The end of summer is a special time. This year, my wife, kids and I visited Canada’s east coast and made lifelong memories. Now comes the joy, chaos, and reflection of September including a new school year, ramping back up at work, and hosting family at Rosh Hashanah.
This time of year is just as busy at the Bernard Betel Centre. There will be plenty of recreation and wellness programs in the fall and more trips and travel opportunities coming this year where you can enjoy friends and make memories of your own.
There are also opportunities to make a difference for the more than 620 vulnerable Jewish seniors who live in poverty and depend on our free kosher Meals on Wheels program, and the 450 more who are on our waiting list. This critical lifeline continues to need urgent financial support. Our dedicated volunteers, and staff, led by Gail Gould, worked so hard last year to identify and secure grants and donations so that we could continue feeding these seniors. I am truly appreciative for all of your incredible passion to fundraise for those who need our help.
The Bernard Betel Centre is incredibly grateful for your past support. For us to achieve our $1.3 million goal this year, we must also count on our community. We need your financial support as we plan for our second annual Tribute Event on November 29, 2023. This year, our Tribute Event Committee will honour Dr. Anna Shternshis, Director of the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies, Al and Malka Green Professor in Yiddish Studies, Fellow, John Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Dr. Shternshis is a distinguished scholar with an international reputation for her expertise in Jewish culture in Russia and the Soviet Union. Her most recent project, Yiddish Glory: The Lost Songs of WWII, highlights forgotten Yiddish music written during the Holocaust in the Soviet Union. This project received widespread international acclaim including a Grammy nomination in 2019. Please join us for this memorable evening.
As we reflect about the past year and look to the future with our families and community, we will do the same as an organization. On September 12, 2023 at 6:30 PM we will host our Annual General Meeting via Zoom. We invite all Betel members to please join us.
The Board of Directors and staff wish you and your loved ones Shana Tova U’Metukah – all the very best for 5784.
Marcus Staviss
President, Board of Directors, Bernard Betel Centre
