Reflecting on the past year and all that JIAS accomplished including the thousands of clients served, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for our talented staff, dedicated volunteers, generous donors, and valued partners. Each of you plays an integral role in our ability to welcome, support, and integrate new immigrants and refugees.

Leading an organization that is 102 years old comes with a responsibility to build on its legacy and continue its mission.

A resilient organization requires the ability to anticipate, respond, and adapt to change in a way that stays true to its mandate, is authentic to its values, and does not put the organization and its stakeholders at risk.

A few weeks ago, I spoke to a national group; the title of my presentation was 3 Years - 3 Crisis Responses: Afghanistan 2021; Ukraine 2022 and Israel 2023.

While these global crises were unique and unexpected, JIAS was a lead responder for people seeking safety in Canada. As a result of our skills and knowhow, JIAS continued to become a sought out partner among local, national, and international groups. For example, JIAS is currently the only settlement agency in Canada that is funded by Airbnb.org to provide emergency short-term housing for our newcomers.

Core to our success is the strong leadership at all levels of the organization – specifically, our board Chair, Shelly Markel, the board, management, staff, and volunteers. Donors, funders, and partners recognize JIAS as a sector leader and innovator and give us the means to grow exponentially.

What has dramatically changed in the past two years has been the agency’s ability to raise new monies for clients' urgent needs. This has empowered our settlement team to address housing and food insecurity. Additionally, as many of our recent clients have fled war zones, we have increased mental health programming for both clients and staff.

This has been a particularly difficult year.

It has not been easy leading a Jewish organization post-October 7. As my father was a Holocaust survivor, I was exposed to many survivors that modeled healthy, resilient attitudes. Despite their many losses, they chose to move forward and build a better future. Their resilience and faith has always given me strength and hope.

Over the past 11 months, I have received many calls from family members and friends asking me what advice my late father would give them during this difficult time in our Jewish history. I respond, “Have faith. Step up. Have courage. Surround yourself with good people; and work towards a better future.”

When I have a difficult hour or hard day, I am comforted knowing that leading JIAS and working with all of you, enables me to heed his advice.

We are at a pivotal stage in our country’s immigration strategy. Over a five-year period, the number of displaced people in the world has increased from 80 million to 120 million, which means more people want to come to Canada. During that same five-year period, we have seen a shift from positive to negative Canadian attitudes towards immigration. In 2019, 35% of Canadians polled by Leger felt that Canada had too many immigrants. By July 2024 , their new poll showed the number increased to 60%. This change in attitudes towards newcomers is being seen across the globe as countries offer to pay asylum seekers to leave, and immigrants are being blamed for societal problems.

While I do not know what the future of Canadian immigration will look like, I can share with you my vision for the future. Canada will look like JIAS:

• Staff that came to Canada as refugees and have chosen to work with other refugees, even though this often triggers reminders of their own trauma,
• The mother who took her family to Canada and packed ¾ of her van with her children’s toys so that they would find comfort during the scary journey.
• The woman who was on a trajectory of professional success and, with no choice, was forced to leave her country and start over, and is doing so with grace and courage;
• The son who made it to safety with his family in Canada, and risked a return trip to Afghanistan to bring his mother to Canada;
• The woman who was not allowed to choose her profession and studies in her country of birth, who had the courage to go back to school in Toronto and reclaim the the destiny she sought,
• The colleague who while worrying about her loved ones in Ukraine, would bring to staff and her Jewish friends homemade challahs over the first few weeks of the war in Israel; and
• Staff members who coordinated challah bake that brought together staff from diverse backgrounds, religions, and ethnicities to bake challahs with prayers for the safe return of the hostages and peace.

Imagine a Canada where we looked out for each other as reflected in these examples.

In the Bible, when Moses was preparing to pass on his baton of leadership to his successor Joshua, he shared with the Israelites lessons he wanted them to take with them as they settled in the land of Israel. One of his teachings was the phrase, “Tzedek, Tzedek, Tirdof” Justice, Justice, you shall pursue. Why is there a repetition of the word justice? One interpretation is, the first-time justice is stated, it is a call to action – the second time, is to ensure that the intention behind the action is righteous. So, too, we need these dual concepts to be embedded in our immigration system. We should always ensure that our intentions and calls to action are rooted in how we help others.

We welcome, support, and integrate new immigrants and refugees to build a vibrant Jewish community and a strong, inclusive Canada that values all newcomers. 

JIAS helps immigrants and refugees overcome social, economic, and cultural barriers to become full and active participants in the community. We connect newcomers to people, organizations, programs, and opportunities that help them thrive.

In 2023-2024, JIAS continued to see an influx of high need clients from areas of conflict including Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Israel. JIAS adapts its programs and services to meet the urgent and ongoing needs of these vulnerable newcomers.