To All Our Friends

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Happy Hannukah! Joyeux Hanouccah! Freylekhn Khanike! Feliz Januca!                Frohliches Chanukkah! С ПРАЗДНИКОМ ХАНУКА!

Here at Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada we are privileged to celebrate this joyous holiday with people from a variety of rich cultures, and in so many languages!  Throughout our 80+ year history, Jewish people from practically every country have reached out to JIAS for information, advice and help, or just a listening ear, and JIAS has been here for them.

At Hannukah we celebrate many miracles, including the religious freedom we gained centuries ago.  We also reflect on more modern day miracles, in which JIAS has played an important part.

This year, when we light the candles on our menorahs with our loved ones, may we all take a moment to reflect on all Jews, worldwide, and especially those who are newcomers to Canada.  We welcome them, with great joy, and look forward to getting to know these new members of our many Jewish communities across Canada and helping them to establish new lives - they have so much to gain, and so do we!

So that we may lead more meaningful lives and make the world a better place, let us also perform the mitzvah of Jewish solidarity: K'lal Yisrael.  We must always remember that the Jewish people are responsible for one another, wherever they may be.

In the words of one of the foremost historians of our day, Martin Gilbert, "The survival of the Jewish people, unprecedented among the nations, is due to its extraordinary ability to confront adversity with positivism, and its infinite ability to adapt and start afresh".  JIAS will always be here for exactly these reasons.

On behalf of the Board and Staff of JIAS Canada, we wish all of you a safe and happy holiday, and a hearty Chag Sameach! Buenos Fiestas! Jag Sameaj!