Former CJC leaders from coast to coast reconvene for discussions

 Just over 10 years after the Canadian Jewish Congress was dissolved, former leadership   from across the country convened via an enthusiastic Zoom call to discuss how the legacy of the once prestigious organization could be maintained.

The so-called “Parliament of Canadian Jewry” had a unique structure that provided for Canada-wide representation. Delegates from national, regional and local Jewish organizations as well as synagogues and service clubs from across the country were able to have meaningful input into national and regional policy through regular local meetings, regional conferences and annual consultations culminating in a plenary assembly every three years.

Some of the former CJC leadership on the screen.

Taking part of the call were:  Jack Silverstone, Ottawa (former National Executive Vice-President and General Counsel); Bernie Farber, Toronto (former Chief Executive Officer); Les Scheininger, Toronto (former National President);  Eric Vernon, Ottawa (former Director of  Government Relations);  Michael Crelinsten, Montreal (former Quebec Region Executive Director); Dorothy Zalcman Howard, Montreal (former Quebec Region Chair); Mike Cohen, Montreal (former National Director of Communications);  Michael Elterman and Renee Switzer, Vancouver (former Pacific Region Chairs); Joseph J. Wilder, Winnipeg (former National Community Relations Committee Chair); Jon Goldberg, Halifax (former Atlantic Jewish Council Executive Director); and Hal Joffe, Calgary (former National Community Relations Chair).

The main consensus from this call was to find a way to share the many achievements of CJC during its 90 years of existence:  combatting anti-Semitism; steering the Nazi war criminals dossier; Israel advocacy; the Soviet/Syrian/Ethiopian Jewry advocacy efforts; the coalition of Jewish, Italian and Greek communities which advocated for Canadian unity; and standing up for other minority communities. It is hoped that initially a lecture series can be launched to both remind the community of these milestones while informing the next generation who may be too young to know about the CJC mandate.

Since this call, a number of others have stepped forward to be added to the list of those seeking to get involved. 

Stay tuned to this blog.