Federation CJA
| Formation | 1917 |
|---|---|
| Type | Organizations based in Canada |
| Legal status | active |
| Headquarters | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
Region served | Canada |
Official language | English, French, Hebrew |
CEO | Deborah Corber |
| Website | www.federationcja.org |
Federation CJA aims to be the driving force in a vibrant and caring Montreal Jewish Community. In partnership with an effective network of organizations, builds and sustains the community by providing principled leadership, by raising and distributing funds, and by facilitating, incubating and overseeing the delivery of services and programs.
Federation CJA embodies the values of the Jewish collective responsibility for one another. The overall goals of Federation CJA, in Montreal, Canada, Israel and the Jewish world are:
- Caring for those who are vulnerable and in need
- Ensuring Jewish vibrancy and a Jewish future
- Representing and defending our communal interests
- Tikun Olam (working on issues affecting wider society)
History
Federation CJA is one of the oldest Canadian Jewish organization.[1] CJA was founded in 1917 with the hope of uniting Montreal's Jewish community and providing a central fundraising organization to serve the 14 founding organizations.[2] It has been involved in all the major issues facing the community over 90 years, including government restrictions on immigration beginning in the 1920s, extreme poverty during the depression, the rise of fascism not only in Europe but also in Quebec during the thirties,[3] the second world war and assisting the remnants of European Jewry, the birth of the State of Israel, waves of immigration including especially Holocaust survivors,[4] Sephardic Jews [5] and Hungarians after the 56 [6] uprising, the rise of the separatist movements and outward immigration, particularly of young Jews that followed in the late 70's and 80's, as well as fighting anti-semitism and assisting meet the needs of the most vulnerable in Montreal, in Israel, and in other communities under threat around the world.
Fundraising
Combined Jewish Appeal (CJA) is the fundraising arm of Federation CJA, with over 18,000 generous donors to the annual campaign supporting an array of local, national, and overseas programs and activities.
Community
As a community organization, it mobilizes thousands of volunteers who devote their time and energy to raising funds, allocating the proceeds, and assisting in the delivery of services. It is one of 156 North American Jewish federations, a member of the United Israel Appeal Federations Canada, the Jewish Federations of North America, and a contributor to the Jewish Agency for Israel. Also Federation CJA is affiliated with the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy.
Agencies
Constituent Agencies of Federation CJA include Agence Ometz, Bronfman Jewish Education Centre, Camp B'nai Brith, Communauté sépharade unifiée du Québec (United Sefardic Community of Quebec), Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors, Hillel Montreal, JEM Workshop Inc., Jewish Public Library, Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, the Segal Centre for Performing Arts, as well as the YM-YWHA Montreal Jewish Community Centres.
New leadership
In its vision of the future,[7] the director of CJA believes firmly that the Federation CJA must be more inclusive[8] and recognize all Jews in a diverse Jewish population of Montreal.[9] Past-President of Federation CJA, Marc Gold, said "the federation recognizes that it has to be open to change in order to be relevant to Montreal Jews, especially the younger generation and those not involved with the organized community and recognize that all Jews in a diverse Jewish population of Montreal."[10]
References
- ^ (in French) King, Joe (2002) Les Juifs de Montréal, trois siècles de parcours exceptionnel, pages 92 to 102, Editor Édition Carte Blanche.(89590-002-7)
- ^ (in French) Linteau, Paul-Andre (1992) Histoire de Montréal depuis la Confédération, Édition Boréal. pages 325 to 330 (ISBN 978-2890524415)
- ^ (In French) Légaré Tremblay, Jean-Frédéric (1 April 2010) Adrien Arcand, un fasciste bien de chez nous, Le Devoir.
- ^ Montreal is preceded by Israel and New York city for number of Jewish survivors who took up residence after the Second World War there. About 40 000 survivors of the Holocaust came in the late 1940s, seeking a peaceful country, a place where they might have a chance at rebuilding their lives, or simply coming because they had relatives here. Sources (In French) Linteau,Paul-Andre (1992) Histoire de Montréal depuis la Confédération, Editor: Édition Boréal. pages 467 to 468 (ISBN 978-2890524415)
- ^ In 1957: Jews from Morocco begin to arrive in numbers (3,000 between 1957-1966). Source: (In French) Berdugo-Cohen, Marie & Cohen, Yolande & Levy, Joseph-J (1987) Juifs marocains à Montréal: témoignages d’une immigration moderne, Montréal. Editor édition VLB
- ^ In 1956: 1,500 Jews from Hungary settle at Montreal. Source: (in French) King,Joe (2002) Les Juifs de Montréal, trois siècles de parcours exceptionnel, pages 221 to 228. Editor: Édition Carte Blanche. (89590-002-7)
- ^ Levy, Elias (7 October 2009). "Les grands défis de la Fédération CJA". Canadian Jewish News (in French).
- ^ Arnold, Janice (16 December 2009). "Federation reviewing its role in the community". Canadian Jewish News.
- ^ Federation CJA (November 2010) Imagine 2020: Survey reveals a dynamic, diverse and committed community, Tikum Olam, edition 62.
- ^ Arnold, Janice (16 December 2009) Federation reviewing its role in the community, Canadian Jewish News.