed energy to a successful road ahead.

On behalf of my family as well as the entire Board and Staff of JIAS Canada, I want to wish all of you  

Shanah tovah u'metukah
            May you and your families have a good and sweet year!

Shlomo Mayman

17 Elul 5767